Updates from the Town June 17, 2020

Update on Town Actions:  June 17, 2020

Dear Sheffield Residents:                                                                                                                            

The Select Board, Police and Fire Departments, Board of Health and all Town Departments continue to serve you as we follow the Governor’s orders on opening up and planning our Annual Town Meeting.  Here’s an update from the Town management team:

Annual Town Meeting (ATM) will be held on Monday June 29th at Mt. Everett High School.  The meeting will begin at 7pm and we will vote on the full Town Warrant, available at https://www.sheffieldma.gov/news.  Hardcopy is being published by the Sheffield Times. As this is an ATM, not a Town Election, no absentee or mail-in ballots are permitted.  One must be present to vote. Because of COVID-19, additional safety protocols will be in place and these will be e-blasted to you next week. 

To help ensure a smooth, safe and efficient ATM, individual voter technology devices will be used, allowing every voter to cast their vote quickly and privately. The Select Board will have a virtual demonstration of this technology, as well as two pre-ATM Q & A virtual sessions for voters who wish to can get their questions answered before the ATM. Here’s the meeting schedule:

Monday, June 22nd at 2pm – Warrant review and Q & A session

Wednesday, June 24th at 6:30pm –  individual voter technology demonstration and Warrant review and Q & A session

To participate in either session, DIAL IN: 605-313-5968, ACCESS CODE: 697308#

Also, there will be a Green Communities Act webinar on Tuesday, June 23rd at 6:30 pm. To participate, register at:

                                        https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3457230002825828877

There are two warrant articles dealing with the Green Communities Act

Town Hall continues to be closed to the public until Monday September 8th.  However, all Town Hall departments are staffed from 9am – 4pm, to take your calls and provide information while processing Town business. In-person appointments are available as needed.

The Senior Center is working on its re-opening schedule. Watch for details.  It continues to be staffed from 9am – 4pm to answer your calls and provide vital information. In-person appointments are available as needed.

The Transfer Station is open it normal schedule. Please practice social distancing and wear a mask/face covering when you are out of your vehicle. 

The Library is accepting requests for in-house titles of books, DVDs, audiobooks, and magazines for curbside pick-up or delivery within Sheffield and Ashley Falls for those housebound. Please see their website: https://www.bushnellsagelibrary.org

There is still the need for individual safety, hand washing and social distancing. It is recommended you wear a mask or face covering when you go out if you can’t practice social distancing.  This not only protects you, but others, as some people carry the virus without being sick.  Social distancing and masks/face coverings will be required for our ATM.

All Committee, Commission and Board meetings continue to be held virtually, via phone conferencing. All these meeting are open to the public via phone conferencing.  Phone in numbers and access codes are published with each meeting’s agenda.

Sheffield’s COVID-19 cases numbers continue to be excellent with no new cases reported recently.  This is due to your diligence in caring for yourselves and others; we know it’s not easy, but wearing a mask and social distancing are becoming the new norms. Thank you for protecting your and our communities’ collective health.

Please fill out your US Census if you have not already done so; our response rate is still low.

Up-to-date information is posted on the Town’s website:  www.sheffieldma.gov