Boards and Commissions
BOARD OF ASSESSORS
The three-member elected Board of Assessors has the responsibility to assess all real and personal property within the Town at full and fair cash value and to compute the tax rate according to the amount to be raised by taxation. The tax rate is subject to approval by the Department of Revenue. The office staff for the Board is responsible for information regarding property valuation, owner verification of property, assessment laws, procedures for abatement applications, exemption and revaluation information, and administering motor vehicle excise bills. Motor vehicles are taxed from the date of registration through to December 31 of the calendar year and are generated by the Registry of Motor Vehicles and their data base. If your registration is good for more than one year, the assessment date is as of January 1 through December 31 of the calendar year. When requesting an excise abatement, the owner must account for both the registration plate and the vehicle. All ownership or registration changes should be made at the Registry of Motor Vehicles as soon as the change occurs and notification of mailing changes should be sent to the Assessor’s Office. A property owner requesting a reduction in assessment, must apply to the Board of Assessors within thirty days from the time the “real” property tax bill was mailed. A motor vehicle owner requesting an excise tax reduction may apply at any time to the Board of Assessors. The Assessors may decide to grant, refuse or grant a part of the abatement requested. Appeals of their decision may be taken, within three months of the Assessor’s decision, to the Appellate Tax Board of the State. The Assessor’s Office in the Town Hall has pamphlets available regarding exemption requirements, excise abatements and real estate abatements.
BUILDING DEPARTMENT
The Inspector of Buildings is appointed by the Board of Selectmen, who is charged with the enforcement of the zoning by-laws and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Building Code. During construction, he must inspect at various intervals, and a Certificate of Occupancy is required at completion. He oversees the Wiring, Plumbing and Gas Inspectors who must approve all work in their respective areas for conformance to the Building Code. The Building-Zoning Inspector withholds permits if the construction or use will be in violation of the By-laws and may halt construction at any time if it is determined that a violation is occurring.
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
Appointed by the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Appeals has jurisdiction over appeals from rulings of administrative officials of the Town made under the Zoning By-laws. In addition, the board has authority with respect to particular premises, to authorize a variance from the terms of the applicable provision of the zoning by-law in certain limited instances. The board hearings are always public, and any person, whether entitled to notice thereof or not, may appear in person, by agent or by attorney. Notice of the hearing must be published in the local newspaper and sent by mail to the petitioner, abutters, owners of land directly opposite on any public or private street or way, and abutters to the abutters within three hundred feet of the property line of the petitioner as they appear on the most recent applicable tax list. When the Board has reached a decision on any matter, the decision is reduced to writing and filed with the Town Clerk, and notice of the decision is given to the persons entitled to notice. Notice of any variance or permit granted by the Board of Appeals must be filed in the Registry of Deeds in Greenfield by the petitioner.
LAND USE, ZONING AND PLANNING
The Planning Board was established by the Annual Town Meeting in 1966. It is a board of six members appointed by the Selectmen. The Board is vested with the legal responsibility of reviewing proposed land developments and ensuring the orderly growth of the Town, guided by its own subdivision regulation, the Town’s Zoning By-laws, and other State and Federal land development requirements and applicable plans. While there are overlapping areas of interest with other Town bodies, the primary functions of the Orange Planning Board are to review proposed changes to the Zoning By-laws and to insure satisfactory compliance with its subdivision regulations and special permits.
A major portion of the Planning Boards’ work and administrative power derives from the Massachusetts Planning and Subdivision control Legislation. Any land owner desiring to divide his or her land for development must submit an application and plan to the Planning Board. The Board exercises a certain amount of control over such a project, since all lots normally must contain the minimum frontage and area required by the Zoning By-laws. In addition, all streets and utilities are subject to approval by the Board as to the manner in which they are laid out and constructed. The adequacy of pipes and equipment to be used in a water system are considered by the board, as well as drainage facilities for the road ways.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Directed by the Chief of Police, the Orange Police Department is a full service law enforcement agency consisting of a staff of full time professionally trained police officers with specialized units. The Police Station is located at 400 East River Street.
The Orange Fire Department, in addition to fighting fires, provides an emergency medical service with highly trained and highly motivated firefighter/emergency medical technicians. Under the direction of the Chief, the Department conducts fire safety and fire prevention programs to civic organizations and other groups; ongoing business and homeowner inspections to insure a safe environment; and inspection programs of fire prevention laws and regulations in the area of underground storage tanks, investigations of fire incidents, and training of Department personnel in order to keep pace with the rapid changes in technology. There are two fire stations in town – Station 1 headquartered on Water Street and Station 2 in Tully. Outdoor burning is allowed during certain months of the year and by permit only from the Fire Department.
A town owned ambulance, operated by the Fire Department, is available in an emergency for transportation to any of the hospitals.
The Town employs a Dog Control Officer, nominated annually by the Board of Selectmen and approved by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Food and Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Health. The Dog Control Officer enforces the Orange dog control law that requires a dog to be under the supervision of its owner or keeper at all times. The Officer investigates dog complaints, collects and impounds strays, quarantines dogs involved in biting incidents, issues non-criminal complaints for all unlicensed dog owners and assists the Town Clerk’s Office with the annual licensing by April 1. A current rabies certificate must accompany all applications for the license.
The Highway Department has a superintendent who is under the supervision of the Selectmen. In addition to maintaining Town roads, the department is responsible for snow and ice removal, sweeping, upkeep of catch basins and drainage systems and maintenance of sidewalks.
The Town of Orange has no municipal or garbage collection,
residents enlist a private company licensed through the Board of Health or haul
their trash to the Transfer Station on Jones Street. Stickers for residents are available for a fee at the
Recycling Center. Bags are also
required for the disposal of garbage at a small fee.
The Water Department is supervised by three elected Commissioners who employ a superintendent to oversee the day-to-day operations. The Department has an office on West Myrtle Street.
COUNCIL ON AGING
The Council is a nine member board appointed by the Board of Selectmen. The Council on Aging carry out policies set by the Board and oversee the operation of the Senior Center. The multi-service Senior Center is located in the Armory on East Main Street, where a broad range of social, recreational, cultural, health promotion, fitness, and intergenerational programs are offered. A noonday meal is served five days a week at the Center. The Council seeks to put people in touch with resources that can help out when life style changes need to be made or when problems associated with aging need solving. Among the many programs and services available to senior citizens are shopping transportation, meals-on-wheels, socialization and enrichment activities, and day and overnight trips. Free legal, income tax, and health insurance counseling is available by appointment through the Council on Aging.
LIBRARY
Wheeler Memorial Library is on East Main Street. The Library is governed by an elected Board of six trustees who are responsible for the general planning and policy making for current and future library needs. They present the annual budget to the Town and hire a Director to administer the activities of the Library. The Director supervises the operation of the Library that includes hiring staff, book selection, program development and financial management. The Library has a branch in North Orange, which is the Moore-Leland Library.
ORANGE
MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
The Airport Commission has five commissioners appointed by the Board of Selectmen. They hire a Manager to take charge of the everyday things.