Great Barrington Calls June 29 Special Town Meeting, Moves to Tax Simon's Rock Campus

LENOX -- June 1, 2026, Great Barrington Select Board moves to challenge Simon's Rock nonprofit tax status and calls June 29 special town meeting. The board reached consensus Monday to direct Town Manager Liz and Assessor Emily to draft a letter to Bard College at Simon's Rock notifying the institution that the town views the sprawling campus, currently assessed at approximately $63 million on out-of-date field cards, as eligible for taxation in fiscal year 2027, with details to follow. The Assessor told the board the existing property records are too deficient to defend in court on the current timeline, but members agreed that sending the notice preserves the legal option while detailed assessment work continues. Board member Phil argued a conservatively low aggregate valuation of $10 to $20 million, based on informal broker estimates, would be defensible and difficult for Bard to contest while the institution simultaneously markets the property for sale at higher values. The board also voted unanimously to approve ownership changes at The Well restaurant, bringing longtime bartender Emily Thompson in at a 45 percent stake, and unanimously confirmed Malcolm Fick as an alternate to the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. The special town meeting, driven by a citizen petition, will be held June 29 at 6 p.m. at Monument Mountain Regional High School, with a citizen petition submission window open June 2 through June 5 at 4 p.m.