FY 2019 ANNUAL REPORT

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Transportation Our Hilltown Easy Ride van numbers continue to grow as we go into our third contract year with Franklin Regional Transit Authority. We served 261 unduplicated riders with 1,374 one-way trips in <strong>FY</strong>19. We continue to make good use of the van for medical appointments, grocery and shopping trips on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and COA outings on Fridays as requested. We were able to supplement gaps in service with a new program called the Hilltown Driver Pool providing a limited number of medical rides when the van has a scheduling conflict or program restrictions, such as re-occurring medical appointments or medical trips to Springfield. Driver Pool drivers get paid for their time and mileage and drive clients in their personal vehicles. Funds came from MassDOT and Mass Councils on Aging and it is meant to be a small supplement to the van providing 2-4 rides a week for situations where van use is not possible. Transportation Team Kate Bavelock, Director of Community Programs Ed Pelletier, Transportation Coordinator Bob Aeschback & Jim Barrett, Van Drivers Keep Farming Through a series of facilitated meetings over the winter, local producers got together to identify areas in which they could collaborate and explore ideas around a producer’s cooperative to share resources and connections to new markets. Creating a local Google group to share information and partner on ordering and equipment rental was an easy first step. Larger goals were in the Hilltowns discussed, such as a cooperatively owned delivery vehicle and/or aggregated crops cooperatively marketed. However, the summer growing season put planning on hiatus, and we look forward to resuming in the winter. In addition, the right grants must be secured to move this initiative forward as currently we do not have a funding source for this work. Kate Bavelock, Director of Community Programs
HilltownArts & Culture Two initiatives move forward our work on arts and culture as community development: the second year of the Hilltown Open Studio Tour, and the effort to apply for a state Cultural District designation for the village center in Cummington. Both are meant to increase economic activity for working artists in our area and bring more visitors to the Hilltowns. The Hilltown Open Studio Tour took place in June with 23 artists opening their private studios to visitors to share their creative spaces and processes. There were another five artists showing their work at the William Cullen Bryant Homestead and the Project Art studio, both in Cummington. The two-day event saw hundreds of visitors. The post-event survey showed strong sales for a second year in a row. This event is a project of the Hilltown Arts Alliance with the support of Hilltown Community Development. A committee has been meeting in preparation for applying for the state’s Cultural District designation for the Cummington Village center. According to the Mass Cultural Council— “A cultural district is a specific geographical area in a city or town that has a concentration of cultural facilities, activities, and assets. It is a walkable, compact area that is easily identifiable to visitors and residents and serves as a center of cultural, artistic and economic activity.” The goals of the cultural districts, as defined by the legislative statue, include: attract artists and cultural enterprises, encourage business and job development, establish the district as a tourist destination, preserve and reuse historic buildings, enhance property values and foster local cultural development. Other benefits of the designation include increased access to state promotional resources/cultural grants, and a process which promotes thoughtful and engaged community input resulting in a design, goals and plan for the district to improve landscaping, signage, and access. Kate Bavelock, Director of Community Programs Annual Report <strong>2019</strong> 9
Page 1 and 2: Enriching lives in a rural economy
Page 3 and 4: ENRICHING LIVES OUR PROGRAMS AND SE
Page 5 and 6: Rural Economic Development and Smal
Page 7: Housing Rehabilitation Our Housing
Page 11 and 12: Social Services & Community Develop
Page 13 and 14: Donors $5,000-$20,000 Cooley Dickin
Page 15 and 16: FY19 Program and Operating Funds Lo

FY 2019 ANNUAL REPORT

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