New Draft Regulations Offer Hints of Where Things Are Headed

By
Law

What’s Next for the Cannabis Industry?

The cannabis industry is off to a fast and quite intriguing start in the Bay State, and two new categories of license have particular potential to move this sector in new directions: one for home delivery of cannabis products, and another for social-consumption establishments, or cannabis cafés.

By Isaac C. Fleisher, Esq.

We are nearly three years into the Commonwealth’s experiment with recreational cannabis, and the industry is finally moving beyond an amusing novelty.

The Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) reports that retail sales in 2019 alone have already exceeded $190 million, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. To date, the CCC has issued only 72 final licenses for marijuana establishments, but there are currently another 400 license applications that are pending or have received provisional approval.

Isaac C. Fleisher

This all means that, over the next few years, the Massachusetts cannabis industry is set to grow at an unprecedented rate. What we don’t know is how this growth will change and shape the industry.

Much of the excitement and rhetoric around legalization has focused on the potential to create new business and employment opportunities for communities that have been disproportionately harmed by prohibition and for local entrepreneurs. Lawmakers attempted to pursue these goals (with mixed success) through the design of the original regulations, with provisions for local control by cities and towns, special categories for equity applicants, and caps on the number of licenses that a single business could control.

The CCC has recently been grappling with these issues once again as it revises its regulations.

On July 2, after months of policy discussions and hearings, the CCC released new draft regulations for both medical and recreational marijuana, which will be open for public comment until Aug. 16. While most casual observers will not find the draft regulations to be scintillating reading material, there are a number of interesting new provisions that can tell us a lot about what the future of Massachusetts’ cannabis industry could look like.

Two new categories of license have particular potential to move the cannabis industry in new directions; one for home delivery of cannabis products, and another for social-consumption establishments (i.e., cannabis cafés).

Social Consumption

A social-consumption license would authorize businesses to sell cannabis products to customers for on-site consumption. Just think of your neighborhood bar, but it serves cannabis instead of alcohol. Under the proposed regulations, cannabis could be consumed at a social-consumption establishment in almost any form, except for combustible (i.e. smoking it the old-fashioned way), but even that possibility is left open by a provision for an outdoor smoking waiver.

Cannabis edibles would have to be prepackaged and shelf-stable, but there is no prohibition on serving prepared food on site, so long as the food isn’t directly infused with marijuana. That means we could soon be seeing cannabis restaurants that offer gourmet food alongside gourmet pot.

“There is no prohibition on serving prepared food on site, so long as the food isn’t directly infused with marijuana. That means we could soon be seeing cannabis restaurants that offer gourmet food alongside gourmet pot.”

The CCC is taking an incremental approach to this new class of license by including provisions for a social-consumption pilot program that would be limited to only 12 municipalities. Towns that participated in a working group on social consumption — including North Adams, Amherst, Springfield, Provincetown, and Somerville — would be among those able to opt into the pilot program. Licenses would initially be available only to applicants that were already licensed as a ‘microbusiness’ or a ‘craft marijuana cooperative,’ or applicants certified by the CCC as an ‘economic empowerment’ applicant or ‘social equity’ applicant. The pilot program is an interesting attempt to address the demand for new cannabis markets, while still preserving access for small, local, and minority-owned businesses.

Home Delivery

A licensed ‘delivery-only retailer’ could deliver marijuana products directly to a customer’s residence. Advocates for home delivery have long touted its potential to level the playing field between large, well-funded businesses and the small, local entrepreneurs the CCC seeks to attract.

In theory, a delivery-only licensee wouldn’t need much more than a vehicle in order to begin operating. However, the draft regulations include a number of provisions that could create substantial barriers to entry for small-time operators. Home-delivery orders would still need to go through a traditional brick-and-mortar retailer, who would presumably not be particularly interested in providing their product to competitors at wholesale prices.

Additionally, the draft regulations prohibit deliveries to any residence in a town that has banned brick-and-mortar retailers.

Numerous security provisions included in the draft regulations create further costly (and controversial) requirements for delivery-only retailers. Each delivery vehicle would need multiple surveillance cameras, and delivery agents would need to wear body cameras to record the entire delivery, including the customer. This has predictably resulted in a number of concerns about privacy and regulatory overreach.

At a recent CCC meeting, Commissioner Shaleen Title pointed out that, “to the extent that home delivery to [medical-marijuana] patients has been ongoing, there may already be security in place that goes above and beyond our regulations, and to my knowledge there haven’t been incidents … That seems to be an argument that you should not be putting in additional burdens and regulations.”

While body cameras got the most attention at the CCC’s meetings, one provision in the proposed home delivery regulations with the potential to be far more consequential is the option to use a “third-party technology platform provider” to facilitate the ordering process. In simpler terms, we could soon be saying “there’s an app for that.”

While there is still a thorny tangle of federal and state laws preventing a true e-commerce for cannabis, it’s not hard to imagine startups racing to be the first ‘Uber for weed.’ This would certainly make the consumer experience even more convenient, but it would mean yet another blow to the delivery only retailer’s profit margin, and does not seem consistent with the goal of lowering the barrier to entry for small businesses.

Of course, excitement about new markets comes with the important caveat that the rules still need to be finalized and, in some cases, there would need to be a corresponding change in state law. Nevertheless, it is encouraging to see that regulators are willing to consider new ideas for Massachusetts’ cannabis industry. The lines around the block at the first retailers have everybody seeing dollar signs, but with no statutory limits on the number of licenses that the CCC can issue, it is only a matter of time before supply exceeds demand.

In states that are further along in this process there is already evidence of a boom-bust cycle, as oversupply causes wholesale prices to plummet and smaller operators are forced out of the market. In Massachusetts, where the cannabis industry is still relatively nascent, there is still opportunity for regulators, consumers, activists, and entrepreneurs to play important roles in shaping the future of the industry.

Attorney Isaac C. Fleisher is an associate with Bacon Wilson, P.C., where his practice is focused on business and corporate law, with particular emphasis on the rapidly expanding cannabis industry. An accomplished transactional attorney, he has broad experience in all aspects of business representation, for legal matters ranging from mergers and acquisitions to business formation and financing; (413) 781-0560; [email protected].

Restored Brewer-Young Mansion Set to Begin Its Next Chapter

By
Architecture

History Lessons

At right: from left, project partners Chris Orszulak, Henry Clement, and Andrew Lam.

In its heyday, the Brewer-Young mansion was the center of Longmeadow’s social scene. Those who don’t remember those days know it more as an eyesore alongside the town green, after a string of owners over the past 30 years were unable to maintain the decaying structure. Enter a trio of investors with a commercial vision for the property, one that would pump economic vitality into the building while restoring its original architecture — and historic importance.

Andrew Lam says he’s “very invested in Longmeadow’s history,” and not just because he lives next door to it.

Specifically, his home abuts the Brewer-Young mansion, a sprawling, Colonial Revival estate built in 1885 that has, to put it charitably, seen better days.

Restoration work aims to return the mansion to its former glory (top photo, courtesy of the Longmeadow Historical Society).

“I’m very interested in making sure we preserve this property and turn it into a positive on our green — not to have it torn down or turned into something negative,” said Lam, an eye surgeon, author of three history books, and co-owner, along with financial-services professional Chris Orszulak and contractor Henry Clement of Innovative Building and Design, of the mansion that will soon begin the next phase of its intriguing story — as a professional office complex for small businesses.

The 10,900-square-foot house, at 734 Longmeadow St., has undergone a slow decline since it left the Young family — of Absorbine fame — in 1989, and has fallen into significant disrepair over the past decade, especially after its last owner, Shahkar Fatemni, was foreclosed on in 2013 and evicted in 2015.

The problem is that — as a string of owners since 1989 have learned — with its massive size and the restoration work it requires, it’s just not viable as a residence anymore; when the front columns collapsed several years ago, it cost Chase Bank $120,000 just to repair the porch. Even if the town got lucky and a wealthy investor stepped in to buy it, Lam noted, what would happen when he moved out? Longmeadow would be in the same situation all over again.

Orszulak also lives in town — in fact, with kids at Center Elementary School, right across the street, and a commute to work that takes him right past the mansion, he’s had a good view of it for a long time. He discussed some sort of commercial development at the site with Lam several years ago, when Lam still believed a residential use was possible.

Jason Pananos in 734 Workspace, the co-working center he’s developing on the third floor.

“I basically said to him, ‘listen, if it ever gets to a point where it comes on the market and you agree it’s not a viable single-family residence, why don’t we talk about partnering on repurposing it and putting it back on the path to sustainability?” Orszulak told BusinessWest. “I’ve always felt like the property was a key part of the town center, and there was a way to sustain and repurpose it.”

Fast-forward a few years — and a massive restoration effort — and the three owners will welcome a nearly full house of commercial tenants in September. The Youngs’ ballroom is now the home of financial advisers Shawn Torres and Alecka Kress of Vitae Wealth Management. The minister’s parlor is occupied by event planner Lindsay Maloni. Setting up shop in the formal dining room are Melissa Buscemi and Maria Arsenieva, program director and financial advisor, respectively, for Reboot, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Jewish heritage. Psychologist Bonnie Connell will practice in the mansion’s former kitchen.

Meanwhile, Dr. Melissa Johnson, a surgeon at Baystate Medical Center, will operate a practice on the entire second floor, and the third floor is given over to a large co-working space.

The public will have an opportunity to tour the restored mansion as part of the Friends of Storrs Library Tour of Homes fundraiser on Oct. 5. What they’ll find is a lot of history — and, for the first time in many years, hope that a new, vibrant chapter is being written within what was, very recently, only an eyesore alongside the town green.

Singing the Praises

The mansion’s first resident was Rev. Samuel Wolcott, known for writing more than 200 Christian hymns. It was built for him by his two sons, who made their fortune in silver mining in Colorado. Ownership passed to State Sen. Edward Brewer in 1901, but the mansion’s third owner, Mary Ida Young, truly put it on the map.

The matriarch of a family that had made its fortune from Absorbine, a horse liniment popular in the days before automobiles, Young lived there from 1921 to 1960, and during this time it was truly a Gilded Age mansion, with extensive grounds and many servants and gardeners, serving as the site of important social gatherings.

A worker from Blackburn Building Conservation engages in the painstaking work of repairing the original wallpaper.

The Young family retained it until the 1980s, over the years selling off parts of the estate toward the Connecticut River — some was given up for I-91, more to enable development of the Ely Road neighborhood in the rear. A series of residential owners owned the home it in the 1990s and 2000s, each with plans to restore it and put it to use (among the plans were an event space and a bed and breakfast) — but each kept running into the high cost of repair and maintenance.

As it decayed further, Fatemni, five years before his eviction, sought a residential buyer, but found none. And once the property was abandoned, it went downhill quickly.

“Over these eight years, it really started decaying rapidly,” Lam said. “The front portico columns collapsed. The porches were rotting and threatened to fall. The inside had water damage from roof leaks. It was a terrible eyesore for the town because it is located prominently at the center of the historic green.”

Lam, who served for years on the Longmeadow Historical Commission, wanted to preserve it, but every historical preservation society or benefactor he approached realized it was too expensive to maintain — “it was a true money pit” — and declined to help. One society said taking the project on would have bankrupted it.

Finally, he came around to the idea that a commercial use would make sense, and teamed with Orszulak and Clement to purchase the property for $470,200. But not just any commercial use, like a bank or chain store that would be out of character for the town center. Instead, they envisioned a professional office complex that would require renovating and restoring, not tearing down, this piece of history.

“It is probably the best example of Colonial Revival architecture in the Pioneer Valley,” Lam told BusinessWest. “All three of us cared deeply about preserving the mansion in the best possible way.”

That use, however, required a zone change — and a two-thirds vote at a special town meeting. “We had a strong case it was in such terrible condition that it was quite obvious something needed to be done, but any time there’s a change, there are always going to be people for and against it.”

Their effort was buoyed by an informational campaign — and the support of Todd and Tyler Young, the last of the Young family to reside in the mansion.

The striking conservatory at the mansion was restored with new tempered, shatter-proof glass.

“When considering the various use cases (bed and breakfast, condominiums, etc.) and related market and financial analysis the current owners have undertaken, our family honestly believes that the proposal of re-zoning this property for professional office space is the most realistic and best use of this uncommon structure,” they wrote to Longmeadow Buzz, an online forum, in January 2018. “Outside of a viable repurposing and renovation, we sincerely believe demolition of this prominent building is a certainty once it is officially deemed uninhabitable or a catastrophic event such as a partial structural collapse or fire occurs — whichever comes next.”

The vote that month was close, as 69% approved the zone change from a residence to professional offices. “That’s different from commercial zoning,” Lam said. “We didn’t want it to be a McDonald’s or a gas station or any building that didn’t look historic.”

Since then, he, Orszulak, and Clement have poured $1.3 million into renovations, with more to come — the original budget was $2 million, and Lam thinks it will wind up in that ballpark.

Melding Old and New

It has been a delicate dance. On one hand, Lam said, “everything needed to be modernized — HVAC, plumbing, electrical. There was no central air, and the roof was collapsing. Every day brought a new challenge. ‘Oh, we need handrails.’ ‘Oh, we need an elevator.’ ‘Oh, we need a fire escape.’ But we didn’t want to take away from the historic look.”

Original features include marble floors and a grand staircase, lined by stained-glass windows, in the front foyer; a glassed-in conservatory based on the Crystal Palace from London’s Great Exhibition of 1851; and embossed leather wallpaper on the first floor designed by Zuber & Cie, an 18th-century French manufacturer that also designed wallpaper for the Diplomatic Reception Room in the White House.

“The wallpaper was literally falling apart, full of cracks and peeling,” Lam said, noting that the team commissioned Middleborough-based Blackburn Building Conservation return it to its original glory, a painstaking process involving tiny scalpels and other equipment — and plenty of patience.

“The whole staircase is priceless,” Lam said. “The goal when you walk into the building is for it to appear as it did in 1885 when it was first built — exactly the same. The staircase and stained glass are all the same.”

But today’s Brewer-Young mansion reflects the 21st century in many ways, too, such as 734 Workspace, the co-working complex Jason Pananos has developed on the third floor, featuring 10 small offices — already mostly rented — a large shared workspace, and amenities including a kitchen and office equipment.

The mansion’s grand staircase is highlighted by large panels of stained glass.

“It’s very exciting. It’s going to be a vibrant place — a place where entrepreneurs and professionals come together and cross-pollinate ideas,” Lam said. “It’ll be a wonderful environment to work in. All our tenants are local; they all believe in our goal to save this mansion, and they’re willing to join us in doing just that.”

Saving the 134-year-old house means modernizing it in other ways, too, many of which require significant funds.

“Frankly, it was not clear how much it would truly cost,” Lam said. “Asbestos was discovered that would have to be removed. We needed to install a giant sprinkler system that includes the exterior porches to comply with codes. The conservatory serves no purpose from a profit standpoint, but it’s beautiful, so we replaced the old glass with tempered, shatter-proof glass.”

Even more beautiful, the partners said, was the speed at which the building was rented.

“It was a stronger response than I anticipated,” Orszulak said, noting that the tenants on board are virtually all from Longmeadow — impressive in a town that has a lower density of commercial properties than any other in the region, by far. “For us to be almost occupied before completion was really reassuring to me personally. This level of support, I think, speaks to the broad community interest in repurposing this property.”

Lam never assumed that kind success, although he was hopeful.

“That was one of the major risks we were taking — that no one would want to be there,” he told BusinessWest. “But the town strongly believes in our goals to preserve it in an aesthetically beautiful way, and that’s reflected in the people who want to be there. They’ve trusted us and agreed to rent before the building was beautiful. That’s telling, and very fulfilling to us.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

It May Level the Playing Field, but There Are Provisions to Watch

By
Accounting and Tax Planning

Section 199A

Section 199A of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was created to level the playing field when it comes to lowering the corporate tax rate for those businesses not acting as C corporations. For most profit-seeking ventures, qualifying for the deduction is not difficult, but for rental real estate, it becomes more difficult.

By Lisa White, CPA

On Dec. 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was signed into law, bringing with it a plethora of changes, affecting, albeit in varying degrees, every taxable and non-taxable entity and individual.

One of the primary focuses of the act was to lower the corporate tax rate to a flat rate of 21%. In order to keep the taxable-entity landscape equitable, however, a provision was necessary for those businesses not operating as C corporations.

Thus, Section 199A was created, providing for a deduction of up to 20% of qualified business income from a domestic business operating as a sole proprietorship, partnership, S corporation, trust, or estate.

The first step in assessing the benefit of the Section 199A deduction is to determine if there is a qualified activity. The statute uses Section 162 of the Internal Revenue Code to designate qualification — which is difficult since Section 162 does not actually provide a clear definition of what constitutes a trade or business.

“What might be the easiest way to approach making the determination is the ‘walks like a duck, quacks like a duck’ scenario. If the activity is a profit-seeking venture that requires regular and continuous involvement, there should not be an issue with rising to the level of a qualified trade or business under Section 162 — and thus being eligible for the Section 199A deduction.”

Instead, case law must be used to support the position taken. What might be the easiest way to approach making the determination is the ‘walks like a duck, quacks like a duck’ scenario. If the activity is a profit-seeking venture that requires regular and continuous involvement, there should not be an issue with rising to the level of a qualified trade or business under Section 162 — and thus being eligible for the Section 199A deduction.

For rental real estate, the determination becomes a bit more complicated. If the rental activity consists of property being rented to or among a group of commonly controlled businesses, where the same owner — or group of owners — owns directly or indirectly at least 50% of both the rental property and the operating business, and the operating business is not a C corporation, then the qualifying designation is automatic. Otherwise, to make the determination, we must once again turn to case law.

Here, this becomes problematic, as there is limited history supporting the position that rental activities rise to the level of a Section 162 trade or business, as the designation heretofore was unnecessary.

In response to concerns about the lack of guidance, the Internal Revenue Service issued Revenue Procedure 2019-7, which provides for a safe harbor under which a rental-real-estate activity will be treated as qualifying for the Section 199A deduction. In addition to holding the rental property either directly or through a disregarded entity, other qualifying factors include the following:

• Separate books and records are maintained for each rental activity (or rental activity group);

• At least 250 hours of rental services are performed each year on each rental activity; and

• For tax years ending after 2018, contemporaneous records are maintained detailing hours of services performed, description of services performed, dates on which services were performed, and, who performed the services.

When making the determination of whether an activity rises to the level of a trade or business under the general rules, each activity must be assessed separately, and no grouping is permitted.

Alternatively, the safe-harbor provision provides an opportunity to elect to group rental activities together in order to meet the other qualifications. The caveat here is that commercial properties must be grouped only with other commercial properties, and likewise for residential properties. Once made, the grouping election can be changed only if there is a significant change in the facts and circumstances. The rental services performed that qualify for the 250-hour requirement include tasks such as advertising, negotiating leases, collecting rent, and managing the property, among others. Financial-management activities, such as arranging financing or reviewing financial statements, do not qualify as ‘rental services,’ nor does the time spent traveling to and from the property. The rental services can be performed by the owners of the property or by others, such as a property-management company.

The safe-harbor election is available to both individuals and pass-through entities and is made by attaching a signed affidavit to the filed return stating that the requirements under the safe-harbor provision have been met.

It’s important to note here that, although meeting the safe-harbor requirements will qualify the activity for Section 199A, it does not provide automatic qualification under Section 162. Similarly, failure to satisfy the safe-harbor requirements does not mean the activity automatically does not qualify for the deduction. Instead, support for the position will just need to be derived from considering other relevant factors and/or case law that can be used as precedent.

Additionally, the safe-harbor election cannot be made for residences used personally for more than 14 days during the year, nor for properties rented on a triple-net-lease basis, a scenario where the tenant is responsible for the taxes, insurance, and general maintenance related to a rental property.

If pursuing the Section 199A deduction for rental property without using the safe-harbor provision, some factors to consider documenting would be the type of property rented, the day-to-day involvement of the owner (or the owner’s agent), and the types and significance of any ancillary services provided.

It seems the courts have applied a relatively low threshold in finding rental activities to rise to the level of a Section 162 trade or business, but it’s also important to note that implications of that designation have changed significantly. One thing is for certain: if the position is taken that the rental activity is a trade or business for the Section 199A deduction, then it needs to be treated as a trade or business in all other aspects, as well, which could mean additional filings (i.e. Forms 1099) and becoming subject to different tax regulations (i.e. interest-limitation rules).

Ultimately, although the Section 199A deduction was implemented as a means of leveling the playing field for the tax impact of entity choice and could potentially offer significant tax savings, in order to take advantage of the deduction, the related activity must first qualify for the deduction.

Reaching this designation is relatively easy for most business operations, but might require more analysis when considering rental activities. There are some options available, such as the safe-harbor and grouping elections, but the related tax impact should be carefully considered prior to making any election.

Be sure to consult with your tax advisor if you have any questions.

Lisa White, CPA is a tax manager with the Holyoke-based public accounting firm Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; (413) 322-3542; [email protected]

Easthampton: It’s Not the ‘New Northampton’

By
Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight

Cynthia West says Easthampton had the best ‘feel’ for the business she launched with her daughter, McKenzie, the Sonnet & Sparrow ‘curated thrift store.’

It was the food that brought Cynthia West to Easthampton.

Well, sort of.

It was the food, in the form of weekly visits to restaurants like Galaxy, Kisara, and others that gave West … well, a flavor of Easthampton and, eventually, the opinion that this was the place to bring a business she had been thinking about and dreaming about for some time.

It’s called Sonnet & Sparrow, a “curated thrift store” she operates with her daughter, McKenzie West, in space that was once part of the historic, yet also somewhat notorious, Majestic Theater on Cottage Street. Notorious because 30 years ago it was showing adult films and had become a symbol of the decline of Easthampton and the Cottage Street area.

Now, Cottage Street, and the city as a whole, have been reborn, and West decided she had to be part of what is generally referred to as a renaissance in this old mill town.

“I chose Easthampton because I love to eat here,” West, who opened her store just two months ago, said matter-of-factly. “We found the community very welcoming; we wanted to be in the Valley, and we found that Easthampton had the best feel for what we wanted to do.”

She’s certainly not alone in these sentiments about Easthampton’s feel and it being an ideal home for a new business, as made clear in an anecdote the city’s mayor, Nicolle LaChapelle, related about a manufacturing firm that expressed interest in this community in the shadow of Mount Tom as a landing spot.

“They’re looking for 40,000 square feet, and they’re looking in Easthampton because, when they surveyed their employees, who have an average age of 47, they found that they want to be able to live and walk to work, have some options when it comes to leisure recreation, and be part of a city,” she said. “Easthampton checks all those boxes.”

Suffice it to say Easthampton checks a good many boxes for entrepreneurs across the broad spectrum of the regional economy, with a number of new ventures opening over the past few months, and even the past few weeks.

Businesses like INSA, a multi-faceted cannabis complex in the Keystone mill complex on Pleasant Street that includes a cultivation facility, dispensary, lab, kitchen, and more. The company, led by CEO Mark Zatyrka, has other locations in the region and is expanding into other regions of the state, but Easthampton is the headquarters location.

And like Prodigy Minigolf & Gameroom, located in the basement of the Eastworks building, also on Pleasant Street, and home to an eclectic mix of businesses. Founder Jeff Bujak, a musician looking to hit some different notes, calls this the most challenging mini-golf to be found anywhere, but there’s much more to the operation, including an extensive list of board games and video games that would make any Boomer nostalgic and any Millennial quite intrigued.

And like Veracruzana Mexican restaurant, or should we say the latest Veracruzana. Phil Pallante and his wife, Sunia Hood, had already purchased the restaurant’s two locations in Northampton and Amherst, but even before they did that, they informally decided Easthampton would be the next push pin on the map. They eventually found a spacious storefront on Union Street right next door to the Chamber of Commerce, and opened just a few weeks ago.

Mark Zatyrka, seen here in INSA’s dispensary, says he and his partners were drawn to Easthampton because of its amenities and welcoming approach to the cannabis industry.

Collectively, these entrepreneurs and others we spoke with say they came to Easthampton for the same reasons West did — they saw a city on the rise, one that that boasts vibrancy, arts and culture, a growing restaurant sector, healthy tourism, no shortage of things to do, and a very ‘green’ mindset.

Comparisons to neighboring Northampton are inevitable and seemingly constant. There are many who call this the ‘new Northampton.’

But while flattered by such comments, Maureen Belliveau, executive director of the chamber, doesn’t believe they accurately describe what’s going on here. Indeed, she told BusinessWest that, while there may be some similarities, Easthampton has forged its own identity.

“We’re not the ‘next Northampton,’” she said. “Northampton does Northampton really, really well. And we do Easthampton outstandingly well. I like to say that our community is hip, cool, wow, and now.”

For this, the latest installment of its Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest explores all that goes into that phrase and why Easthampton is becoming the landing spot of choice for a growing number of businesses.

Getting On Board

Casey Douglass says that, when he arrived on the scene in Easthampton roughly 15 years ago and opened his first restaurant in the city, the community was, in his estimation, like that literary little engine that could and its signature phrase ‘I think I can.’

By that, he meant the city was emerging and developing what became a healthy dose of confidence. It’s no longer saying ‘I think I can,’ but instead has shown that it can do it, he suggested.

“Now, we’re moving like a bullet train, and I’m happy to be on it,” said Douglass, owner of Galaxy, a fixture on Main Street and his third such venture in the city after Apollo and what is now Coco and the Cellar Bar. “And there are plenty of seats available.”

As noted earlier, seemingly every month, if not every week, another business owner is getting on board, keeping Belliveau and her ceremonial ribbon-cutting scissors quite busy.

Before getting to some of the recent arrivals, and others, like Douglass, who can talk about the scene in Easthampton with decades of perspective, we need to talk about how Easthampton got here, a state where it is being increasingly compared to its neighbor, a destination that is still the most economically vibrant community in the region.

Summing things up, LaChapelle, a labor attorney who came to the city in 1997, said that, in the mid- to late ’90s, Easthampton laid the foundation for a revival, a reinvention of itself from a mill city to an arts and cultural center, and it has carefully built on that foundation ever since.

Phil Pallante says Main Street in Easthampton was the logical location for the third Veracruzana restaurant.

The bedrock on which it’s built is effective zoning, a huge inventory of old mill buildings ready to be repurposed, a business-friendly government, and a community that can blend affordable housing, plenty of recreation, and that increasingly ‘green’ mindset mentioned earlier.

Over the past few decades, it has steadily added building blocks, she said, in the form of new businesses across many sectors, a slew of new restaurants and cultural attractions that are bringing people into the city, and, perhaps most importantly, jobs to replace those lost when the mills closed.

LaChappele was quick to note that this business-friendly attitude certainly applies to the burgeoning cannabis industry. Indeed, while some communities have outlawed such ventures or are just putting a toe in the water, Easthampton, like another neighbor, Holyoke, has rolled out the red carpet, but in a careful, thoughtful way.

“We’re head over heels in love, I would think, with cannabis, and I don’t that’s overstating it,” she told BusinessWest, referring to everything this industry is generating, from tax dollars to jobs to foot and vehicular traffic.

“This is a unique industry; it’s very rare in these days that a person on the street or a collection of investors can get in on a new industry and be a part of the regulations,” she went on, adding that the community currently hosts one such business, INSA, but it has several other host-community agreements in place and other ventures in various stages of progression. “It’s a unique opportunity where we, as a community, get to write the rules and work with entrepreneurs on something that provides local tax revenue. I can’t imagine when that will happen again, and I expect the presence of cannabis-related businesses to grow in Easthampton.”

This open affection is no doubt one of the factors that brought INSA to Pleasant Street.

“Pretty early on in the process, we realized how much time and money went into creating this business and how important it was to be timely,” said Zatyrka. “So we wanted to find a city that was welcoming to us. At the time, there were a lot of cities that weren’t as welcoming, and it gets expensive to push your agenda on a city and its constituents.

Mayor Nicolle LaChapelle says Easthampton can “check a number of boxes” for business owners across a number of sectors.

“I was born in Easthampton,” he went on, adding that the other founders are local as well. “In combination with the progressive nature of Easthampton as well as what the mill district and the mills had to offer, we thought this was the perfect home for us.”

There are now more than 150 people working in the company’s facilities at the Keystone complex, in operations ranging from cultivation to retail, he went on, adding that there is plenty of room to expand.

Scoring Points

Prodigy’s Bujak noted, in what can’t be considered an upset, that his favorite Seinfeld episode is the one called “The Frogger.”

You remember (even if you’re a Millennial) … that’s the one where George discovers that, years after he last played a Frogger machine at a pizza parlor he’s revisiting, he’s still the high scorer. And he attempts to take the machine home, an adventure that ends, predictably, in calamity.

Prodigy has been bringing in a lot of George Costanza types since it opened in the spring of 2018, said Bujak, noting that they come to play a wide array of video games that took up a good part of their lives in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. And they’re playing them on a collection of vintage TVs that he’s had no problem assembling because their previous owners were happy to find someone to take them off their hands. He’s also drawing many teenagers and older individuals (this course is not for young children) to his challenging mini-golf operation.

“I’ve played mini-golf everywhere in this country, and this is by far the most challenging — I won’t say difficult, but challenging — and I wanted it that way,” he said, adding that it plays as much like a video game as it does like golf.

Jeff Bujak made Easthampton home to what he calls the most challenging mini-golf facility in the country.

While he’s lived in Northampton for many years, Bujak noted, he never thought of opening his venture there. Instead, he always focused on Easthampton. He said Will Bundy, owner of Eastworks, made him one of those deals that couldn’t be refused. And he didn’t.

“It’s been very successful,” he said of his first 16 months in business. “I’m doing three times the business I thought I thought I would, and that I put down in my original business plan.”

Early on, he was relying heavily on his large fan base, acquired through many years as a touring musician, but visitation from area communities has escalated, and he’s now averaging 500 to 700 people a week.

“And these 500 to 700 people are now also going to the mill district, and to Food Truck Fridays, and to INSA, and to the Mill Pond concerts,” he said, adding that business has become another of those aforementioned building blocks that support one another and bring ever-greater vibrancy to the community.

Pallante agreed, telling a story with many of the same themes as those told by West, Bujak, and Zatyrka.

He said he and his wife would often eat in Easthampton to avoid the congestion in Northampton and Amherst, and in doing so came to understand that the community was building momentum and had become a true destination in its own right. Together, the two drew up plans for the latest Veracruzana on a napkin while having a bite at still another of the city’s restaurants, Amy’s Place, on Cottage Street.

“We knew that, from everything the city had to offer, and logistically as well, this was the place we wanted to be,” Pallante said. “It became very apparent that Easthampton is aggressively seeking and helping people come here, and creating a culture where people want to be.”

Michael Poole, a welder and sculptor and thus one many artisans now working (and in many cases also living) in Easthampton, echoed these sentiments.

He joked that, if they did one of those Taste of Easthampton-type of events when he first arrived in the city in the early ’90s, it would have featured “a few slices of pizza, and none with pineapple on them.”

That last reference was an attempt to accentuate just how much has changed in a quarter-century or so. There is now a solid portfolio of restaurants acting not only as drawing cards bringing visitors and even entrepreneurs (like West), but as anchors for a host of other businesses that need foot traffic to succeed.

Poole noted that a diverse mix of businesses now exist, and many people are choosing to live and work in the community, a change from when he first arrived.

Easthampton at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1785
Population: 16,059
Area: 13.6 square miles
County: Hampshire
Residential Tax Rate: $15.46
Commercial Tax Rate: $15.46
Median Household Income: $45,185
Median Family Income: $54,312
Type of Government: Mayor, City Council
Largest Employers: Berry Plastics Corp., INSA, Williston Northampton School, National Nonwovens Co.
* Latest information available

“There weren’t a lot of jobs back then,” said Poole, owner of Blue Collar Artisans and noted for his ornate ‘tree’ handrails, furniture, and other forms of home décor, as well as the bicycle rack on Main Street he fashioned out of the numbers in the city’s zip code — 01027. “People lived here and worked someplace else.”

Now, many more people are coming to Easthampton to work, he noted, quickly adding that many now choose to settle in Easthampton because of all it has to offer and commute to work.

He measures the progress, unscientifically to be sure, by the volume of traffic on Holyoke Street.

“My business is at the far end of East Street, and I can tell what time it is by where the line of traffic stops,” he said. “Our house is right on Holyoke Street, and we joke about the ‘Easthampton rush hour’; every year it gets a little longer. But those are the problems you want.”

Right Place, Right Time

Indeed they are.

Easthampton didn’t have to worry about traffic jams or finding enough parking spaces 20 years ago. Now, it does, to some extent, and, as those we talked with agreed, those are good problems to have.

As is being called the ‘new Northampton.’

It’s always meant as a compliment, said Belliveau, but, as she noted, it’s not really accurate. The city is indeed thriving and establishing itself as a destination, but it’s not the new Northampton; it’s the new Easthampton.

George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]

Final Paid Family Medical Leave Regulations Released

By
Law

Date with Destiny

By Timothy M. Netkovick, Esq. and Daniel C. Carr, Esq.

Timothy M. Netkovick

Timothy M. Netkovick

Daniel C. Carr

Daniel C. Carr

As everyone knows, paid family medical leave (PFML) is coming to Massachusetts on Jan. 1, 2021. To that end, the Department of Family and Medical Leave recently released its final regulations that will govern PFML.

The final regulations provide much-needed clarity on some aspects of PFML, while other aspects remain vague.

Prior to the final regulations being rolled out, one of the most common questions was whether PFML would apply to employers who have places of business in locations other than Massachusetts. The final regulations make clear that the definition of an employee in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will be very broad. The regulations state that an employee will be eligible for PFML leave if the service provided by the employee is entirely within the Commonwealth or the service is performed both within and outside the Commonwealth, but the service performed outside the Commonwealth is incidental to the individual’s service within the Commonwealth.

An employee is also eligible for PFML if the service is not localized in any state, but some part of the employee’s service is performed in the Commonwealth and (1) the individual’s base of operations is in the Commonwealth, or (2) if there is no base of operations, then the place from which such service is directed or controlled is within the Commonwealth, or (3) the individual’s base of operations or place from which such service is directed or controlled is not in any state in which some part of the service is performed, but the individual’s residence is in the Commonwealth.

Therefore, even employers who do not have a physical place of business in Massachusetts, but who may have salespeople in Massachusetts, will want to review the PFML regulations with their employment counsel to determine any potential impacts to their business.

“Even employers who do not have a physical place of business in Massachusetts, but who may have salespeople in Massachusetts, will want to review the PFML regulations with their employment counsel.”

Once an employee begins PFML leave, an employer cannot require an employee to use other forms of paid time off (PTO) prior to PFML leave. However, an employee can choose to use accrued PTO provided by their employer instead of PFML. If an employee chooses to use accrued PTO, the employee is required to follow the employer’s notice and certification processes related to the use of PTO.

If an employee is going to use accrued PTO, employers are required to inform employees that the use of accrued PTO will run concurrently with the leave period provided by PFML. It will be important for employers to track the use of accrued PTO, as they will also be required to report the use of accrued PTO by employees or covered individuals upon request by the Department of Family Medical Leave.

Employers have the ability to establish their own private PFML plan instead of participating in the state administration process. If an employer is going to utilize a private PFML plan, the plan must confer all the same or better benefits, including rights and protections, as those provided to employees under PFML, and may not cost employees more than they would be charged under the state plan administered by the department. A private plan will also need to be approved by the Department of Family Medical Leave before it is implemented.

While the clear intent of the PFML regulations is to line up with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) as much as possible, there are also several key areas of difference.

The first noticeable difference is that PFML applies to every employer, regardless of size. Furthermore, as covered employers are aware, under the FMLA, an individual is entitled to leave if they work for 1,250 hours within the previous 12-month period. That 12-month period can be a calendar year or rolling period. PFML contains no such service requirement or minimum hours worked.

Furthermore, an employee is eligible for 20 weeks of leave for their own serious health condition under PFML as opposed to 12 weeks under the FMLA.

It is clear that questions still remain regarding the implementation of PFML. It is also clear that PFML and FMLA will not perfectly align. Employers will therefore want to consult with their employment counsel as they continue to prepare for PFML.

Timothy M. Netkovick and Daniel C. Carr are attorneys with Royal, P.C.; [email protected], [email protected]; (413) 586-2288

Study Suggests #MeToo Leading to More Gender Discrimination

By
Law

A Disturbing Trend

By Amelia J. Holstrom, Esq.

Amelia J. Holstrom, Esq.

Amelia J. Holstrom, Esq.

The #MeToo movement exploded back in 2017. With #MeToo in the news almost a daily, women everywhere became more comfortable coming forward and reporting harassment and telling their stories.

As a result, women felt empowered, but has sharing their stories hurt them in other ways? According to a recent survey conducted by LeanIn.org, the answer to that question might be yes.

Over the past two years, LeanIn.org — an organization dedicated to helping women come together and achieve their goals — conducted surveys to gain an understanding of what individuals are experiencing at work. One of the surveys revealed that, in the post-#MeToo world, women may be receiving less support at work from male managers and may be hindered in their ability to seek career advancement.

The survey, titled “Working Relationships in the #MeToo Era,” suggested that 60% of male managers reported they were not comfortable participating in common work activities — mentoring, working alone, or socializing — with women.

To put that into perspective, according to LeanIn.org, that percentage was only 32% just a year ago. The survey also noted that senior-level men were 12 times “more likely to hesitate to have one-on-one meetings” with junior female employees, nine times “more likely to hesitate to travel [with junior female employees] for work,” and six times “more likely to hesitate to have work dinners” with junior female employees. According to the survey results, 36% of men said they avoided mentoring or socializing with women because they were concerned about how it might look.

Worrisome Results for Employers

The results suggest that #MeToo may actually lead to more gender discrimination in the workplace. If male members of management distance themselves from mentoring, working alone with, and socializing with women, they might be creating legal liability for their employer because they are giving women less opportunity to advance and succeed with the organization.

For example, while work performance is always a factor in decisions regarding promotions, skills learned through mentoring and workplace connections and relationships also play an important role. If a female employee is denied a promotion due her lack of mentorship and/or workplace connections and relationships, and she did not have access to those things like her male colleagues did simply because of her gender, the employer could be subject to a gender-discrimination lawsuit.

The survey did contain some good news for employers: 70% of employees, compared to 46% in 2018, reported that their company was doing more to address sexual harassment. The increase in this statistic is likely because more employers are conducting annual sexual-harassment training in the post-#MeToo world. Unfortunately, the remainder of the survey results suggest that training alone is not enough.

Proactive Steps

Employers should continue to address harassment in the workplace through their anti-harassment policies and by conducting annual anti-harassment training, but they also need to do more to educate employees regarding other forms of discrimination.

First, employers should have an equal-employment-opportunity policy that clearly outlines that discrimination based on gender or any other characteristic protected by law is expressly prohibited. The policy should also outline how an employee may file an internal complaint of discrimination at the workplace.

Second, employers should add annual anti-discrimination training to their training agenda. Implementing effective training will demonstrate that you care about the issue and are taking it seriously, which could help you defend against a lawsuit if an employee decides to bring one.

Finally, employers should remember that gender discrimination doesn’t just arise in this context. Businesses should take a close look at compensation practices to be sure there are no pay-inequity issues. Studies show that women in America earn about 80 cents for every dollar paid to men. Not only is this wage gap a fundamental problem, but it can also lead to serious legal trouble for an employer. Case in point: the World Cup-champion U.S. women’s soccer team’s lawsuit alleging pay inequity and “institutionalized gender discrimination.”

Bottom Line

It is clear that #MeToo has led to important changes in the workplace, but LeanIn.org’s recent study suggests that employers need to continue to be proactive and take steps to create a culture free from harassment, but also address other forms of discrimination.

The full survey results can be found at leanin.org/sexual-harassment-backlash-survey-results.

Amelia J. Holstrom is an attorney with Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., one of the largest law firms in New England exclusively practicing labor and employment law. Holstrom specializes in employment litigation, including defending employers against claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wrongful termination, as well as wage-and-hour lawsuits. She also frequently provides counsel to management on taking proactive steps to reduce the risk of legal liability; (413) 737-4753; [email protected]

This Is Amazon’s Attractive Alternative to Costly Litigation

By
Law

The Neutral Patent Evaluation

By Mary Bonzagni

Business owners often ask themselves, ‘why embark on a path of securing a U.S. patent when enforcing your patent rights in court will inevitably be a very costly and time-consuming endeavor?’ Amazon may have helped to remove the presumption embedded in that question by offering an attractive alternative to the costly and time-consuming litigation route.

As we all know, Amazon dominates the e-commerce marketplace worldwide. For many consumers (like me), Amazon has become the first and primary source for virtually anything we may need (or want). Dominance, however, has come with a price. Mounting pressure from intellectual-property owners for Amazon to take responsibility for conduct in its marketplace has apparently pushed Amazon into choosing to relinquish its former ‘hands-off’ approach to infringement concerns.

Neutral Patent Evaluation

For U.S. utility patent owners (not U.S. design or foreign patent owners) who have identified infringing products on the Amazon retail or Marketplace platform, Amazon now offers its neutral-patent-evaluation procedure.

The benefits of this procedure include its low cost ($4,000) relative to litigation and its streamlined approach to resolving patent disputes (two weeks to four months). Plus, the parties do not waive any rights to pursue their respective claims in court.

By way of this procedure, a patent owner files a request for an evaluation of their infringement allegation against an Amazon retailer. The Amazon retailer is given the option of either responding to the allegation or removing the accused product listing. If the Amazon retailer choses to respond, then Amazon assigns a neutral evaluator who is a qualified patent attorney, and each party then pays a deposit in the amount of $4,000 to the evaluator. The deposits are held in escrow during the evaluation procedure. The prevailing party will have its deposit reimbursed, while the non-prevailing party will forfeit its deposit, with the forfeited deposit paying the fees/costs of the evaluator.

“While the benefits of this process are apparent, there are limitations.”

While it is not same-day Shipping, this procedure takes only a few weeks (if the Amazon retailer does not participate in the procedure) or up to a maximum of four months (if the Amazon retailer does participate in the procedure). To assure that this procedure concludes within this relatively short term, Amazon limits the evaluation procedure to one patent claim, does not allow any challenges to the validity of the asserted claim, allows only written arguments of a specified length (no discovery or oral arguments), and imposes strict response deadlines.

If the evaluator decides the accused product is covered by the asserted patent claim, then Amazon will remove the listing of the product from its online marketplace. Irrespective of the evaluator’s finding, however, should either party obtain a judgment or order from a court of competent jurisdiction that the accused product does or does not infringe the asserted patent claim, or that the asserted patent claim is invalid, then that party may submit the judgment or order to Amazon, which will honor it by either removing or relisting the product.

During the neutral patent evaluation, the parties may not talk directly to the evaluator but may talk to each other regarding the possibility of reaching an amicable resolution to the dispute. If this happens, then the evaluator may keep a portion of the deposits received from each party as compensation for work completed.

While the benefits of this process are apparent, there are limitations. For example, the outcome of this process determines only whether a product may continue to be sold on Amazon; it does not limit other avenues of commerce for allegedly infringing products. Plus, the procedure only applies to third-party merchants. In other words, products sold by Amazon itself, cannot be challenged using Amazon’s neutral-patent-evaluation procedure. It is also problematic that Amazon does not inform the parties how neutral evaluators are selected. Nonetheless, in my opinion, this procedure is attractive for what it does offer.

Amazon’s Other Programs

Amazon has other programs as well that are designed to protect IP rights. Amazon’s brand-registry program provides owners of registered trademarks with tools for searching and identifying potential infringers of their registered trademarks on the Amazon platform. Amazon also allows IP owners to report patent, trademark, and/or copyright infringement directly to Amazon by way of its report-infringement form. If Amazon accepts the infringement claim, then it will remove the reported content and will take appropriate (but unfortunately confidential) action against the retailer. If Amazon rejects the infringement claim, then they will not take any further action. Amazon will, however, provide the claimant with the reason for its rejection of the claim.

Conclusion

As more and more consumers flock to e-commerce sites, the hope is that Amazon’s neutral-patent-evaluation initiative will be picked up and further developed by other online marketplaces, or perhaps developed into an all-inclusive system that serves to address not only patent, but also trademark and copyright, infringement in a way that all online marketplaces can collaborate on.

Mary Bonzagni is a partner at the law firm of Bulkley Richardson, where she focuses on intellectual-property matters; (413) 781-2820.

There Are Some Significant Differences When It Comes to Taxes

By
Accounting and Tax Planning

Employee or Contractor?

By Danielle Fitzpatrick

Taxpayers often ask about the difference between being an independent contractor and an employee. Although it may seem like they both perform similar work, there are some significant differences when it comes to their responsibilities and when filing annual income-tax returns.

Perhaps you are currently working for an employer and are considering becoming a contractor, or maybe you have just graduated college with a degree and are trying to decide which option is best for you. Whichever route you decide to take, it is important to know the differences so that you can plan accordingly.

Differences in Responsibilities

You are considered an employee when the business you work for has the right to direct and control the work you perform. You are given specific instructions on when and where to work, and are often provided training and the necessary equipment needed to perform specific duties. As an employee, you receive regular wages and may be eligible for benefits such as insurance, retirement, vacation, and sick pay.

You are considered a contractor when services are provided for a specific period of time. Rather than being paid a regular wage, you are paid a flat fee for contractual services. As an independent contractor, you are not eligible for benefits or training through the businesses you are performing services for. You are in charge of your own schedule and typically have several clients for which you are providing services.

Differences at Tax Time

One of the biggest differences between being an employee and a contractor is how your income is taxed on your income-tax return. Unfortunately, the difference is often not realized until an individual files their return and is faced with a significant tax burden.

As an employee, your employer pays 50% of your Medicare and Social Security (FICA) taxes. The other 50% is withdrawn from your regular paycheck along with federal and state (if applicable) tax withholdings. If any expenses are incurred and unreimbursed by your employer, the expenses are not deductible for the employee. On an annual basis, you receive a Form W-2, which shows your taxable income along with all taxes that you had withheld throughout the year.

“One of the advantages of being a contractor is that you can deduct expenses you incur in relation to the income you receive. Record keeping is extremely important when becoming self-employed in order to ensure that you are tracking all applicable income and expenses.”

As a contractor, you are considered self-employed (a sole proprietor). You are now responsible for 100% of the FICA taxes, also known as self-employment taxes. No federal or state tax withholdings are withdrawn from the income you receive, and you may be required to make quarterly estimated tax payments. On an annual basis, you receive a Form 1099-MISC showing the gross income you received in excess of $600 for each business you performed services for. All of the income you receive as a contractor is reportable on Schedule C, which is filed with your individual income-tax return, or on a business tax return if you choose to become incorporated.

One of the advantages of being a contractor is that you can deduct expenses you incur in relation to the income you receive. Record keeping is extremely important when becoming self-employed in order to ensure that you are tracking all applicable income and expenses. Expenses that may help offset your income include, but are not limited to, vehicle expenses, travel expenses, supplies, fees paid for continuing education, and the renewal of professional licenses.

Some Examples

Say you are an employee making $25 an hour and working 40 hours a week. For this example, note that nothing is being withheld for benefits. Your paycheck would look like the following:

Weekly Pay ($25 x 40 hrs.) $1,000
Less:
Federal Taxes Withheld       $200
State Taxes Withheld             $50
FICA Taxes Withheld             $77
Total Weekly Pay              $673

Now, say you are a contractor and charge $25 an hour to provide services to three businesses totaling 40 hours for the week. You receive a total of $1,000 for the week. In addition, you purchased $30 in office supplies and drove 250 miles for the week. Your net income for the week would be:

Gross Income             $1,000
Less:
Office Supplies                $30
Mileage Expense           $145
Taxable Net Income    $825

Now you’re thinking, why am I not a contractor? I bring home over $300 more a week! Yes, you bring home more for the week, but you cannot forget that taxes are not being withheld from your income. You will be responsible for paying these taxes on a quarterly basis and/or when you file your tax return.

As an employee, you report $1,000 as taxable wages on your income-tax return, from which federal and state taxes have already been withheld and will hopefully cover your tax liability. As a contractor, you have taxable net income of $825, but you are now responsible for self-employment tax, in addition to regular income tax that you have not yet paid.

Conclusion

So, should you become an independent contractor or an employee? There is no right or wrong answer; each individual needs to make their own decision and determine what will work best for them and their situation. However, whichever route you decide to take, be sure to consult your tax professional for advice to eliminate any potential surprises and ensure that you are prepared when it comes to filing your annual income-tax returns.

Danielle Fitzpatrick, CPA, is a tax manager at Melanson Heath. She is part of the Commercial Services department and is based out of the Greenfield office. Her areas of expertise include individual income taxes and planning, as well as nonprofit taxes. She also works with many businesses, helping with corporate and partnership taxes and planning.

Businesses Need to Understand How the Rules Are Changing

By
Accounting and Tax Planning

Recording Revenue

By Rebecca Connolly

Recording revenue is, in anyone’s mind, seen as a job well done when you complete selling your product or service or receiving a donation for your organization.

But a new revenue-recognition standard for non-public companies is effective for years ending Dec. 31, 2019 and annual periods then after, and business owners and managers must be aware of what this new standard means.

The new revenue-recognition standard, Accounting Standards Codification 605, Revenue Recognition, created a five-step process to determine when you should recognize revenue.

• Step 1: Identify a contract with a customer. This contract can include an invoice, a formal signed contract, and other various forms agreed to upon the purchase of goods or services. Once a contract has been identified, you proceed to step 2.

“Know what you are signing and know, if you are entering into a long-term contract, how to structure it in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.”

• Step 2: Identify the performance obligations (promises) in the contract. Contracts can have one or more performance obligations. An example of one performance obligation is to deliver the 10 office chairs that were ordered by a customer. An example of multiple performance obligations within a contract is a construction contract that requires a house to be built and suitable for living, a driveway to be installed, and a garage to be constructed. The key item here is to know what you are signing and know, if you are entering into a long-term contract, how to structure it in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Then you proceed to step 3.

• Step 3: Determine the transaction price. Transaction price is the amount of consideration the entity expects to be entitled to, in exchange for transferring promised goods or services to a customer, excluding amounts collected on behalf of third parties. This item concerns how much money the entity expects to receive. As one example, if you sell office chairs for $59 a chair, but there is a sale and the chairs are now $45 a chair, then the revenue the entity can expect to receive for the chair at this time is $45 a chair. Elements from step 2 and step 3 are then used in step 4.

• Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligation in the contract. If there is only one performance obligation of the office- chair delivery, then no allocation is needed. It gets complicated when you have more than one performance obligation in a contract. The best method is to allocate the price per performance obligation in the contract itself. Continuing the example of the construction of a house, the price could be allocated at $200,000 and the garage and driveway obligation could potentially be allocated at $100,000. An important element here is to be consistent in your application of the price allocations and document your process with the allocation among performance obligations. Once prices are allocated, you can proceed to step 5.

• Step 5: Recognize revenue when (or as) the reporting organization satisfies a performance obligation. Recognizing the revenue in the amount determined in step 4 has become more of a checklist item, as, yes, we have completed the performance obligation, and now the revenue can be recorded. This step is ‘I have delivered the office chairs and have completed the performance obligation with this contract.’

Conclusion

The moral of the new revenue-recognition standard is that the rules are changing, and it is best to look at your contracts and how you record revenue now before your accountant comes in and notes your revenue is overstated by $300,000.

Rebecca Connelly, CPA is a manager for West Springfield-based Burkhart, Pizzanelli, P.C. She is involved in the accounting and consulting aspects of the practice and manages engagements of various size and complexity, including nonprofit and construction companies, manufacturing, and distributors; (413) 734-9040.

The Other New Industry to Watch

By
Opinion

Editorial 1

A year ago — and, actually, long before that — this region was awash in speculation about what the gaming industry might bring to the region and what its broad impact might be.

The industry was new to the state, and there were questions. There was also excitement, some anxiety, no shortage of opinions, and plenty of hope. A year later, most of those emotions are still in evidence, and there remain many questions.

But in the meantime, another industry has emerged that apparently has the potential to have far more reach and far more impact: cannabis.

As several different stories in this issue reveal, the cannabis industry has certainly put down roots in the four counties of Western Mass., and while it’s still too early to know for sure, it appears to have far more potential to change the landscape — in all kinds of ways — than gaming.

Why? Because this is a far-reaching industry with myriad moving parts and potential business opportunities — from cultivation to retail to real estate to, yes, a new publication (see page 6). Also, it is seemingly far more democratic.

Indeed, while the gaming industry is reserved for large, as in very large, players investing $1 billion or more, the cannabis sector offers opportunities for individuals and small groups of investors — not that getting into this business, let alone succeeding in it, would be considered easy in any way, shape, or form.

And, as Michael Kusek, founder of that publication, A Different Leaf, points out, this is one of the few industries in this state where the opportunities are in Central and Western Mass., not Boston and within the Route 128 beltway. That’s because the majority of cities and towns in this region are welcoming of this industry, while most of those surrounding Boston are not.

When Easthampton Mayor Nicolle LaChapelle said her community was “head over heels in love, I would think, with cannabis, and I don’t think that’s overstating it,” she wasn’t just speaking for many of her colleagues — remember, Holyoke’s mayor, Alex Morse, joked to a television reporter that his goal was to rename the city the ‘Rolling Paper City’ — but she was speaking about how this sector can be a real game changer in terms of everything from jobs to tax revenue to foot traffic on Main Street.

The cannabis industry is not an easy one to follow. As noted, there are a lot of moving parts, and the scene changes every month, if not every week, as new locations open, more host-community agreements are forged, and more real estate is acquired for the purpose of establishing businesses in this sector.

But as hard as it is to keep track of all that is going on, it’s a worthy endeavor, because this industry certainly bears watching. No one really knows how things will shake out as more and more locations are opened and, eventually, more states decide to follow the Bay State’s lead.

But it seems almost certain that this sector will bring more impactful change, from a business perspective, than anything this region has seen in decades.

Editorial 2

By
Opinion

Considering the Downside of #MeToo

As the #MeToo Movement was gaining traction back in late 2017, we wrote about how refreshing that moment was and that it had the potential to change the workplace in a very positive way.

But we also offered a word of caution, a reminder that this same movement might bring about negative change in the form of men becoming less willing to interact with women, mentor them, and take them on conferences and other learning experiences because of potentially bad optics and, far worse in their minds, potential litigation.

And now, it appears that those fears have possibly become reality.

Indeed, in an eye-opening piece, attorney Amelia Holstrom, an employment-law specialist with the firm Skoler Abbott, reveals that evidence is emerging that #MeToo may be prompting more men to err on what they would consider the side of caution.

Holstrom writes that a survey conducted by LeanIn.org — an organization dedicated to helping women come together and achieve their goals — and titled “Working Relationships in the #MeToo Era,” suggested that 60% of male managers reported they were not comfortable participating in common work activities — mentoring, working alone, or socializing — with women.

That’s compared to 32% in a survey conducted a year earlier. Further, the recent survey also noted that senior-level men were 12 times “more likely to hesitate to have one-on-one meetings” with junior female employees, nine times “more likely to hesitate to travel [with junior female employees] for work,” and six times “more likely to hesitate to have work dinners” with junior female employees. According to the survey results, 36% of men said they avoided mentoring or socializing with women because they were concerned about how it might look.

These are very disconcerting numbers, to be sure.

Holstrom went on to write about how this type of behavior can lead to litigation of a different kind — discrimination suits because women are being denied some of the same opportunities to advance and succeed as men — and this is a very important point.

But beyond the litigation factor, this hesitancy among men to travel with women or have dinner with them or avoid mentoring is simply not good for the business in question. And not good for society, and individual regions like this one.

That’s because the world is changing, and so is the world of work. What this region, and every region, needs is strong, effective leaders. And while it’s very possible that a woman can become a good, solid leader without interacting with men or being mentored by them, we would offer that it seems less likely that they could do so.

Workplaces are better, more productive spaces when individuals don’t have to think twice about the gender of the person they may be supervising or mentoring or thinking about taking to a professional-development conference in a city halfway across the country.

That’s a perfect world, and this is far from a perfect world. But with #MeToo, there was hope that we might be moving closer to a perfect world. Perhaps, but these survey results are unsettling.

We can only hope that, with time, these trends will reverse themselves and women can be not only free of sexual harassment, but in a position to access all the same opportunities as men.

Picture This

By
Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

 

Senior Games

During the weekend of July 13-14, Springfield College hosted the Massachusetts Senior Games, as it has since 1991. Hundreds of participants took part in a range of events, including track and field, swimming, racquetball, and more. Pictured at left: from left, Springfield College Professor Emeritus Beth Evans, occupational therapy master’s student Renée deLisser, and Joan Simmons, associate professor of Occupational Therapy, get ready for the Senior Games. At right: Davis Cox, Massachusetts Senior Games board of directors president, prepares for the event at Blake Track at Springfield College.

From left, Springfield College Professor Emeritus Beth Evans, occupational therapy master’s student Renée deLisser, and Joan Simmons, associate professor of Occupational Therapy, get ready for the Senior Games.

Davis Cox, Massachusetts Senior Games board of directors president, prepares for the event at Blake Track at Springfield College.

 

 

Patio Party

The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce partnered with Young Professionals of Amherst and Northampton Area Young Professionals for a patio party on July16 at the Courtyard by Marriott.

Pictured, from left: Youssef Fadel of New England Promotional Marketing, Regina Curtis of the Greenfield Community College Foundation, Dawn Creighton of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, and Vince Jackson of the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce.

 

Planners Tell All

On July 17, Michael’s Party Rental teamed up with Meeting Professionals International of the Connecticut River Valley and CJC Creative to host a “Planners Tell All” event. A panel of corporate and special-event planners joined local wedding/meeting planners and suppliers at the Michael’s warehouse for a night of networking and education.

Pictured, from left: Jackie Martucci, owner of Events by Jackie M; Lisa Antonecchia, owner of Creative Concepts by Lisa; Erin Tierney, lecturer at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst; and Amanda Cristina, senior meeting planner at LIMRA.

 

 

Court Dockets

By
Court Dockets

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT

Lazarito Martinez v. Diane Rose and the May Institute

Allegation: Motor-vehicle negligence causing personal injury: $3,435

Filed: 7/2/19

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT

Barbara Sullivan v. Healthcare Services Group Inc.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing injury: $700,000

Filed: 6/27/19

Robert T. Akey v. Meadowview Manor Condominium Trust, Steve Moran, and Noreen Nowak-Moran

Allegation: Negligence causing personal injury: $16,234.78

Filed: 7/3/19

Chrysta Marini v. Demetrious Konstantopoulos and Demetrious Konstantopoulis d/b/a Castaways

Allegation: Assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress

Filed: 7/3/19

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Catherine Kelly v. L & J Properties, LLC and Q & M Christy’s Inc. d/b/a A Bica Bar & Grill

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $28,496.94

Filed: 6/20/19

Stacey Hathaway v. Eastern States Exposition and Donna Woolam

Allegation: Employment discrimination: $450,000

Filed: 6/21/19

Yvette Frisby v. City of Springfield

Allegation: Negligence causing personal injury: $9,476.80

Filed: 6/21/19

NGM Insurance Co. as subrogee of Beverly A. Scott and James Scott v. Pioneer Valley Transit Authority

Allegation: Motor-vehicle negligence: $12,420.17

Filed: 6/27/19

Steven S. Follett and Caitlin C. Follett v. Dan Roulier & Associates Inc., the Joseph J. Mottes Co., and Becker Construction Co.

Allegation: Breach of contract, breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing, negligence, breach of implied warranty of habitability, breach of express warranty: $250,000

Filed: 7/1/19

International Container Co., LLC v. Sheboygan Paint Co.

Allegation: Breach of contract: $1,000,000+

Filed: 7/2/19

Systemart, LLC v. Cloudbourne Global Inc. f/k/a Ospyn Technologies Inc.

Allegation: Balance owed for staffing services: $39,337.88

Filed: 7/3/19

Syme Inc. d/b/a Packaging Specialties Inc. v. BKA Inc. d/b/a Custom Pak Inc.

Allegation: Breach of contract: $109,853.04

Filed: 7/3/19

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

David S. Reid v. Louis S. Strauss, M.D.

Allegation: Medical malpractice: $505,100+

Filed: 6/21/19

Agenda

By
Agenda

Northampton Survival Center 40th Anniversary

August and September: The Northampton Survival Center invites the public to join in its 40th-anniversary celebration with events in August and September that highlight local businesses and their support for the center’s role in Northampton and nearby communities. A series called “40 Ways to Cook a Carrot” will kick off the festivities the week of Aug. 19-25, with participating restaurants featuring a carrot-inspired appetizer, entree, dessert, or drink in recognition of the center’s bright-orange carrot logo. After-hours parties will take place at various downtown businesses on Thursday, Sept. 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. A single price of $25 will allow ticket holders entry into all participating parties, with each party staging its own select activity, such as live music, merchandise discounts, and more. The Window Stroll Challenge, expected to run several days in early September beginning Friday, Sept. 6, will showcase creative downtown window displays starring the center’s carrot logo. A map, published in a special pull-out section of the Daily Hampshire Gazette and available in participating stores, will orient visitors to the downtown area. An online version of the map, directing strollers to participating window displays, will do double duty as customers use it to vote for their favorite windows and also join in a hidden-carrot contest, with eventual winners eligible for prizes. Finally, businesses outside the downtown area plan a toiletry drive and challenge to see which participating business can collect the most donations of toiletries, such as toothpaste, soap, diapers, and other personal-care items.

ACC Super Saturday

Aug. 10: On Super Saturday at Asnuntuck Community College (ACC), admissions, advising, financial aid, registration, and the cashier’s office will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and all services will be available on a walk-in basis. Advising for manufacturing programs and all continuing-education licensure and allied-health programs will also be available that day. ACC’s advanced manufacturing technology program will also hold an open house. Visitors can see the 27,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center and learn what the program has to offer. Those who can’t make it that day may call (860) 253-3189 for more information or to arrange a tour. Placement testing for math and English will be available that morning. SAT and ACT test scores may also be used for placement purposes. Those interested in participating in the Accuplacer placement testing need to pre-register. Testing will begin at 10 a.m. Call (860) 253-1200 to secure a spot. For additional placement-test information, visit www.asnuntuck.edu/admissions/placement. Students who have not already completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are encouraged to do so. The FAFSA can be submitted online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The school code for ACC is 011150. Follett’s ACC Bookstore will also be open that day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For those who can’t make it on Aug. 10, open registration is available every Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The college will be open for extended hours every Wednesday in August and on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 26-27, until 6:30 p.m. Classes begin on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

DeVries Fine Art Reception for 40th Career Anniversary

Aug. 10: DeVries Fine Art International announced it will celebrate sculptor Andrew DeVries’ 40th career anniversary with a reception from 2 to 5 p.m. at the DeVries Fine Art International Gallery, 62 Church St., Lenox, with picnic fare and art both inside the gallery and outside on the grounds. Rosie Porter and Tommy LeBeau will provide music. The gallery features original bronze sculptures, pastel paintings, and watercolors by the artist. New for this year is an educational room that gives a detailed description of the lost-wax process Devries uses, with a video and examples of different works in progress. DeVries began his career in Colorado by drawing dancers at the Ballet Denver Academy in 1978. Encouraged to try his hand at sculpture by the artistic director of the ballet company, he began to model figures in clay and wax. In 1979, he cast and finished his first works in bronze. In 1985, he settled in the small Berkshire hilltown of Middlefield, where he maintains his atelier and casting studio. His sculptures are in public and private collections worldwide. He and his wife, gallery Director Patricia Purdy, established DeVries Fine Art International in 2002.

‘Roots & Boots ’90s Electric Throwdown Tour’

Sept. 7: The Melha Shriners, in conjunction with the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton, will present a day-long country music festival at the fairgrounds from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The “Roots & Boots ’90s Electric Throwdown Tour” will bring a full day of music with six country acts, featuring nationally renowned artists Sammy Kershaw, Collin Raye, and Aaron Tippin. Popular local bands King Kountry, Southern Rain, and Cottonwood will also perform. Ticket prices are $30 (general admission, advance sale), $35 (general admission, day of the show) and $40 (reserved seating). General admission is free for children under 5. Tickets are available online at 3countyfair.com/events. The gates will open at 10 a.m., with on-site parking available for $5 per vehicle. Food, beer, and wine will be available for purchase. No outside food or beverages will be permitted. General admission patrons are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets; however, beach umbrellas and pop-up tents are not allowed. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact event chair Shonn Monday at (413) 800-2312.

HCC Foundation Golf Classic

Sept. 9: Registration is now open for the Holyoke Community College Foundation’s 32nd annual fundraising golf tournament at Springfield County Club in West Springfield. Proceeds from the annual tournament will support student scholarships and academic-equipment purchases through the HCC Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising arm of Holyoke Community College. The golf outing begins with an 11:30 a.m. buffet lunch followed by a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start. The $185 fee includes greens fees, golf cart, lunch, dinner, and refreshments on the course. After golf, participants can enjoy cocktails on the clubhouse porch with scenic views of the Pioneer Valley, followed by dinner and the opportunity to enter raffles and bid on dozens of items, including restaurant gift certificates, Red Sox memorabilia, wine baskets, golf outings, and more. Over the past 31 years, the annual HCC Foundation Golf Classic has raised more than $500,000 for HCC scholarships and educational technology for HCC classrooms. Participants can arrange their own foursomes or sign up as singles. To register, visit www.hcc.edu/golf.

RVCC Golf Tournament

Sept. 13: River Valley Counseling Center (RVCC), a multi-faceted mental-health agency, will hold its fourth annual golf tournament fundraiser at 10:30 a.m. at East Mountain Country Club in Westfield. The event is presented by Action Ambulance Services. The funds raised will help RVCC to continue providing mental health and other essential supportive services to more than 7,000 individuals yearly throughout the Pioneer Valley. The cost per golfer is $100 and includes greens fees, a golf cart, gift bag, lunch, and dinner. Golfers will also be able to participate in a raffle and silent auction. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a 10:30 a.m. shotgun start. There will also be contests on the course, with prizes donated by Marcotte Ford and Teddy Bear Pools. Other tournament sponsors include BusinessWest, Unidine, PeoplesBank, CINTAS, Goss & McLain Insurance, Marsh & McLennan Agency, BMC HealthNet Plan, and Jefferson Radiology. For more information on sponsorships, in-kind donations, and registration, contact Angela Callahan, RVCC’s Marketing and Development specialist, at (413) 841-3546 or [email protected]. Information is also available at www.rvcc-inc.org or by visiting River Valley Counseling Center’s Facebook page.

Golf Tournament to Fight Childhood Hunger

Sept. 30: Feed the Kids will hold its second annual charity golf tournament to benefit No Kid Hungry and the HPS Weekend Backpack Program at Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm St., West Springfield. No Kid Hungry is a national organization that raises funds to support school breakfast programs, summer meals, afterschool meals, and more for children throughout the country. The HPS Weekend Backpack Program distributes bags of nutritious and easy-to-prepare meals to children at the end of each week that they can enjoy over the weekend. Feed the Kids is currently seeking donations for the tournament’s silent auction, individual and corporate sponsors, and, of course, golfers. Check-in for the scramble-format tournament will begin at 10 a.m., with a shotgun start at noon. The fee is $160 per golfer, which includes greens fees, driving range, cart use, lunch, cocktail hour, dinner, and a gift bag. There will also be prizes, a raffle, and an auction. Visit feedthekidsgolf.com.

Healthcare Heroes

Oct. 17: The third annual class of Healthcare Heroes will be honored at the Sheraton Springfield from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Healthcare Heroes, a recognition program involving the Western Mass. healthcare sector, was launched in 2017 by HCN and BusinessWest. The program was created to shed a bright light on the outstanding work being done across the broad spectrum of health and wellness services, and the institutions and people providing that care. The class of 2019 will be profiled in the Sept. 2 issue of BusinessWest, and will be feted at the Oct. 25 gala. Tickets will go on sale in August. Healthcare Heroes sponsors include American International College (presenting sponsor), Baystate Health/Health New England (presenting sponsor), Development Associates (partner sponsor), Comcast (partner sponsor), Elms College (supporting sponsor), Bulkley Richardson (supporting sponsor), and Design to Finish (supporting sponsor). Additional sponsorship opportunities are available.

Getting Started

By
Senior Planning

Don’t Neglect Any of These Five Important Steps

Whether you’re taking care of a family member full-time or just beginning to anticipate a need, the American Association of Retired Persons recommends a series of five steps to make the process easier for both you and your loved one. Just take it one step at a time.

1. Start the Conversation

Ask your loved one about their wishes, values, and preferences on things that matter, from health to finances. If you wait until a fall, accident, or serious diagnosis, your choices may be more limited, more difficult to evaluate, and made hastily under stress.

Look for an opening. Rather than bringing up a tough topic out of the blue, it can help to point to a newspaper story or a relevant comment as a conversation starter. (Example: “You mentioned your eyes are bothering you. Is this causing problems with reading or driving?”)

It can be hard for some people to admit they need help. If your first conversation doesn’t go well, gently try again. Listen to and respect your loved one’s desires. If you are repeatedly shut out, consider asking another trusted family member, friend, or doctor to approach them about your concerns.

2. Form a Team

Don’t go it alone. Trying to handle the responsibilities of caregiving yourself can lead to burnout and stress-related health problems. It’s important to form a larger network of friends, family, and community resources to help you. Remember to consider your loved one part of the team.

Then, decide who’s in charge. It’s important to have a point person to keep the process moving and make sure everyone on the team understands the plan and priorities. In most families, one person assumes the primary role because he or she lives nearby, has a close relationship, or simply is a take-charge person. That may be you.

Also, consider a mediator. It can be useful to engage an unrelated facilitator, such as a social worker or minister, to help keep everyone focused, manage potential disagreements, and communicate difficult subjects when meeting with your team.

3. Make a Plan

Now it’s time to work with your team to develop a plan. You can’t anticipate every detail or scenario, but being forward-thinking now will help you respond more quickly and effectively in an emergency. It also helps assure that everyone keeps the focus on what’s best for your loved one.

You’ll need to determine roles. Ask your caregiving team members about what tasks they can and are willing to take on. Who is free to travel to medical appointments? Who can prepare meals a few times a week? Who can be responsible for bill paying?

Finally, summarize the plan in writing. A written record will assure everyone is on the same page and help avoid misunderstandings (while remembering, of course, that the plan will likely change as time passes).

4. Care for Your Loved One

This step encompasses the others, of course, and every caregiver’s situation is different. But there are a wide range resources and tools that can make your job easier, whether you’re caring for a parent from another state, a spouse with a long-term illness, or a family member with dementia.

Advocate for yourself. Let the doctor know if you are the primary caregiver and need to be informed about your loved one’s condition and the treatments prescribed. Ask for training on procedures you’ve never done at home, such as injecting medication or changing bandages.

If the person you’re caring for has more difficulty getting around or their vision or hearing fades, implement some simple changes to make their home less hazardous. Consider installing things like handrails, grab bars, nightlights, and adjustable shower seats.

5. Care for Yourself

It’s easy to forget about your own needs, which is why caregivers are more likely to report high stress levels and suffer from depression and other health problems. Don’t neglect exercise, sleep, and healthy eating, and take time for activities you enjoy. You’ll need to keep up your energy and stay well to care for others.

Understand that your personal finances can take a hit from family caregiving — which might require time off of work, cutting back on hours, or passing up promotions, as well as paying for things like groceries and prescriptions for your loved one from your own pocket. Also, find out if your workplace will accommodate your working from home part-time or making certain adjustments to your schedule.

Finally, give yourself a break. Sometimes caregivers feel guilty about taking time to have fun. Find ways to reduce your stress and enjoy yourself.

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

By
Chamber Corners

GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.chicopeechamber.org

(413) 594-2101

• Aug. 21: Party on the Patio Chamber Open House, 4:30-7 p.m., sponsored by Westfield Bank, Polish National Credit Union, and PeoplesBank. Networking, international foods from favorite Chicopee restaurants, cash bar, and live music. Cost: $25 or two for $40. Register at www.chicopeechamber.org/events.

• Sept. 12: Business After Hours, 4:30-6:30 p.m.. hosted by the Red Fez. Sponsored by Polish National Credit Union. Networking fun at a Chicopee staple, featuring a full Portuguese buffet and cash bar. Space is limited for this annual event. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Register at www.chicopeechamber.org/events.

• Sept. 18: Salute Breakfast: “Maintaining the Work-Life Balance,” 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by MassMutual Learning and Conference Center, Chicopee. Sponsored by Westfield Bank, Holyoke Medical Center, N. Riley Construction Inc., Polish National Credit Union, USI Insurance Services, Spherion Staffing Services, and PeoplesBank. Featuring state Rep. Aaron Vega (chief greeter) and Kathy Anderson of Holyoke Medical Center (keynote speaker). An interactive opportunity for small businesses and startups to learn how to tap into state and local support. Cost: $23 for members, $28 for non-members. Register at www.chicopeechamber.org/events.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.easthamptonchamber.org

(413) 527-9414

• Sept. 12: Networking by Night, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Nini’s Ristorante, 124 Cottage St., Easthampton. Sponsored by Polish National Credit Union. The event will include food provided by Nini’s, a cash bar, and business-to-business relationship building. This event is free to members and their employees; however, pre-registration is required. Non-members are invited for $20. For more information and to register, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

• Sept. 27: “Women and the Art of Risk,” 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., hosted by the Log Cabin, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. This year’s women’s leadership event will feature workshops, discussions, and career-development opportunities, all led by distinguished women from the Pioneer Valley. Hear personal and professional stories of how taking calculated risks led these women to new adventures and made them stronger leaders. Keynote speaker: Jody Kasper, chief of Police, city of Northampton. Cost: $119, which includes breakfast and lunch. A table of 10 may be purchased for $875. Pre-registration is required. No tickets will be sold at the door. For more information and to register, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.northamptonchamber.com

(413) 584-1900

• Aug. 21: Dazzle and Dine Holiday Menu Preview Party, 5-7 p.m., hosted by the Inn on Boltwood. Planning your holiday party? Mix and mingle with the inn’s team, take a tour of its event spaces, and enjoy hors d’oeuvres, a sampling of entrées, and live entertainment. Reserve your holiday party early to receive special discounts and perks. Cost: $20 per person. For more information and to register, visit northamptonchamber.com.

• Sept. 11: September Arrive@5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Northampton Survival Center. Come when you can, stay as long as you can. A casual mix and mingle with friends and colleagues. Cost: $10 for members, $12 for non-members. For more information and to register, visit northamptonchamber.com.

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.westfieldbiz.org

(413) 568-1618

• Aug. 7: West Meets West Business After Hours, hosted by Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. A networking collaboration between the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce and West of the River Chamber of Commerce. Cash bar and appetizers will be available. Bring your business cards and expand your network. Cost: free for chamber members, $10 cash at the door for non-members. Marketing table sponsorships are available for $100.

• Sept. 9: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., hosted by the Arbors, 40 Court St., Westfield. Join us for coffee with Westfield Mayor Brian Sullivan. The event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is requested. Register online at www.westfieldbiz.org/events or call (413) 568-1618.

• Sept. 16: After 5 Connections, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Polish National Credit Union, 1 Parkside Ave., Westfield. Refreshments will be served, and a 50/50 raffle will benefit the chamber scholarship fund. Bring your business cards and make connections. Cost: free to both chamber members and non-members. For more information, call the chamber at (413) 568-1618, or register online at www.westfieldbiz.org/events.

• Sept. 21: September Breakfast, 7-9 a.m., hosted by the 104th Fighter Wing ANG, 175 Falcon Dr., Westfield. Platinum event sponsor: Baystate Noble Hospital. Gold sponsor: Westfield Gas & Electric. Silver sponsor: A Plus HVAC Inc. Bronze sponsors: Behavioral Health Network/the Carson Center, Governor’s Center, and the Arbors. For sponsorships or registration questions, e-mail [email protected] or call (413) 568-1618. Cost to attend: $28 for members, $43 for non-members. Register online at www.westfieldbiz.org/events.

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.ourwrc.com

(413) 426-3880

• Aug. 7: West Meets West Networking with Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, 5-7 p.m., hosted by 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Join us for a night of networking with the Greater Westfield Chamber, featuring food, raffle prizes, and fun for all. Cost: free for chamber members, $10 cash at the door for non-members. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information about this event, call the chamber office at (413) 426-3880, or register online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

• Sept. 4: Wicked Wednesday, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Partners Restaurant, Agawam. Wicked Wednesdays are monthly social events, hosted by various businesses and restaurants, that bring members and non-members together to network in a laid-back atmosphere. Cost: free for members, $10 for non-members. For more information about this event, call the chamber office at (413) 426-3880, or register online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

• Sept. 17: Legislative Breakfast, 7-9 a.m., hosted by Crestview Country Club, Agawam. Presenting sponsor: Health New England. A panel of legislators, featuring state Sens. James Welch and Donald Humason and state Reps. Nicholas Boldyga and Michael Finn, will provide updates from Beacon Hill, followed by a question-and-answer session. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For sponsorships or to register online, visit www.westoftheriverchamber.com. For more information on ticket sales, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or [email protected].

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD

www.springfieldyps.com

• Aug. 15: August Third Thursday, 5-7 p.m., hosted by the White Lion Summer Beer Garden Join us for our signature networking Third Thursday. YPS will be hanging in the VIP area. Cost: free. Register at www.springfieldyps.com.

Having the Talk

By
Senior Planning

A Challenging First Step

By Joe Gilmore, Landmark Senior Living

Talking about long-term care needs with an elderly parent or other loved one can be a difficult thing. You may not know exactly how to approach it without coming off as rude or disingenuous. However, when it comes to a loved one’s health, it is important to cast aside how you feel to ensure that they can live safely and happily later in life. It is especially important to have this conversation before a problem occurs, not after.

An American Assoc. of Retired Persons survey found that two-thirds of adult children have never had this conversation. This is most likely due to the fact that a lot of adult children don’t know how to engage in this type of talk, or how to begin it. To begin, you have to decide who is going to be there during the talk and what the discussion is going to center around.

Keeping your loved one or parent safe later in their life is a priority, and talking to them about living situations, such as assisted living or even enlisting the help of a caregiver, is the first step. This is especially true if your parent or loved one has experienced a traumatic event in the recent past, such as a fall or the loss of a spouse.

Tips for the Talk

• Decide how you are going to do it and who’s going to be there. Sometimes a one-on-one talk is best; however, if you need someone to back up your points or provide another point of view, it may be a good idea to get other family members involved.

• Go over which talking points you will speak on before approaching your loved one, and set up a time and place to talk.

• Express each idea as an opinion of yours rather than a need for them. For example, choosing phrases like “I think” or “I need” rather than “you should” or “you need” are good ways to avoid conflict.

• Remind your loved one that everyone is there because they care and want to help keep them safe.

• Stay calm. Don’t raise your voice, speak over your loved one, or encourage any hostility during this discussion, as it will only make the situation worse.

• If your loved one immediately dismisses the idea of leaving their home, it may be best to drop the issue for the moment and bring it back up at another time.

The first step in beginning the talk is setting up how you are going to do it and who’s going to be there. Sometimes it is best for the talk to be a one-on-one; however, if you need someone to back up your points or provide another point of view, it may be a good idea to get other family members or loved ones involved. Every family is different, and it may be a good idea to disregard some family members when deciding who is invited to speak.

It is best to go over which talking points that you will speak on before approaching your parent or loved one. Meeting beforehand to talk about these things is recommended. Create a plan on how you wish to talk about this.

Understanding Your Loves Ones’ Goals for the Future

Your conversation about the future doesn’t have to focus only on a caregiving plan. You may also consider talking generally with your loved ones about what is important to them as they grow older. This checklist can be used as a starting point to better understand their priorities. Start by asking then to check all those that apply and then spend some time talking about each one in a little more detail:
__ To remain as independent as possible for as long as possible

__ To remain healthy and active

__ To remain in my home as long as possible

__ To focus on a hobby

__ To work for as long as possible

__ To become involved in the community

__ To remain as financially independent as possible

__ To take classes

__ To create a safety net in the event of an emergency or crisis situation

__ To start my own business

__ To buy a second home

__ To move closer to my family

__ To relocate to a smaller home

__ To retire in a different place

__ To travel

__ To be able to help my children and grandchildren

After going over the points you will make, the first thing you’ll want to do is set up a time and place to talk with your parent or loved one. This may require the use of some type of web communications like Skype or just over the phone if someone can’t be there or lives in a different area.

Depending on how you are hoping to help your parent, there are a few ways to go about this. For example, if you are just hoping to enlist the help of a caregiver, or become the caregiver yourself, it will take less convincing than, say, getting them to agree to be admitted to an assisted-living or residential care facility.

When speaking with a parent or a loved one about what you feel they should do, it is best to phrase it in a way that expresses that it is an opinion of yours rather than a need for them. For example, choosing phrases like “I think” or “I need” rather than “you should” or “you need” are good ways to avoid conflict.

Be sure to remind your parent or loved one that everyone is there because they care and want to help keep them safe. It may even be beneficial to bring up times when your parent may have had their health put at risk — maybe a fall or another incident.

This is also true for other major events like the loss of a spouse. There is evidence that the social isolation that stems from living alone and independently can lead to problems like loneliness and depression.

It is also important not to raise your voice or encourage any hostility during this discussion, as it will only make the situation worse. You should also be aware of when your parent is trying to talk. Do not try to speak over them, as it will likely lead to an argument. Keep your cool and remain calm during the discussion, even if others don’t.

Some parents will dismiss the idea of moving to an assisted-living facility immediately or adamantly. If this is the case, it may be best to drop the issue for the moment and bring it back up at another time down the road.

At the end of the meeting, make sure everyone has a clear understanding of the issues, concerns, and considerations presented.

Senior Living Options

By
Senior Planning

Choosing the Right Level of Care Begins with Understanding All of Them

By the Massachusetts Senior Care Assoc.

Massachusetts has a broad array of care options and a national reputation for quality. Understanding the different types of healthcare services offered by providers is the first step to determining which care option best fits your needs.

Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation

Nursing facilities provide both short- and long-term care services for older adults and people with disabilities or chronic illnesses.

Of the more than 120,000 people Massachusetts Senior Care Assoc. members care for annually, close to two-thirds return to their community within one month after a brief, post-hospital, rehabilitative stay. With ever-shortening hospital stays, skilled-nursing facilities have become the preferred choice for discharged hospital patients who need short-term transitional care before they can return safely to their homes. Those who cannot live safely and comfortably at home receive precisely the care and community they need as long term residents of Massachusetts’ nursing and rehabilitative facilities.

Short-term care is available for individuals who have been hospitalized and need a period of medical monitoring and/or rehabilitation before returning home. Often referred to as subacute or transitional care, this kind of care can be provided in a free-standing nursing facility or a hospital-based skilled-nursing unit. Most stays are for fewer than 30 days, after which the patient usually returns home. This kind of care can be beneficial after a surgery or a prolonged hospitalization, or for rehabilitation following a stroke or other serious medical event.

Long-term care is available for people who are unable to live safely and comfortably at home, require 24-hour nursing care and support, and need help with many of the activities of daily living, such as eating, dressing, toileting and bathing. When considering long-term nursing facility care, it is important to discuss the issue thoroughly with the person involved and his or her personal physician before the situation becomes an emergency. Finding the right facility can take time, and since some facilities have waiting lists, it helps to plan ahead so space will be available when it is needed.

Among the services provided are 24-hour nursing care; rehabilitative care such as physical, occupational, speech, and respiratory therapy; and help with personal care such as eating, dressing, toileting, and bathing. In addition, a growing number of nursing facilities provide post-operative rehabilitative care, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s/dementia specialty care, respite care, restorative and residential care for people with multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders, pediatric specialty care, and acquired brain-injury specialty care.

Assisted Living

Assisted-living residences are for older people who no longer feel comfortable or safe living alone, but do not need 24-hour nursing and medical care. While assisted-living residences monitor the well-being of their residents and help coordinate health services by licensed outside agencies or providers, they do not provide these services directly and are not designed for people with serious medical needs. State law prohibits assisted-living residences from admitting or retaining individuals who need skilled nursing care for more than 90 days in a 12-month period.

Assisted living residences combine apartment-like living with a variety of support services, including meals, assistance with activities of daily living such as bathing and dressing, on-site staff to respond to emergencies and help with medications, housekeeping and laundry services, social and recreational programs, and 24-hour security.

Assisted-living residences have one- or two-bedroom units with private bathrooms and entry doors that lock. Some units may also have a living or sitting room. In addition to a group dining area, assisted-living residences typically provide either a private kitchenette or access to a communal cooking area. Units are usually furnished with a resident’s personal belongings and furniture.

Continuing-care Retirement Community

Continuing-care retirement communities (CCRCs) combine independent retirement housing, assisted-living services, and nursing facility care, usually on the same campus, to allow elders to have their current and future care needs met at one location. As a senior’s needs change, he or she can choose from among the services and care settings available.

CCRCs are another option for older people who no longer want the responsibility of caring for a house and want the peace of mind of knowing that they have planned for their future long-term-care needs. Most CCRCs require incoming residents to be fully capable of independent living upon entering, or may impose conditions based on certain pre-existing conditions. However, some CCRCs allow residents to enter their assisted-living units directly from the community.

CCRCs also provide assisted-living services (either in separate assisted-living units or to individuals residing in the independent living units) and 24-hour nursing-facility care.

Most independent-living units in a CCRC consist of one or two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a full bathroom. CCRCs typically have a number of common areas, including one or more resident dining rooms, and many also have libraries, hair salons, convenience stores, exercise and game rooms, and banking facilities.

Other Care Options

• Adult day health programs, also known as adult day care centers, provide supervision, recreation, health, and personal-care services during the day to older people so that family caregivers can work or attend to other responsibilities. All adult day health programs must meet minimum standards set by the Massachusetts Medicaid program, also known as MassHealth. Adult day health programs are provided either on a private pay basis or through Medicaid.

• Adult foster-care programs match elders who are no longer able to live alone with families willing to provide room and board and personal care. Families are paid a stipend by MassHealth for elders who are Medicaid-eligible. Some adult foster-care funding is also available to pay for assisted-living services for people who are clinically and financially eligible through the state’s Group Adult Foster Care Program.

• Congregate housing facilities provide a living arrangement in which elders have a private bedroom and share common space with others. Support services are usually available to help elders maintain their independence. Most congregate housing sites are sponsored by local municipal housing authorities or nonprofit organizations. Public congregate housing is partially subsidized by the state or federal government.

• Home-based services help individuals live independently at home and are provided by home health agencies, visiting nurse associations, and state-funded home-care corporations (called aging services access points, or ASAPs). They include homemaker services to maintain household functioning, including help with home management, shopping, meal preparation, and light housekeeping; and personal care, including bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting. They may also provide health services; home health aides provide basic healthcare services such as personal care, recording temperatures and checking pulses, changing simple bandages, and assisting with self-administered medications, while licensed nurses and therapists provide skilled nursing care and therapeutic services.

• Hospice care serves patients with a life-threatening illness and a life expectancy of six months or less. Hospice care may be provided in the home, nursing facility, or hospital, and the hospice team works cooperatively with the patient, family, physician, and other caregivers to provide specialized care that is focused on comfort, not cure. The hospice team includes the patient’s physician, hospice medical director, registered nurses, home health aides, licensed social worker, bereavement counselor, pastoral counselor, rehabilitation therapists, and volunteers.

• Resident Care Facilities (RCFs), also known as rest homes, provide housing, meals, 24-hour supervision, administration of medications, and personal care to individuals who do not routinely require nursing or medical care.

• Respite care is short-term care provided at home, in a nursing facility, or in an assisted-living residence to give families caring for elders at home some time off from their caregiving responsibilities.

• Finally, independent-living senior communities are an option if you want to live on your own, but don’t want to have all the chores that go along with having a home. It’s also a great option for people who want to live in a community with other seniors. Depending on the community you choose, you can rent an apartment either at the market rate or, if your income level applies, a lower rate. They are often specially designed with things like railings in bathrooms or power outlets higher up on the wall. They may also offer a 24-hour emergency call service if residents need help right away. Some facilities may also offer services like meals, transportation, social activities, and other programs.

Paying for Care

By
Senior Planning

What Options Are Available?

Many seniors are not aware of the options available for affordable housing and care as they age. In Massachusetts, there are a few financial-assistance programs that can assist low- to moderate-income seniors pay for both housing and care options. Residential care homes in Massachusetts offer seniors and disabled adults affordable housing options that include services such as homemade meals, snacks, scheduled activities, housekeeping, laundry, and clinical oversight with medication management.

“Many homes, like the Lathrop Home, offer private rooms, with shared common areas and daily activities to enrich the lives of the residents we serve,” said Crystal Cote-Stosz, executive director of the Northampton facility. “For many individuals, the offerings of a residential care home can bridge the care gap by providing assistance that is customized and affordable. Finances are a major consideration with life’s transitions, and for those of us needing support services such as meals, medication management, and assistance with personal care, making these choices can be difficult. Luckily for Massachusetts residents, subsidized care options are available in many residential care homes and assisted-living facilities.”

Paying for care is a significant stressor for families, especially for those who have not planned ahead or saved enough. According to a TD Bank study, one in five Millennials helps to financially support their aging parents, to the tune of $18,250 per year on average, and nearly three-quarters of the financial aid goes towards general living expenses like food and housing.

Both the state and federal government offer subsidy programs for residential care facilities, like the Lathrop Home, Cote-Stosz noted. The federal subsidy that assists individuals pay for residential care is through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program combined with the state Supplemental Security Program. Both programs work together to supplement an individual’s income to pay for the care provided by a residential care home.

The state program that assists residents in Massachusetts pay for residential care is called EAEDC (Emergency Aid to Elderly and Disabled Children). Residential care facilities like the Lathrop Home can have residents with monthly incomes up to $3,450 qualify for assistance paying for care. Many Massachusetts residential care facilities offer nursing on staff to triage residents’ clinical care needs, which allows individuals to remain independent from long-term care.

Residential care facilities provide application assistance for the financial-assistance programs available to those residents that spend down or require a subsidy application from point of admission. Individuals interested in residential care should visit the Massachusetts Assoc. of Residential Care Homes website at maresidentialcarehomes.org.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move

Matthew Nash

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. announced the promotion of Matthew Nash from senior associate to audit manager. Nash began as an intern at MBK in 2011 and was hired as an accounting associate later that year. Since then, he has developed as an expert accountant, leading technical audit engagements and mentoring junior staff through his eight years with the firm. He has a dedicated approach to service and has demonstrated expertise in commercial, benefit-plan, and nonprofit audits, as well as review and compilation engagements. Nash received his bachelor’s degree from Nichols College and his MBA from Elms College. He is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and recently completed all sections of the CPA exam.

•••••

Cindy Bigras

Community-based financial-advising firm PV Financial Group (PV) recently welcomed the newest member to its financial-advisory team, Cindy Bigras, CFP. Bigras and her staff will operate out of their office in West Springfield, expanding PV Financial’s services and continuing its growth as a company. With more than 30 years of working independently and running her own advisory practice, Bigras will bring a wealth of investment knowledge and will help PV Financial form strong relationships with clients and their families. A financially savvy and hard-working individual, Bigras has always maintained a passion for helping others with their finances, said Edward Sokolowski, managing partner. Working as an agent and as a broker at a major insurance company before starting own practice gave her a solid foundation in risk management that proved essential to a financial-planning career.

•••••

CHD’s Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County recently welcomed Katie Lipsmeyer as manager of Development and Marketing. Lipsmeyer’s professional background is in event planning and coordination, marketing and communications, entrepreneurship, and business development. She is currently the founder and owner of Camp Glow It Up and a fitness instructor at 50/50 Fitness/Nutrition in Hadley. In her new position at Big Brothers Big Sisters, she will lead the planning and coordination for annual fundraising events such as the Daffodil Run/Walk and the Northampton Winter Craft Fair, manage the marketing and social-media operations for the organization, and work with the leadership team to create innovative strategies for mentor recruitment and donor stewardship.

•••••

Andrew Sullivan

Freedom Credit Union announced the addition of Andrew Sullivan as commercial lending officer. As Commercial Lending Officer, Sullivan is responsible for working with new and current business owners on their lending needs and the range of services available to them at Freedom Credit Union. He previously served as a small-business lending officer and portfolio manager at Country Bank. He earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting/business and an MBA from Elms College. He is the founder of the Andrew Sullivan’s Swing for a Cure charity, a golf tournament that has raised more than $30,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

•••••

The Rotary Club of Springfield elected its new president, Robert (Bert) Carter, president and CEO at Willie Ross School for the Deaf, as well as its board of directors for the 2019-20 Rotary year at its June 28 meeting. Carter is an 11-year veteran of Rotary. Before coming to Springfield, he served in the Brattleboro, Vt. club for five years, where he was foundation chair. Since joining the Springfield club, he has served as seargent at arms, director, secretary, second vice president, and first vice president before assuming the post of president. Carter is a 38-year veteran in the field of deaf education and school administration. Prior to his tenure at Willie Ross School for the Deaf, he was the president of the Vermont Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, which included the Austine School for the Deaf as well as statewide education and social-service programs. Carter also directed statewide deaf services for FSW Inc., a private, nonprofit agency in Bridgeport, Conn. In that position, he created and directed a 24/365 sign-language interpreter service serving all 31 acute-care hospitals in Connecticut. An educator, mental-health practitioner, and nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter, Carter holds a master’s degree in deafness rehabilitation from New York University, a master’s degree in expressive therapies from Lesley University, and a bachelor’s degree in art education from Miami University.

Senior Resources

By
Senior Planning

These regional and statewide nonprofits can help families make decisions and access resources related to elder-care planning.

AARP MASSACHUSETTS

1 Beacon St., #2301, Boston, MA 02108

(866) 448-3621; states.aarp.org/region/massachusetts

Administrator: Mike Festa

Services: A nonprofit, nonpartisan, social-welfare organization with a membership of nearly 38 million that advocates for the issues that matter to families, such as healthcare, employment and income security, and protection from financial abuse.

THE CONVERSATION PROJECT

20 University Road, 7th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138

(617) 301-4868; www.theconversationproject.org

Administrator: Kate DeBartolo

Services: Helps people talk about their wishes for end-of-life care; its team includes five seasoned law, journalism, and media professionals working pro bono alongside professional staff from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

ELDER SERVICES OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY INC.

877 South St., Suite 4E, Pittsfield, MA 01201

(413) 499-0524; www.esbci.org

Administrator: Christopher McLaughlin

Services: Information and referral, care management, respite care, homemaker and home health assistance, healthy-aging programs, and MassHealth nursing home pre-screening; also offers housing options, adult family care, group adult foster care, long-term-care ombudsman, and money management, and oversees Senior Community Service Aide Employment Program.

GREATER SPRINGFIELD SENIOR SERVICES INC.

66 Industry Ave., Suite 9, Springfield, MA 01104

(413) 781-8800; www.gsssi.org

Administrator: Jill Keough

Services: Dedicated to maintaining quality of life for older adults, caregivers, and people with disabilities, through programs and services that foster independence, dignity, safety, and peace of mind; services include case management, home care, home-delivered meals, senior community dining, money management, congregate housing, and adult day care.

HIGHLAND VALLEY ELDER SERVICES

320 Riverside Dr., Florence, MA 01062

(413) 586-2000; www.highlandvalley.org

Administrator: Allan Ouimet

Services: Care management, information/referral services, family caregiver program, personal emergency-response service, protective services, home-health services, chore services, nursing-home ombudsman services, adult day programs, elder-care advice, bill-payer services, options counseling, respite services, representative payee services, local dining centers, personal-care and homemaker services, and home-delivered meals.

LIFEPATH

101 Munson St., Suite 201, Greenfield, MA 01301

(413) 773-5555; www.lifepathma.org

Administrator: Barbara Bodzin

Services: Private, nonprofit corporation that develops, provides, and coordinates a range of services to support the independent living of elders and people with disabilities; also supports caregivers, including grandparents raising grandchildren.

MASSACHUSETTS ASSOC. OF OLDER AMERICANS

19 Temple Place, Boston, MA 02111

(617) 426-0804; www.maoamass.org

Administrator: Chet Jakubiak

Services: Aims to improve the economic security of older Massachusetts residents through research and advocacy on policies that may reduce risk and hardship; fights against the dual stigma of being old and mentally ill, to preserve Medicare and Social Security, to ensure access to community-based long-term care, and to obtain mental healthcare for elders suffering from depression and other brain disorders.

MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ELDER AFFAIRS

1 Ashburton Place, Unit 517, Boston, MA 02108

(617) 727-7750; www.mass.gov/elders

Administrator: Elizabeth Chen

Services: Connects seniors and families with services like senior centers, councils on aging, nutrition programs such as Meals on Wheels, exercise, health coaching, and more; supports frail adults through programs and quality-improvement initiatives in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities; caregiver support programs.

MASSACHUSETTS SENIOR LEGAL HELPLINE

99 Chauncy St., Unit 400, Boston, MA 02111

(800) 342-5297 ; www.vlpnet.org

Administrator: Joanne Allison

Services: The Helpline is a project of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of Boston that provides free legal information and referral services to Massachusetts residents age 60 and older; the Helpline is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon.

MASSOPTIONS

(844) 422-6277

www.massoptions.org

Administrator: Marylou Sudders

Services: Connects elders, individuals with disabilities, and their caregivers with agencies and organizations that can best meet their needs; staff can also assist with determining eligibility for and applying to MassHealth.

VA CENTRAL AND WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

421 North Main St., Leeds, MA 01053

(413) 584-4040; www.centralwesternmass.va.gov

Administrator: John Collins

Services: Provides primary, specialty, and mental-health care, including psychiatric, substance-abuse, and PTSD services, to a veteran population in Central and Western Mass. of more than 120,000 men and women.

WESTMASS ELDERCARE INC.

4 Valley Mill Road, Holyoke, MA 01040

(413) 538-9020; www.wmeldercare.org

Administrator: Roseann Martoccia

Services: Provides an array of in-home and community services to support independent living; interdisciplinary team approach to person-centered care; information, referrals, and options counseling as well as volunteer opportunities available.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

Lovin’ Spoonfuls Launches in Hampden County

LONGMEADOW — Lovin’ Spoonfuls celebrated the launch of its food-rescue program in Hampden County yesterday at Longmeadow Open Pantry. With a goal to rescue and distribute fresh food that would otherwise be wasted, it will be delivering food to 17 partner nonprofits in Hampden County. Lovin’ Spoonfuls, established in 2010, serves nearly 40 cities and towns across Eastern Mass., focusing on perishable, nutritious food. Its rescues provide meals to more than 30,000 individuals every week. Partners in its move to Western Mass. include the Longmeadow Open Pantry, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Big Y, and Rachel’s Table. Lauren Palumbo, chief operating officer at Lovin’ Spoonfuls, noted that, between the organization’s six routes in Greater Boston and the MetroWest area, plus now Hampden County, it is rescuing more than 75,000 pounds of food each week.

Big Y Eliminates Plastic Bags at Checkouts

SPRINGFIELD — Big Y Foods Inc. eliminated single-use plastic bags at the checkouts from its more than 80 supermarket and specialty store locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut starting Aug. 1. The grocer will offer discounts on reusable bags through the month of August as customers transition away from plastic.

Big Y has been complying with single-use plastic-bag bans in several Massachusetts communities since 2014. Coming off of recent changes to laws in various towns across the New England region, Big Y has moved up its 2020 timeline to eliminate single-use plastic at checkouts in all of its locations in order to streamline operations and to do its part to support sustainability. For those shoppers who do not bring their own shopping bags, beginning in August, a ten-cent charge per paper bag will be added to their bill. This fee is in an effort to promote the use of reusable bags instead of paper bags, which also cause harm to the environment.

People’s United Financial to Acquire United Financial

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — People’s United Financial Inc., the holding company for People’s United Bank, N.A., announced an agreement to acquire United Financial Bancorp Inc., the holding company for United Bank, in a 100% stock transaction valued at approximately $759 million. Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals and the approval of United Financial Bancorp shareholders. Established in 1858 and headquartered in Hartford, Conn., United Bank is a full-service community financial-services firm with $7.3 billion in assets. The bank has nearly 60 branch locations concentrated in Central Conn. and Western Mass., offering customers commercial, small-business, wealth-management, and consumer-banking products and services.

Seelye & Schulz PA CPAs to Merge with Melanson Heath

GREENFIELD — Melanson Heath announced the firm’s merger with longtime Nashua, N.H.-based accounting firm Seelye & Schulz PA CPAs. This merger aims to allow Seelye & Schulz PA CPAs and Melanson Heath professionals to continue to strengthen their position as a premier regional accounting, tax, and audit service provider. Partners Paul Seelye and Anthony Engaldo have joined Melanson Heath along with their team. The combined firm will operate under the name Melanson Heath. Scott Toothaker, managing principal of Melanson Heath, noted that “Seelye & Schulz PA CPAs is a highly respected CPA firm in our area. Our objectives, goals, and ethical standards mirror one another. The combined firm will continue to offer a blend of professional expertise and personalized service. We are committed to meeting and exceeding the expectations of not only our clients, but also our dedicated employees, and the betterment of our communities as a whole.”

Theory Wellness Wins Bid for Chicopee Dispensary

CHICOPEE — Theory Wellness, a craft cannabis company, has received a special permit from the city of Chicopee to move ahead with its plans for a medical and recreational cannabis dispensary at 672 Fuller Road. The company has been working with the city since the summer of 2018 and was selected to operate one of the four permitted dispensaries in the city during a competitive bidding process. Seven months after successfully transitioning its Great Barrington medical dispensary into recreational sales, Theory looks forward to commencing construction immediately on this new project. Its expansion into Chicopee will mark the third dispensary for the company, which currently has locations in Bridgewater and Great Barrington. The Chicopee site will be its second co-located storefront to support both medical and recreational cannabis sales. Theory expects to begin sales in November, and will soon begin construction on the new location, which has ample parking and is just minutes from both I-90 and I-291. The company anticipates hiring about 40 full-time employees and expects to generate tax revenues in the range of $250,000 to $500,000 per year for the city.

Berkshire Communicators Inc. Wins ATSI Award of Excellence

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Communicators Inc. has been honored with the ATSI 2019 Award of Excellence for the 15th straight year. This award is presented annually by the Assoc. of TeleServices International (ATSI), the industry’s trade association for providers of telecommunications and call-center services, including answering services and message delivery across North America and the U.K. Berkshire Communicators was presented with the award at ATSI’s annual convention in Dallas. Independent judges are contracted by ATSI to evaluate message services over a six-month period. The scoring criteria includes response time, rep courteousness, accuracy, account knowledge, and overall impression of the call. Now a 15-time winner, Berkshire Communicators earned the Platinum Award. Berkshire Communicators is owned and operated by the Gore family of Lee and employs 20 full- and part-time personnel. The company operates 24/7/365, processing more than 600,000 calls per year and 6,200 alarm signals per day in its central alarm-monitoring station.

Elms College Establishes Graduate Admission Office

CHICOPEE — Elms College announced a new Office of Graduate and Continuing Education Admission to streamline the application process for graduate, post-baccalaureate, and continuing-education students. The new office will focus on the recruitment, admission, and enrollment for all graduate and continuing education programs at Elms College. Nancy Davis has been named director of the Office of Graduate and Continuing Education Admission. Davis, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Mount St. Mary’s University and an MBA from Elms College, most recently served as Business Development specialist for the college’s MBA program and Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership for more than three years. She previously worked as the director of Career Development at Elms for nearly five years, as director of Career Services at BHCI in Windsor, Conn., and as a technical recruiter, both for CMC Technical in Virginia and independently. Her team will include two graduate admission counselors. Undergraduate and transfer students will continue to work with the Office of Undergraduate Admission throughout the application, acceptance, and orientation process.

Basketball Hall of Fame Partners with Tickets for Less

SPRINGFIELD — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced a new multi-year partnership with Tickets For Less as a secondary-market ticket provider for a number of Basketball Hall of Fame collegiate events. The partnership was facilitated by Learfield IMG College, the Basketball Hall of Fame’s sports-marketing partner for its collegiate event series. As an official sponsor, Tickets for Less will offer a secondary ticket marketplace for Hall of Fame collegiate events, allowing fans secure, fast, and convenient options to purchase tickets. Events offered by Tickets for Less in 2019 include the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic at Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Tip-Off Tournament and Women’s Showcase at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Jerry Colangelo Classic in Phoenix, and three inaugural events: the James Naismith Classic in Toronto, the Al Attles Classic at the new Chase Center in San Francisco, and the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. For a full schedule of events and matchups, visit www.hoophall.com/events.

Transitioning

By
Senior Planning

When It’s Time to Leave Home: Making the Change

By the National Institute on Aging

The decision about whether your parents should move is often tricky and emotional. Each family will have its own reasons for wanting (or not wanting) to take such a step. One family may decide a move is right because the parents can no longer manage the home. For another family, the need for hands-on care in a long-term care facility motivates a change.

In the case of long-distance caregivers, the notion of moving can seem like a solution to the problem of not being close enough to help. For some caregivers, moving a sick or aging parent to their own home or community can be a viable alternative. Some families decide to have an adult child move back to the parent’s home to become the primary caregiver.

Keep in mind that leaving a home, community, and familiar medical care can be very disruptive and difficult for the older parent, especially if they are not enthusiastic about the change. You might first want to explore what services are available in your parents’ community to help them in their home — including home health care, housekeeping, personal care, and transportation services.

Myriad options exist when it comes to deciding where to live, but these choices can be limited by factors such as illness, ability to perform activities of daily living (for example, eating, bathing, using the toilet, dressing, walking, and moving from bed to chair), financial resources, and personal preferences.

Tips for the Transition

• Keep in mind that leaving a home, community, and familiar medical care can be very disruptive and difficult for the older parent. First explore what services are available in their community to help them in their home.

• Some families find a conference call is a good way to talk together about the pros and cons of each option. The goal of this call is to come up with a plan that works for everyone, especially your parent.

• Many older adults want to ‘age in place’ — to stay in their own homes as they get older — but may have concerns about safety, getting around, or other daily activities. A few changes could help the resident continue to live independently.

• Whatever your decision, try not to let your parent or loved one feel threatened or forced.

Older adults, or those with serious illness, can choose to stay in their own home or move to a smaller one, move to an assisted-living facility, move to a long-term care facility, or move in with a family member. Making a decision that is best for your parent — and making that decision with your parent — can be difficult. Try to learn as much as you can about possible housing options.

Some families find a conference call is a good way to talk together about the pros and cons of each option. The goal of this call is to come up with a plan that works for everyone, especially your parent. If the decision involves a move for your mom or dad, you could, even from a distance, offer to arrange tours of some places for their consideration.

Experts advise families to think carefully before moving an aging adult into an adult child’s home. There are a lot of questions to consider. For example, is there space in your home? Is someone around to help the older person during the whole day? What are your parents able to do for themselves? What personal care are you willing and able to provide — moving your parent from a chair to a bed or toilet, changing adult diapers, or using a feeding tube, for example? What kinds of home-care services are available in your community? What kind of specialized medical care is available nearby?

Many older adults want to ‘age in place’ — to stay in their own homes as they get older — but may have concerns about safety, getting around, or other daily activities. A few changes could make the home easier and safer to live in and help the resident continue to live independently.

For example, don’t use area rugs, and check that all carpets are fixed firmly to the floor. Replace handles on doors or faucets with ones that are comfortable for you to use. Install grab bars near toilets and in the tub or shower. Reduce fall hazards by placing no-slip strips or non-skid mats on tile and wood floors or surfaces that may get wet. Place light switches at the top and bottom of stairs and remember to turn on nightlights. Install a ramp with handrails to the front door.

Whatever your decision, try not to let your parent or loved one feel threatened or forced. Help them understand you have their best interest at heart, and want to find a solution that works for everyone.

Briefcase

By
Briefcase

Bradley Begins Construction on New Ground Transportation Center

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — Gov. Ned Lamont, state leaders, Connecticut Airport Authority officials, and project stakeholders held a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony at the construction site of Bradley International Airport’s new Ground Transportation Center on July 18. The new facility, spanning 1.4 million square feet across 13.4 acres, will be located west of the existing short-term and long-term parking garage, with a direct connection to Terminal A. Its major features will include convenient rental-car services across from Terminal A, additional public parking, and improved access to public transportation, including a dedicated area that will be used to receive high-frequency buses connecting the airport to the CTrail line, as well as regional bus services. The construction phase will be completed over the next three years and will cost approximately $210 million, which is being entirely financed by customer facility-charge revenues. In anticipation of the construction of the new Ground Transportation Center, several enabling projects were initiated in 2018 to prepare the site for construction. These projects focused on the realignment of roadways and the addition of a new intersection. Additional enabling projects will commence in the late summer and will be publicized in the coming weeks.

Massachusetts Unemployment Rate Holds Steady at 3.0% in June

BOSTON — The state’s total unemployment rate in June remained unchanged at 3.0%, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts added 9,800 jobs in June. Over the month, the private sector added 8,400 jobs as gains occurred in education and health services, leisure and hospitality, financial activities, manufacturing, information, and trade, transportation, and utilities. Government added jobs over the month. From June 2018 to June 2019, BLS estimates Massachusetts added 35,500 jobs. The June unemployment rate was seven-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 3.7% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The labor force decreased by 2,100 from 3,840,900 in May, as 1,700 fewer residents were employed and 500 fewer residents were unemployed over the month. The state’s labor-force participation rate — the total number of residents age 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks — dropped one-tenth of a percentage point at 67.7% over the month. The largest private-sector percentage job gains over the year were in education and health services, information, leisure and hospitality, and other services.

Adam Quenneville Seeks Nominations for No Roof Left Behind Program

SOUTH HADLEY — When hard times fall on a local family, caring people in the community want to help. No Roof Left Behind is a nationwide program that gives good neighbors a chance to nominate a deserving homeowner to receive a free new roof. It also provides a local contractor the framework to provide a new roof at no cost. Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding Inc. has participated in the No Roof Left Behind program since 2014, and will do so again this year. Online nominations will be accepted from local people who know someone in dire need of a new roof in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties from Aug. 2 through Aug. 23, and then the public will vote online for the 2019 winner. To submit a nomination, visit noroofleftbehind.com. Each participant must upload a photo and brief story about someone who needs a new roof. Volunteers will review the nominees and select four finalists. From Aug. 26 through Sept. 13, the public will vote for the winner online. Finalists will be revealed, and the public will vote online for the 2019 winner, who will be revealed on Oct. 11.

MassDevelopment Provides $310,000 for Real-estate Projects Across State

BOSTON — MassDevelopment announced up to $310,000 in funding for 10 projects through its Real Estate Technical Assistance program. Under this program, through a combination of in-house expertise and contracts with consultants, MassDevelopment works with municipal officials, planners, local stakeholders, and others to address site-specific and district-wide economic-development challenges. The technical-assistance funds will support a range of projects, from feasibility studies to master-planning efforts. Locally, the town of Greenfield will use one of the awards to prepare a market assessment and operational analysis of proposed uses in the First National Bank and Trust building. This follows a feasibility study that consultant Taylor Burns completed in June. The other local award will be given to the city of Holyoke to develop architectural and financial analyses to determine the cost of rehabilitation of the former National Guard Armory at 163 Sargeant St. Findings from the analyses will help the city secure additional funding needed to move the project forward.

Estate Planning

By
Senior Planning

The Four Key Documents of an Estate Plan

By Gina Barry

Consider this — tomorrow, you take a terrible fall.

You are injured to the point that you cannot communicate, or worse yet, you pass away. No one expected this to happen. Your loved ones are reeling. They are in shock and not thinking clearly.

Gina Barry

By Gina M. Barry, Esq.

They are now immediately called upon to act on your behalf. Do you know who will handle your affairs? Have you given that person the legal authority they would need to do so without added cost, time, and administrative difficulties? If your estate plan is in place and up to date, your affairs can be handled efficiently and effectively, leaving your loved ones to grieve the tragedy without all the added stress of navigating your affairs blindly and without authority.

Thus, every adult should have an estate plan in place. Fortunately, a basic estate plan is quite simple to establish. It requires four documents:

Last Will and Testament

The will is the document most people think of when contemplating an estate plan. Your will directs how your probate assets will be distributed after you pass away.

When you die, your probate assets are those assets held in your name alone that do not have a designated beneficiary. If you pass away without a will, your estate will be distributed in accordance with the Commonwealth’s intestacy laws, which may not be as you would have wanted.

A common misconception is that a will is not needed unless you have a lot of assets; however, a will can do much more than simply distribute assets. A will is necessary for you to name a personal representative (formerly known as executor), who will carry out your estate. Your personal representative will gather your probate assets, pay valid debts, and distribute the balance as set forth in your will.

Further, if you leave behind minor or disabled children, a guardian can be named in your will to take custody of these children. Likewise, a trust can be established in a will to provide ongoing protection for minor or disabled children as well as for other beneficiaries who should not receive their inheritance outright, usually due to spendthrift concerns. When there is no will in place, your power to make these designations and to direct the distribution of your property is forfeited.

Many also believe that, if every asset is jointly owned or has a designated beneficiary, a will is not necessary. For such a plan to be successful, the joint owner or beneficiary must survive you. If they do not survive you, your estate will need to be probated, which is when your will would direct the distribution of those assets.

Further, there are some instances where joint ownership cannot carry out your wishes, such as when you have more than one child, but cannot add all of their names on the same account due to the financial institution’s practices or because one or more of your children cannot be trusted to have access to your account as a joint owner during your lifetime.

Healthcare Proxy

A healthcare proxy is a document that designates a healthcare agent, who would make healthcare decisions for you if you were unable to make them for yourself.

Your healthcare agent would step into your shoes and make your decisions as you would if you were able. For example, your agent may decide whether a certain medication should be taken, a certain medical procedure should be done, or an admission or discharge from a medical facility should occur. Should you lose capacity and not have a healthcare proxy in place, your loved ones would need to petition the Probate Court to become your guardian, which is a lengthy, expensive, and public process that most would rather avoid.

‘Living-will’ language is normally included within the healthcare proxy, as it addresses your end-of-life decisions and generally sets forth that you do not want extraordinary medical procedures used to keep you alive when there is no likelihood of recovery. This can be a difficult decision to carry out; therefore, care should be taken to name someone who would be able to honor that decision.

If you have a terminal illness or are of advanced age, you also should consider establishing Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) in addition to your healthcare proxy. A MOLST is a form completed by you and your physician that relays instructions about your care. A MOLST would eliminate the need for living-will language in a proxy, but the best practice would be to reference the MOLST in your proxy.

Durable Power of Attorney

A durable power of attorney is a document that designates someone to make financial decisions for you. This document is usually in full force and effect when it is signed, but it is expected it will not be used unless you want help with or are unable to handle your own financial affairs.

It is also possible to grant a springing power that does not take effect until incapacity arises. Should you lose capacity and not have a durable power of attorney in place, your loved ones will have to petition the Probate Court to become your conservator, which, just like the guardianship process, is also lengthy, expensive, and public.

The durable power of attorney is a very powerful document with authority that is as broad as the powers granted within it. It gives power to the person you name to handle all your financial decisions, not just pay your bills. In most cases, the person named will be authorized to handle your real estate, life insurance, retirement accounts, other investment accounts, bank accounts, and any other matters involving money, such as tax returns and applications for public benefits.

As such, the person chosen to serve in this capacity should be someone with financial savvy who can be absolutely trusted to use your assets for only your benefit.

Homestead Declaration

For Massachusetts homeowners, a homestead declaration, once properly recorded in the Registry of Deeds, will declare your principal residence to be your homestead. The homestead declaration protects the equity in your primary residence up to $500,000 from attachment, seizure, execution on judgment, levy, or sale for the payment of debts.

In some cases, such as advanced age or disability, the equity protection can be up to $1 million. If a homestead declaration is not recorded, there is an automatic $125,000 of equity protection. It should be noted that, in addition to some other specific exceptions, a homestead declaration will not protect your real estate from nursing-home costs or tax liens.

Conclusion

While incapacity and death are not the most joyous of topics, when faced with them, most people would prefer to have a plan in place to ensure their needs and goals will be met.

You can help your loved ones avoid expensive legal hassles related to your ongoing care and your estate. Individuals with more complicated estates may require different or additional documents to fully protect their interests, but for most, an estate plan is only four documents away.

Gina Barry is a partner with the law firm Bacon Wilson, P.C. She is a member of the National Assoc. of Elder Law Attorneys, the Estate Planning Council, and the Western Massachusetts Elder Care Professionals Assoc. She concentrates her practice in the areas of estate and asset-protection planning, probate administration and litigation, guardianships, conservatorships, and residential real estate; (413) 781-0560; [email protected].

Incorporations

By
Incorporations

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

ALFORD

Berkshires Bounty Inc., 248 East Road, Alford, MA 01266. Melvin Greenberg, same. Raise money through donations to purchase food, diapers, and necessary items for the homeless.

CHICOPEE

Chicopee For Teachers Inc., 126 Mountainview St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Rachael Kaplan, same. Provides support to full time teachers and teaching aides in the Chicopee, MA school system.

HADLEY

1126 Records Inc., 67 Lyman St., South Hadley, MA01075. Scott B. Lee, same. Music record label.

NORTHAMPTON

Collect for Hope Inc., 589 Coles Meadow Road, Northampton, MA 01060. Mark David Harrison, same. Provide money, collected through donations, to organizations that provide care to animals.

PITTSFIELD

94g Holdings Corporation, 392 Merrill Road, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Matthew Adam Hatt, same. Real estate.

Cgdande Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Gregory Gerard, same. Insurance agency.

SANDISFIELD

Common Ground Production Inc., 18 S. Beech Plain Road. Sandisfield, MA 01255. George Miscamble, same. Production company, photography, arts.

SOUTH HADLEY

Bloyd Inc., 3 Spring Meadows, South Hadley, MA 01075. Jay A. Hambley, same. Management consulting for processing.

SOUTHAMPTON

Dave Haughey Music Inc., 5 Hawthorne Dr., Southampton, MA 01073. David W. Haughey, same. Music education and entertainment.

SPRINGFIELD

All Farmers Inc., 140 Belmont Ave., Springfield, MA 01108. Adam Adi, same. Nonprofit supporting new area farmers in accessing land, training, resources, and research methods of effective delivery of services and support to recent immigrant farmers.

Andy and Jassi Inc., 711 Boston Road, Springfield, MA 01119. Jasvinder Arora, 191 Elm St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Package/liquor store.

Breath Health Inc., 1500 Main St., Suite 2700, Springfield, MA 01115. Ronny Priefer, same. Design and development of diabetes monitoring and screening devise.

Building Officials of Western Massachusetts Inc., 54 Weymouth St., Springfield, MA 01108. Donald R. Torrico, 186 Egremont Plain Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230. To promote cooperation, understanding and conformity between members; compile and disseminate building code and zoning information through education useful to the membership in the performance of their duties and responsibilities.

WALES

DM Design/Marketing Inc., 74 McBride Road, Wales, MA 01081. David Patrick Maloney, same. Graphic design, signs, marketing consulting.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Dana Home Improvement Inc., 119 Humphry Lane, West Springfield, MA 01085. Vadim Buguta, same. Remodeling residential dwellings.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and trade names were issued or renewed during the month of June 2019.

AMHERST

APGrant Productions
110 Pulpit Hill Road
Andrew Grant

Knowles Flower Shop
172 North Pleasant St.
Candace Czerniak

Panefa’s Touch
97 Pondview Dr.
Osvaldina Allen

BELCHERTOWN

Making Waves the Salon
8 Jabish St.
Cathy Mellin Burton

CHICOPEE

Affordable Carpet Cleaning
51 Lincoln St.
Justin Marcoux

Eastman Media
695 Grattan St.
Brandon Eastman

Eileen Cak’s Supplies & More
226 Exchange St.
Eileen Perez

Five Guys
474B Memorial Dr.
Gregory Vasey

Sunshine’s Daycare
101 Angela Dr.
Velma Johnson

EASTHAMPTON

Dunn’s Lawn Service
10 Lyman Ave.
Richard Dunn Jr.

The Organized Puzzler
18 Campbell Dr.
Audrey Armstrong

Salon Solace
122 Pleasant St., Suite 138
Darlene Morton

Zenful Cleaning
21 High St.
Jazmyne Buentello

EAST LONGMEADOW

My Main Squeeze
48 Shaker Road
Cassandra Cerasulol

Willow Barn Designs
81 Maple St.
Michele Martinelli

HADLEY

Long Radio
30 Russell St.
Keith Imbriglio

VIP Nails
331 Russell St.
Tinh Thanh Nguyen

HOLYOKE

American Muffler & Brake
2237 Northampton St.
Mony Tith

Atlas Chiropractic
1353 Dwight St.
James McCann

Brad Matthews Jewelers
2225 Northampton St.
Brad DiMiero

Charlotte Russe
50 Holyoke St.
CR Bricks (2019) LLC

City Pizza
420 High St.
Rajwinder Singh, Sukhwinderpal Singh

Highland Barber Shop
1375 Dwight St.
Anacelis Molina

Holyoke Auto Body
41 North Summer St.
Juan Pedrosa

Prosera Startup Solutions
16 Thomas Ave.
Jonathan Eliza

T & D Nail Salon
98 Lower Westfield Road
Kham Hoang Do

GREENFIELD

About Town Taxi
275 Wells St.
Joseph Martin

Adams Donuts
348 Federal St.
Carrie Brown

Allen’s Roll-Off Container
36 Log Plain Road
Allen Davis

Chet’s Barber Shop
14 Federal St.
Joseph Chester Jr.

Complete Automotive Service
14 French King Highway
Robert Vassar

Gargone Blueboard & Plastering
204 Wisdom Way
Charles Gargone Jr., Carolyn Gargone

The Greenfield Gallery
231 Main St.
The Greenfield Gallery, LLC

Korean Society of Western Massachusetts
154 Main St.
Cheon Seo

Lucky Nails
130 Main St.
Thao Thi Thu Nguyen

Lundgren Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
39 Beacon St.
Barry Lundgren Inc.

Lundgren Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
397 Federal St.
Barry Lundgren Inc.

Lundgren Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
399 Federal St.
Barry Lundgren Inc.

Magpie Pizzeria
21-23 Bank Row
Evelyn Wilfkuhle

Shine Nail Spa
40 School St.
Kelly Stevens

Textur Beauty Bar
270 Main St., Suite 101
Carleigh Dlugosz

LONGMEADOW

Prospects1500
184 Magnolia Circle
Scott Greene

SkinBe Med Spa
722 Bliss Road
Tina Aughenbaugh

Utter Dessertion
12 Birch Road
Karen VanWagner

Winchester Auto School
180 Academy Dr.
Joseph Maruca

LUDLOW

Chin’s Kitchen
12 Lakeview Dr.
Hang Wu

Ludlow Travel Agency
176 Winsor St.
Maria Malaquias, James Malaquias

NORTHAMPTON

B.P. Coaching
5 North Farms Road
Beth Pellettieri

CommonWealth GrantWorks
13 Old South St., Suite 2G
Jennifer Higgins, Ph.D.

Ed Towles Painting
223 Brookside Circle
Edward Towles Jr.

Knight Productions
33 Liberty St.
Thomas McLusker

Linda Manor Extended Care Facility
349 Haydenville Road
Mark Ailinger

Miss Lynn’s Rainbow Machine
22 Edwards Square
Lynn Simonds

Robert W. Szlosek
101 Fairway Village
Robert Szlosek

SPRINGFIELD

Chandler Enterprises
118 Tyler St.
Chandler Enterprises

Chico’s Towing Service
2543 Main St.
Cecilio Rivera

Craig Masonry
67 Arden St.
Robert Craig

D & M Express
3 Los Angeles St.
Jose Miranada

H.S. Athletics
46 Wellesley St.
Alex Rojas

Inclined to Design
27 Elwood Dr.
Julie Jedmy

Jan Katu
49 Bristol St.
William Rosa

Janitorial Services
265 Denver St.
Timothy Guilmain

JMI Carpentry
89 Clement St.
Justin Illig

Leslie J. Zide, DMD Inc.
1795 Main St., Suite 1
Leslie Zide

Lovely Clothing Styles
37 Windsor St.
Wanda Soto

LaCrisha Wise Consulting
55 State St., Suite 310
LaCrisha Wise
The Law Firm of Joshua C. Egler
28 Sumner Ave.
Joshua Egler

Martin Construction
28 Daviston St.
Michael Martin

Palate Inc.
8 Temby St.
Jose Hernandez

Pena Lopez Auto Repair
960 Columbus Ave.
Carlos Lopez

Pioneer Strikers, LLC
5 Preston St.
Garrett McKenzie

Pito Barber Shop
1129 State St.
Israel Lopez

Plant Sitters
8 Pinevale St.
Derek Jones

Throneroom Delivery Service
116 Florence St.
Steven Williams

Upper Cuts Hair Studio
181 Chestnut St.
Edgar Martinez

Western Mass Towing
274 Locust St.
Kurt Wolmart

Wheel Out Partnership
95 Athol St.
Thomas Matthew

WESTFIELD

All Senses Reiki for Women
45 Broad St.
Kathleen McCarthy

Burly Weld & Fab
102 Putnam Dr.
Jesse Burlingame

A Great Ride Transportation
15 May St.
Edward McCabe Jr.

Intertstate Towing Inc.
20 Clifton St.
Jeremy Procon

Royal Nails and Hair
619 East Main St.
Thuy Pham

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Balise Honda
400 Riverdale St.
Steven Mitus

Bertera Collision Repair Center
160 Westfield St.
Michael Bertera

Clean House Happy Family
22 Bliss St.
Svetlana Kudryashova

Greenough Packaging & Maintenance
54 Heywood Ave.
Sandy Cassanelli

Kudryashov Transport
22 Bliss St.
Danil Kudryashov

The Most Magical Boutique
78 Harrison Place
Cassandra Rees

New England Medical Transportation
1111 Elm St.
Soon Burnam

Savida Agency Inc.
50 Union St.
Sharon Shepard

Savida Health, P.C.
50 Union St.
Sharon Shepard

Western Mass Compounding Center
138 Memorial Ave.
Bradley Sprecher

WILBRAHAM

Baltazar Hair Co.
1 Springfield St.
Shannon Baltazar, Antonio Baltazar

Bernard Transport, LLC
8 Hawthorne Road
Edward Bernard

Cacela Construction
768 Glendale Road
Luis Cacela

Sano Healing
2341 Boston Road, Unit 202
Kelsie Dwight

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Ash, Susan G.
495 S Barre Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/11/19

Baldridge, Brian Douglas
Baldridge, Joanne Vitkus
132 East Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/09/19

Bird, Bill E.
68 Valley St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/09/19

Billings, Deane Merritt
Billings, Donna Marie
552 South River Road
Charlemont, MA 01339
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/09/19

Churchill, John
29 Notch Road
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/11/19

Davis, Delise Jamie
61 Beauregard St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/15/19

Ierardi, John Myles
356 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/11/19

Irizarry, Edwin
Moreno, Paola A.
24 Puritan Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/15/19

Jacques, Frances John
Jacques, Theresa Ann
459 Fenn St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/09/19

Lopez, Nelida
225 Beech St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/11/19

Ogulewicz, Ginette L.
a/k/a Rheaume, Ginette L.
26 East Glen Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/15/19

Russo, Scott William
2 Belchertown Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/11/19

Saldana, Rafael A.
P.O. Box 6409
Holyoke, MA 01041
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/10/19

Sampel, Zuleika M.
a/k/a Sampel Arzola, Zuleika
269 Stonyhill Road, Apt. T22
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/11/19

Scholtz, William J.
251 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/10/19

Solivan, Reinaldo
80 Castle St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/15/19

Tatro, Jeffrey F.
Tatro, Kelly M.
606 East Main St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/15/19

Total Cleaning Plus
Zononi Enterprises LLC
Zononi, Charles George
9 Hancock Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/15/19

Young, Peter
Young, Kathleen
107 Woolworth St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/09/19

Real Estate Transactions

By
Real Estate

The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

ASHFIELD

118 Main St.
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $199,000
Buyer: Marilyn B. Johnson
Seller: Thomas D. Schreiber
Date: 07/10/19

BUCKLAND

52 North St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Dean Singer
Seller: Jonathan M. Unaitis
Date: 07/15/19

DEERFIELD

66 Boynton Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Mark T. Brennan
Seller: Peter C. Colt
Date: 07/12/19

32 Juniper Dr.
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $499,900
Buyer: Clifford Bodenweiser
Seller: Catherine J. Hunter
Date: 07/09/19

GREENFIELD

112 Bungalow Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $258,000
Buyer: Linda J. Mascomber
Seller: Debra L. Smith
Date: 07/09/19

19 Cedar St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: Jonathan Calame
Seller: George W. Boulia
Date: 07/08/19

12 Hastings St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Shannon Almeida
Seller: Ashby, William E., (Estate)
Date: 07/15/19

84 Haywood St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Randi Wyngowski
Seller: Betty A. Graveline
Date: 07/08/19

139 Montague City Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Carmen Bassett
Seller: Peter C. Chilton
Date: 07/15/19

24 Raingley Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Frederick C. Gagnon
Seller: Richard L. Welch
Date: 07/08/19

16 Sauter Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Joseph Cocco
Seller: Barbra A. Elliott
Date: 07/12/19

16 Shattuck St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Amy N. Ehmann
Seller: Dominic J. Barbara
Date: 07/12/19

192 Shelburne Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: 3 Freedom Hill RT
Seller: William M. Bridges
Date: 07/10/19

114 Summer St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: David Johnson
Seller: Cahill IRT
Date: 07/12/19

68 West St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Christopher R. Pastuszak
Seller: Jocelyn A. Croft
Date: 07/12/19

LEVERETT

32 Laurel Hill Dr.
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $699,900
Buyer: Amanda L. Woerman
Seller: Janet Segal-Strauss
Date: 07/15/19

258 Pratt Corner Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Chelsea S. Voake
Seller: John L. Frost
Date: 07/12/19

LEYDEN

395 West Leyden Road
Leyden, MA 01337
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Arthur Tuttle
Seller: John Kellog-Hodgman
Date: 07/15/19

MONTAGUE

133 Federal St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Richard Pervere
Seller: Joshua Puchalski
Date: 07/08/19

12 G St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $165,900
Buyer: Marshall W. Sisson
Seller: Gregory J. Ciolek
Date: 07/09/19

369 Old Greenfield Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Richard J. Doughty
Seller: Jane E. Paulin
Date: 07/11/19

40 Randall Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $244,500
Buyer: Marilyn E. Pelis
Seller: Enrique S. Gonzales
Date: 07/09/19

6 Riverside Dr.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Michael A. Dobias
Seller: Joseph B. Cocco
Date: 07/12/19

NEW SALEM

27 Blackinton Road
New Salem, MA 01364
Amount: $239,500
Buyer: Alyssa N. Hill
Seller: Sallie A. Camden
Date: 07/08/19

ORANGE

25 Wood Place
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Rebecca A. Merchant
Seller: Tammy-Lynn Chace
Date: 07/08/19

SHUTESBURY

32 Lake Dr.
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Meaghen Mikolajczuk
Seller: Althea S. Dabrowski
Date: 07/03/19

481-483 Montague Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Evan A. O’Neill
Seller: Michael B. Hootstein
Date: 07/12/19

3 Shore Dr.
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $161,000
Buyer: Katie J. Eagan
Seller: E. Ashley Fogle
Date: 07/15/19

16 Wyola Dr.
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Matthew Borowiec
Seller: Budgar, Gerald, (Estate)
Date: 07/10/19

WHATELY

River Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Gabriel E. Russo
Seller: USA
Date: 07/03/19

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

205 Anvil St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $527,900
Buyer: Neena T. Qasba
Seller: Charles A. Calabrese
Date: 07/01/19

22 Briarcliff Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Tatyana Rumyantsev
Seller: Nicolai J. Sabatino
Date: 07/09/19

113 Bridge St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Steven A. Aviles
Seller: Jason T. Wolfe
Date: 07/15/19

175 Cambridge St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Richard A. Fitzpatrick
Seller: Gary L. Osborne
Date: 06/28/19

52 Campbell Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jamie M. Buiso
Seller: Victoria Tokarev
Date: 06/28/19

348 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Linda A. Duame
Seller: Saravanan Ramasamy
Date: 07/03/19

486 Franklin St., Ext.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: James P. Mackin
Seller: Christen M. Kelley
Date: 06/28/19

36 Hampden Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Michael D. Johansen
Seller: George L. Vershon
Date: 06/28/19

83-85 Kanawha Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: 83 Kanawha TR
Seller: Maxim Avraamov
Date: 07/05/19

74 Kensington St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Yudelka Kotjahasan
Seller: Christopher A. Barnes
Date: 07/05/19

56 Lealand Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $217,500
Buyer: Kevin D. Freeman
Seller: US Bank
Date: 07/12/19

40 Mill St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Marie Fleury-Dawn
Seller: Ellen L. Safford
Date: 07/08/19

420 North St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: CIL Realty Of Mass. Inc.
Seller: Deborah A. Davignon
Date: 07/01/19

29 Oakridge Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Stephen J. Buoniconti
Seller: Pamela J. Savioli
Date: 06/28/19

168 Pine St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Jason Renaldo
Seller: Dennis Malley
Date: 07/12/19

202 River Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Heather Lomax
Seller: Stephen J. Buoniconti
Date: 06/28/19

232 Rowley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Khalil I. Mohammed
Seller: Anthony Santaniello
Date: 07/02/19

101 Shoemaker Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Valentino Solo
Seller: Carrie Fisk
Date: 07/02/19

256 South Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Gary Wickland
Seller: Jan Blaszak
Date: 07/09/19

715 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Clarke Dore
Seller: Edward L. Adamchek
Date: 07/16/19

80 Spruce Circle
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Frank Evangelista
Seller: John M. Pearson
Date: 06/28/19

616 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Patrick E. Goonan
Seller: Manuel Febo
Date: 07/01/19

BLANDFORD

6 Beulah Land Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Robert E. Breau
Seller: Laurie A. Kline
Date: 06/28/19

BRIMFIELD

29 Prospect Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Earl R. Rhoades
Date: 07/12/19

CHESTER

595 Skyline Trail
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Stephen C. Rigazio
Seller: Glenn G. Martin
Date: 06/28/19

CHICOPEE

160 Artisan St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $199,100
Buyer: Sergio Costa
Seller: Vasili Tsyganenko
Date: 07/02/19

51 Asselin St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Danielle Rouillard
Seller: Real A. Rouillard
Date: 07/10/19

106 Beauregard Terrace
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $117,501
Buyer: College Investments
Seller: US Bank
Date: 06/28/19

68 Bell St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Zainul Abideen
Seller: Sucky, Robert J., (Estate)
Date: 07/11/19

19 Bill St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: JTT Realty LLC
Seller: SandyLee McLeod
Date: 07/01/19

516 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $279,000
Buyer: Gabriel Martinez-Garcia
Seller: Gregory A. Hamelin
Date: 07/11/19

7 Campbell Place
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Bank New York Mellon
Seller: Stanley Felix
Date: 07/01/19

25 Clinton St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Naser Thajeel
Seller: SRV Properties LLC
Date: 07/01/19

42 Dallaire Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Kyle Laplante
Seller: Daniel M. Gosselin
Date: 07/16/19

54 Dejordy Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $206,900
Buyer: Robert J. Champagne
Seller: Waycon Inc.
Date: 07/01/19

278 East Main St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Michael T. Loudon
Seller: Richard D. Tomolillo
Date: 07/09/19

530 East Main St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: Denisse L. Rodriguez
Seller: Jorge Moran
Date: 07/03/19

19 Erline St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: Karen M. Cartier
Date: 07/12/19

31 Felix St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: David J. Troie
Seller: Brad M. Klinkowski
Date: 07/15/19

16 Foss Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Erica Swenor
Seller: Matthew J. Wilkinson
Date: 06/28/19

15 Franklin St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Kash Reddy LLC
Seller: Stanley H. Czaplicki
Date: 06/28/19

40 Grandview St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Daniel Chapdelaine
Seller: Patricia Guzman
Date: 07/01/19

27 Harrington Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Thomas J. Roe
Seller: Myers, Pauline J., (Estate)
Date: 07/12/19

14 Kowal Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Wilmington Trust
Seller: Eric B. Holt
Date: 07/02/19

121 Lafayette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Thomas J. Anyon
Seller: Nichole A. Morneau
Date: 07/08/19

123 Manning St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Ahmed Abbas
Seller: Moffatt, Mary J., (Estate)
Date: 06/28/19

137 Mayflower Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Jorge L. Moran
Seller: Ronald H. Boulanger
Date: 07/11/19

919 Meadow St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Reya Ventures LLC
Seller: Chabot Burnett & Carrier
Date: 06/28/19

15 Melvin St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Jairo Ruiz
Seller: Renae S. Parker
Date: 07/16/19

1535 Memorial Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Rohirrim Inc.
Seller: Jick Realty LLC
Date: 07/12/19

546 Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $119,653
Buyer: FHLM
Seller: Antoinette Potter
Date: 07/11/19

298 Moore St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $186,500
Buyer: Lynne N. Langford
Seller: Cynthia M. Piela
Date: 07/10/19

11 Olea St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Kenneth R. Haney
Seller: Andrew S. Biscoe
Date: 06/28/19

16 Riverpark Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: Doel R. Ramirez-Trani
Seller: Paulo L. Ricardo
Date: 07/01/19

78 Robak Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Linda A. Porter
Seller: Paul R. Brandt
Date: 06/28/19

139 Saratoga Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Jacqueline Barajas
Seller: Kowal FT
Date: 06/28/19

37 Schley St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Thomas P. Bennett
Seller: Mary Fagnant
Date: 07/10/19

35 Sullivan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $201,000
Buyer: Ramon Jackson
Seller: Jeremy Spring
Date: 07/11/19

95 Syrek St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Joseph J. Curto
Seller: Henry A. Fusari
Date: 06/28/19

15 Tremont St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Catia Cabriotti-Padilha
Seller: Viktoriya Onder
Date: 06/28/19

40 Wallace Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Dante G. Capane
Seller: Sergey Kaletin
Date: 07/12/19

45 Whitman St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Ivelisse Gonzalez
Seller: Joanne E. Ryczek
Date: 07/08/19

33 Wildermere St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $242,500
Buyer: Jennifer Reardon
Seller: Amy C. Fonseca
Date: 07/10/19

271 Wildermere St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $245,900
Buyer: Carla T. Gillespie
Seller: Virginia Bateman
Date: 06/28/19

EAST LONGMEADOW

19 Anne St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Gabrielle L. Mack
Seller: TGW Realty LLC
Date: 07/15/19

19 Brookhaven Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Felice Aiello
Seller: Julieanne Trase
Date: 06/28/19

232 Canterbury Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Anthony Grassetti
Seller: Aniello Gisolfi
Date: 07/11/19

64 Dearborn St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $275,500
Buyer: Thuy H. Lee
Seller: Steven R. Paige
Date: 07/16/19

30 Devonshire Terrace
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $630,000
Buyer: Hemant Gupta
Seller: Michael K. Kreitzer
Date: 07/03/19

93 Franconia Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $365,500
Buyer: Thomas J. Lombardo
Seller: Karen Markham
Date: 06/28/19

24 Fraser Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Vincent R. Rizzo
Seller: Denise T. Grenier
Date: 07/08/19

15 Glendale Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Christian P. Garvey
Seller: 88 Casino Terrace LLC
Date: 07/03/19

51 Helen Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Joann A. Nadeau-Tamasy
Seller: William L. Bailey
Date: 06/28/19

3 Highview Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01095
Amount: $685,000
Buyer: Todd J. Schneider
Seller: Roger L. Chapdelaine
Date: 06/28/19

47 Indian Spring Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Survivors TR
Seller: Tracy L. Martino-Hsu
Date: 07/08/19

106 Meadow Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Linda L. Twyeffort
Seller: Cora H. Douglas
Date: 06/28/19

304 Millbrook Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $414,000
Buyer: Nicholas R. Kososki
Seller: Joseph S. Mooney
Date: 07/12/19

17 Pease Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Christopher Fesko
Seller: Jason Weber
Date: 07/09/19

18 Poplar St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Michael Carabetta
Seller: Stephen M. Heath
Date: 07/03/19

141 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $1,425,000
Buyer: Morrissey Property Ventures
Seller: Warner M. Cross
Date: 06/28/19

3 Redin Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $255,014
Buyer: Amanda N. Santa
Seller: Mark Pafumi
Date: 07/09/19

15 Sanford St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Trupti M. Mali
Seller: Raymond F. Wheeler
Date: 07/01/19

18 Sanford St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Matthew C. Sampson
Seller: Robert B. Hawley
Date: 06/28/19

788 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $228,500
Buyer: James L. Dufresne
Seller: Donald G. Coombs
Date: 07/15/19

11 Young Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $284,000
Buyer: Maria Paolone
Seller: Yong K. Cho
Date: 07/12/19

GRANVILLE

11 Hartland Hollow Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: David J. Dzenutis
Seller: Sattler, Ernest W., (Estate)
Date: 07/03/19

Hayes Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: David J. Dzenutis
Seller: Sattler, Ernest W., (Estate)
Date: 07/03/19

HAMPDEN

16 Colony Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Thomas H. Brown
Seller: Joanne F. Pyzocha
Date: 06/28/19

41 Potash Hill Lane
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Kenneth J. Morse
Seller: Barbara B. Caron
Date: 07/15/19

HOLLAND

158 Sturbridge Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Szczerba
Seller: Timothy M. Houle
Date: 07/12/19

62 Vinton Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Joseph P. Dwyer-Kiley
Seller: Jack J. Bousquet
Date: 07/02/19

HOLYOKE

357 Apremont Hwy.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Michael P. Zak
Seller: R&H Roofing LLP
Date: 07/02/19

41-43 Bay State Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $243,500
Buyer: Adam S. Lafortune
Seller: George Sulikowski
Date: 07/01/19

38 Edbert Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $189,700
Buyer: Vanessa E. Martinez
Seller: Mary K. Bathelt
Date: 06/28/19

16 George Frost Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Hector Fearfield-Neeley
Seller: James Grochowalski
Date: 07/01/19

1787 High St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Holyoke 185 South St. LLC
Seller: Paul J. Mazzariello
Date: 07/01/19

324 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Darren Thomas
Seller: Silvana L. Gravini
Date: 07/01/19

Kay Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Holyoke 185 South St LLC
Seller: Paul J. Mazzariello
Date: 07/01/19

4 Keefe Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $258,400
Buyer: Emily K. Sheridan
Seller: Stephen Herbert
Date: 07/02/19

95 Knollwood Circle
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Cara B. Quinn
Seller: Doulette, Richard A., (Estate)
Date: 07/12/19

239 Madison Ave. West
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Brian Michaud
Seller: Natalia Seng
Date: 07/10/19

62 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Casey M. Tropp
Seller: Norman K. Lefebvre
Date: 07/08/19

99 Meadowbrook Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Cody T. Herzig
Seller: Christopher Dangelo
Date: 06/28/19

204 Michigan Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $233,500
Buyer: Joseph J. Lahey
Seller: Joel S. Morris
Date: 06/28/19

North Bridge St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Trulieve Holyoke Holdings
Seller: Frankie Chips Assoc. Inc.
Date: 07/11/19

5 Parkview Terrace
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Greenesmith LLC
Seller: Urbanowicz, Krystyna, (Estate)
Date: 07/15/19

3 Pheasant Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Adam M. Merriam
Seller: David J. Merriam
Date: 06/28/19

51 Portland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Bridget Kearney
Seller: Lindsay A. Pasdera
Date: 07/10/19

524-528 South Bridge St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $248,000
Buyer: Posiadlosc LLC
Seller: Elliot Sierra
Date: 07/05/19

266 Sargeant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Paola A. Palacio
Seller: Shelda M. Levalle
Date: 07/02/19

185 South St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Holyoke 185 South St LLC
Seller: Paul J. Mazzariello
Date: 07/01/19

717 Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Luis Morales
Seller: Yuliya A. Shumeiko
Date: 07/10/19

LONGMEADOW

207 Ardsley Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $780,000
Buyer: Yogi Rana
Seller: David B. Reen
Date: 07/12/19

89 Bliss Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Nechama Katan
Seller: Arthur D. Godding
Date: 06/28/19

112 Brookwood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Nishant Makadia
Seller: William N. Adelson
Date: 06/28/19

47 Canterbury Lane
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Ahmed A. Niloy
Seller: Herbert Meyers
Date: 07/01/19

82 Canterbury Lane
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Brian C. Newburn
Seller: Jeffrey M. Liguori
Date: 07/03/19

272 Captain Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $432,000
Buyer: Brian P. Campbell
Seller: Mark R. Fydenkevez
Date: 06/28/19

231 Deepwoods Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Mary Gentile
Seller: Joan R. Footit
Date: 07/12/19

202 Ellington Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $595,000
Buyer: Mary E. Kronick
Seller: Darrell L. Oliveira
Date: 07/01/19

57 Fairfield Terrace
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $292,500
Buyer: William J. Golen
Seller: Julie A. Jaron
Date: 07/12/19

140 Field Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Laura E. Sklba
Seller: Tracey M. Arcelli
Date: 06/28/19

288 Kenmore Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Sherri M. Capone
Seller: Margot P. Weinstein
Date: 07/16/19

79 Lynnwood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $299,999
Buyer: Dinesh Patel
Seller: Richard A. Stambovsky
Date: 07/08/19

970 Maple Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Chad Gammad
Seller: Chiung W. Hsu
Date: 07/15/19

22 Meadowlark Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Jingzhou Zhao
Seller: Rina Rencus
Date: 07/01/19

8 Nevins Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $378,000
Buyer: Ayad Y. Ahmed
Seller: Brian C. Newburn
Date: 07/03/19

33 Rosemore St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Brandon J. Carpe
Seller: Caerwyn B. Jones
Date: 07/01/19

47 Shady Knoll Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Tringali
Seller: Francis T. Kilcoyne
Date: 06/28/19

172 Viscount Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Benjamin J. Reardon
Seller: Philbin, Mary B., (Estate)
Date: 06/28/19

96 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $482,500
Buyer: Laura Bustamante
Seller: Robert J. Engell
Date: 07/08/19

269 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Mark S. Whitney
Seller: Frank N. Leichthammer
Date: 07/12/19

7 Williston Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Myrlande Philistin
Seller: Kumja Lee
Date: 06/28/19

33 Woolworth St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $245,550
Buyer: David Chapdelaine
Seller: Sonia Lally
Date: 06/28/19

LUDLOW

676 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $207,500
Buyer: Drew R. Ledwith
Seller: Fumi Realty Inc.
Date: 07/12/19

31 Daisy Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Dilipkumar Patel
Seller: Maureen C. Carneiro
Date: 07/15/19

76 Deroche Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Maryann Scyocurka
Seller: Ryan J. Linton
Date: 07/15/19

44 Emma Way
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $432,000
Buyer: Isaac Santana
Seller: Michael J. Hill
Date: 07/12/19

92 Fairway Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Cheryl A. Hill
Seller: Karen M. Sexton
Date: 06/28/19

42 Focosi Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Christopher Wyman
Seller: Christopher E. Webster
Date: 07/12/19

123 Genovevo Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Andrew D. Billeter
Seller: Jorge M. Ferreira
Date: 07/15/19

145 Highland Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Jason French
Seller: Jackie Vermette
Date: 07/02/19

138 Hubbard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Innocent C. Nwosu
Seller: Michael W. Hinckley
Date: 07/01/19

42 Holy Cross Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $242,500
Buyer: Roger Rouillard
Seller: Karen L. Audette
Date: 07/12/19

15 Knollwood Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Brian G. Dennis
Seller: Sherry L. Powers
Date: 07/15/19

88 Oakridge St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $282,500
Buyer: Abel M. Fernandes
Seller: Joshua K. Barrows
Date: 06/28/19

96 Prospect St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $229,100
Buyer: Patricia A. Luce
Seller: MNB Builders LLC
Date: 06/28/19

120 Simonds St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Bethany A. Hamilton
Seller: Reinaldo P. Ribeiro
Date: 07/08/19

Sunset Ridge #19
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jeremy J. Procon
Seller: Baystate Developers Inc.
Date: 07/12/19

101 Ventura St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $183,500
Buyer: Brandon A. Morgado
Seller: Carlos A. Pires
Date: 07/15/19

197 West St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Christina M. Black
Seller: Brian McLaughlin
Date: 07/01/19

37 Westerly Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Andrew Vanasse
Seller: Julie M. Wondolowski
Date: 07/01/19

MONSON

39 Country Club Heights
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Michael J. Aviles
Seller: Robert A. Norval
Date: 07/08/19

51 King St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $202,800
Buyer: Jennifer A. Deko
Seller: Quicken Loans Inc.
Date: 07/02/19

56 Margaret St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Kyle Reilly
Seller: Michael Moynahan
Date: 07/12/19

228 Palmer Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $193,500
Buyer: Cathryn M. Koch
Seller: Brian F. Lemay
Date: 07/01/19

PALMER

281 Breckenridge St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $168,155
Buyer: Justin Colton-Robinson
Seller: Larry P. Moulton
Date: 06/28/19

1010 Chestnut St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Jason Houle
Seller: Sandra J. Stephens
Date: 07/03/19

93 Saint John St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $298,000
Buyer: Andrew L. Lalashius
Seller: Linda J. Mitchell
Date: 06/28/19

249 Ware St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Bryan Damas
Seller: Matthew P. Desmarais
Date: 06/28/19

253-B Ware St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $158,900
Buyer: Eric E. Anderson
Seller: Alan Racine
Date: 06/28/19

RUSSELL

345 Dickinson Hill Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Southeast Property Acquisition
Seller: Bank Of America
Date: 07/02/19

18 Fairview Ave.
Russell, MA 01085
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Zachary D. Thouin
Seller: Jon C. Hollingshead
Date: 07/15/19

540 Westfield Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: Cynthia L. Holley
Seller: Keh C. Bowers
Date: 07/01/19

15 Woodland Way
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Peter J. Gallagher
Seller: Julia Minchuk
Date: 07/02/19

SOUTHWICK

179 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Seth S. Erickson
Seller: George P. Dulchinos
Date: 06/28/19

33 Iroquois Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Amanda L. Dunn
Seller: Eric Buckland
Date: 06/28/19

6 Revere Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Vitaliy Tereschuk
Seller: Joshua Balestracci
Date: 06/28/19

49 South Longyard Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $2,725,000
Buyer: Town Of Southwick
Seller: Franklin Land Trust Inc.
Date: 06/28/19

SPRINGFIELD

606 Alden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $147,898
Buyer: Nusean D. Mayfield
Seller: NSP Residential LLC
Date: 06/28/19

127 Aldrew Terrace
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Julien P. Gour
Seller: Myrna M. Page
Date: 06/28/19

14 Arbutus St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Antonio Santa
Seller: Boardwalk Apartments LLC
Date: 07/11/19

205 Ashland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Cardona
Seller: Debra Pares
Date: 06/28/19

22 Audley Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Andrea J. Calano
Seller: James Billingsley
Date: 07/12/19

92 Barber St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Yaciel Santiago
Seller: N&J Properties LLC
Date: 07/12/19

25 Bartlett St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Nidia M. Baires-DeBernal
Seller: Nery A. Bernal
Date: 06/28/19

42 Bevier St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $141,500
Buyer: Wilfredo Martinez
Seller: Melissa L. Pluguez
Date: 06/28/19

148 Bolton St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $201,500
Buyer: Luz Z. Lopez
Seller: Diplomat Property Manager
Date: 07/02/19

1105 Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $10,210,000
Buyer: Springfield Investors LLC
Seller: Springfield UE LLC
Date: 07/09/19

736 Bradley Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Richard A. Stambovsky
Seller: Arthur J. Boudreau
Date: 07/09/19

24 Breckwood Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: Della Ripa Real Estate
Seller: Rosalyn Little
Date: 07/10/19

59 Cambridge St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Esther G. Paulino-Arias
Seller: Good Living Properties
Date: 07/01/19

42-44 Carver St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Ivan J. Gonzalez
Seller: Valley Castle Holdings
Date: 07/09/19

45 Catalpa Terrace
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Julio Rosario
Seller: Donna M. Gamble
Date: 07/15/19

54 Chase Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $148,500
Buyer: Abigail M. St.Phard
Seller: Darryl Minnifield
Date: 07/11/19

63-65 Clayton St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Ryan Shaver
Seller: Peter Ridubois
Date: 07/15/19

272 Connecticut Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $118,900
Buyer: United Bank
Seller: Breanna A. Goodrich
Date: 07/10/19

39 Cortland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Kristol Griffith
Seller: Nina M. Hall
Date: 07/12/19

3 Crescent Hill
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: 3 Crescent Hill RT
Seller: Joseph C. Jaeger
Date: 07/12/19

114 Davis St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Halle A. Watt
Seller: Michelle Stuart
Date: 07/05/19

32-34 Dawes St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: A. Martinez-Rodriguez
Seller: Yvette Barklow-Gibbons
Date: 07/16/19

39 Dawes St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Rolando P. Martinez
Seller: Natividad Lizardo
Date: 07/12/19

142 Dayton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $185,359
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Charlene Dickerson
Date: 07/16/19

187 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $171,500
Buyer: Edayn Ruiz
Seller: Onota Rental LLC
Date: 07/09/19

207 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $210,500
Buyer: Ellen C. Owusu
Seller: Chris Nguyen
Date: 06/28/19

829 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Zahra Mortazi-Biabani
Seller: Margaret G. Boxold
Date: 07/15/19

162 El Paso St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Hector M. Quiles-Bonilla
Seller: Robert F. Shea
Date: 07/15/19

15 Fairway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: Julieanne Trase
Seller: Mister Mister LLC
Date: 06/28/19

48 Fellsmere St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Nicholas J. Alberto
Seller: Daniel R. Anthony
Date: 07/09/19

15 Fredette St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Tom Makris
Seller: David Rock
Date: 07/12/19

71 Gail St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Enrico Malvezzi
Seller: Fumi Realty Inc.
Date: 07/08/19

242 Gilbert Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Jean Arce-Torres
Seller: Julio A. Velez
Date: 07/01/19

53 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Patrick J. O’Connor
Seller: Cignoli, Abigail, (Estate)
Date: 07/15/19

61 Glenoak Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Raul F. Addoms
Seller: Jean E. Donnelly
Date: 07/01/19

116 Granger St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $164,900
Buyer: Joshua I. Rhodes
Seller: Arthur T. Wnuk
Date: 07/09/19

37 Greaney St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $161,000
Buyer: Jorge Galicia
Seller: John E. Lyons
Date: 07/09/19

25 Hartwick St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Joey Eaddy
Seller: Sudarson Gautam
Date: 06/28/19

21 Jimmy Court
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Selena Toro-Brown
Seller: Amanda Tetreault
Date: 07/08/19

95-97 Kent Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Anthony M. Santaniello
Seller: Ruth Hartman
Date: 07/03/19

91 Kirk Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Value Properties LLC
Seller: Gittles, Alice M., (Estate)
Date: 07/16/19

86 Laurence St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Lisa Kirschenbaum
Seller: Eladio Cruz-Rosado
Date: 07/12/19

147 Lexington St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $188,900
Buyer: Ismael Roque
Seller: Tomas Ocasio
Date: 06/28/19

923 Liberty St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $173,800
Buyer: Ana D. DeLeon-Arias
Seller: PPD Realty LLC
Date: 06/28/19

17-19 Lorraine St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $182,500
Buyer: Mercedes Calderon
Seller: Mary E. Boland
Date: 07/16/19

55 Mapledell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Tuo N. Liang
Seller: Valley Castle Holdings
Date: 07/15/19

107 Maplewood Terrace
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $283,000
Buyer: Sandra L. Mayock
Seller: Carol Gutermuth-Kerr
Date: 07/01/19

92 Marble St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $143,750
Buyer: Eric L. Warren
Seller: Rema Capital LLC
Date: 07/01/19

122 Marlborough St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $162,900
Buyer: Harling K. Banegas-Flores
Seller: Roxdot Rehabs LLC
Date: 07/12/19

177 Marion St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $198,204
Buyer: AAD LLC
Seller: AAD LLC
Date: 07/08/19

50 Martel Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Shawn H. Tajerha
Seller: Kristin D. Orr-Westbrook
Date: 07/03/19

35-39 Martin St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Ralph F. Dill
Seller: Gary A. Daula
Date: 07/09/19

11 Merwin St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Zahoor Ul-Haq
Seller: Isla Associates 1 LLC
Date: 07/01/19

11 Metzger Place
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $116,250
Buyer: FHLM
Seller: Donna J. Guerin
Date: 07/02/19

293 Morton St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Alex Rolon
Seller: Orate M. Lindo
Date: 06/28/19

116 Mulberry St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $161,100
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Irwin S. Deutsch
Date: 07/02/19

232 Naismith St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Manfred K. Karori
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 07/01/19

266 Naismith St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Flavio Marques
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 07/16/19

90 Newhouse St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Samantha James
Seller: Matthew P. Stenta
Date: 07/16/19

125-127 Noel St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,056
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Lourdes Lopez
Date: 07/15/19

65 Norman St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Teisha M. Thomas
Seller: Tara Vivenzio
Date: 07/11/19

379 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: J&J Genesis LLC
Seller: Indian Orchard Post 277
Date: 07/01/19

125 Oakwood Terrace
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Steven A. Foster
Seller: Viktoriya Wint
Date: 07/01/19

127-129 Olmsted Dr.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Nexius LLC
Seller: Basile Realty LLC
Date: 07/05/19

40 Orchard St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Andrey Khromets
Seller: Altranais Home Care LLC
Date: 07/10/19

734 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Carlos G. Dias
Seller: Mazetti LLC
Date: 07/01/19

812-816 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Patrick A. Thomas
Seller: JJS Capital Investment
Date: 06/28/19

1476 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Ismail Elkhatib
Seller: MJV Realty LLC
Date: 07/11/19

1099 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $151,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Rollins
Seller: 48-50 Stockman Street RT
Date: 07/01/19

436 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $4,500,000
Buyer: Northern Sunshine LLC
Seller: Northernstar Enterprises
Date: 06/28/19

77-79 Pembroke St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $115,500
Buyer: Prime Partners LLC
Seller: Beverly A. Mongroo
Date: 07/05/19

213 Pheland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Cody R. Santos
Seller: Dawn E. Davis
Date: 07/09/19

480 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $170,500
Buyer: William E. Elias
Seller: Bruce R. Moquin
Date: 07/08/19

499 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $204,000
Buyer: Joseph Counihan
Seller: Ramon L. Cosme
Date: 06/28/19

580 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Kristen Cardaropoli
Seller: William Golen
Date: 07/11/19

21 Pomona St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $223,750
Buyer: Theophilus E. Waldon
Seller: Lan-Oak Realty LLC
Date: 06/28/19

20 Riverview Terrace
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Jessamy Hoffmann
Seller: Kathleen E. Cook
Date: 07/11/19

75 Roanoke Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Eduardo Ortiz
Seller: Steven Niedbala
Date: 07/08/19

68 Rollins St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Rosa Marrero-Vazquez
Seller: Semrog, Sergei V., (Estate)
Date: 07/12/19

378 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Brittni R. Upchurch
Seller: Mark Szydlowski
Date: 07/12/19

949 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Tanya L. Miller
Seller: George H. Miller
Date: 07/09/19

1100 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Daniel E. Santana-Ortiz
Seller: Lil As Property Mgmt. LLC
Date: 07/09/19

115 Rosewell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Veronica Machuca
Date: 07/11/19

245 Saint James Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $119,000
Buyer: Stacey M. Ramsdell
Seller: Raymond W. Miller
Date: 07/16/19

63 Senator St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Jason W. Harnett
Seller: Bridget M. Jansen
Date: 07/16/19

154-156 Stafford St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Alyaa Saleh
Seller: Jahjan LLC
Date: 06/28/19

27 Suffolk St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Donnell Cook
Seller: Joyce F. Hinds
Date: 07/02/19

198 Treetop Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Rodgers Maisonett
Seller: Treetop RT
Date: 06/28/19

347 Tremont St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $229,900
Buyer: Lissa M. Erazo
Seller: TL Bretta Realty LLC
Date: 06/28/19

22-24 Tyler St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Central City Boxing
Seller: Alfred J. Holubecki
Date: 07/16/19

177 Wachusett St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Lawrence T. Keefe
Seller: Jose A. Santana
Date: 07/15/19

50 Washington St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Duglas M. Miranda
Seller: Marcin Wodecki
Date: 07/11/19

130-132 Washington Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Irwin S. Deutsch
Date: 07/11/19

10-12 Wedgewood Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $175,200
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Michael King
Date: 07/08/19

364-366 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Jennifer Godin
Seller: Smails LLC
Date: 07/12/19

11-15 Wisteria St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Marcus G. Percy
Seller: Jason A. Laviolette
Date: 07/01/19

238 Wollaston St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Jose D. Torres
Seller: Carlos Serrazina
Date: 07/15/19

117 Woodland Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Michele Welch
Seller: Dambrosio, Thomas W., (Estate)
Date: 07/16/19

TOLLAND

81 Chipmunk Xing
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $356,000
Buyer: William R. Speirs
Seller: Andrew C. Whyte
Date: 07/12/19

WALES

6 Main St.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Jack J. Bousquet
Seller: Daoust Enterprise Inc.
Date: 07/10/19

WEST SPRINGFIELD

340 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $139,507
Buyer: Fallah Razzak
Seller: Wells Fargo Bank
Date: 06/28/19

104 Autumn Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Amanda Brodkin
Seller: Michael Blair
Date: 06/28/19

292 Birnie Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $344,000
Buyer: James M. Korbut
Seller: Michelle H. Kelliher
Date: 07/01/19

114 City View Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $195,900
Buyer: Jessica M. Storozuk
Seller: Matthew J. Nash
Date: 06/28/19

19 Fairview Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Andrei Katykhin
Seller: Tatyana Zamotayeva
Date: 07/03/19

36 George St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Khem Basnet
Seller: Arzuna Subedi
Date: 06/28/19

170 Lower Beverly Hills
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,900
Buyer: Matthew L. Coppola
Seller: James M. Korbut
Date: 07/01/19

97 Meadowbrook Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Nicolas B. Gendreau
Seller: Radcliffe, Ronald S., (Estate)
Date: 07/09/19

1130-1142 Memorial Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Tony Alfarone
Seller: Alex&Rasim LLC
Date: 07/09/19

34 Pebble Path Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jessica A. Ortiz
Seller: John T. Avgoustakis
Date: 07/02/19

87 Sherwood Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Ryan T. Daley
Seller: Sheila A. Ryan-Wilkinson
Date: 07/15/19

79 Sprague St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Svetlana Kudryashova
Seller: Osama S. Jalal
Date: 07/12/19

50 Thomas Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Rudra B. Chuwan
Seller: Gopal Chhetri
Date: 07/08/19

36 Warren St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $161,000
Buyer: Robert Masters
Seller: Flora M. Bergeron
Date: 07/15/19

16 Worthy Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $196,800
Buyer: Emily Samek
Seller: Kathleen E. Gilmore
Date: 06/28/19

WESTFIELD

4 Angelica Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Derek Egerton
Seller: C&D Construction Services LLC
Date: 07/15/19

26 Atwater St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Christopher Koumentakos
Seller: Matthew T. Vautour
Date: 06/28/19

25 Beckwith Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Linda S. Allen
Seller: Viktor Moshkovskiy
Date: 06/28/19

205 Belanger Road
Westfield, MA 01073
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Savannah R. Kiendzior
Seller: Janice A. Orwat
Date: 07/01/19

6 Blue Sky Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Timothy H. Haggerty
Seller: Douglas C. Stachura
Date: 07/12/19

39 Breighly Way
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $444,031
Buyer: Joseph Popielarczyk
Seller: G&F Custom Built Homes
Date: 06/28/19

29 Briarcliff Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Michael J. Siska
Seller: Emerald City Rentals LLC
Date: 06/28/19

301 Buck Pond Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Daniel P. Sadkowski
Seller: Barry L. Stowe
Date: 06/28/19

12 Canal Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Connor M. Hall
Seller: Burek, Michael A., (Estate)
Date: 07/15/19

99 Dartmouth St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Yevgeney Pyshnyak
Seller: Brian St.Onge
Date: 06/28/19

465 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $147,000
Buyer: Kyle M. Gendron
Seller: Mary A. Husson
Date: 07/09/19

81 Elm St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Eugene J. Borowski
Seller: Brian E. Whiteway
Date: 07/15/19

87 Elm St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Eugene J. Borowski
Seller: Brian E. Whiteway
Date: 07/15/19

89 Elm St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Eugene J. Borowski
Seller: Brian E. Whiteway
Date: 07/15/19

178-B Falcon Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Steven M. Clark
Seller: Adam M. Merriam
Date: 06/28/19

16 Grand St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Sunwest TR
Seller: Louise M. Fleming
Date: 07/08/19

24 Hancock St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $197,500
Buyer: Beverly A. Duhamel
Seller: Versailles, R. C. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 07/03/19

234 Holyoke Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $197,400
Buyer: Christopher A. Provencher
Seller: Jake A. Labrecque
Date: 07/12/19

33 Indian Ridge Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $323,000
Buyer: Morgan A. Bean
Seller: Linda S. Allen
Date: 06/28/19

154 Little River Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $199,000
Buyer: Emily Holota
Seller: Timothy J. Grady
Date: 07/02/19

98 Massey St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $439,900
Buyer: Alan J. Gamache
Seller: RSP Realty LLC
Date: 06/28/19

202 Montgomery Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Claude M. Godbout
Seller: Crystal S. Lentini
Date: 07/12/19

67 Murray Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Yelena Khayeva
Seller: Konstantin A. Belyakov
Date: 07/03/19

45 Noble Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $225,001
Buyer: Shana L. Gendreau
Seller: John A. Devine
Date: 07/01/19

15 Oakdale Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Joshua D. Ludwick
Seller: Jessica E. Spencer
Date: 07/16/19

14 Old Park Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $372,500
Buyer: Julie A. Thompson
Seller: Jack A. Wolfe
Date: 07/01/19

68 Pequot Point Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Kristin VanWright
Seller: Anthony Cipriani
Date: 06/28/19

129 Prospect St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $194,000
Buyer: Joshua C. Weidler
Seller: Michael Siska
Date: 06/28/19

11 Rachael Terrace
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $412,500
Buyer: Adam T. Hamada
Seller: Amanda L. Brodkin
Date: 06/28/19

77 Rachael Terrace
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Michael P. Kelley
Seller: Andrew G. Gillespie
Date: 06/28/19

109 Ridgecrest Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Michal Kosciolek
Seller: Baceski, Eleanor A., (Estate)
Date: 07/10/19

50 Roosevelt Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Anthony Gambale
Seller: Dwayne D. Gagne
Date: 06/28/19

352 Shaker Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Kevin M. Sanders
Seller: Chadwick A. Berndt
Date: 06/28/19

506 Southampton Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Craig Lapierre
Seller: Douglas G. Balch
Date: 07/03/19

31 Southview Terrace
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Daniel Taylor
Seller: Joseph M. Popielarczyk
Date: 06/28/19

19 Summit Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Gregory M. Small
Seller: Fabricio Ochoa
Date: 06/28/19

7 Union Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Louis S. Scarfo
Seller: Ronald K. Orlandi
Date: 07/15/19

33 Ward Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $224,900
Buyer: Kelly M. Barry
Seller: Jonathan W. Solecki
Date: 06/28/19

82 West Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Michael Ragone
Seller: UCR Real Estate LLC
Date: 07/08/19

49 Westwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $231,700
Buyer: David J. Berard
Seller: Marilyn E. Hunt
Date: 07/12/19

36 White St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Christopher L. Yothers
Seller: Denise A. Pooler
Date: 07/11/19

10 Woodland Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Matthew B. Osowski
Seller: Matthew Sandler
Date: 07/10/19

WILBRAHAM

3 Brookdale Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Margaret O. Bagge
Seller: Ralf T. Trzeciak
Date: 07/11/19

48 Decorie Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: Jason Weber
Seller: Brian J. Chaisson
Date: 07/09/19

2 Evangeline Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Kathryn C. Heler
Date: 06/28/19

2 Evergreen Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $389,500
Buyer: Roger J. Roberge
Seller: Tony M. Harb
Date: 07/16/19

1 Hawthorne Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $298,500
Buyer: Jeffrey Peyman
Seller: David M. Tranghese
Date: 07/12/19

34 Pomeroy St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Andrea Kearney
Seller: Daniel J. Manning
Date: 06/28/19

1 Raymond Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $277,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Dias
Seller: Joann A. Nadeau-Tamasy
Date: 06/28/19

16 Red Bridge Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: David Sanschagrin
Seller: Philip W. Bouchard
Date: 07/11/19

8 Stirling Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: 8 Stirling Drive IRT
Seller: Amazing Homes Group LLC
Date: 06/28/19

53 Weston St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $176,500
Buyer: Damarr L. Smith
Seller: Cassandra A. Dias
Date: 07/16/19

6 Wilbraview Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Shane T. Waltsak
Seller: Jean E. Zenor
Date: 07/09/19

10 Willow Brook Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Ana C. Serrenho
Seller: John Guerin
Date: 07/12/19

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

270 Alpine Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Maryclare C. Griffin
Seller: Patricia L. Branch RET
Date: 07/09/19

6 Grantwood Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $379,000
Buyer: Timothy L. Plankey
Seller: Gerald R. Locke
Date: 07/09/19

139 High Point Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Daniel Ordorica
Seller: Patricia Bonica
Date: 07/12/19

40 High Point Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Rondina Acquisitions Corp.
Seller: Richard J. Talbot
Date: 07/11/19

36 Hulst Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Nicole J. Rivilis
Seller: Cecilia P. Mullen
Date: 07/03/19

99 Lindenridge Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $745,000
Buyer: Margaret E. Wise
Seller: Christopher E. Pariseau
Date: 07/12/19

19 Moss Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $258,800
Buyer: Alexander C. Durso
Seller: Mark Cousland
Date: 07/03/19

20 Owen Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $505,000
Buyer: Jinglei Ping
Seller: Cathleen M. Guisti
Date: 07/12/19

186 Wildflower Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $585,000
Buyer: Wenting Ma
Seller: Vanessa DeHarven
Date: 07/09/19

BELCHERTOWN

830 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Krish T. Sharman
Seller: George P. Proulx
Date: 07/05/19

500 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Heather A. Newman
Seller: M&G Land Development LLC
Date: 07/16/19

166 Munsell St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Hayden Conkey
Seller: John H. Conkey
Date: 07/12/19

North Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Town Of Belchertown
Seller: Roger L. Archambault TR
Date: 07/05/19

224 South St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $135,900
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Nathan A. Wood
Date: 07/10/19

CHESTERFIELD

181 East St.
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Laurel J. Laizer
Seller: William J. Gessing
Date: 07/09/19

225 Old Chesterfield Road
Chesterfield, MA 01096
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Matthew A. Laffer
Seller: Rebecca L. Goodnow
Date: 07/09/19

CUMMINGTON

58 Nash Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $216,000
Buyer: Dylan S. Duffy
Seller: Samuel E. Konieczny
Date: 07/03/19

EASTHAMPTON

6 Garfield Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $271,000
Buyer: Thomas E. Jenkins
Seller: Donna Huckaby
Date: 07/08/19

21 Park St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $387,500
Buyer: Richard J. Guimond
Seller: Barbara Gillies-Diamond
Date: 07/11/19

120 Strong St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $236,900
Buyer: Christine L. Hotchkiss
Seller: Jessica M. Lacroix
Date: 07/11/19

5 Susan Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Thomas C. Fritsch
Seller: Jeremy A. Jungbluth
Date: 07/10/19

22 Willow Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $394,000
Buyer: Matthew F. Sandler
Seller: Jill M. Bascomb
Date: 07/10/19

GRANBY

79 Harris St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $355,380
Buyer: Emily M. Must
Seller: Eric Barnes
Date: 07/08/19

114 Munsing Ridge
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $494,000
Buyer: Robert Tetreault
Seller: Michael D. Chaffee
Date: 07/03/19

67 North St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Nathan J. Gladu
Seller: Thomas A. Kisiel
Date: 07/12/19

HADLEY

12 Crystal Lane
Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $745,000
Buyer: John D. Castoldi
Seller: Bercume Construction LLC
Date: 07/16/19

29 Grand Oak Farm Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: Hampshire 401K TR
Seller: Rosemund LLC
Date: 07/09/19

8 Kennedy Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Kamyar Vahdat
Seller: Kamran Vahdat
Date: 07/12/19

8 Lawrence Plain Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $508,660
Buyer: Uyen T. Le
Seller: N. Riley Realty LLC
Date: 07/12/19

192 River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: David L. Kushi
Seller: Edward L. Kushi
Date: 07/03/19

78 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Donald R. Dion
Seller: Pioneer Valley Rental Mgmt.
Date: 07/12/19

17 West St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $595,000
Buyer: Stephen J. Turner
Seller: Benjamin Leonard
Date: 07/15/19

HATFIELD

Cronin Hill Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Michael Herbert
Seller: John T. Wroblewski
Date: 07/08/19

55 Depot Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $347,500
Buyer: Stephen J. Herbert
Seller: John T. Wroblewski
Date: 07/03/19

HUNTINGTON

11 Russell Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Resolute IRT
Seller: Russell J. Otten TR
Date: 07/05/19

NORTHAMPTON

546 Audubon Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Mary P. Marvel
Seller: Eastman, Alice E., (Estate)
Date: 07/11/19

6 Austin Circle
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $147,600
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Patricia A. Laureano
Date: 07/15/19

182 Cardinal Way
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Robert G. Cellucci
Seller: Dennis A. Sullivan
Date: 07/15/19

35 Columbus Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Jonathan G. Nable
Seller: Stephen C. Calcagnino
Date: 07/16/19

47 Columbus Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $409,900
Buyer: Kara Wood
Seller: Kenneth E. Olson
Date: 07/15/19

230 Emerson Way
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $127,500
Buyer: Timothy Brown
Seller: Emerson Way LLC
Date: 07/15/19

64 Federal St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $363,000
Buyer: Miko Yoshiyama 2009 RET
Seller: Walter W. Boucher
Date: 07/11/19

37 Gregory Lane
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $255,900
Buyer: Michael A. Skillicorn
Seller: Angela Tor
Date: 07/12/19

63 Higgins Way
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $661,760
Buyer: Thomas Cain
Seller: Sturbridge Development
Date: 07/10/19

36 Highland Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $391,000
Buyer: Erik W. Cheries
Seller: Andrea L. Garon
Date: 07/12/19

32 Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $548,500
Buyer: A. Stephen Polins
Seller: Karen L. Howat
Date: 07/09/19

757 Park Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Lauren E. Brown
Seller: David Doele
Date: 07/03/19

4 Pine Valley Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Angel S. Ortiz
Seller: Emerald City Rentals LLC
Date: 07/08/19

38 Rustlewood Ridge
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $995,000
Buyer: Stephen Derose
Seller: James Hession 2016 TR
Date: 07/12/19

1368 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $152,500
Buyer: Michael R. Riel
Seller: Alison Plummer
Date: 07/12/19

30 Williams St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $476,000
Buyer: P-Tush 2 LLC
Seller: John S. Gibson
Date: 07/08/19

44 Willow St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $554,000
Buyer: Kivanova Properties LLC
Seller: Jill St.Coeur
Date: 07/03/19

6 Wright Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Ryan J. Manning
Seller: Mathieu J. Tebo
Date: 07/10/19

SOUTH HADLEY

82 Abbey St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Omar Awad
Seller: Sokharun Yim
Date: 07/12/19

62 Bardwell St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $214,900
Buyer: Teresa Szwajkowski
Seller: James W. Menard
Date: 07/12/19

26 Bolton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Michael J. Wilk
Seller: Clarice L. Bielanski
Date: 07/12/19

47 Chestnut Hill Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $319,500
Buyer: Timothy M. Hurley
Seller: Thomas W. Robert
Date: 07/10/19

13 Chileab Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Timothy C. Hart
Seller: Sarah E. Scibak
Date: 07/10/19

28 Cornell St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Jason H. Mackay
Seller: Farrelly FT
Date: 07/12/19

38 Garden St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Joseph Grabowski
Seller: Cisek, Brenda L., (Estate)
Date: 07/12/19

47 Lexington Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $222,500
Buyer: Matthew S. Bauer
Seller: Bruce C. Kinmonth
Date: 07/12/19

9 Lexington Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: WF Reverse REO HECM 2015
Seller: John P. Clare
Date: 07/12/19

31 Noel St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Katherine M. Coscia
Seller: Shawn T. Hall
Date: 07/11/19

10 Plainville Circle
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Michael Lucchesi
Seller: Wayne E. Walton
Date: 07/09/19

56 Westbrook Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Robert F. Flynn
Seller: Scott Brady
Date: 07/16/19

44 Wildwood Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $352,000
Buyer: Maria A. Alvardo
Seller: Andrea M. Malapanis
Date: 07/03/19

SOUTHAMPTON

84 Line St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jesse R. Katz
Seller: Michael T. Kopyscinski
Date: 07/09/19

86 Line St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $216,250
Buyer: Christopher L. Marchetto
Seller: Neill, Edna A., (Estate)
Date: 07/12/19

WARE

8 Bellevue Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Wendy T. Sprous
Seller: Bullan, Francis R., (Estate)
Date: 07/12/19

33 Eddy St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $139,900
Buyer: Christopher Ross
Seller: Joyce J. Lheureux
Date: 07/11/19

18 School St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Kimberly H. Edwards
Seller: Desforges, Robert A., (Estate)
Date: 07/12/19

WILLIAMSBURG

10 Fairfield Ave.
Williamsburg, MA 01062
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Julius Berman
Seller: Stephen A. Rozwenc
Date: 07/15/19

20 Fort Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01039
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Nathaniel A. Durning
Seller: Nancy K. Mahoney
Date: 07/15/19

 

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of July 2019.

CHICOPEE

City of Chicopee
90 Call St.
$7,358 — Roofing at Nash Park

DEERFIELD

Atlas Farm, LLC
635 River Road
$589,371 — Containerized wood-chip boilers

Bueno y Sano
2 Elm St.
$22,586 — Install hood and fans, fabricate duct work

Historic Deerfield
75 Old Main St.
$34,000 — Remove and replace cedar shakes

Justin & Jason
55 North Main St.
$1,000 — Sign

Store Master Funding X, LLC
141 Greenfield Road
$921,400 — Addition

Yankee Candle
5 North St.
$52,250 — Alter fire sprinkler system

EAST LONGMEADOW

Cuvier Irrevocable Trust
133 Old Farm Road
$362,000 — Addition and alterations

Oliveri Properties
69 Brynmawr Dr.
$35,000 — Interior and exterior remodel

Stop & Shop
470 North Main St.
$100,000 — Commercial alteration

HADLEY

Ronald Bercume, Irene Bercume
185 Russell St.
$3,000 — Ground sign

RC Building Inc.
305 Russell St.
$7,936.64 — Remove and replace exterior vent system at Rao’s Coffee

Jerry Rybczynski
26 Russell St.
$46,000 — Add interior walls to divide area to create rooms; add metal fire-escape stairway; add break room, reception area, full bathroom, half bathroom, storage closet, and three office rooms

W/S Hadley Properties II, LLC
353 Russell St.
$210,000 — Install duct for existing rooftop equipment at L.L.Bean

HAYDENVILLE

Happy Valley
181 Main St.
$27,429 — Roof-mounted solar array

LEE

Stephanie Copeland
360 Spring St.
$3,000 — Install new window

LB Corp.
100 Valley St.
$12,950 — Tie sprinkler system into mains for expansion into new area

South Church Street Associates, LLC
850 Summer St.
$66,000 — Construct 12 new garages

South Church Street Associates, LLC
850 Summer St.
$44,000 — Convert existing maintenance/pool building into fitness center and maintenance area

LENOX

Church Street Inn, LLC
16 Church St.
$45,000 — Roofing

CR Resorts, LLC
165 Kemble St.
$579,000 — Replace rooftop AC units, air handlers, and chillers

LONGMEADOW

Colvest/Longmeadow, LLC
471 Longmeadow St.
$75,500 — Remove remaining bank improvements; add new demising wall, flooring, partitions, bathroom, and front door

NORTHAMPTON

Lathrop Community Inc.
680 Bridge Road
$15,000 — Roofing

Smith College
116 Elm St.
$33,287 — Demolish non-load-bearing wall, reconstruct wall and ceiling

Water Lilly, LLC
1 Brewster Court
$24,900 — Roofing

PALMER

Anibal Alves
345 Wilbraham St.
$20,200 — Add canopy to building

Anibal Alves
345 Wilbraham St.
$11,647 — Fix damage where car hit building

Double R Enterprises, LLC
9 Second St.
$6,000 — Wall sign, ground sign, and directional sign

Nenameseck Sportsmen’s Club
150 Bacon Road
$18,900 — Roofing on archery building

SPRINGFIELD

Bar South Land Holdings, LLC
470 Main St.
$20,000 — Partial demolition of existing building

Bar South Land Holdings, LLC
490 Main St.
$40,000 — Partial demolition of existing building

Chestnut Springfield Inc.
146 Chestnut St.
$9,800 — Modify fire-alarm system as part of interior alterations to Libertas Academy Charter School

David Duran, Nilda Duran-Berdecia
199 Navajo Road
$6,500 — Install vinyl siding on detatched garage

Hervin Edwards
52 Edgemont St.
$3,000 — Alter roof framing on detached garage from flat roof to trussed roof

Mittas Hospitality, LLC; DD Development, LLC; Rudra Realty, LLC
1500 Main St.
$85,000 — Alter tenant office space on 15th floor for Kleinfelder

Pearson-Liberty Development Co. Ltd.
95 Liberty St.
$13,000 — Demolish concrete ramp

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Home Depot
179 Daggett Dr.
$1,067.50 — Alter two rooms, build wall to accommodate plumbing and to install cabinets and sink, install benches and desk for computer monitors

Dawn Murphy, Matt Murphy
93 Wayside Ave.
Roofing

MWF Realty, LLC
242 Interstate Dr.
$100,000 — Construct dock building for shipping and receiving

WILBRAHAM

2034-2040 Boston Road, LLP
2034 Boston Road
$2,000 — New sign for eye-care practice

The Senior Planning Guide

By
Guide to Senior Planning Special Publications

Guide to Senior Planning

What was once a demographic ripple has become a full-blown wave — and it’s getting bigger.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2000, the number of adults age 65 and older was 35 million, or 12.4% of the total population. In 2016, the number of seniors had risen to 49.2 million or 15.2% of the population.

By 2030, the bureau estimates, more than 20% of U.S. residents will have passed their 65th birthdays, and by 2035, that demographic will outnumber children younger than 18 — an unprecedented swing.

What does all this mean?

It means it’s time to prepare — the sooner, the better.

As the Baby Boom generation continues to march into their retirement years — at the rate of 10,000 per day — Americans are living longer than ever. But what that life will entail, post-65, can wildly vary depending on lifestyle preferences, health status, finances, and more.

The questions are myriad. What levels of care are available, and what do they include? How will I pay for all of this, especially if I, or my parents, live well past 80 or 90? How do I approach mom or dad with my concerns that they might not be able to live alone anymore? What’s an estate plan, and what documents do I need to worry about?

It’s a lot to think about, and no single guide can answer all those questions. But hopefully, this special section will sort through some of the confusion and get those conversations started.

Your Guide>>

• Getting Started

• Having the Talk

• Senior Living Options

• Paying for Care

• Senior Resources

• Transitioning

• Estate Planning

 

View the PDF Flipbook HERE

 

Reserve Your Space for the 2020 Senior Planning Guide

The 2020 Senior Planning Guide will be inserted into the Aug. 17 issue of BusinessWest issue and  the July/August issue of Healthcare News and will also be available online as an interactive flipbook. Sponsorship & advertising opportunities are available. 

For more information on sponsorship and print ad rates contact:
Kate Campiti 413.781.8600 (ext. 106) [email protected]
Kathleen Plante 413.781.8600 (ext. 108) [email protected]

UMass Amherst Researchers Reveal Top U.S. Climate, Air, and Water Polluters

By
Daily News

AMHERST — Researchers at the UMass Amherst Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) recently published the latest editions of its lists of the top corporate air and water polluters and top greenhouse-gas emitters in the U.S., based on the most recent data available from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The Toxic 100 Air Polluters Index and Toxic 100 Water Polluters Index rank U.S. industrial polluters using the EPA Toxics Release Inventory, and the Greenhouse 100 Index ranks U.S. companies by their emissions responsible for global climate change according to the EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. The PERI indexes also include environmental-justice indicators to assess impacts on low-income people and minorities.

“In making this information available, we are building on the achievements of the right-to-know movement,” said Michael Ash, professor of Economics and Public Policy at UMass Amherst and co-director of PERI’s Corporate Toxics Information Project. “Our goal is to engender public participation in environmental decision making and to help residents translate the right to know into the right to clean air, clean water, and a livable planet.”

The Toxic 100 Air Polluters Index reports that the top 10 companies  in 2017 in terms of total potential chronic human health risk are Huntsman, Boeing, LyondellBasell, DowDuPont, Celanese, Mitsui, BASF, Arconic, Eastman Chemical, and Royal Dutch Shell. The new list differs from the previous Toxic 100 Air list in part because the EPA has increased its toxicity assessment of ethylene oxide, increasing the estimated risk from companies releasing this chemical. The index covers publicly traded firms, as well as privately held companies that appear on the Forbes, Fortune, or Standard & Poor’s lists.

The Toxic 100 Air Polluters Index’s environmental-justice indicators show companies’ pollution burden on minority and low-income communities; for example, while minorities make up just under 40% of the U.S. population, they bear 67% of the air-toxics risk from facilities owned by LyondellBasell.

DowDuPont, Northrop Grumman, and Parker-Hannifin top the latest edition of the Toxic 100 Water Polluters Index, which ranks the pounds of toxics released into surface water or from water-treatment systems, adjusted for chemical toxicity.

The Greenhouse 100 Index ranks companies based on their 2017 direct emissions from large sources. The top three companies, Vistra Energy, Southern Co., and Duke Energy, each released almost 100 million metric tons or more of CO2-equivalent emissions in 2017. Together, these three firms released more than 5% of all (energy, industrial, agricultural, transportation, and household) U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions.

Rounding out the top 10 in the Greenhouse 100 are Berkshire Hathaway, American Electric Power, NRG Energy, the U.S. government, Xcel Energy, FirstEnergy, and Calpine. At number 11, ExxonMobil is the top company whose direct emissions are not dominated by electric power plants. Among the top 10, Calpine has the highest weighted share of minorities living within 10 miles of its facilities with likely disproportionate exposure to co-pollutants of combustion.

“The Toxic 100 and Greenhouse 100 inform consumers, shareholders, regulators, lawmakers, and communities about which large corporations release toxic and climate-altering pollutants into our environment,” said James Boyce, professor of Economics at UMass Amherst and co-director of PERI’s Corporate Toxics Information Project. “We assess not just how many pounds of pollutants are released, but which are the most toxic. People have a right to know about toxic hazards to which they are exposed. Legislators need to understand the effects of pollution on their constituents.”

The complete Toxic 100 lists and their accompanying report can be found online at toxic100.org.

Briefing for Employers on Paid Family and Medical Leave Law Slated for Sept. 10

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. will host a morning briefing for employers on Tuesday, Sept. 10 about the final Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) regulations in Massachusetts and what employers must do to prepare. Registration and continental breakfast will begin at 8 a.m., and the program will be held from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel on Boland Way.

“The PFML program provides temporary income replacement to eligible workers for various reasons and is funded through mandatory payroll contributions,” said attorney Amelia Holstrom, partner at Skoler Abbott. “This event will let employers know what they should and must do before October 1, 2019, when payroll deductions begin, and before January 1, 2021, when employees can begin taking leave.”

Presenters, including attorneys at Skoler Abbott and guest speakers Michael Doheny of the executive office of Labor and Workforce Development and Mark Adams from the Employers Assoc. of the NortheEast, will discuss changes made in the final PFML regulations and what employers must do to prepare for the new law.

Topics will include a summary of the PFML’s coverage and leave provisions, with discussion on intersection with federal FMLA and other laws like the Massachusetts sick-time law; review and analysis of the final regulations; important deadlines for employers; key components of the new law and how they will impact organizations and employees; calculating and collecting contributions from the workforce; notifying employees about the new law; and exemptions and how to apply for them.

A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation. The fee to attend the seminar is $25 per person, which includes a continental breakfast. To register, employers can visit skoler-abbott.com/training-programs. For more information, call (413) 737-4753.

Greenfield Community College Receives Continuation of Title III Grant Funding

By
Daily News

GREENFIELD — In October 2016, Greenfield Community College (GCC) was awarded a $1.6 million Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education, to be disbursed over five years. This grant is part of the Strengthening Institutions Program, which helps institutions expand their capacity to serve low-income and at-risk students. This academic year will mark the fourth year of continued funding of GCC’s Title III grant.

The aim of GCC’s Title III grant is to integrate academic-success coaching and career exploration into a structured first-year experience that supports students who have been shown to be most at risk for not continuing with their education. GCC’s focus has been on students who are the first in their family to attend college, are undecided about their major and career paths, and who place into at least one developmental-level course.

“We have a great track record of supporting all of our students, but the hard-won success of our most at-risk students are particularly gratifying to witness,” said Anna Berry, dean of students. “We have many academic and student-support resources available to students; however, this grant has allowed us to focus our efforts and tie several of these programs together. This cohesion makes the student experience easier to navigate and, thus, more accessible.”

The College & Career Compass program developed during the first two years of the grant offers new, current, and returning GCC students specialized advising focused on individual student needs, academic skill building, and incorporating career exploration into the academic planning process; a peer-mentoring program through which current students can share their experiences, individually and in small groups, to help other students survive and thrive at GCC; monthly academic-coaching workshops covering topics like study skills, using apps and other technology, career exploration, and avoiding procrastination; two one-credit elective courses at no cost: one focused on academic strategies for college success and the other on career exploration and planning (including four-year transfer opportunities); and a free, one-week refresher course for students who have been away from math and want to dust off their skills before the semester starts.

“Developing the Compass program has been rewarding and transformational — personally, for the college, and for our students,” said Tonya Blundon, interim director of Advising, Career, and Transfer, who coordinates the Title III grant activities. “We know that many students start their college journey without a clear sense of where it will lead, which can be a challenge to persistence. We also know that students who are the first in their family to go to college, or who place into developmental-level classes, are the most at risk for not continuing their education. Having the resources and opportunity to help these students find success — to show them they can get there from here — has an impact that we can see each semester.”

The focus for the remaining two years of the grant is to hone and scale the Compass program to reach more students and inform advising practices across the college.

“Over the last three years, our small Compass team has learned a lot about our students’ needs and developed tools to support and streamline our advising efforts,” Blundon said. “As we enter the next academic year, I look forward to sharing our efforts and tools across the college with everyone who works closely with our students.”

United Arc to Present Annual Gala and Auction on Sept. 14

By
Daily News

HADLEY — The United Arc will host its annual gala and auction on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Hadley Farms Meeting House, 41 Russell St., Hadley. The evening will feature a cocktail hour with open bar and hors d’ouevres, silent and live auctions, live music by Chris Eriquezzo, and dinner and program. Included once again in the raffles will be the ‘mystery box,’ valued at $400.

Tickets cost $70 each. Proceeds support for the work of the United Arc, helping people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities to achieve the universal goals of inclusion, choice, and independence. Tickets may be purchased online at theunitedarc.org/auction.

Today Is the Deadline to Nominate a Woman of Impact

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest magazine is currently accepting nominations for its second annual Women of Impact, a recognition program launched in 2018 to honor a specific segment of the local population: women who are making an impact in and on this region. The nomination deadline is today, Aug. 2, at 5 p.m. For nominating guidelines and to submit a nomination, click here.

Nominees who score the highest in the eyes and minds of a panel of three independent judges will be honored at a luncheon on Thursday, Dec. 5 at the Sheraton Springfield.

‘Women of Impact’ was chosen as the name for the program because, while nominees can be from the world of business, they can also be from other realms, such as the nonprofit community, healthcare, public service, law enforcement, education, social work, the mentorship community, a combination of all these — any inspirational women on any level.

Last year’s inaugural class of honorees included Jean Canosa Albano, assistant director for Public Services, Springfield City Library; Kerry Dietz, owner and principal, Dietz & Co. Architects Inc.; Denise Jordan, executive director, Springfield Housing Authority; Gina Kos, executive director, Sunshine Village; Carol Leary, president, Bay Path University; Colleen Loveless, president and CEO, Revitalize Community Development Corp.; Janis Santos, executive director, HCS Head Start Inc.; and Katie Allan Zobel, president and CEO, Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.

TommyCar Auto Group and Country Bank are the event’s presenting sponsors, Comcast Business is supporting sponsor, New Valley Bank & Trust is speaker sponsor, and WWLP-22 News/CW Springfield is media sponsor. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, call (413) 781-8600.

Ohana School of Performing Arts to Host Ribbon Cutting on Sept. 5

By
Daily News

CHICOPEE — Ohana School of Performing Arts will celebrate its new location, 41 Sheridan St. in Chicopee, on Thursday, Sept. 5 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by refreshments. Expected attendees will include Chicopee Mayor Richard Kos and state Rep. Joseph Wagner.

The journey to the new location was a chaotic road for Ohana, after being forced to relocate from its previous building in South Hadley less than two months before its annual end-of-year showcase in June. The building the previous studio occupied was sold abruptly in the spring, leaving Ohana only six weeks to find a space, renovate, and move. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will celebrate not only a new chapter for the studio, but an expansion in studio size and class offerings.

Classes include ballet, tap, hip hop, musical theater, contemporary, parent/child combo classes, adult-level classes, fitness, and more. While quality education is crucial, it’s even more important at Ohana that each student leaves the studio having learned to value kindness, compassion, and inclusivity.

Owner and Creative Director Ashley Kohl was a professional dancer for most of her life. Her inspiration for the school came from her previous job working as co-host and associate producer on the local WWLP-TV show Mass Appeal. She filmed a story highlighting a local dance class for all abilities, helping her realize her true passion and purpose. Seeing the impact dance had on people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds, she immediately focused on the journey to create her own studio that educates and trains dedicated, disciplined dancers, but also raises good humans with love and compassion for all.

“My goal is to bring dance to everyone, no matter their age or ability, and to give people a supportive outlet to be creative,” Kohl said. “It’s much more than shaping incredibly trained and disciplined dancers, it’s about believing in the arts, celebrating each other, and giving back to the community. We are not only shaping bodies, we are shaping hearts, too.”

Once a month, students gather for team-building exercises that promote kindness to others while showing the importance of helping others through a program called Wingman for Dance. The program teaches students about kindness, self-acceptance, diversity and inclusion, giving back, and community service.

Community is a core value of the studio, and one way students give back is through annual charity performances, supporting local organizations including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the We Love Riley Foundation, the Willpower Foundation, and One Ohana, among others. To further promote her mission, Kohl founded One Ohana Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that awards scholarships to dancers of all ages and abilities throughout the Pioneer Valley.

MassMutual Foundation Gives $1.5 Million to Way Finders Capital Campaign

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The MassMutual Foundation Inc. announced it will give Way Finders $1.5 million to help fund the organization’s new Housing Center currently being constructed in Springfield. This donation will enable Way Finders to serve even more people in the community who are facing homelessness or struggling to achieve financial security.

“Way Finders shares our vision for building thriving communities and takes an innovative approach to improving economic opportunity for all,” said Dennis Duquette, head of MassMutual Community Responsibility and president of the MassMutual Foundation. “We are proud to make a significant investment that will bring Way Finders closer to its fundraising goal and allow the organization to focus on its mission and deliver services to more people who need them at its new location.”

Way Finders is in the midst of constructing a larger, more centrally located Housing Center at 1780 Main St. in Springfield that will be more easily accessible by transportation and the nearby Union Station complex, eliminating one of the greatest barriers to accessing services. The new facility will house all 160 of Way Finders’ Springfield-based staff and is slated to open its doors in April 2020.

“Once again, MassMutual steps up to the plate to strengthen our neighborhoods and our city with this most generous donation to Way Finders,” Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said. “MassMutual has been an outstanding corporate citizen for over 168 years. MassMutual’s continued efforts allow Way Finders to expand their first-time homebuyers empowerment programs, which is very near and dear to my heart and the American dream of home ownership.”

In 2018, Way Finders’ programs impacted the lives of more than 47,000 people, including thousands of children, through services including homelessness and foreclosure prevention, financial education, first-time-homebuyer workshops, and employment training. The total number of walk-in requests so far in 2019 has exceeded 2018 demand, demonstrating the growing need from the community and the crucial support the new Housing Center will provide.

“Way Finders is honored to receive this incredible lead gift from the MassMutual Foundation in support of our capital campaign,” said Peter Gagliardi, CEO of Way Finders. “Our two organizations share core values that emphasize equity, teamwork, innovation, and impact. We believe in the strength of our community and the world of possibility that exists when we join together to help our neighbors.”

He added that “our new Housing Center will be a place of care and compassion for those who are facing a housing crisis, and, equally important, it will be a place of discovery and support for our region’s residents as they work toward a brighter future for their families.”

Way Finders has also been an important local partner of the MassMutual Foundation as part of its Live Mutual Project pilot in Springfield. Conversations and meetings are currently underway to understand and identify the barriers that keep residents from becoming financially secure and determine what resources are needed to create sustainable solutions. Additionally, community workshops are taking place to identify opportunities for public-space improvement in three key neighborhoods: downtown Springfield, Mason Square, and the North End.

MachineMetrics Achieves Amazon Web Services Industrial Software Competency Status

By
Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — MachineMetrics, an industrial IoT platform for discrete manufacturing, announced it has achieved Amazon Web Services (AWS) Industrial Software Competency status. This designation recognizes that MachineMetrics has demonstrated technical proficiency and proven customer success building solutions for discrete manufacturing. These specialized software solutions enable companies in the discrete-manufacturing space to increase the pace of product innovation while decreasing production and operational costs in their value chain.

“MachineMetrics is excited to be recognized for building one of the most secure IoT offerings on the market by achieving AWS Industrial Software Competency status,” said MachineMetrics CTO and co-founder Jacob Lauzier. “We are dedicated to providing fast time-to-value applications for manufacturers and machine builders built on a platform that can be extended with custom solutions. This is made possible by leveraging the agility of AWS.”

Achieving AWS Industrial Software Competency differentiates MachineMetrics as an AWS Partner Network (APN) member that has delivered specialized solutions aligning with AWS architectural best practices for building the most secure, high-performing, resilient, and efficient cloud infrastructure for industry applications. To receive the designation, APN Partners must undergo a rigorous technical validation related to industry-specific technology.

“We are proud to have MachineMetrics join our elite pool of AWS Partner Network Competency partners for our Industrial Software segment,” said Dr. Josef Waltl, global segment lead for Industrial Software at Amazon Web Services. “MachineMetrics utilizes advanced AWS services, such as Lambda and Kinesis, to build and scale their architecture to support its phenomenal growth. This allows MachineMetrics to focus on building intellectual property and generative design rather than spending time managing storage and databases, while also bringing down the cost of computing and giving them the needed horsepower to execute and deliver for our joint customer base.”

AWS is enabling scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions from startups to global enterprises. To support the seamless integration and deployment of these solutions, AWS established the AWS Competency Program to help customers identify consulting and technology APN Partners with deep industry experience and expertise.

Most manufacturers are unable to use shop-floor data to drive continuous improvement. This lack of data-driven decision making leads to massive inefficiencies that affect every component of a company’s operations. Cisco reports 76% of implementations have failed to date due to an inability to create value rapidly and sustain value continuously.

MachineMetrics was started to solve this problem; the company has developed the only solution for manufacturers that combines the innovation enablement of an IoT platform with the rapid value creation of packaged SaaS applications to provide the necessary immediate and continuous value. It provides an easy-to-implement platform for connecting to and capturing data from any piece of discrete manufacturing equipment, regardless of brand or age. The platform then feeds this data back to manufacturers and other consumers within the manufacturing lifecycle through dashboards, analytics, notifications, and many other ways that drive value all the way from the shop floor to the C-suite.

“Within the first three months of using MachineMetrics, NOV improved its machine utilization at its Houston facility by 20%,” said Tim Williamson, director of Manufacturing for National Oilwell Varco, a provider of technology, equipment, and services to the global oil and gas industry. “Every hour that we’re not employing a machine, we’re in essence losing money. Having access to this information enables NOV to solve systemic problems, helping the company buy back capacity and facilitate better productivity.”

Parents

By
Local Business Advice

The Wealth Technology Group

By: Gary F. Thomas, JD, LLM, CLU, ChFC, AIF, CDFA

Earlier this year I received a call from “Jen”, a concerned client. She had just learned from her older brother that her widowed, elderly mother, who lives in Rhode Island, had fallen a couple of days before and had been admitted to the hospital with broken ribs and several fractures. Even though Jen was in the regular habit of calling her mother once or twice a week, the fall occurred shortly after their last conversation and was a shock.

Jen immediately dropped what she was doing and drove to the hospital. While visiting she perceived that her mother was suffering from more than the fractures, but was also somewhat disoriented, which Jen assumed was because of medications that were administered to alleviate pain.

When asked why she was not notified of the fall immediately she was told that mother and her brother who lived nearby just “didn’t want to worry her”. Of course Jen was worried, not only about her mother’s health but also about her mother’s finances, and whether any plan was in place to prepare for the unexpected. All along she had assumed that her brother, who was a retired comptroller, had everything under control.

When Jen questioned her brother, he said that even though he had dealt with finances for his entire life, he was uncomfortable talking to Mom about money, because it was too close to home. He wasn’t sure what planning their mother had done, whether or not she had even the most basic legal documents, and if so where they were located.

“They learned that their mother, who had lost her husband more than twenty years earlier, had never updated the documents after their father’s death.”

Unfortunately, they were forced to have the difficult conversation about money with their mother while she was still in the hospital, admittedly, not an ideal time. They learned that their mother, who had lost her husband more than twenty years earlier, had never updated the documents after their father’s death. Mom said that the lawyer who had prepared them had retired long ago, and she wasn’t sure where the originals were. More than that, she was not quite certain of her banking and financial accounts because the names of the institutions had changed so many times over the years, and she found it difficult to keep track of what she owned. Mom said she had just been assuming that, because of her son’s financial background “he would take care of things” should any health or financial issues arise.

Fortunately since her accident, Mom has returned home and appointments were made for the whole family to meet with a local attorney to complete some basic estate and elder law planning. Now, both Jen and her brother have located Mom’s insurance policies, financial accounts, and credit cards, and keep track of accounts monthly. They have updated the beneficiaries on life insurance and retirement accounts, which are now set up to avoid probate. For the first time, they have a clear picture of their mother’s assets, income and expenses.

Unfortunately, many incidents like this don’t quite turn out as well. Lack of planning and lack of time can cause a financial disaster. Often costly financial decisions are made in the heat of the moment and without full knowledge of the resources available, tax consequences, or the affect of the parent’s ongoing needs.

Our advice: Broach the conversation about money after you have completed your own estate and financial plan, then share with your parents what you have done, which may make it easier to begin the conversation.

 

Gary F. Thomas

JD, LLM, CLU, ChFC, AIF, CDFA

“Because it’s not what you make … it’s what you keep!”

Gary is the President of The Wealth Technology Group, with offices in Pittsfield and Westfield. His company serves over a thousand individuals and businesses in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and across the country, helping them reduce taxes, diversify their portfolios, and keep more of what they have.

Gary is a native of Pittsfield and is a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Western New England University Law School. He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar and holds the prestigious Master of Laws in Taxation degree from Boston University Law School. Gary is a Chartered Life Underwriter and a Chartered Financial Consultant. He is also certified as an Accredited Investment Fiduciary, having met the ethical and education standards of a prestigious network of forward-looking investment professionals dedicated to advancing fiduciary responsibility.

Gary has conducted courses on retirement planning, financial management, and estate planning at General Dynamics Corporation, Tubed Products, the Massachusetts Nurse’s Association, Plumbers and Pipefitters Locals 4 and 104, Westfield State University, Berkshire Community College and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and has lectured financial planning and insurance professionals throughout the U.S. and internationally on best practices and customer service. He specializes in education about safe money management and the maximization of pension and Social Security benefits, so that his clients enjoy a stress-free retirement.

Gary is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Financial Planning Association, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, and the International Association of Financial Planners; he sits on the Board of Directors of the MCLA Foundation. Last year, Gary was honored to be appointed a member of the Board of Trustees for Western New England University. He also underwrites programming for WHMP, Channel 57, and is a member of the Westfield Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau. He was chosen Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year for 2013 by the Western Mass Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Gary is a presence on local media and is sometimes called upon to comment on financial news. Every few weeks Gary also has some fun talking about financial topics with Bax & O’Brien on Rock102. His programs are available on the station websites, and are podcast on iTunes and at www.wealthtechnology.com. He has appeared nationally on Fox Business News, and has been quoted on the Forbes and CNN Money websites.

(800) 266-6793

[email protected]

www.wealthtechnology.com

News

Contact

Advertise

Events