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<channel><title><![CDATA[HEATH CONNECTS - Talk Around Town]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town]]></link><description><![CDATA[Talk Around Town]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2026 13:03:45 -0400</pubDate><generator>Weebly</generator><item><title><![CDATA[Talk Around Town]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/chhhaa-changes4375970]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/chhhaa-changes4375970#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2026 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/chhhaa-changes4375970</guid><description><![CDATA[This blog is for residents and taxpayers to comment on various topics.&nbsp; &nbsp;Comments should be constructive and free of personal attacks.&nbsp;I have put in a few topics, if you would like other please email me and I will add them, pmcgahan@gmail.com. [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">This blog is for residents and taxpayers to comment on various topics.&nbsp; &nbsp;Comments should be constructive and free of personal attacks.&nbsp;<br /><strong>I have put in a few topics, if you would like other please email me and I will add them, pmcgahan@gmail.com.</strong></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Should Heath Become a School District with Hawlemont?]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/should-heath-become-a-district-with-hawlemont]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/should-heath-become-a-district-with-hawlemont#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2026 18:02:51 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/should-heath-become-a-district-with-hawlemont</guid><description><![CDATA[It has become increasingly clear that without additional state support for rural schools, which is currently meager versus the need, we will not be able to educate our children in a matter of years.&nbsp; At the time of the Heath school closing, Hawlemont offered the best option for Heath children. There was a tuition agreement which worked well while the agreement was in place. Once that ended there was a great effort on the part of Heath to take the next step of regionalization with Hawlemont. [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">It has become increasingly clear that without additional state support for rural schools, which is currently meager versus the need, we will not be able to educate our children in a matter of years.&nbsp; At the time of the Heath school closing, Hawlemont offered the best option for Heath children. There was a tuition agreement which worked well while the agreement was in place. Once that ended there was a great effort on the part of Heath to take the next step of regionalization with Hawlemont.&nbsp; This could not be worked out at that time and Heath students now attend Rowe, Hawlemont, Colrain, Buckland Shelburne, and there may be one at Sanderson Academy.<br />&#8203;<br />At the June 30 Select Board meeting Ashley Sparks<span>, Charlemont School Sustainability Review Committee,&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;reached out to the Heath Select Board to explore the possibility of regionalization with Heath.<br /><br />Your thoughts?<br />&#8203;<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Taxes - What Can Be Done?]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/taxes-what-can-be-done]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/taxes-what-can-be-done#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/taxes-what-can-be-done</guid><description><![CDATA[Has every option been tried to lower our taxes?&nbsp; &nbsp;What are some ideas/suggestions to help us? The proposed Franklin County Tech expansion and the MTRSD expansion will likely break our backs.&nbsp; Should we seek an agreement with Rowe and/or Hawlemont?&nbsp; &nbsp;Do we have the option to leave the district and just tuition our kids using school choice and creating tuition agreements with those chosen schools? [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph">Has every option been tried to lower our taxes?&nbsp; &nbsp;What are some ideas/suggestions to help us? The proposed Franklin County Tech expansion and the MTRSD expansion will likely break our backs.&nbsp; S<span>hould we seek an agreement with Rowe and/or Hawlemont?&nbsp; &nbsp;Do we have the option to leave the district and just tuition our kids using school choice and creating tuition agreements with those chosen schools?</span></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Achieving Clearly Outlined, Community Based Priorities]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/achieving-clearly-outlined-community-based-priorities]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/achieving-clearly-outlined-community-based-priorities#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Communication]]></category><category><![CDATA[Priorities]]></category><category><![CDATA[Taxes]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/achieving-clearly-outlined-community-based-priorities</guid><description><![CDATA[Where would you like the Select Board to focus?&nbsp; List what you would like to see focused on? [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph">Where would you like the Select Board to focus?&nbsp; List what you would like to see focused on?</div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Communication to the Select Board]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/chhhaa-changes]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/chhhaa-changes#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/chhhaa-changes</guid><description><![CDATA[How do you want to communicate with the Select Board? Send an email to BOS@TownofHeath.org? Come to a Select Board meeting when there is a specific topic you would like to address? Other?   [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph">How do you want to communicate with the Select Board? Send an email to BOS@TownofHeath.org? Come to a Select Board meeting when there is a specific topic you would like to address? Other?<br /><br /></div>  <div class="paragraph"></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Communication from the Select Board]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/communication-from-the-select-board]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/communication-from-the-select-board#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/communication-from-the-select-board</guid><description><![CDATA[If you send an email to BOS@TownofHeath.org, do expect a response?&nbsp; When the Select Board goes through mail at a meeting, would you expect more than, "Mail from a resident regarding . . . " ?Should there be a form letter when corresponding that requests a response or that the matter be addresses at a Select Board Meeting [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph">If you send an email to BOS@TownofHeath.org, do expect a response?&nbsp; When the Select Board goes through mail at a meeting, would you expect more than, "Mail from a resident regarding . . . " ?<br />Should there be a form letter when corresponding that requests a response or that the matter be addresses at a Select Board Meeting<br /></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Transparency]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/transparency]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/transparency#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.heathconnects.org/talk-around-town/transparency</guid><description><![CDATA[Do you feel that decisions are made outside of meetings? Do you have any instances where you think that may have happened. [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph">Do you feel that decisions are made outside of meetings? Do you have any instances where you think that may have happened.</div>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>