Regional solutions to local problems
Electricity Program - Hampshire Power
Old Courthouse Art Gallery
Cooperative
Purchasing
HAMPSHIRE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
Helping local governments save money and solve problems through regional cooperation.
WHAT IS IT?
The Hampshire Council of Governments is a voluntary association of cities and towns in the Hampshire County area. A body politic and corporate, its charter is ratified by Massachusetts General Law 34B, §20(b).WHAT DOES IT DO?
Principal established programs include:
• electricity supply,
• building inspection and zoning enforcement,
• cooperative purchasing,
• distribution of federal surplus equipment,
• health insurance for employees of regional local governments,
• tobacco control.
Major new initiatives include:
• continuing to advance the electricity program to provide lower cost electricity to the region,
• building a strategic plan to further develop programs and services for Council members,The Council performs a myriad of additional services, listed at the end of the following section describing Council of Governments services.
ARE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO NON-MEMBERS?
The primary focus of the Council is to serve the member towns. Some services are also available to other towns on a fee-for-service basis, principally health insurance, cooperative purchasing, and electricity. For details, see the following department and program descriptions.WHO RUNS THE COUNCIL?
Voters in member towns elect representatives to the Council at their municipal election.
Councilors set priorities, adopt a budget, oversee existing programs, and identify problems shared by their towns that may be amenable to a regional solution. They serve as trustees for Hampshire Care and for the Hampshire County Group Insurance Trust. They provide a quasi-judicial function in tax abatement hearings and road hearings. Citizens are invited to contact their elected representative to the Council with suggestions on current or proposed programs.The Councilors appoint a Council Administrator, who serves as the executive director for the organization. A dedicated team of professional staff brings a wealth of professional training and experience to the day-to-day operation of Council programs and services.
HOW IS IT PAID FOR?
Assessed membership dues, program fees, grants, and earned revenues all support Council activities. Membership dues of less than $40,000 support program activity in excess of $45M. The Charter set initial membership dues in 1999 at .0001 of a town’s equalized property valuation (EQV), subject to the same provisions of Proposition 2½ rules that apply to the cities and towns. Since then, the mounting state and local funding crisis in Massachusetts has prompted members to approve a reduction in assessed dues. By Charter and by statute, the dues are apportioned among the members in proportion to their EQV. For fee-based services that are available to non-members, members receive substantial discounts over non-member fees. Fees are described in each program description.HOW IS THE COUNCIL ORGANIZED?
Seventeen Councilors currently govern the Council of Governments. At their municipal election, each of the member cities and towns elects one or more representatives. Votes on the Council are weighted, according to the city or town population. Mayors and Selectboards appoint city or town representatives to fill vacancies until the next municipal election. Councilors serve two-year terms. The Councilors elect from among themselves a Moderator and a five member Executive Committee consisting of a Chair, Vice-chair, and three other members. The Chair appoints committees and committee chairs.HOW CAN TOWNS JOIN OR LEAVE THE COUNCIL?
A vote either of the Town Meeting, City Council, or by ballot at town elections is required. In addition, a vote of current members must approve new and returning members. The specific procedures required are set forth in the Charter and in the Administrative Code. Both are posted on this web-site.
SERVICES AND PROGRAMS
OF THE
HAMPSHIRE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTSThe Hampshire Council of Governments operates a GROUP INSURANCE TRUST that provides
• group health and life insurance, and
• insurance consulting services for sixty-one public employers in Western Massachusetts.
The Hampshire Councilors serve as trustees of the Trust, and the Finance and Insurance Director serves as the Administrator and Operations Manager of the Trust. The Council’s Finance Director holds designations of Casualty Claim Law Associate, Chartered Life Underwriter, and Chartered Financial Consultant. Municipalities that are not members of the Council of Governments may apply for insurance coverage. Acceptance requires approval of both the Insurance Advisory Board and the Councilors. Once approved, each new unit gains a seat on the Advisory Board. The Trust has earned a reputation for helping schools and towns control the ever-rising costs of health insurance while providing employees with quality health insurance coverage.HAMPSHIRE CARE After owning and operating health services on this property since the days when it was a Tuberculosis Sanitorium, and after an extensive public process to find a new owner that would carry on the vision of real care for patients and residents, the Hampshire Council of Governments has sold the grounds and facility to the Masonic Health System of Massachusetts. To contact the Overlook Health Center at Northampton, call 413-584-8457. Information about the Masonic Health System of Massachusetts is available on their website, www.masonichealthsystem.org.
CAMP HODGKINS is located on the grounds of the former Hampshire Park. The activities at the day camp facilities are organized by the Hampshire Educational Collaborative (HEC) for summer programs for special education students of the region’s public schools. The Camp was founded in 1976. It combines a summer experience for children with disabilities with a strong educational component. Each of the campers has a developmental or physical disability. The camp lets them combine reading, writing, arithmetic, and life skills lessons with outdoor activities, and arts and crafts.
Please contact HEC for more information about the Camp: www.collaborative.org, 413-584-1664.
The Council's ELECTRICITY PROGRAM offers electricity supply contracts to municipalities and businesses in the region. As the only governmental body in Massachusetts licensed as a competitive electricity supplier, the Council buys power on the wholesale market on behalf of area towns and businesses. Customers can choose either a Basic Profit Sharing Plan or a rate indexed to the real time wholesale prices. The long-term goal is a Municipal Aggregation that will provide lower rates to all customers who want it within approving towns. Many area towns have approved the concept at an Annual Town Meeting. For more information about becoming a customer, call 413-584-1300 x150.
The Hampshire Council’s COOPERATIVE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT coordinates and administers a formal bidding process for municipalities, schools, and human service agencies as well as the Council’s own departments. Buying in bulk generates added savings over lone bidding efforts while complying with state procurement statutes and eliminating duplication of administrative work. When towns experience problems with a product or service, the Council’s trouble-shooting follow-up packs the clout of the entire purchasing volume. The department annually bids such municipal staples as:
• fuel oils,
• various highway supplies and in-place services,
• office supplies,
• school classroom and arts & crafts supplies,
• camera ready printing and copying services,
• milk, bread, and ice cream, and cafeteria food, and
• toner and supplies for office machinery.
Schools and towns may request the addition of new products and services.
The Co-op has established an excellent rapport with many local vendors and strives to keep as much business as possible at the local level. Fees are based on the amount purchased.
Hampshire Council’s HEALTH AND WELLNESS DEPARTMENT has several programs committed to improving health.The Tobacco Free Community Partnership works to decrease the health and economic impact of tobacco in Hampshire County and share that information with community leaders, parents, and policy makers by;
• educating parents and other concerned adults about new and emerging tobacco products,
• monitoring the sale and use of tobacco products by youth and adults,
• protecting people from second hand smoke including encouraging landlords to make their property smoke free, and
• encouraging people to quit tobacco use.Resources include:
Visit Western Mass Smoke Free Apartments at http://smokefree.hampshirecog.org/ to find a listing for smoke free apartments in western Massachusetts and information for landlords and tenants about smoke free apartments. This is a free service for both Landlords and Tenants.Google Make Smoking History online to learn more about quitting, housing issues, youth, and the cost of smoking in our communities.
The Wellness Initiative is part of the Hampshire Group Insurance Trust working with subscribers to improve their health. According to several national studies illness and injury costs associated with unhealthy lifestyle accounts for about 25% of employee health care expenditures. We work to improve health through education, changing individual behavior and worksite environment to improve health and productivity of employees and decrease medical costs.
The Hampshire Council REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT develops regional approaches to problems shared by member municipalities.
• The department secures surplus federal equipment for municipal and state entities in the Commonwealth. Fees to both the Commonwealth and the Council are based on the current value of the equipment; Council members receive a 75% discount off the Council portion of the fee.
• Regional Services oversees a building inspection and zoning enforcement program. This is the primary inspection services for the towns of Huntington, Chesterfield, Middlefield, Goshen, and Williamsburg, who jointly fund the program. The program also provides emergency inspection services for other towns for an hourly fee.
• The department also arranges workshops and seminars on topics of interest to local officials.
• An annual wage and salary survey gives local officials accurate information about comparable employee costs in the region.
• Department staff assists the Council Administrator in the development of a regional electricity aggregation program.
In December 2008, the Hampshire Council of Governments was awarded the grant to operate the RETIRED AND SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM OF HAMPSHIRE & FRANKLIN COUNTIES. Funded primarily with a federal grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service, RSVP is the area's largest volunteer network for people age 55 and over. RSVP partners with more than 70 area non-profit and public organizations to provide a full range of opportunities for people to serve. RSVP volunteers work to combat hunger, help children excel in school, improve elder health, protect our environment, and strengthen our communities in many ways. RSVP's speacial initiatives include the RSVP Osteoporosis Exercise Program, the Healthy Eating Project, the Lathrop Literacy Program, adn the Strike Team of on-call volunteers.
COUNCILOR’S ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE OFFICES provide a variety of additional support:
• Archives of historical county records,
• Hampshire County Dispatch Tower,
• Hampshire County Dog Damage Fund,
• Emergency Radio System,
• EMT/EMS Training and Equipment,
• Grants applications and administration,
• Hampshire County Selectmen’s Association,
• Hampshire County Hazardous Materials Contingency Fund,
• Hilltown Resource Management Cooperative,
• Property Tax Abatement Hearings,
• Road Discontinuance and Easement Hearings,
• Springfield Materials Recycling Board.
