The Board of Health is seeking public comments on proposed updated trash and recycling regulations for the Town of Goshen.  Residents may read, print or download the Proposed Board Of Health Regulations Related To Trash Disposal And Recycling and submit comments to the Board of Health via email at  HealthBoard@goshen-ma.us.  In the subject line of the email enter “Public Comment on Proposed Regulations.”

A copy of the proposed regulation is also on file at the Town Clerk’s office and residents may submit written comments to:

Board of Health
40 Main Street
Goshen, MA 01032

Open Burning season is from January 15, 2026 – May 1, 2026.

Go to the Open Burning Permits page to learn all the town & state requirements, safety information and to apply for your required permit.

For full details click on this document:  2026 Hilltowns Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event

Chesterfield Community Development Block Grant FY26 Application

Chesterfield Selectboard Public Hearing

The Town of Chesterfield, working with Hilltown Community Development Corporation will be submitting an FY26 Community Development Block Grant for Housing Rehab, a Worthington Community Room Planning Grant @ The Maples Senior and public social services including Elder Services, in 8 Hilltown Communities – Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Plainfield, Savoy, Westhampton, Williamsburg, Worthington.

The hearing will be held on:

Monday, February 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM in the Chesterfield Town Hall, 422 Main Road, Chesterfield, Select Board Meeting Room

Snow date is:

Monday, February 23, 2026 – 5:00 PM.  The hearing is to review the FY26 Block Grant application, and a review of FY

Any person or organization is welcome to attend and comment, Written comments will be accepted within 10 days of the hearing, send to faithw@hilltowncdc.org.

Town Hall is an accessible location.  If you have any questions, please contact Faith Williams,  faithw@hilltowncdc.org.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS

On or about January 23, 2026 the Town of Chesterfield will submit a request to the MA Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) for the release of Community Development Block Grant funds under the Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 as amended, to undertake a Housing Rehabilitation Program to provide housing rehabilitation grants of approximately $54,000  per unit to eligible low and moderate-income homeowners in the Towns of Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Savoy, Plainfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg and Worthington.  Total CDBG funding for the Housing Rehabilitation activity is $648,000.

The proposed activity is categorically excluded under HUD regulations at section 24 CFR Part 58 from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements.   An Environmental Review Record (ERR) that documents the environmental determinations for these projects are on file at Hilltown CDC, 387 Main Road, Chesterfield, MA 01012.  Copies for examination may be requested weekdays from 9:00AM to 4:00PM.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the Town Selectboard. All comments received by January 23, ‘26 will be considered prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds.

RELEASE OF FUNDS

The Town certifies to EOHLC that Patricia Colson-Montgomery in her capacity as a member of Selectboard consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied.  MA EOHLC’s approval of the Certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Town of Chesterfield to use Program funds.

OBJECTIONS TO THE RELEASE OF FUNDS

EOHLC will accept objections to its release of funds and the Town of Chesterfield’s Certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a)the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the Town; (b) the Town has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c)the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD/EOHLC; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality.   Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24CFR part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities at 100 Cambridge St., Boston, MA 02114.  Potential objectors should contact HUD/EOHLC to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

Patricia Colson-Montgomery, Chesterfield Selectboard Co-Chair

The January edition of the Goshen COA newsletter can be found here: January 2026 Goshen COA Newsletter

Highway Superintendent

TOWN OF GOSHEN, MA

The Town of Goshen is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Highway Superintendent.  This full-time position is responsible for the overall planning and direction of Highway Department operations, including managing personnel, road maintenance and repair, snow and ice removal, vehicle and equipment upkeep, roadside management and related infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage day-to-day operations of the Highway Department.
• Supervise staff, assign work schedules, and ensure quality standards.
• Oversee road construction, maintenance and repair, contracts, materials bidding, and departmental projects.
• Prepare and administer departmental budgets, payroll, purchasing, and reporting.
• Coordinate with MassDOT, coordinate relevant grant opportunities and implement grant funded projects.
• Coordinate with other town departments for efficient use of resources.
• Respond to public inquiries and represent the department to residents and officials.
• Operate department equipment as needed.

Qualifications:

• Associate’s degree or equivalent; 3-5 years of relevant experience with supervisory background strongly preferred.
• Civil engineering knowledge or equivalent trade experience desirable.
• Required licenses: Class B CDL with air brake endorsements and minimum 2B Hoisting License. Additional licenses (1C, 4E, 3A, CSL) preferred.
• Strong knowledge of highway operations, construction practices and snow/ice control.
• Excellent organizational, planning and communication skills, computer literacy and leadership skills.

Work Environment/Compensation

This is a hands-on leadership role involving both office and field work in all weather conditions.  Occasional lifting of up to 50 lbs. may be required. Position requires on-call, year-round availability.  Starting Salary Range is $70,000-$85,000 annually commensurate with qualifications and experience; benefit package available.

Submit cover letter and resume to:
Select Board Office
Attn: Highway Superintendent Hiring
40 Main Street
Goshen, MA  01032

OR, to SelectBoard@Goshen-ma.us.

Applications are accepted until position is filled.  Anticipated start is late February 2026.  The Town of Goshen is an AA/EOE.

CodeRED, the emergency notifications system used by the Town of Goshen (and many others), experienced a targeted cyberattack that forced their system offline while they work on restoring the their service.

The Commonwealth Fusion Center, Massachusetts’ statewide cyber intelligence hub, has learned through their investigation that a ransomware group has taken responsibility for this attack, and the group has claimed that user account data has been stolen.

This data includes the following information for CodeRED users:

• names
• addresses
• email addresses
• phone numbers
• passwords used to create CodeRED accounts.

The Commonwealth Fusion Center recommends if you use the same password for CodeRED that you use for any other account, they strongly recommend changing those passwords right away.

CodeRED has decommissioned the old platform and is moving all customers to the new CodeRED by Crisis24 system, which was not impacted by the attack and has undergone additional security testing.

Updates will be posted as they become available, including when the service is restored and whether users will need to re-register.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Larry Holmberg
Emergency Management Director
Towns of Chesterfield & Goshen, MA

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on this INCIDENT BELOW

CodeRED is used by local governments to deliver fast, targeted alerts during severe weather, evacuations, missing persons, and other urgent events.  Both the data breach and the service outage have serious implications for communities.

The OnSolve CodeRED system is a cloud-based platform used by city, county, and state agencies to send emergency alerts via voice calls, SMS, email, mobile app notifications, and national alerting systems.  Because of the incident, some regions temporarily lost access to the system and had to rely on social media or other methods to reach the public.

CodeRED is not the same as the Emergency Alert System (EAS), which is the federal government-managed emergency notifications system.  The CodeRED emergency notification system is a voluntary program where residents can sign up to receive notifications and emergency alerts affecting the municipality in which they live.

The cause is a ransomware attack claimed by the INC Ransom group. The group posted screenshots that show stolen customer data, including email addresses and associated clear-text passwords.

The INC Ransom group also published part of the alleged ransom negotiation, suggesting that Crisis24 (the provider behind CodeRED) initially offered $100,000, later increasing the offer to $150,000, which INC rejected.

The incident forced Crisis24 to shut down its legacy environment and rebuild the system in a new, isolated infrastructure.

Cyberattacks happen, and data breaches are not always preventable.  But storing your subscriber database—including passwords in clear text—is rather careless.  Providers should assume people reuse passwords, especially for accounts they don’t view as very sensitive.

Protecting yourself after a data breach

If you think you have been the victim of a data breach, here are some steps you can take to protect yourself:

• Check the vendor’s advice.  Every breach is different, so check with the vendor (see the top of this page) to find out what’s happened and follow any specific advice it offers.
• Change your password.  You can make a stolen password useless to thieves by changing it.  Choose a strong password that you don’t use for anything else.  Better yet, let a password manager choose one for you.
• Enable two-factor authentication.  If you can, use a FIDO2-compliant hardware key, laptop, or phone as your second factor.  Some forms of 2FA can be phished just as easily as a password, but 2FA that relies on a FIDO2 device can’t be phished.
• Watch out for impersonators. The thieves may contact you posing as the breached platform.  Check the official website to see if it’s contacting victims and verify the identity of anyone who contacts you using a different communication channel.
• Take your time. Phishing attacks often impersonate people or brands you know, and use themes that require urgent attention, such as missed deliveries, account suspensions, and security alerts.

The December edition of the Goshen COA newsletter can be found here: December 2025 COA NL

Here is the Notice of Filing, Public Hearing and Request for Comments issued by the Department of Public Utilities in the above-captioned proceeding:  D.P.U 25-128 _NGrid (elec) Notice 11.14.25

The Goshen Conservation Commission is looking for Members to join us protecting the Environment, Endangered Spices, and Drinking Water.

This is a voluntary Commission that meets the first and third Monday of the month at 6:00 p.m.

The Conservation Commission is charged with enforcing the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act.   The law protects not only wetlands, but other resource areas, such as land open to flooding (100-year flood plains), the riverfront area (added by the rivers protection act), and land under water bodies and waterways.  The main objective of all the legislation/acts is protection of the Town’s precious water resources.

The law regulates many types of work in resource areas, including vegetation removal, regrading, and construction of houses, additions, decks, driveways, and commercial or industrial buildings.  If you want to work in a wetland resource area or within 100 feet of a wetland (an area called the buffer zone), contact the Conservation Commission before you start work.

If you are unsure whether your proposed work site is in a resource area or whether the work will alter a resource area, you can apply for a Request for Determination of Applicability.  If the Conservation Commission determines that the work will alter a resource area, you must file an application, this is called a Notice of Intent (NOI) and pay an application fee.

If you have questions, please call Charles Amo at 413-695-3500, or attend one of our meetings to see if you would like to help your town with this mission.

Thank you,
Charles Amo
Chairperson, Conservation Commission

The November edition of the Goshen COA newsletter can be found here: Goshen COA Nov. 2025 Newsletter

To see all the details click on the Re-Imagine Goshen Center Project 2025 Fundraiser Flyer

For full details click on this document:  2025 Hilltowns Hazardous Waste Collection Event

Here is the Notice of Filing, Public Hearing and Request for Comments issued by the Department of Public Utilities in the above-captioned proceeding: DPU 25-100

The October edition of the Goshen COA newsletter can be found here: Oct. 2025 Goshen COA Newsletter

The September edition of the Goshen COA newsletter can be found here: Sept. 2025 Goshen COA Newsletter

The August edition of the Goshen COA newsletter can be found here: Aug. 2025 Goshen COA Newsletter

The permalink above goes directly to the sub menu fireworks page under the Police Department page.

Follow this link to view, print or download the Annual Report 2024 in the documents section at the bottom of the Select Board page.

Annual Town Reports for beginning with 2016 are also in the documents section at the bottom of the Select Board Page.

The July 2025 COA newsletter for Goshen as well as the archive of all Goshen Council on Aging Newsletters from January 2018 to the present can be found by going to the Goshen Council on Aging Web Page and clicking on the link for Goshen COA Newsletters.

The Annual Town Meeting will be held on Saturday, June 14, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. in John James Memorial Town Hall.

Click here to view, download or print the Annual Town Meeting Warrant 2025-06-14 .   You may also find the warrant on the Select Board page in the “Select Board Documents” section.

A Finance Committee informational session for questions & answers will be held on Thursday, May12, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in John James Memorial Town Hall.  Click on links below to view, print, or download the Finance Committee Budget Recommendations and FY 2026 .  You may also find these in the documents section on the Finance Committee page.

Finance Committee FY 2026 Proposed Budget as of 2025-06-09 for the Annual Town Meeting on 2025-06-14

Finance Committee FY 2026 Proposed Budget Levy Limit Calculations as of 2025-06-06 for the Annual Town Meeting on 2025-06-14

2025-06-12 Finance Committee FY 2026 Proposed Budget Review & Discussion Meeting Agenda

The June 2025 COA newsletter for Goshen as well as the archive of all Goshen Council on Aging Newsletters from January 2018 to the present can be found by going to the Goshen Council on Aging Web Page and clicking on the link for Goshen COA Newsletters.

The Annual Town Election will be held on Saturday, June 7th from 9am-1pm in the John James Memorial Hall, located at 42 Main Street.

Here is a sample ballot: Goshen ATE 2025 Sample Ballot

We invite you to take a few minutes that day to participate in your local government! Our election workers devote a good part of their Saturday to this endeavor and will be happy to see you.

Please contact Town Clerk Kristen Estelle with any questions or concerns: clerk@goshen-ma.us, 413-268-8236 x107.

Town Clerk Kristen Estelle reminds residents that the late fee for dog licenses goes into effect June 1st, 2025. The late fee is $25 per dog on top of the license fee.

To obtain a 2025 dog license, you can:

1. Stop by during office hours (Monday 8-2 & 6-8) and bring cash or check, valid rabies certificate, and spaying/neutering certificate, or
2. Mail the dog license form, fee(s) and certificate(s) along with a stamped self-addressed envelope for the return of the license(s) and tag(s) to: Goshen Town Clerk, 40 Main Street, Goshen, MA 01032, or
3. Drop the paperwork described in option B in the town clerk drop box, located to the left of the door to the town offices.

Additional dog licensing forms can be found here: www.goshen-ma.us/dog-licenses/

Please contact Kristen with any questions: clerk@goshen-ma.us, 413-268-8236 x107.

Annual Town Meeting Delayed to
Saturday, June 14th, 2025
9:30 am

After much discussion and after consultation with the Finance Committee, Town Moderator, Town Clerk and Town Counsel, the Goshen Select Board determined that it is in the best interests of the Town to delay the Annual Town Meeting this year.

The Select Board voted on Thursday night, May 8th, to delay our 2025 Annual Town Meeting to Saturday, June 14^th starting at 9:30 am.

Town Elections will take place as scheduled on June 7th.

The Select Board is aware that many of us plan our schedules around Town Meeting taking place on the third Saturday in May.  A series of circumstances over the past several weeks, including specific financial challenges and questions, have made it difficult to properly prepare a budget for presentation by the usual Town Meeting date.

We will continue to work to finalize the Annual Town Meeting Warrant and develop recommended town budgets.  We expect to discuss the options for dealing with budget questions at upcoming public meetings and at our Annual Town Meeting, which will now be held on Saturday, June 14^th at 9:30 am in the John James Memorial Town Hall.

We apologize for any inconvenience that the date change may cause and we thank you for your patience and understanding.

The Goshen Select Board

The  day-use area beach will be open after we conduct our first water quality test on May 19, 2025 and get the results back on the May 21, 2025. The beach will be unguarded until June 17, 2025 when lifeguards come on duty and roping is in place.  The official swimming season typically ends around Labor Day weekend.

Note that the beaches at DAR State Forest are NOT monitored or maintained by the Town of Goshen.  These are owned, operated and monitored through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

Water quality at both the Upper Highland Lake Campers and Upper Highland Lake Day Use beaches are monitored and tested by Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH).  The Interactive Beach Water Quality Dashboard will begin updating again on Memorial Day, May 26, 2025.  It is updated at 9:30am and 12:30pm every day (including weekends) during the swimming season.  if the water is considered unsafe, notices will be posted at the two beaches by state officials.  You may also call the DAR Headquarters at (413) 268 7098, or, email the headquarters at dar.forest@state.ma.us. 

Massachusetts has a web page with FAQs about Monitoring Water Quality at Beaches that provides information on the following:

• Why are beaches tested?
• What are indicator organisms?
• Are all beaches in Massachusetts monitored?
• How do bacteria get in beach water?
• What are the risks associated with bacteria in beach water?
• How is beach water tested?
• How often is beach water tested?
• Why do beaches close?
• When will the beach re-open?
• How do I know if it is safe to swim?
• Can I still go to the beach if it is posted closed to swimming?
• If I accidentally swam at a closed beach, and now feel sick, what should I do?
• How can I keep beaches clean?

If you wish to see historical data on contamination at particular beaches go to the Water quality at Massachusetts swimming beaches web page and you can view data from 2010 to the year before the current swimming season.  Note that Goshen beaches are on the Freshwater beach report.

For more information about the DAR State Forest go to their website at DAR State Forest website.  The website will have information on the following areas:

• Download a trail map
• Reserve a campsite:  First night of camping at the DAR is May 11, 2025.  All campers must have a reservation to camp.  Reservations can be made through the Reserve America web site or by calling 1-877-422-6762.
• Self-guided opportunities
• DCR Trip Tip family self-guided adventures
• Hours
• Parking and fees:  Daily parking fees begin on Saturday May 24, 2025 and remain in place through the Monday of Labor Day weekend.
• Activities
• Facilities
• Accessibility
• Restrictions

This post goes directly to the BOH sub page on this topic.

Open Burning season ENDS May 1, 2025.

Go to the Open Burning Permits page to learn all the town & state requirements, safety information and when and how to apply for your required permit.

The May 2025 COA newsletter for Goshen as well as the archive of all Goshen Council on Aging Newsletters from January 2018 to the present can be found by going to the Goshen Council on Aging Web Page and clicking on the link for Goshen COA Newsletters.

The Annual Town Election will be held on Saturday, June 7th from 9am-1pm in the John James Memorial Hall, located at 42 Main Street. A sample ballot can be found here: Goshen ATE 2025 Sample Ballot

In addition to in person voting on election day, Vote by Mail is a permanent option for all Massachusetts voters. You can register to do so in the following ways:

1. Submit a signed application via email, mail or fax to the town clerk’s office: Massachusetts Vote by Mail Application

It must include a signature that can be compared to your handwritten signature. Electronic signatures, scanned applications, and photos of applications are acceptable.

2. Use the State’s Mail-in Ballot Application System, found here: Mail-In Ballot Registration Status : Search

To participate in the upcoming Annual Town Election, there are a few important deadlines to keep in mind. If you wish to vote by mail, your application must be submitted in writing and received by the town clerk’s office no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, June 2nd. It’s important to apply as early as possible, particularly if your ballot will be mailed out of town. The U.S. Postal Service recommends allowing up to seven days for mail delivery, so to ensure you receive your ballot in time to return it, it’s best to apply two to three weeks before Election Day. Additionally, the last day to register to vote in order to participate in the election is Wednesday, May 28th. Registration will be available in the town clerk’s office from 9 to 11 a.m. and again from 3 to 5 p.m. on that day.

The Annual Town Meeting is scheduled to take place a few weeks before the election, on Saturday, May 17th at 9:30 a.m., and will be held at the John James Memorial Hall, located at 42 Main Street. To participate in the meeting, residents must be registered to vote by Wednesday, May 7th. Voter registration will be available that day at the town clerk’s office from 9 to 11 a.m. and again from 3 to 5 p.m. on that day.

Please contact Town Clerk Kristen Estelle with any questions or concerns: clerk@goshen-ma.us, 413-268-8236 x107.

The Town of Goshen received a grant through the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) for a comprehensive zoning bylaw review and analysis.  The PVPC’s final analysis and report can be found on the Planning Board Page Documents Section

This post automatically goes to the Vernal Pool sub menu page on the Open Space Committee page.

Your Voice, Our Future:  Be Part of a Goshen Climate Preparedness
Discussion sponsored by the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program (MVP)

Goshen residents, businesses, and surrounding community members are invited to a luncheon and discussion where they can share insights into how best we can support our neighbors and build social resilience.  Come to listen, engage, learn, have your voice heard and share a meal with fellow Goshen residents.

The community event is set for Saturday, March 29, 2025, from 11 AM to 2 PM at the Goshen Town Hall, located at 42 Main Street, Goshen.

Attendees will learn about priorities already identified by the Town of Goshen to build community resilience and have a chance to contribute to a new priority list in friendly discussion groups.  There will be opportunities to provide input and feedback related to individual experiences with climate-related hazards in Goshen.  Municipal officials and PVPC staff will be available to answer questions and respond to input.  Supervised child-friendly activities and transportation assistance are available.

This effort is being organized by the Town with assistance from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) and is funded by the Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs, Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program.

For more information about this event, please contact PVPC’s Matt Liebel at mliebel@pvpc.org or (413) 781-6045.

Please RSVP in advance with Ruby Hutt at greiner555@yahoo.com

Stanley Tree, working for National Grid, will be in town next week removing trees on East Street and South Chesterfield Road.

Due to the complexity and size of the trees to be removed, Stanley is bringing a crane which will cause some road closures during the week.

Tuesday, March 25^th, from 8:00AM to 4:00PM

East Street will have intermittent road closures.  Most of the time, the road will be passable but there will be times when the road is closed in some locations.

Wednesday, March 26^th, Thursday, March 27^th, from 8:00AM to 4:00PM
and Friday, March 28^th, from approx. 8:00AM to 12:00PM

South Chesterfield will be closed from the South Main intersection to Pond Hill to through traffic.  Local traffic / residents will be able to utilize the road during this time.

Friday, March 28^th, From approx. Noon to 4:00PM

South Chesterfield will be closed from the Cherry Road to Dresser Hill Road.

Officers will be on scene each day to help provide guidance to drivers seeking alternative routes.

If you have questions please contact Police Chief Fred Bezio at (413) 268 3210, or via email to goshenmapd@gmail.com.

The April COA newsletter for Goshen can be found here: Goshen_Newsletter_2025-04.pdf

Additionally, the archive of all Goshen Council on Aging Newsletters from January 2018 to the present can be found by going to the Goshen Council on Aging Web Page and clicking on the link for Goshen Council on Aging Newsletters.

Town Caucus

The 2025 Town Caucus will be held on Monday, April 14th at 7pm in the town hall. All registered voters are invited to participate. Please consider joining us so we make our quorum of 25 voters. Once a quorum is met, the meeting is generally over in less than 15 minutes.

Here is a list of the positions up for nomination and the individuals who currently occupy the seats: 2025 Town Caucus Call   The individuals with a “NO” next to their name want to step down; the others have expressed an interest in continuing.  Here is a document that briefly describes the positions up for election this year: 2025 Elected Positions descriptions

The Annual Town Meeting will be held on Saturday, May 17th, 2025.

The Annual Town Election will be held on Saturday, June 7th, 2025.

Please contact Town Clerk Kristen Estelle with any questions: clerk@goshen-ma.us, 413-268-8236 x107.