Town Of Shutesbury

What Town Of Shutesbury does

The Town of Shutesbury is a municipal government entity in Franklin County, Massachusetts, serving approximately 1,800 residents under an open Town Meeting form of direct democracy. Originally established as Roadtown in 1735 and incorporated as Shutesbury in 1761, it is governed by a three-member Select Board (Chair Melissa Makepeace O'Neil, Vice-Chair Eric Stocker, Board Member James Walton) and operates standard municipal departments including Fire, Police, Highway, Library (M.N. Spear Memorial Library), Assessors, Tax Collector, Treasurer, Town Clerk, and Town Administrator. The Town provides full municipal services — public safety, road maintenance, K-6 education (Shutesbury Elementary School), public library services, solid waste/recycling, vital records, public health, and land use planning — funded primarily by property taxes (FY2026 residential rate $16.21 per $1,000 valuation), Massachusetts state aid, and various fees.

The Town's most distinctive infrastructure asset is ShutesburyNET, a municipally owned fiber-to-the-home broadband network operated through the Municipal Light Plant (MLP), delivering 1Gbps symmetric internet and phone services to all town residents for $66–$79/month, with town-subsidized installations (homeowner pays first $200, town covers up to $700) and 24/7 customer service. A major capital initiative underway is construction of a new Net Zero Energy public library (groundbreaking August 2024, contractor Construction Dynamics, Inc.), replacing the aging M.N. Spear Memorial Library. The Town coordinates extensively with regional and state partners including the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG), Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA), FEMA, MEMA, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), and the Mass Cultural Council, and has obtained FEMA approval of its Hazard Mitigation Plan (2022), enabling access to state and federal mitigation grants.

The business model is public-sector: revenue is generated through mandatory property tax levies, motor vehicle excise taxes, recurring subscription fees for ShutesburyNET broadband, state aid and categorical grants from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and transactional fees for permits, licenses, and vital records. The go-to-market is direct-to-resident via Town Hall in-person service, an online portal (shutesbury.org), phone, mail, and community facilities, with no commercial intermediaries. Customer segmentation is horizontal — all residents and property owners receive municipal services, with specialized programs for seniors (Council on Aging, FRTA transportation, senior tax exemptions) and families (library programs, recreation, schools).

Name

Town Of Shutesbury

Legal name

Town of Shutesbury

Website

https://shutesbury.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1761

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Town of Shutesbury is a municipal government in Franklin County, Massachusetts, serving approximately 1,800 residents with full public services including public safety, education, road maintenance, and ShutesburyNET municipal fiber broadband, funded by property taxes, state aid, and utility fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Services to Buildings and Dwellings (5617), Janitorial Services (561720), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Municipal & Community Broadband ISPs (HDAIADAH), Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Landfills (Non-hazardous) (EUAIACAB), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public safety services
• Public education
• Tax collection
• Municipal broadband internet

Headquarters

HQ city

West Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Property Tax: Primary revenue source; residential tax rate of $16.21 per $1,000 valuation, commercial/industrial at $16.19 per $1,000, collected quarterly
2. Motor Vehicle Excise Tax: Annual excise tax on registered vehicles, due 30 days after billing date
3. Broadband Service Fees: Monthly fees for ShutesburyNET fiber internet and phone services: $66 for internet only, $66 for phone only, $79 for bundled service
4. State Aid and Grants: Revenue from Commonwealth of Massachusetts including lottery, school aid, and various categorical grants
5. Fees and Licenses: Various municipal fees including permit fees (ZBA Special Permit $500, Variance $400), dog licenses, vital records ($5 per copy), and burial plot fees

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Town of Shutesbury is a municipal government providing a comprehensive range of public services to its approximately 1,800 residents in Franklin County, Massachusetts. Core offerings include property tax collection, public safety (police and fire), public education (K-6), road maintenance and snow removal, public library services, recycling/solid waste management, vital records, and a municipally-owned fiber-to-the-home broadband internet service (ShutesburyNET) providing 1Gbps internet and phone service.

Product overview

The Town of Shutesbury operates a municipal government website serving as a unified portal for all town services and administration. The primary service offerings include ShutesburyNET broadband (fiber internet via the Municipal Light Plant), various administrative departments (Fire, Police, Library, Highway, Assessors, Tax Collector, Town Clerk), and committee governance. A major ongoing initiative is the construction of the new Shutesbury Public Library (groundbreaking August 2024), which will replace the existing M.N. Spear Memorial Library with a sustainable Net Zero Energy facility. The town also provides educational services through the Shutesbury Elementary School and coordinates secondary education via regional partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ShutesburyNET: Municipal broadband fiber internet service operated by the Town's Municipal Light Plant, providing high-speed fiber internet and phone services to residents.

Products and services

• ShutesburyNET Broadband Service
• Fire Department Emergency Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 33.12% recycling rate achieved, saving $15,599.90 in disposal fees
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LifePathcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArea Agency on Aging supporting Franklin County citizens 55 years and over through individual, home, and community services. LifePath provides free weekly newsletters, annual directory of local resources, workshops, and coordinates with Council on Aging for senior services including Money Management Program for elders.
• Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional planning department that provides planning support, assists with grant applications, and offers technical assistance. FRCOG staff conducted pollinator habitat presentation and developed county-wide pollinator plans in collaboration with Open Space Committee.
• Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Demand Response curb-to-curb transportation service for Shutesbury residents age 60 and up, Monday-Friday 5:30am-7:30pm and weekends. Cost waived with state grants through end of June 2025. All vehicles wheelchair accessible.
• Massachusetts Department of Public HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState health agency providing guidance on respiratory viruses including COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Public Health Nurse Sarah Fiske coordinates with DPH for reporting requirements.
• Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState emergency management agency that co-administers Hazard Mitigation Plan with FEMA and DCR. MEMA provides grant funding for pre- and post-disaster mitigation projects reducing impact of natural and man-made disasters.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency that approved Shutesbury's Hazard Mitigation Plan in 2022, making town eligible for state and federal grant monies to fund mitigation projects.
• Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency co-administering FEMA mitigation grants with MEMA. DCR provides guidance on wildfire risk mitigation and environmental regulations including Consolidated Permit Applications for Clean Energy Projects (225 CMR 29.00).
• Massachusetts Historical CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState historic preservation agency that Historical Commission coordinates with to preserve distinctive characteristics of Shutesbury. Commission serves as conduit for National Register consideration.
• Mass Cultural Council (MCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState cultural agency providing public funding for arts, humanities, and sciences distributed to Local Cultural Councils. MCC provides application portal, program guidelines, and funding that Shutesbury Cultural Council distributes locally.
• Kestrel Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand conservation organization that received 143-acre bequest of Ames Pond/Julian's Bower property from Julian Janowitz. Kestrel is developing 5-mile trail system with first phase including expanded parking and accessible meadow trail, funded by Community Preservation Act.
• Valley Health CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant-supported collaborative bringing Public Health Nurse Sarah Fiske to Shutesbury, providing free services including home visits, wellness check-ins, and health resource coordination.
• Williamstown Art Conservation CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt conservation facility providing rehabilitation and restoration services for historic guideboard on Shutesbury Town Common, funded through Community Preservation Act grant and Friends of Historical Commission.
• Leverett Transfer StationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal solid waste facility in neighboring Leverett where Shutesbury residents dispose of bulky waste items using LTS stickers purchased from Shutesbury Town Hall.
• Franklin County Solid Waste Management DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty district providing mattress recycling program information and locations. Shutesbury residents can drop off mattresses at Wendell Transfer Station for $35 per item through this program.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Town of Leverett, MA: Adjacent Franklin County, MA town of similar size and rural character; partners with Shutesbury through the Leverett Transfer Station and shares regional services (FRCOG, FRTA), making it the closest functional peer for service-mix and scale benchmarking.
• Town of Wendell, MA: Neighboring small rural Franklin County town; shares the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District mattress recycling program and comparable volunteer-driven municipal governance model — directly comparable in scale, revenue mix, and service delivery constraints.

Peers

• Town of New Salem, MA:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@townofshutesbury7668
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/town-of-shutesbury

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Town Of Shutesbury