PLAINFIELD — On May 29, the Baker-Polito Administration awarded $2 million in grant funding to 82 towns and cities across the Commonwealth to complete climate change vulnerability assessments, and develop climate change resiliency plans through the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program.
As one of the grant recipients, Plainfield was awarded $25,000.
“I think it is very important to take advantage of this program,” Select Board Chairman Howard Bronstein said as he was on his way to a meeting on climate change with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Kathleen Theoharides, assistant secretary of climate change for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, in Holyoke on Thursday.
“Once we go through this vulnerability assessment program, then we will be eligible for grant money to help implement ways to mitigate the effects of climate change,” Bronstein said.
The Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant program provides support for cities and towns to begin to identify areas in which climate change is affecting them, and to prioritize mitigation projects, or “action-oriented resiliency plans” that will effectively address those issues.
Communities who complete the MVP program become certified as an MVP community and are then eligible for MVP Action grant funding.
The program helps communities with things like understanding how they may be impacted by climate change, defining extreme weather and natural and climate related hazards, and identifying existing and future vulnerabilities and strengths as well as opportunities to take action to reduce risk and build climate change resilience.
Bronstein said that one quick example of how stronger storms and increased rain have affected Plainfield is the increase in erosion on town roads.
He said he is hoping to get participation from all stakeholders in town so that they can begin to look at all of the various impacts climate change may be having and what can be done to meet those challenges.
The program is designed to be led by a project coordinator from town along with a core team of town staff and volunteers that represent town planning, emergency management and response, conservation, finance, business and community members. State-certified MVP providers supply technical assistance for the program.
“It is a slightly daunting process at the moment,” Bronstein said. “We are hoping to hire the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to assist us with this.”
The PVPC is a certified Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness provider.
CUMMINGTON — On Sunday, the Hilltown Bash returns to the Pettingill Memorial Pavilion for its second year.
The Bash is the brainchild of Cummington resident and musician Kim Wachtel, who said that her motivation to organize the event was to bring the community together to celebrate the start of summer with music, food and dance.
“I do this because I love doing community building activities, and this is a nice way to come together on a beautiful summer night for live music and a potluck,” she said.
This year’s event will open with Wachtel’s band Radio Free Earth, which just released a new CD this week.
Also performing will be Jared Quinn and The Psychic Friends, playing soul and funk.
Wachtel said that there is a playground adjacent to Pettingill Pavilion as well as a ball field, which makes it the perfect venue for a family event.
This is a community potluck and BYO. There is a suggested donation of $5 per person and $10 per family, though nobody will be turned away for lack of funds.
“Last year this was a pretty successful event, and I think this year will be even bigger,” Wachtel said.
Wachtel said that the Cummington, Worthington and Plainfield Cultural Councils all providing funding for the Bash.
“I have also had a lot of help of family, friends, and community. I really feel very supported,” she said.
WORTHINGTON — On June 23-24, the Hilltown Arts Alliance will hold an open studio tour at 20 locations throughout the Hilltowns.
Over 25 artists, including painters, quilters, sculptors, weavers, jewelers, glassblowers, photographers and more, will be showing their work in Worthington, Cummington, Chesterfield and Plainfield.
Many studios will offer demonstrations for visitors as well.
The event takes place on June 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and June 24 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A map of the participating the studios, as well as information on the artists, can be found on the Hilltown Arts Alliance website, www.hilltown artsalliance.org.
Ideas for this column on life in the Hilltowns can be sent to Fran Ryan at fryan.gazette@gmail.com.