500f294d-9add-4fe7-a636-1260759077e3 Animal Control Member Dave Melle Animal Control Officer Mobile: 413-448-3075 Emergency Dispatch: 413-684-0300 Animal Control Hours On Call 24/7 Select Board appoints 1 person annually Description Responsibilities The Animal Control Officer combines the positions of Dog Officer and Inspector of Barns and Animals. The Dog Officer is responsible for dealing with stray and lost dogs, nuisance dogs, dog bites, home finder service, rabies clinics, and any other dog related matters. The Inspector of Barns & Animals is responsible for checking the conditions under which cattle and domestic animals are kept and the condition the animals themselves are in, and to act accordingly. Information Related Services Help with Animals: Lost/Nuisance/Bites, etc.

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 Board of Assessors

7135b8b2-91db-4e20-a3a9-d0c9a549117b Emergency Services Windsor Police Department Kip Buoymaster (Police Chief) , term expires 2025 Jordan Koch (Officer) , term expires 2027 911 (Emergencies) 413-684-0037 (Office, leave a message) Police Dispatch: 413-684-0300 (Not for Emergencies) kbuoymaster@windsormass.com Police Hours Monday 6-8pm Town Offices To schedule an appointment, call the office and leave a message. Windsor Fire Department Jamie Hyatt (Chief) Emergencies: 911 (for fire reports) Fire Station: 413-684-3236 (not for fire reports) Fire Dispatch: 413-684-0300 (not for fire reports) Windsor Fire Department 2025 Route 9, Windsor, MA 01270 firechief@windsormass.com Emergency Manager Trinity Koch TKoch@windsormass.com Police and Fire Chief hired by Select Board. Other fire fighters are volunteers appointed by Fire Chief. Description The emergency manager is responsible for planning and coordinating emergency management preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation and works collaboratively with the Fire Chief, Police Chief, Public Health Director and Public Works Director to ensure effective implementation of goals, training and coordination of townwide emergency management planning. Information Sign up for the Code Red emergency alert messages . Related Services Code Red Emergency Services

bf39d63c-5997-4a7a-9d85-74ec41eabab5 Tax Abatement & Exemption Applications You must pay 100% of all assessed taxes for which you have not received an abatement or exemption. However, there are a number of ways you can apply to reduce some of those required taxes - which are described here. Windsor Summary for Elderly, Surviving Spouse & Blind Exemption Clauses in Effect for FY 2025 Tax Bill Elderly Exempt Info FY 2025 [pdf] Guides to Real Estate Tax Exemptions General Massachusetts site with forms and guides Application Forms Real and Personal Property Tax Abatement Application (Form 128) Motor Vehicle Excise Form (Form 126-MVE) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) What's the difference between an abatement and an exemption? An exemption is a discharge from the obligation to pay all or part of a real estate tax based on certain age, income, military, or disability status as set forth by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. An abatement happens as a result of an adjustment that lowers a property’s valuation after the actual (not preliminary) tax bill has been issued. Exemptions are available for seniors, low income seniors, surviving spouse or surviving minor child, veterans with disabilities, and blind persons. Are there other ways to reduce my taxes? There is also a tax deferral program available for older citizens. Please contact the Assessors’ office for further information. Does the property record card reflect any exemptions to which I may be entitled? Property tax exemptions are available to qualifying taxpayers according the eligibility requirements determined by state law. Exemption information is not displayed on the property record card. Information on exemptions is available on the town’s web site or in the Assessors’ office. What if I feel the value of my property value is overstated? This is when an owner would file for an abatement. There are three basic reasons for granting an abatement: data error(s), overvaluation, or inequitable assessment. An abatement application is not a complaint about taxes or how much your assessment has increased. It is an attempt to prove that your property’s estimated market value is inaccurate or unfair based on recent sales of comparable properties. Do I have to apply for an abatement every year if I received one in the past? Not necessarily. If a data correction or adjustment has been made that should be permanent, it will carry forward to the next and following years until such time as there is a change in the property and/or a change in the valuation methodology that affects that property. Therefore, it would not be necessary to reapply the following year(s). If, however, a one-time adjustment were granted just for the current year, the assumption is that the adjustment does not carry forward into the next year. If the property owner then feels that the valuation is overstated in the following year, he/she must submit a new application. What if I am not satisfied with the result of the abatement hearing? A property owner may submit an appeal to the Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board (ATB). Information for the Appellate Tax Board is available online by searching on www.mass.gov . Related Services Property Taxes Related Boards & Departments Board of Assessors

7864b7de-99fe-4cb1-a4d7-b31b0b3db196 Inspections Inspectors William Girard (Building Inspector) 1890 Route 9, Suite 2, Windsor, MA 01270 Hours: 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 5:30-7pm Office: 413-684-3811 ext. 5 Cell: 413-464-4281 buildinginspector@windsormass.com Trevor Clement (Electrical Inspector) 413-822-7098 Rick Degiorgis (Gas/Plumbing Inspector) 413-329-1180 degiorgisrick@gmail.com James Rando (Assistant inspector) Ed Fahey (Health Inspector) inspectors@berkshireplanning.org Conservation Commission Jacob Hampton (Conservation Agent) Windsor Conservation Commission 1890 Route 9, Suite 2, Windsor, MA 01270 413-664-3811 ext. 8 conservation@windsormass.com Hired by Select Board Description Building, Electrical, and Gas/Plumbing inspector all enforce code and building regulations. Information Related Services Apply for Permits Forms & Documents for Town Activities How & What to Get Inspected

4bba3c2b-5d53-4703-bb97-a6e6b0064754 Cemetery Commission Members Gary Boody (Sexton) , term expires 2027 Ben Bederson (Chair) , term expires 2025 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

dd8ab326-b8bd-4319-a46e-9c9bf64cb2e1 Motor Vehicles Excise Taxes The Town of Windsor requires that an "Excise Tax" be paid for motor vehicles that are owned by town residents. This Motor Vehicle Excise Tax is assessed on a calendar year basis (January-December). The valuation of the vehicle is determined by the Department of Motor Vehicles using the manufacturer’s recommended retail price when new multiplied by the applicable percentage: In the year preceding the year of manufacture: 50% In the year of manufacture: 90% In the second year: 60% In the third year: 40% In the fourth year: 25% In the fifth and succeeding years: 10% Excise tax rate is $25.00 per thousand of valuation. Excise taxes are prorated on a monthly basis. The annual excise due on a vehicle registered after January 1 will be reduced by one-twelfth of the full year’s excise for every month prior to the month in which the vehicle was registered. The minimum an excise bill may be is $5.00. Abatements are available if during a calendar year ownership of a motor vehicle is transferred by sale or otherwise and the registration is cancelled or transferred to another vehicle. Both actions are necessary to qualify for an abatement. Abatements may be requested up three years following the year to which the excise relates. Proof of ownership transfer and registration cancellation or transfer will be requested. The minimum an abatement may be is $5.00. FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about the Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Why am I still getting an excise tax bill when I no longer have that car? You must always either transfer or cancel your plates when you no longer have a vehicle. For as long as your plate is active, you will receive an excise tax bill. REMEMBER: It is important that the bill for a vehicle you no longer own is NOT IGNORED. Interest and fees may accumulate and result in non-renewal of license and/or registration. When am I entitled to an excise tax abatement? You are entitled to an abatement on your excise tax when you DISPOSE OF THE VEHICLE and either CANCEL or TRANSFER YOUR PLATES to a new vehicle. The Assessors’ office requires that you present the proper documentation along with an Application for Abatement for an abatement to be granted. If the plate is lost, you must file for a lost plate receipt with the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Who is entitled to an excise tax exemption? Chapter 60A, Section 1 of the Massachusetts General Laws provide excise tax exemptions for vehicles owned by certain disabled individuals and veterans, ex-prisoners of war and their surviving spouses and certain charitable organizations. Please contact our office for further details on eligibility. Related Services Tax Abatement & Exemption Applications Related Boards & Departments Board of Assessors

261d590f-7de7-435f-bb31-25e0886c627f Finance Committee Members Don Hall - term expires 2025 Holly Higinbotham - term expires 2027 Scott Rogers (Chair) - term expires 2027 wscottrogers@windsormass.com Ben Bederson - term expires 2025 Meetings As needed. Elected for staggered 3 year terms Description The primary responsibility of the Finance Committee is to present an annual budget proposal to the townspeople of Windsor for their consideration at their Annual Town Meeting. The committee consists of 5 elected members serving over-lapping 3-year terms. We develop our annual budget recommendations within the context of a rolling 5-year budget forecast and a 10-year debt forecast. Our main objective is to design budgets that bring a modicum of certainty to the size of the town’s property tax bill (and indirectly the average tax bill) while ensuring the continued provision of public services, infrastructure and an adequate level of financial reserves. The budget process begins in earnest in January and is completed a couple of weeks before the Annual Town Meeting. We work closely with the Select Board and department heads to help them achieve their budgetary objectives while protecting the town’s long-term financial viability and containing the overall property tax burden. The 5-year budget plan is updated during each budget cycle and is issued April. The legal foundation of finance committees in Massachusetts is established in Chapter 39 section 16 of Massachusetts General Law (MGL), and the town’s bylaws . Capital Planning Subcommittee Info to be added Information For a detailed description of current finances, see the link below to "Windsor Finances". Finance Committee Agendas Finance Committee Minutes Capital Planning Committee Agendas Related Services Windsor Finances FY23-27

b6c1fb33-c565-470e-9b5e-85e98764c0b4 Accounting Department Accountants Barbara Newton barbara@erickinsherfcpa.com Eric A. Kinsherf, CPA Meetings N/A Public bid and contract Description They provide outsourced accounting services to Windsor - providing accurate record keeping, timely report filing, and guaranteeing year-end closing success. Information Related Services

72d2ca92-4424-4e91-8073-5a587bb0f07e Library Members Katherine Richter (Library Director) 413-684-3811 #6 windsordirector@cwmars.org Trustees Ben Harelick - term expires 2025 Stacy Litke - term expires 2026 Erin McLaughlin - term expires 2027 Library Hours Mondays 5 - 7:30pm Wednesdays 2 - 7pm Saturdays 10am - 1pm Windsor Free Public Library Town Offices 1890 Route 9 Windsor, MA 01270 Follow the Windsor Library on Facebook Windsor Library Director is a paid part-time town position. Trustees are elected by the town in the town elections for 3 year terms. Description The Windsor Free Library located at the Town Offices is part of the CW MARS Library System and with your library card, you are able to access materials: books, dvd’s, cd’s, etc. from other libraries in the Central and Western areas. Growing the Board of Trustees The Windsor Free Public Library is looking to add 4 more people to our Board of Trustees. We meet over Zoom, they work with Katherine the Director on various library related topics and here is a link to check out exactly what a Trustee does . CW MARS is a diverse library consortium made up of over 100 member libraries primarily located in Central and Western Massachusetts. CW MARS is an acronym that stands for C entral and W estern MA ssachusetts R esource S haring. It is the largest of nine library consortia in Massachusetts and includes academic, public, and special libraries of all sizes, from tiny towns with populations under 500 to large urban libraries with many branches. CW MARS hosts and supports the technology needed to power our shared online library catalog and library staff software Questions About the New Catalog Experience? Search for what is available online in the "GALE" system. But be sure to come by the library first to get access. 15 minute video highlights some of the reasons students use Gale resources. List of links (all free) to all the statewide databases Upcoming Events None right now Suggested links 5 Best BPL Online Resources for High School Students BPL: Explore Additional Research Resources BPL: Explore Museum passes available ( full list [pdf]) Herman Melville’s Arrowhead Berkshire Museum Bidwell Museum Chesterwood The Clark Art Museum DCR Park Passes Hancock Shaker Village John F Kennedy Presidential Library And Museum (Use Library Card To Get 50% Off Admission) Magic Wings Mass MoCA The Mount Edith Wharton’s Home National Trust For Historic Preservation Norman Rockwell Museum Springfield Museums The USS Constitution Venfort Hall And Mansion And Gilded Age Museum Information Library Trustees agendas Library Trustees minutes Related Services

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c320a070-a8b5-4936-9d51-524e8bbc4b65 Annual Town Reports Every year, the Town of Windsor summarizes the activity of the town by asking each board, department, committee, etc. to write a description of what happened that year. These annual town reports are a record of those reports. Annual town reports [Google Drive] Related Services Agendas & Minutes from Town Meetings Related Boards & Departments Town Clerk