LENOX â Despite mounds of snow decorating the downtown historic village, and with an uncertain outlook for the summer arts and entertainment season because of COVID-19, the Lenox Cultural District is planning a series of outdoor activities for spring and beyond.
The districtâs mission is to promote cultural resources not only within its defined boundaries in the village center, but also for the small businesses and large venues âthat help make Lenox unique and vibrant throughout the year,â Land Use Director and Town Planner Gwen Miller said at the organizationâs recent virtual meeting.
As a hub, the district, established in 2019 by the Mass Cultural Council, works as a spoke leading to smaller and outlying attractions, she added, with pathways and signs, as well as creation of new offseason and summertime programming and events.
LENOX Housing development. A new public safety building. Improved infrastructure. Those are among the items listed as priorities in the town’s 2021 master plan, the first since 1999. The
LENOX â Thanks to robust new growth in the value of commercial and residential property, the townâs taxpayers can look forward to bills essentially unchanged, on average, from the past year.
Thatâs the bottom line from the Select Boardâs data-rich annual tax classification hearing Wednesday. After a presentation by Administrative Assessor Randy Austin, the board voted unanimously to keep the traditional split rate for taxation.
For fiscal 2021, it will be $11.65 per thousand dollars of assessed value for single-family homes and $14.06 per thousand for commercial and industrial properties.
Commercial, industrial and personal property taxes are collected at a higher rate than for residences, as Lenox is one of the countyâs few towns to maintain that distinction.