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BUSINESS BRIEFS: Harry Conklin Fund for Farmsteads; Bennington Museum names new director; Salisbury Bank community shred, food drive; BMM payroll plus-up bonus; BCC hires, promotes

Martin Mahoney, director of operations and collections at the Norman Rockwell Museum, has been appointed Bennington Museum’s next executive director.

GREAT BARRINGTONBerkshire Community Land Trust (BCLT) recently announced the Harry Conklin Fund for Farmsteads, an initiative of the BCLT in partnership with Berkshire Agricultural Ventures (BAV) and Berkshire Grown.

Harry Conklin grew up on a farm in the Southern Berkshires. He went to Columbia University as an undergraduate before traveling to Iran with the Peace Corps. He returned to complete his studies at the Boston University School of Law. Conklin was a much-loved lawyer who represented his neighbors and friends in Berkshire County for nearly 50 years. In 1985, he worked with Robyn Van En to organize the first Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in the country, at Indian Line Farm. He served on the board of the Community Land Trust in the Southern Berkshires for more than four decades. BCLT will honor his legacy through the establishment of the Harry Conklin Fund for Farmsteads.

The purpose of the Fund is to support secure, long-term access to land for farmsteads for small-scale farmers, while retaining ownership of the land in a community organization such as the Berkshire Community Land Trust. A farmstead includes a home, barns, and sites for greenhouses, plus flat land for growing. Successful small farmers generally live on the farm where they are overseeing production.

Proposed initial advisors to the Fund would be a representative from the three partner organizations – BCLT, BAV, and Berkshire Grown – plus three farmers running small farms for local markets.

Rationale for Focusing on Farmsteads

Larger pieces of farmland for haying or other feed crops, pastures, or large-scale vegetable production are well served by conservation land trusts, which purchase development rights off the land and leave the land in private ownership. In such cases, when the land is owned by non-farmers, it means the houses associated with the farm are most often not farmer occupied. The land is leased to larger-scale farmers who have equipment to manage big fields on scattered sites. This serves the need of keeping fields open and in production, but fails to serve the needs of smaller farmers.

Market growers (farmers growing food for human consumption) are critical to the local economy. This is especially true in a time of climate disruption, where supply chains are uncertain. However, many of these farmers are utilizing land on short-term leases without security. The purpose of the Harry Conklin Fund for Farmsteads is to serve these small-scale farmers seeking security on the land with the possibility of building a small home, making site improvements (fences, water, electricity, greenhouses, perennial stock), and putting down roots.

Robyn Van En (facing forward at right) and other founding members of Indian Line Farm. Photo: Clemens Kalischer, courtesy BCLT

Proven Approach

A community land trust is a model that removes the speculative value of the land from the farmers’ costs, while providing equity in improvements. The farmers own all the buildings and infrastructure on the land. The leases run for 98 years and are renewable and inheritable. If the farmer needs to leave, they can sell all improvements made on the land at current replacement cost adjusted for deterioration — but excluding the land cost — thus keeping the sale affordable for the next farmer.

The Community Land Trust in the Southern Berkshires, the sister 501(c)(2) organization to the 501(c)(3) Berkshire Community Land Trust, applied this approach at Indian Line Farm in 1999. Community donations supported the purchase of the land. The Nature Conservancy bought an overlying easement to limit effluents into its abutting wetlands. The two farmers took out a mortgage to buy the buildings, but did not have to add a mortgage for the land. In the 22 years since entering the lease, the farmers have upgraded the home and barn, established greenhouses and fencing, and built their equity. Elizabeth Keen and Alex Thorp are among the most respected CSA farmers in South County, serving hundreds of shareholder families, appearing at the Great Barrington Farmers Market, and selling wholesale to multiple restaurants and stores.

Recognition of Urgency

The initiative was inspired by the news that Colfax Farm in West Stockbridge is faced with the need to move its operation from its current location. On a June 30 call organized by Berkshire Community Land Trust to discuss the situation and crowdsource a solution, Molly Comstock urged that this not be just about her and Colfax Farm. She knows many small farmers who are farming with land insecurity; a community solution was needed to solve land insecurity for many small farmers.

Tax-exempt donations to the this new fund should be sent to the Berkshire Community Land Trust, P.O. Box 276, Great Barrington, MA 01230 with “Harry Conklin Fund” in the memo line. Donations of land are also most welcome. Please email office@berkshirecommunitylandtrust.org or call 413-528-4472.

—A.K.

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Bennington Museum names Martin Mahoney executive director

Martin Mahoney. Photo courtesy Bennington Museum

BENNINGTON, Vt. — Following a nation-wide search, Martin Mahoney, director of operations and collections at the Norman Rockwell Museum (NRM) in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, has been appointed Bennington Museum’s next executive director. He will assume his leadership position in Bennington on September 8, 2021.

Mahoney begins his tenure with Bennington Museum with a track record of more than 20 years of museum leadership experience. At NRM, Mahoney was responsible for managing the Museum’s national and international traveling and onsite exhibitions, as well as supervising registration, collections, facility operations, and security departments. As a member of the Museum’s executive team, he was deeply involved in fundraising and budgeting on the institutional level, managing multiple departments, overseeing the preservation and operational management of the NRM’s historical buildings, and participating as a key stakeholder in the institutional strategic planning for the expansion of the Museum.

Additionally, Mahoney has curated numerous exhibitions. He graduated from Castleton State University with a BA in history and holds advanced degrees from both the State University of New York at Albany, where he received an MA in public history and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, where he completed his MBA. Mahoney also participated in the Getty Leadership Institute (now the Museum Leadership Institute) in 2019.

A member of the Berkshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club, Mahoney has served as the chapter vice-chair and chair, and has previously sat on the boards of the Williamstown Art Conservation Center and the Massachusetts Art Commission at the State House.

—A.K.

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Salisbury Bank to offer free community “drive-thru” shred event and food drive

LAKEVILLE, Conn.Salisbury Bank is continuing its initiative to fight against identity theft while building community goodwill by sponsoring a free shred event and food drive.

Community Shred “Drive-thru” Day is open to anyone, and will be held at the Lakeville branch, 5 Bissell St. in Lakeville, on Saturday, Aug. 21 from 9 a.m–12 p.m.

For the safety of all participants and volunteers, the Bank has established the following guidelines:

  • Limit 4 bags/boxes per car (paper only, no binders)
  • If you are vaccinated, a face mask is optional; if you are not vaccinated, please wear mask when within 6 feet of another person
  • You will be guided to drop off your boxes at the designated area to be shredded by Bank staff
  • Stay in your car until you reach the drop-off point
  • If you feel unwell, please stay home

Please consider bringing a non-perishable food donation. Local pantries need a variety of donations including: canned goods, cereals, macaroni and cheese, cake mix, peanut butter, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and tomato sauce. Household necessities such as paper towels, diapers, shampoo, and soap are also appreciated.

—A.K.

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Berkshire Money Management team receives payroll plus-up bonus

Berkshire Money Management CEO Allen Harris. Photo courtesy BMM

DALTON — The team at Berkshire Money Management (BMM) recently received a surprise bonus from CEO and Founder Allen Harris. The “plus up” is 5.4% of 2020 W2 wages — salary plus paycheck bonuses. For people not employed through 2020, equal flat payments will be made to each person. The minimum for any employee will be $2,500.

“Like other essential workers around the world, BMM employees had to do more for clients throughout 2020 than we planned. I compensated employees with what I hope was a proper amount of gratitude and bonuses,” said Harris. “But that was then. Today, all Americans are being affected by inflation that is through the roof. It’s not fair that people have to pay the cost of 2021 bills when they’re used to 2020 prices. Financial service firms are performing much better now than we were a year ago and all bosses in the industry have an obligation to do whatever we can to take care of our employees, both in the office and out.”

Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index was up 5.4% over the last 12 months — the biggest jump in prices since the commodities bubble of 2008.

“I believe the inflation growth will be transitory. I’ve written about it a few times in my weekly column in The Berkshire Edge,” Harris said. “But ‘transitory’ can mean a year. And, as we all know, especially after 2020, a year can feel like an eternity.”

—A.K.

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Berkshire Community College announces new hires, promotions

Berkshire Community College’s Pittsfield campus. Photo courtesy BCC

PITTSFIELDBerkshire Community College (BCC) recently announced the hiring of several new staff members, in addition to promotions and title changes.

New to BCC

Kiara Badillo has joined BCC as special programs coordinator — academic and dual enrollment coach. In this newly created position, Badillo will work to deepen the connections between BCC and local high schools to increase early college participation, with an emphasis on students from diverse backgrounds and identities. She comes to BCC from Hampshire College, where she served as assistant director of admissions after her graduation in 2020.

Rae Langsdale arrives at BCC as a clerk III, having worked part time for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) for several years. She holds an associate degree in computer information systems from BCC and previously worked for the Berkshire Athenaeum, the Berkshire United Way, and the Berkshire Museum. Langsdale serves as secretary on the board of directors of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Berkshire County, is a founding committee member of the Pittsfield Neighborhood Action Team, and volunteers with Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity.

Stephen Vieira has joined BCC as director of information technology, with responsibilities including information security, network connectivity, desktop computer support, help desk management, and administrative database system management. Previously, he was chief information officer for the Tennessee Board of Regents in Nashville and chief information officer for the Community College of Rhode Island. He holds a master’s degree in education administration from the Citadel in Charleston, SC and a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Bridgewater State College.

Promotions/title changes

Adam Klepetar, who was serving as interim provost since April 2020, is now vice president for student affairs and enrollment management. Klepetar holds a master’s degree in college counseling and student development from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.

Beth Lapierre has been promoted to the position of associate registrar, previously serving as coordinator of enrollment services. She joined BCC in 2009 and the registrar’s office in 2018. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Siena College.

Justin Ober has been promoted to social media and web content specialist, and interim colleague project manager. Ober joined BCC in April 2020 and holds a bachelor of arts degree in English from UMass Dartmouth.

Jonah Sykes has been promoted to director of marketing and communications. He joined BCC in 2017 as associate director of marketing and communications. Sykes holds a master’s degree in communications from the College of St. Rose.

—A.K.

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