Town Meeting 2025 Recap

Puzzled when Jane Patton told a resident to “look it up on Willinet”? We tracked down the meeting, watched the tape—and what we found left us feeling uncomfortable.

Hi friends,

Thanks for being part of Civics Corner. Last night’s All Town Meeting was packed—full of passionate debates, procedural drama, and major decisions that will help shape Williamstown’s future. Whether you stayed until the end or couldn’t make it, we’ve got you covered with a full recap below.

This year’s meeting covered everything from historic preservation and housing to short-term rental laws and protections for vulnerable residents. Read on for the highlights, controversies, and final votes.

Honoring Quiet Heroism

The evening began with a tribute. The Scarborough Salomon Flynt Community Service Award, presented by the Williamstown Community Chest, was awarded posthumously to Virginia “Ginny” Sheldon, a beloved and tireless advocate for the Milne Library through the Friends of the Milne.

Ginny’s husband accepted the award, reflecting:

“Ginny’s work was always creative, collegial, and kindly. Too often, the world rewards the loudest voices, not the ones doing the work. Tonight, the universe feels a little more balanced.”

Hot Topics and Big Debates

Article 6: Hoosac Water Quality District Funding – and the Sludge Showdown

The town voted to appropriate $1.2 million to the HWQD. But not before continued discussion around PFAS-contaminated sludge and a push from the community for the town to take a firmer stance with the HWQD. While the Finance Committee noted an extra $200,000 was added so the HWQD can landfill instead, many residents pushed back, frustrated by HWQD’s refusal to fully commit to landfilling.

Final vote (clicker): 144 Yes – 55 No

Article 21: Store at Five Corners Sparks Controversy

Of eight Historic Preservation funding articles, one became a flashpoint: a $19,000 request for window restoration at the Store at Five Corners.

When a resident asked the Select Board why some members had voted against it, Jane Patton directed them to watch the discussion on Willinet—without noting the date or timestamp for easy reference. That meeting took place on March 24, 2025.

Of course, it’s not feasible to step out of Town Meeting, review a recording, and return in time to vote. The comment felt, to many, out of step with the spirit of participatory governance. So this morning, Civics Corner followed up.

Look for the March 24th Select Board meeting here. The relevant segment begins around 1:16:00. 

Here’s what we found:

• There was no direct discussion of Article 21 during the meeting.
• Around 1:24:00, Matt Neely voted “no” without offering a reason.
• When invited by Randy Fippinger to share his thinking, Neely replied: “Nothing specific about this one to discuss.”
• Jane Patton, voting next, also voted “no” without comment.

So when a community member sought clarity at Town Meeting, there was no record of discussion—and no explanation on tape. The moment raises broader concerns about transparency and accountability in board decision-making.

Final vote (clicker): 180 Yes – 67 No

Article 26: Short-Term Rental Regulations Pass

The town voted to restrict short-term rentals (like Airbnbs) to 90 days per year, with homeowners able to apply for exceptions. Supporters praised it as a way to protect local housing stock from corporate investors. Opponents argued the measure wouldn’t meaningfully increase long-term housing.

Final vote (clicker): 219 Yes – 25 No
(Passes ⅔ threshold required for zoning bylaws)

Article 27: Protecting Our Water from Geothermal Risk

This article bans geothermal drilling in the Water Supply Protection District unless it meets a strict “no harm to water” standard. An amendment to weaken the language to “industry best practices” was proposed—and rejected.

Opponents of the amendment warned:

“Industry best practices often lag behind science. And once water is contaminated, there’s no going back.”

Final vote on original article: 173 Yes – 39 No

Article 30: Smoking Ban in Multi-Family Housing

A citizen petition sought to ban smoking and vaping in privately owned multi-family housing units, citing health risks from secondhand smoke.

Supporters framed it as a public health issue of human rights versus property rights. Emphasizing concerns for children, elders, and immunocompromised neighbors. Opponents argued it targeted low-income tenants. One speaker called it an effort to “keep the riffraff out”—a claim strongly refuted by others.

Final vote (clicker): 148 Yes – 56 No

🌈 Community Values on Full Display

🏳️‍⚧️ Article 29: Supporting Trans and Gender Diverse Residents

Citizen justin adkins introduced this article affirming Williamstown as a community that supports the rights of transgender and gender-diverse people.

Speakers—including a 16-year-old—shared powerful testimony about the importance of feeling safe, seen, and supported. The voice vote reflected strong town-wide support.

Article 31: Immigration Protections Reaffirmed

Building on a 2017 policy, this citizen petition called for stronger protections and community support for immigrants. The vote was unanimous and met with strong applause.

Investing in Schools & Youth

• Article 17: Mount Greylock Regional School District
  $14.8 million budget passed unanimously. Increases due to health insurance and new teacher hires.
• Article 16: Northern Berkshire Vocational School
  $422,850 approved—a 29.4% increase due to enrollment growth.
• Articles 23–25: Outdoor Recreation Projects
  These included trails, a mountain bike path, and continued investment in the skatepark. Residents across generations voiced support—citing youth mental health, aging-friendly recreation, and new resident attraction.

All passed with overwhelming support.

🧾 Other Articles – All Passed

All remaining articles passed with either unanimous or near-unanimous support. These included:

• Debt service and capital improvements
• Water & sewer department funding
• Senior tax exemptions (Article 28)
• Revolving fund limits and budgetary transfers
• Community Preservation grants to Images Cinema and the Williamstown Historical Museum
• Trustee term realignment (Article 31)

Want to Read More:

For more coverage iBerkshires also published this great article:

https://www.iberkshires.com/story/79048/Williamstown-to-Apartment-Dwellers-Don-t-Smoke-Em-if-You-Got-Em.html

As always, we have posted this information on our website as well at: 

https://civicscorner.org/may-22-all-town-meeting

See you Soon!

👉 Hit reply or leave a comment—we’d love to hear your take and answer any questions you might have 

👉 We’ll be back soon with more information about Civic News in Williamstown, upcoming meetings, and anything else we learn. We anticipate having more coverage soon regarding the continued question about the HWQD and will report anything we learn.