f5cf7e16-6a15-4839-affb-dfe9be4c27bf ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act The ADA, or Americans with Disabilities Act, is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in various areas of public life. It ensures equal opportunity for people with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications. The ADA also mandates that state and local governments provide access to their programs and services. ADA Public Notice [pdf] ADA Grievance Procedures [pdf] Related Services Aunt Bette's Homemade Pecan Pie Rockin’ Rocky Road Ice Cream Tom’s Heavenly Apple Strudel Joe’s Divine Butter Tarts Related Boards & Departments Aunt Bette's Homemade Pecan Pie Rockin’ Rocky Road Ice Cream Tom’s Heavenly Apple Strudel Joe’s Divine Butter Tarts

1e925112-0063-4a24-89d9-691d5f17be49 Property Taxes Property Tax Forms See General Massachusetts site with forms and guides [external site] THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS What is mass appraisal? Assessors must value all real and personal property in the community to their full and fair cash value. Mass appraisal is the process used by every Massachusetts City and town to create the property assessments. Assessments are based on an analysis of Windsor’s entire real estate market for a specified period of time. This study guides the setting of valuation parameters that are used to calculate the property values town-wide. It differs from the more well-known “bank” or fee appraisal. Although the appraisal concepts are the same and the results similar, the process is different. No particular sale or group of sales is used to determine the value of your property, but all of a certain calendar year’s sales are included in the analysis that set the parameters for the next fiscal year. What is market value? Market value, or full and fair cash value, is the most probable price for which a property will sell in an open, competitive market that a willing buyer will pay for a property to a willing seller, both acting knowledgeably and prudently and neither being under any obligation to buy or sell. Sales such as foreclosures and family sales are not considered to be “arms-length” or fair market transactions. When my neighbor's house sells, will their price determine my assessment? Not necessarily. As explained in the previous question, sales are analyzed town-wide. An example of what could be relevant is if there were several sales in an area indicating that the assessments were too low compared to the sales prices. How often does the valuation of properties change? Every year the Assessors subject the arms-length sales that occurred in the prior calendar year to a statistical examination based on market area, style of house, age of house, effective area, size of lot and sale price to see what changes the market has shown. The tables used in the Computer-Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) system are adjusted so that the median assessment of the sales sample is within 10% of 100% of market value, and the dispersion of the assessments to sales ratios in the sample are within state guidelines. These new factors are then applied to all properties for the new Fiscal Year. Every third year the Department of Revenue (DOR) requires each city or town to conduct a revaluation. This is a year-long process during which the DOR examines every phase of the assessing operation before certifying the values. During the two years in between revaluations the Assessors may change the values if sales activity so indicates. These yearly updates are called Interim Year Adjustments. The last Re-certification was completed in fiscal year 2016. How is the calendar year different from the fiscal year? Massachusetts cities and towns operate on a “Fiscal Year” basis. The calendar year runs from January 1st through December 31st. The fiscal year goes from July 1st through June 30th. The assessment date is January 1st preceding the fiscal year. That is, for Fiscal Year 2016 the assessment date is January 1, 2015. ASPECTS OF PROPERTY VALUATION Where can I find the detail on my property? Property record cards, which contain ownership information, visit history, land and building details, and other notes, and which display a property’s valuation, are available in the Assessors’ office, 1890 Route 9. You can also view your record card and many of these details on-line using the link available on this web site. What do the assessors look at when determining an assessment? The assessor collects many data elements about a property in order to develop the total valuation. The most significant factors in determining the value are location and land area and style, quality, size, condition and age of the building(s). Other factors include amenities or detriments as well as features in the building such as number of bathrooms, type of heating/cooling, interior/exterior finishes, and special features including fireplaces, saunas and Jacuzzis. Also considered are detached structures. How do I know if my valuation is fair and equitable? The best comparisons are to properties that have sold that are the most similar in the most aspects to your property. You can also compare your property’s assessment to the assessments of the most similar properties. Although properties will most likely never be a perfect match, assessments for similar properties should fall in a close range of valuations. How can my assessed value increase (decrease) when I did not do anything to the property in 5 years and I am not selling the property? The assessed value represents the estimate of market value of the property. The real estate market changes constantly. The assessment for FY2016 represents the estimate of market value as of January 1, 2015. This estimate of market value is determined by examining sales of properties from calendar year 2013 and 2014 (we use two years due to lack of sales data in Windsor). Although there may not have been any physical changes to the property, buyers may be paying more or less for properties than they were in previous years. The assessment changes reflect the changes in the purchase prices of similar homes in the neighborhood. The assessments do not predict market value. The assessments reflect (or report) market value. The real estate market can change dramatically from year to year. Buyers and sellers determine the market value of properties. The assessments reflect what the buyers and sellers are doing as of the assessment date. What will happen if I put an addition on my property? Are the actual construction costs of a new home used to determine the new assessment? Historical sales have indicated that larger properties sell for more than smaller properties with all other factors being equal. If an addition is put on a home, the house becomes larger. The assessors would then have to see what similarly sized properties were selling for in the neighborhood. It is highly likely that the assessed value of your property will increase once the addition is put on the property. Generally speaking, improvements that increase the market value of a property will increase the assessment. Why did my valuation change from the prior year's valuation more (less) than my neighbor's? Market value changes occur in many forms. From year to year economic conditions and local factors change and influence the values of different classes of property in different ways. Buyers have different requirements and these requirements sometimes change from year to year. Renovations may have been performed on a property that would cause a change in assessed value different from a similar property that did not undergo renovations. A recent inspection by the Assessor’s office also may have contributed to a change in assessed value, perhaps adding something that had been missed or reducing something that was overstated. Your style or size or land area or other factor(s) may differ from your neighbor’s and that caused the valuation changes to differ. I think my assessment is out of line with my neighbor's property, whose property is assessed lower. I want my assessment to be as low as theirs. The first step in comparing properties is to examine the factual components of each property. Many times properties that appear larger are in fact much smaller than people think. Quality characteristics should also be examined when making comparisons. Ultimately, the assessors have to determine if the assessment represents market value on the subject property and also if the assessed value on the neighbor’s property represents market value. If a neighboring property is too low in relation to surrounding properties, the assessors cannot compound their low assessment by also lowering surrounding properties. The resolution may be that the assessors have to raise the neighboring property’s assessed value to make it more in line with the surrounding properties. The most important criterion the assessors examine in an abatement request is the market value of the property of the person filing the abatement and the market value of any property that the person filing the abatement mentions on the application. I recently purchased my home for a price which is different than the valuation for this year. How is this possible? The real estate market is not a “perfect market” and price is not always equal to value. Similar properties usually do not sell for exactly the same price because the motivations of buyers and sellers are not always similar. Similar properties usually tend to sell within a “value range” rather than for one specific price. According to the definition of fair market value, your value represents “the most probable selling price” and tends to be the middle of the range of what similar properties have recently sold for. Therefore, your appraised value could be higher or lower than what you actually paid for your property. In addition, state laws (statutes) require that real estate be assessed at 100% of market value as of January 1st immediately preceding the current fiscal year. This is the assessment date. The sales considered in order to determine the market value are those that took place during the calendar year prior to the assessment date. If your sale took place subsequent to the assessment date, it will be in the group of sales analyzed in the preparation of the following year’s valuations, and is not relevant to the current year’s valuation. Why does the Assessor need to enter my house? A total inspection of all factors that influence the value results in the most accurate assessment of a property. We request the inspection in order to be as fair and accurate as possible. Items such as condition of the rooms, quality of the finish, areas of finished versus unfinished, can only be confirmed with an interior inspection. Without actual information, estimates of the interior information have to be made. Will an inspection change the value of my house? Depending on the accuracy of the current data about the property, it may or may not. However, the valuation for the current fiscal year will not be changed mid-year unless your property meets the strict qualifications for a supplemental tax bill (usually only major new construction), which Windsor does not currently have the authority to do. What happens if I refuse to allow the property lister to enter my home? You do not have to allow the assessors into your home. However, if an assessor is denied entrance, property owners give up their ability to challenge the assessed value. Will I be penalized if I allow the assessors in and my neighbor does not? In instances where the assessors do not get into a property, estimates are made about the condition of the interior of the property. Accurate assessments are based on accurate information. By allowing the assessors to view the interior and exterior of your property, your assessed value is based on accurate information. If a person does not allow the assessors to view the interior and exterior of a property, estimates are made about the condition of the interior of the property, the kitchen and bath qualities, and where there is finished attic space and finished basement space. If the estimates are overstated, property owners may contact the assessor’s office to arrange an interior and exterior inspection of their property. TAX RATE/TAX BILL How is the tax rate calculated? The tax rate, in its simplest form, is the tax levy divided by the town’s taxable valuation. This is called the Uniform Tax Rate. At the May Annual Town Meeting residents vote appropriations for the upcoming Fiscal Year. This is called the tax levy. The Assessors’ primary responsibility is to find the “full and fair cash value” of your property so that the taxpayer may pay only his/her fair share of taxes. How will the new valuation affect my tax bill? If my assessment went down, how can my tax bill go up? Individual assessments may rise or fall depending on the characteristics of the property. The purpose of mass appraisal is to value all property by the same standards at the same time to create an equitable distribution of the tax levy. If the same amount of money is to be raised for the current year after a valuation update from the previous year, and each assessment has doubled, the tax rate would be cut in half; and vice versa, if each assessment decreased by 20%, and the same amount of money was to be raised, the tax rate may increase by 20%. Increases or decreases in assessed values to not cause a tax increase or decrease. How can my tax bill go up more than 2.5%? Doesn’t Proposition 2 ½ limit the tax increase? Proposition 2 ½ limits the amount of taxes Massachusetts communities can raise for the current year from the previous year’s levy limit. To this a town may add new growth (increased valuations caused by new construction, renovations or land use changes) and overrides voted by the town. I cannot afford this tax bill (on fixed income, lost my job, have financial issues). Can’t the Assessors lower this assessment to accommodate this situation? By law, the Assessors must value all property at 100% of full and fair cash value, using methodologies approved by the DOR applied consistently to every property. Properties need to be valued without regard to the owner’s ability to pay the taxes. (See exemption section below for some programs that are available for some tax relief.) EXEMPTIONS & ABATEMENTS See the page on exemptions & abatements Related Services Tax Abatement & Exemption Applications Related Boards & Departments Assessor

6fd3adef-e1bd-4d82-92e3-2d5e35eed02a Council on Aging Members Community Outreach Jessica Buoymaster 413-329-4364 buoymasjessica@gmail.com Board Members Sue Jacobs (Chair) - 413-684-3191, term expires 2028 Sandie Zink (Treasurer), term expires 2028 Alan Zawitowski, term expires 2027 Sue Riley, term expires 2027 Diane Penetti, term expires 2026 Diane Saunders, term expires 2028 Jean Wagner, term expires 2026 Meetings 2nd Monday of the month at 10am at Town Offices Monthly Coffee's are held on the second Wednesday at 10 AM from September through June at the Town Hall. Educational and special events are offered several times a year. Watch the COA insert in Windsor Now & Then as well as the Windsor Face Book page for information. Members appointed by Select Board for 3 year terms. Senior Outreach Coordinator hired by COA and Select Board. Description Mission The mission of the COA is to serve older Windsor adults, by providing opportunities and resources that advance the quality of life in a rural community. Information Council on Aging agendas Council on Aging minutes Related Services Support for Aging in Windsor

e1290b03-ad85-49b1-b683-722e47131869 Schooling in Windsor Windsor is part of the Central Berkshire Regional School District. It does not have any of its own schools, so children attend one of the regional schools. Learn more about from the Central Berkshire Regional School District website . Or contact Elizabeth Lounsbury at elounsbury@cbrsdk12.org, the Windsor representative at CBRSD. CBRSD Agendas CBRSD Minutes Related Services Aunt Bette's Homemade Pecan Pie Rockin’ Rocky Road Ice Cream Tom’s Heavenly Apple Strudel Joe’s Divine Butter Tarts Related Boards & Departments Select Board

Help With (everything) See details ... See details ... Abutters: Request a list See details ... Accident: Report a motor vehicle accident See details ... Address: Change mailing address See details ... Agendas & Meetings: Official meeting info See details ... Aging: Find support for aging in Windsor See details ... Animal: Nuisance/bites/lost, etc. See details ... Annual Town Reports See details ... Assessor: Do I have to pay all taxes? See details ... Assessor: Motor Vehicles Excise Taxes See details ... Assessor: Property Taxes See details ... Load More

bd53184a-7ff6-414a-b823-51fb14ff919f Town Song Windsor Now and Then A song written by the late Ed Kohn Two hundred years and more we’ve been A town gone through hard times and then We’ve raised our heads up high again Like a Phoenix on the rise. When the logging days had come and gone And the tanning mills had all moved on And the Ball Bridge Works closed down We turned to what we had. Chorus: From Windsor Jambs to Estes (Sangar’s) Store This little town is steeped in lore; If you don’t know what a community’s for Then Windsor’s not your style. Hiking trails and Christmas trees Maple sap and a summer breeze Baseball games, cross country skis Is what we have today. But a town’s not made of bricks and stones Not even trees nor roads nor homes It’s made of muscle, skin, and bones And the love of folks like you. Chorus Related Services Aunt Bette's Homemade Pecan Pie Rockin’ Rocky Road Ice Cream Tom’s Heavenly Apple Strudel Joe’s Divine Butter Tarts Related Boards & Departments Aunt Bette's Homemade Pecan Pie Rockin’ Rocky Road Ice Cream Tom’s Heavenly Apple Strudel Joe’s Divine Butter Tarts

62ce4131-c834-4ebb-b703-16db08e05309 Veterans Services While the Town of Windsor does not itself provide any specific services for Veterans, nearby Pittsfield does, and they have agreed to provide help to Windsor residents, coordinating health care and connecting veterans to local services. This is our agreement [pdf] with the city of Pittsfield regarding Veterans' Services. Jim Clark , US Army Retired Lt. Col. Director of Veterans’ Services City of Pittsfield 330 North Street Pittsfield, MA 01201 (413) 499-9433 jclark@cityofpittsfield.org www.cityofpittsfield.org Related Services Aunt Bette's Homemade Pecan Pie Rockin’ Rocky Road Ice Cream Tom’s Heavenly Apple Strudel Joe’s Divine Butter Tarts Related Boards & Departments Aunt Bette's Homemade Pecan Pie Rockin’ Rocky Road Ice Cream Tom’s Heavenly Apple Strudel Joe’s Divine Butter Tarts

4bba3c2b-5d53-4703-bb97-a6e6b0064754 Cemetery Commission Members Ben Bederson (Chair) , term expires 2028 Gary Boody (Sexton) , term expires 2027 John Jones , term expires 2026 For all information regarding plots and burial, please contact Ben Bederson bederson+windsorcemetery@gmail.com Cemetery Commission members are elected at the annual town election for a term of three years. Description The Cemetery Commission manages the town cemeteries, primarily including: Selling plots Overseeing interments Maintaining the cemeteries Maintaining cemetery records Information Cemetery Commission Agendas Cemetery Commission Minutes Related Services Cemetery plots and interments

45fa2255-9a5d-462b-81a9-b653545ebc81 Town Administrator Staff Madeline Scully - term expires 6/30/2025 413-684-3811 #4 1890 Route 9 Suite 1 Drop box #2 (put flag up) mscully@windsormass.com Meetings Monday-Thursday 9am-3pm @ Town Offices Monday 5-9pm Select Board Meeting Nights Hired by the select board Description The Town Administrator oversees and is responsible for planning, administration, procurement of services and equipment (serving as the Chief Procurement Officer), and coordination of the daily operation of the Town as delegated by the Select Board, existing policies, procedures, and bylaws, as well as state and federal law. Information Related Services Aunt Bette's Homemade Pecan Pie Rockin’ Rocky Road Ice Cream Tom’s Heavenly Apple Strudel Joe’s Divine Butter Tarts

e942beca-c743-4151-a1b9-1f8bf052c4ce Marijuana: Policies & Procedures Policies & Procedures for growers, etc. are being finalized and will be posted here. Related Services Aunt Bette's Homemade Pecan Pie Rockin’ Rocky Road Ice Cream Tom’s Heavenly Apple Strudel Joe’s Divine Butter Tarts Related Boards & Departments Select Board

a8a4e125-1e12-48ce-8422-3c0cd19d118f Food Security in Windsor This initiative is supported by volunteer Windsor residents building town infrastructure to strengthen food security. Our immediate work is assisting Windsor residents who are in need of food due to instability in SNAP resources. If you are a Windsor resident in need of immediate food assistance, please submit a confidential request here . This request will go directly to Kim Tobin and should include your name, address, residents in household, and if there are children. You can also submit a request through the Town Administrator or the Outreach Coordinator ( Jessica Buoymaster ). Existing Resources: Food Bank of Western MA Food Finder Find food locations within 10 miles of Windsor Massachusetts SNAP benefits Massachusetts Healthy Initiatives Program (HIP) Mountain Girls Farms will arrange local mobile delivery in winter months. Upcoming Activities: Jan 24, 2026, 10am - noon: Distribution for residents at Windsor Town Hall Suggested donations include the following ( flyer [pdf]): 100% Fruit Juice Cooking oil Paper Towels Toilet Paper Toothpaste Deodorant Low Sodium Soups Sugar-free Applesauce Sugar-free Canned Fruits Gluten-Free items Canned Tuna, Chicken, Ham No Pasta Please PLEASE DO NOT DONATE PERISHABLE OR FROZEN FOODS, OR ITEMS IN GLASS JARS. Related Services Aunt Bette's Homemade Pecan Pie Rockin’ Rocky Road Ice Cream Tom’s Heavenly Apple Strudel Joe’s Divine Butter Tarts Related Boards & Departments Aunt Bette's Homemade Pecan Pie Rockin’ Rocky Road Ice Cream Tom’s Heavenly Apple Strudel Joe’s Divine Butter Tarts

1e8c8c6a-5952-423d-ac2f-ebcfbfd5de1e Pay Windsor Town Fees Paying Windsor Town Fees The following Windsor Town fees may be paid online: Property and Excise Taxes - If you pay electronically from your checking account, there is a minimal fee. If you pay with a credit card, there is a modest fee. (The actual fee varies, so you'll have to go to the website to see what it is.) If you send a paper check to the address on your tax bill (or drop it off at the Town Offices), there is no fee. Inspection fees are all paid online via the various inspection portals. All other fees (transfer station, dog license, firearms permit, home fire inspection, etc.) must be paid by paper check made out to "Town of Windsor" and delivered to the relevant department (Town Clerk, Police, or Fire). Related Services Aunt Bette's Homemade Pecan Pie Rockin’ Rocky Road Ice Cream Tom’s Heavenly Apple Strudel Joe’s Divine Butter Tarts Related Boards & Departments Tax Collector/Treasurer