Last weekend someone had a party. While we are happy that people enjoy using the beach for get togethers, we ask that you please clean up after yourselves.

Balloons were still tied to picnic tables, beer bottles and trash scattered around the lawn, and dirty diapers sitting next to the garbage cans.

Please help us keep the beach open for use by keeping it clean. We do not want to have to close it.

There are three garbage cans at the beach, another on the road by the popular fishing spot and another two at the Boat ramp. If all three garbage's are full (which they were not) there are three other opportunities before leaving where garbage can be disposed of.

Thank you for helping us keep our beach open and clean!

Recycling for Tuesday, July 5th: Paper and Cardboard

Recycling for Monday, July 11th: Cans, Bottles, Plastics, Other:

Please place trash and recyclables in an easily accessible location by 7:00 AM. Contact the hauler directly at 442-8390 with questions or concerns. Please note: the trucks used are dual functioning. Trash and recyclables are collected together but placed in separate compartments within the truck. Please click here to see the 2022 calendar or you can pick them up at the Post Office, or Town Hall

Tues. July 5, 2022 - Board of Health - 5:00 PM

Tues. July 5, 2022 - Phase 2 Bldg. Cte. - 6:00 PM

Via Zoom

Tues. July 5, 2022 - Richmond Recreation Cte,. - 6:00 PM

Via Zoom

Tues. July 12, 2022 - Conservation Comm. - 6:30 PM

Via Zoom

Wed. July 13, 2022 - Board of Selectmen - 6:00 PM

Hybrid

Conservation Commission Members Needed: Join a great team and get to visit properties around Richmond. The Commission meets monthly with occasional site visits and is charged with protecting our ground (drinking) water quality, wildlife, ponds and streams, and prevent flooding via MA Wetlands Protection Act regulations. We are also charged with protecting our scenic mountains and watersheds above 1300 ft. elevation via the MA Scenic Mountain Act.

         Training can be provided

Two Commission members are needed.

One full member and One Associate Member

Contact Ron Veillette, Chairman at 413 698-3411 or Shep Evans, Agent at 413 553-7792

Photographs must be taken in the town of Richmond and in the time period from January 2019 to August 2022. First and Second place will be awarded in each category. The entry deadline is August 8, 2022. Prizes will be gift certificates to local businesses. There is no entry fee.

To download a copy of the form and rules, go to the website richmondlandtrust.net. For questions about the contest, please send them to richmondlandmass@gmail.com.

As you may have seen, preliminary work has begun at the new Town Building site. We will be sending regular updates on the project beginning in the coming weeks, including pictures of our progress.

Meanwhile, please note that the site is not open to the public, so please do not go onto the property. Thank you!

The Building Committee has scheduled a very low-key groundbreaking ceremony for the new town building on Tuesday July 12, 2022 at 6:00 PM.

The link to apply for free sampling is https://dwp-pfas.madwpdep.org.

For more information about the program, see their FAQ (https://www.mass.gov/doc/frequently-asked-questions-about-the-massdep-private-wells-pfas-sampling-program/download).

Please Click here - https://www.richmondma.org/government/town_clerk/index.php

On Thursday July 21, 2022 at 12:00 Noon, the Combined COAs will host a Lunch and Learn at St. Patrick’s Church Parish Hall on Rte. 41 in West Stockbridge.

Chief Traver has provided the Council with free tickets to the Richmond Fire Department's Annual Chicken and Barbeque on Thursday, August 11, 2022 that were donated by a very generous resident. Richmond's Seniors are invited, on a first-come, first-served basis, to pick up a ticket to the event at no cost.

If you would like to attend the barbeque on August 11th, please stop by Town Hall and ask for a ticket.

If you have free time during the week and are looking for a way to "pay back" to your community - volunteering for the Council on Aging transportation service is a very rewarding way to do it.

Please call Phyllis LeBeau at 413-441-1106 or email her at coa@richmondma.org if you are interested or have any questions.

Don’t forget that WIFI is available in the Library parking lot.    

________________________________________________

Ever wish you could take the Internet with you? Borrow a library Hotspot! Please call the library for details. The Hotspots are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act grant and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

Lively World Series:

The Lively World of Milton Bass presents Kevin O’Hara, author of Ins and Outs of a Locked Ward: My 30 Years as a Psychiatric Nurse on Thursday, July 7 at 4:00 p.m. at the library, 2821 State Road, Richmond.

_______________________________________________________________________

 Richmond Reads!

In July, every Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., South Berkshire Kids will host a story time and craft at the Richmond Library for ages 2-8.

Animal World Experience will give a live animal presentation on amazing adaptations on Saturday, July 9^th at 11:00 a.m. This program is generously funded by the Richmond Cultural Council.

The Richmond Free Public Library

The passes admit 2-4 people per pass for free or discounted admittance. They are due back the next open library day by 9:30 AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays and by 9:00 AM on Saturdays. 

Pass letters are given out for specific days and aren't reusable. Currently we have passes or letters for the following museums: Arrowhead, The Berkshire Botanical Garden, The Berkshire Museum, Chesterwood, The Clark, Hancock Shaker Village, Mass MoCA, The Mount and the Norman Rockwell Museum and The Trustees sites including Naumkeag and the Mission House and a pass to the Bidwell House Museum and to the Frelinghuysen Morris House & Studio.

South Berkshire Kids has created a free baby literacy bag filled with board books and resources for parents of babies who were born in the past year. The literacy bags are available at the Richmond Library. Please call the library to pick up a bag for your little one!

Gifts are tax deductible. Checks to fulfill promises should be submitted by October. New contributions are welcome and needed! Your checks should be made out to Friends of the Richmond Library and please mark your check — Building Fund send it to:

As of July 1, 2022, the Towns of Richmond and West Stockbridge will contract with the Berkshire Public Health Alliance for public health nursing services following the retirement of long-time public health nurse Emilie Jarrett, RN., BSN, and the closing of the Community Health Association of Richmond and West Stockbridge.

The Alliance has extensive experience with providing public health nursing services to many municipalities in the county, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two experienced public health nurses, Nancy Slattery, RN, and Leslie Drager, RN, provide most of the public health nursing services to contracted communities, although the Alliance may hire back-up nurses as needed during flu clinic season or during COVID-19 surges.

In addition to the mandated infectious disease investigation and follow-up, the Alliance will provide flu vaccination clinics and wellness activities such as blood pressure clinics, educational events and/or falls prevention classes. More details are coming soon on specific offerings.

Starting in July, you can reach the Alliance Administrative Coordinator, Lydia Shulman, at Alliance@berkshireplanning.org or 413-442-1521, x60 with any general questions. Or, you can reach out to Nancy (nslattery@berkshireplanning.org) or Leslie (ldrager@berkshireplanning.org) directly.

We look forward to working with Richmond and West Stockbridge!

Laura Kittross, Director of the Berkshire Public Health Alliance

The Richmond Board of Health would like to remind everyone that the COVID pandemic is not over!

Admittedly, numbers of cases are declining, but the Board strongly recommends that everyone continue to maintain social distancing in all indoor situations, and continue to wear masks indoors except when at home.

There is a new app available on your I-Phone that can alert you immediately to your possible exposure to the COVID viruses. Go to "Settings" scroll down to "Emergency SOS," exposure notification should appear under that heading. Follow the prompts to register.

As you may be aware, the Biden Administration is offering free rapid tests to all residents in the United States. The pre-order period for the at-home COVID-19 tests via www.covidtests.gov has begun. Every household in the U.S. is eligible to order four free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests. The tests are completely free and will usually ship in 7-12 days.

Please visit www.covidtests.gov to submit an order and learn more

People with Medicare can get additional information by contacting 1-800-MEDICARE and going to: https://www.medicare.gov/medicare-coronavirus. 

Click Here for COVID-19 Information and Helpful links

Flower Power seeds and bulbs are a great way to bring beautiful blooms to your home and support our PTA.

Bulbs, seed mats, vegetables and vertical flower hanging bags are all in the catalog and shipped directly to your door.

Use this link http://RCS.fpfundraising.com to see the on-line catalog. Thank you for supporting our school PTA.

Please make sure you are registered for code red