Dalton Seeks Clarity from DOR on EV Charger Taxation

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — The two electric vehicle charging stations at the Community Recreation Association have been delayed in energizing to clarify whether the town needs to tax consumers. 
 
As a municipality, the town does not pay taxes on its services. However, some states require charging a tax on electricity usage, Green Committee member Antonio Pagliarulo said during last week's committee meeting. 
 
The town is waiting to hear back from the state Department of Revenue on this matter. Once they know if charging a tax is required, the billing and payment system for the EV chargers can be adjusted to add that cost. 
 
In addition, two weeks ago, Pagliarulo said the town accountant informed him that the DOR does not permit prepayment for the 5-year software package for operation and maintenance. 
 
"When we submitted the bid and the contract all through this last year, I've always said it's a prepaid software package for five years through ChargePoint and a five-year operation and maintenance–that is not permitted," he said. 
 
Universal Electric installed the chargers at the CRA, which they buy directly from state-approved vendors, in this case, ChargePoint.
 
"All municipalities are limited to one-year prepayment for most goods and services, and I believe Universal will be agreeable to updated language," Pagliarulo said in a follow-up. 
 
Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson explained later that the contract with Universal was updated to reflect a one-year prepayment, and the hope is to have the remaining four years covered through the revenue the chargers generate. 
 
Background on the CRA EV Chargers: 
 
During a town meeting in May 2023, voters allocated $42,000 to fund the Green Committee's request for two charging stations. 
 
The project was delayed for two months due to paperwork requirements for the state Department of Environmental Protection. However, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. 
 
The town originally had planned a level 2 station with a 7.2 kilowatt system, but the Green Committee could upgrade it to a 19.6kW system at no additional cost, Pagliarulo said previously. 
 
This upgrade more than doubles the charging speed, but charging times vary based on vehicle type and weather conditions.

Tags: electric vehicle,   

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Companion Corner: Fox at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a sweet and energetic dog at the Berkshire Humane Society waiting for his new family.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

Fox is a 3-year-old Pomeranian who has been at the shelter for about a month.

Canine caregiver and adoption counselor Simone Olivieri told us about Fox. 

"He's a bundle of joy. He would love a family who's home with him a lot, because he's just, he's very social and wants to be with his people a lot. And he would be fun to bring out and about, bring a lot of places, because he's very happy to go anywhere," she said.

When Fox enters the room he is immediately a puffball of energy that goes around and around the room.

He came to the shelter after his former owner could not take care of him anymore. 

"The owner was just not able to care for him anymore. Had he came in with another dog, Wolf, and she already did find her forever home just last week," said Olivieri. "The two of them were left with a friend of the original owner, and the owner did not come back to pick them up, and the friend had too many animals in the house, and too much going on, and she just couldn't continue to look after them, so they did end up coming to us."

Fox can go home with cats and children but is not recommended to go home with other dogs as he gets too excited.

"He would love a home where people are home quite a bit to give him all the attention that he so desires. He loves kids. He absolutely adores children. So he would like a home with kids to play with. He could live with cats. We are saying that he should not live with other dogs. The only reason is that he gets very humpy, and he does not leave the other dogs alone," she said.

With his energy it is recommended he goes to a home that can keep him active whether walks or hikes and even fetch in the yard.

Fox does need to learn more about walking on a leash and has a tendency to mark in the house but he was recently neutered. Olivieri said belly bands will be sent home with whoever adopts him to help prevent marking and managing it.

"He would like an active home. He really does like to go for walks daily. He likes to run around in the yard. He does need a little work on leash walking. He sometimes gets a little tangled still under your feet, and he's learning how to walk on a leash," she said. "So, someone who's got some patience and some time to work on some training with him."

"He also is not fully potty trained, so he does know to go potty outside. However, he will still mark, urinate in the house sometimes, and he might poop here and there in the house."

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