Elyse Moore next Historical Society speaker

GREENFIELD — The Historical Society of Greenfield’s second speaker for 2025 is Elyse Moore, who will present “Jolly Good Times in the Kitchen,” referencing recipes by Historical Society founder Mary P. Wells Smith.

The program will be held Wednesday, June 18, at 6 p.m. in the Greenfield Public Library’s Community Room.

Moore teaches and demonstrates early American hearth cooking at Historic Deerfield, where she is also a guide. Additionally, she raises heirloom plants and herbs in Historic Deerfield’s garden.

Moore writes about the intersection of New England culinary history and women’s history, focusing on the Connecticut River Valley.

City offering expanded hybrid/recorded meeting options

GREENFIELD — The city has announced the expansion of hybrid/recorded meeting options for several boards and commissions.

Agriculture Commission: The commission was inactive for several years. The Mayor’s Office worked to revive the commission, which has met regularly since April 2024 through hybrid/recorded meetings.

Board of License Commissioners: Meetings were previously not recorded. The city instituted its first hybrid/recorded meeting in December 2024 and is following this format for future meetings.

GCET Board of Directors: GCET meetings were previously not recorded. The GCET board of directors began operating hybrid/recorded meetings at the GCET office in June 2024 and continues following the format.

Historical Commission: The Historical Commission offered infrequent meeting recordings previously. Starting in February 2025, the commission meetings are now all hybrid/recorded, taking place on the first Thursday of the month at 5 p.m. at the Greenfield Fire Station.

Planning and Construction Committee: The Planning and Construction Committee instituted its first hybrid/recorded meeting in January 2025 and will follow this format for future meetings. Meetings were infrequently recorded previously.

Valley Health Regional Collaborative: Valley Health Regional Collaborative meetings are remote only, but have started being regularly recorded since January 2025.

Open Space Task Force, a Sustainable Greenfield Implementation Subcommittee: All meetings have been recorded since its June 2024 formation.

Following new initiatives established in 2024, hybrid/recorded meetings featured on Greenfield Community Television (GCTV) increased from 160 meetings in 2023 to 232 meetings in 2024. In addition, the city collaborated with Precinct 1 City Councilor Katherine Golub on a hybrid/recorded meeting ordinance established by City Council in December 2024. The ordinance codifies the renewed emphasis on hybrid-recorded meetings, ensuring that hybrid/recorded meetings are a standard in Greenfield.

The community can watch all hybrid/recorded meetings on GCTV’s YouTube page at youtube.com/@greenfieldctv/videos.

Drop-in drawing sessions start Friday

GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Senior Center invites residents to let their imagination flourish during drop-in drawing sessions with Ellie Harris and Kemah Wilson on Fridays, starting June 20, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Participants do not need to have any art experience. All levels are welcome. Attendees are advised to bring their own art supplies or use some of those provided.

Greenfield Senior Center membership (free) is required.

June 23: Family Board Game Night

GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Public Library invites children ages 5 to 12 and their caregivers to Family Board Game Night on Monday, June 23, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. No registration is needed.

June 24: ‘Resumania’

GREENFIELD — Career counselors and résumé experts from the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center will be at the Greenfield Public Library on Tuesday, June 24, from 10 a.m. to noon for “Resumania,” a résumé-building program.

Attendees are invited to bring a printed résumé to get tips, suggestions and on-the-spot feedback. No appointment is necessary; walk-ins are welcome.

For more information, call 413-774-4361 or visit masshirefhcareers.org.

MassHire to highlight Sheriff’s Office job opportunities

GREENFIELD — Representatives from the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center will be at the Greenfield Public Library on Thursday, June 26, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to highlight job opportunities at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office at 160 Elm St. is seeking individuals with a desire to serve their community. Working at the Sheriff’s Office provides the opportunity to work with clinicians, medical staff and other security staff in an effort to improve safety by helping incarcerated men and women overcome addiction, trauma and mental health issues, and improve job and housing opportunities.

The Sheriff’s Office is hiring a correctional officer. Recruits will take part in a 10-week basic recruit training academy. Benefits include a starting salary of $66,229 per year, paid vacation, 12 paid holidays, medical and dental benefits, and a retirement plan.

For more information, visit masshirefhcareers.org or call 413-774-4361.

Community Preservation Committee seeks feedback

GREENFIELD — The Community Preservation Committee is seeking public input ahead of the next Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding round.

The committee hosts a public hearing annually to gather feedback on community priorities. This year, the public hearing will be held Thursday, June 26, at 5:30 p.m. at the City Hall Meeting Room and remotely via Zoom. The Zoom link can be accessed on the city calendar at greenfield-ma.gov/calendar.php.

The committee allocates funding to projects submitted by individuals, community groups, nonprofits and the city government that enhance affordable housing, historic preservation and outdoor recreation/open space. The funds are generated through a 1% surcharge on property taxes. That amount is then supplemented each year by state funding.

“We want to hear which funded projects you liked, which you didn’t like and how you want the CPC to prioritize funding in the different categories this year,” Community Preservation Committee Chair Susan Worgaftik said in a statement. “The projects receiving CPA funding should reflect the community’s needs and priorities, and this is the best way the public can help us determine what those are.”

Members of the public can view the committee’s current Community Preservation Plan at greenfield-ma.gov/cpc.

Feedback gathered at the public hearing will be incorporated into the plan as part of the committee’s annual update. Written comments may also be sent to the Department of Community and Economic Development. Comments can be mailed to the attention of Christian LaPlante, 14 Court Square, Greenfield, MA 01301 or sent via email at cpc@greenfield-ma.gov. They must be received by Thursday, July 17, at noon.

Applications for proposed CPA projects will be available in August. Pre-applications must be submitted by Wednesday, Sept. 17, and final applications are due by Monday, Nov. 17. The Community Preservation Committee will review proposals before making recommendations to City Council, which then votes on which projects receive funding.

City plans biannual parking garage cleanings

GREENFIELD — The city coordinated its first deep-cleaning of the Olive Street Parking Garage in May and now plans to conduct the cleaning biannually. The second cleanup this year will take place in October.

During a business listening session in April, community stakeholders and the city agreed that the parking garage, which has been open since 2018, needed improvement. The city prioritized this work, as well as devising new fixtures that could improve the guest experience. These include adding trash/cigarette bud receptacles, kiosks for patrons to pay for parking outside of the Passport App and increasing police patrols. The updates will be implemented in the months ahead.

The Central Maintenance Department conducted the cleaning in collaboration with the Fire Department and Department of Public Works. Some areas of the parking garage, like the garage elevator, will be revisited as additional resources are needed to complete the cleaning.

“The Olive Street Parking Garage is a critical cog in our downtown,” Mayor Ginny Desorgher said in a statement. “It is imperative that we, as a city, make the garage a welcoming place for all visitors. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the Central Maintenance team and other departments for completing the cleanup swiftly. I am confident that we have a great vision in place for continued improvements for the parking garage.”

In addition, the city is working to update the parking garage’s electric vehicle chargers. The chargers have been experiencing inconsistent performance. The Energy and Sustainability Department is working on a permanent solution to fix the issue.