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Everett L. Martin
"Gus"
Owner and Past Operator of Elmartin Farm
and
Assessor, Accountant, Appraiser,
Property Tax Consultant
Massachusetts Accredited Assessor #40 - 2/18/77
Last three-year re-certification on 7/19/11
Integrity On & Off The Farm
Three generations of farming and assessing
in Cheshire starting with Gus' grandfather.
When Gus' grandfather died, Everett Sr.
assumed the role; upon
on his death,
the Town farmers 'insisted' that
Gus run for election to
secure the office.
He won.
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Owner Operator
Elmartin Farm
Seventh generation of Martins farming in Cheshire since 1790
with 8th and 9th generations presently working the farm.
Current Activity
Owner Elmartin Farm since 1959.
Operator to 2013
Memberships:
Berkshire County Farm Bureau
Berkshire
Grown
Holstein Friesian Association
Other Activities
Agricultural Fairs Judge for Dairy, Flowers, Fruit, Vegetables and Grange Exhibits
Former Member of Cheshire Grange #17, Master for several years
4-H Club Leader for 25 years – 1956 to
1981
4-H Club Achievement & Awards
Berkshire County Outstanding Member under 14, Lamp from Western Mass. Electric Co.
Berkshire
County Outstanding Member Award at Barrington Fair, Camera & Projector
Massachusetts winner in 4-H Leadership –1954,
Gold Watch
National winner in 4-H Leadership, trip to National 4-H Club Congress, Chicago
National Dairy Products Corp. Efficient Production Award – 1955,
4-H Club Agent - Berkshire County Extension Service 1967
Non-Farm Memberships
Hoosac Hose Company - Cheshire’s Volunteer Fire Department
Treasurer
Education
Adams High School - Class of 1953
University
of Massachusetts -
Stockbridge School of Agriculture
Associate Degree in Science 1955
Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers Schools
MA Municipal Auditors & Accountants Assoc. School
2001 & 2003
Historical Farm Highlights &
Exchange Programs
See Inset Below
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Assessor, Accountant, Appraiser,
Property Tax Consultant
Father, Grand Father, daughter-in-law, and self all assessors;
A combined total of 100 years in the profession..
Current Assessing & Appraising
Assessor - Town of Cheshire – 2/5/60 to 6/30/04
and since 5/1/06
Assessor - Town of
New Ashford - 7/1/87 to 6/30/04
and since 7/1/05
State Farmland
Valuation Advisory Commission
Appointed by Governor Francis Sargent in 1974
Instructor:
MAAO - Course 200; General Laws Chapters 61, 61A & 61B
MAAO
UMASS Annual School - Most years from 1988 to 2006
Awards:
Past Presidents Award - Mass. Assoc. Assessing Officers - 1981
Wilson Award - Mass.
Assoc. Assessing Officers - 1992
Sherry Vermilya Award - Northeast Regional Assessors - 1998
Berkshire Co. Assessors Presidential Award - 2002
Catherine E. Pardee Award - Northeast
Regional Assessors - 2013
Memberships:
Berkshire County Assessors Association
Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers
President – 1991,
Site Committee Chair since 1983
Northeast Regional Association of Assessing Officers
Vice-President 5/2005 to 5/2006, Secretary since 10/19/2007
International Association of Assessing Officers
– State Rep.
Other Work & Past Employment
Assessor
for Town of Williamstown 1/30/84 to 10/10/86
Assessor for Town of Clarksburg 7/1/88 to 12/31/95
Appraiser for A. Perras Appraisal 1992 to 1994
Consultant to Assessors in Plainfield, Richmond, Hindsale,
Lanesboro, Florida, Hancock, Peru, New Marlboro, Southampton, Windsor & Williamsburg,
Cheshire Town Accountant 3/15/2000 to 6/30/03
South Adams Savings Bank Corporator 1962 - 2011
IAAO Conferences Attended
1988 Nashville, 1991 Phoenix, 1996 Seattle,
2003 Nashville, 2004
Boston, 2005 Anchorage, 2006 Milwaukee
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A Few Historical Farm Highlights
Under Gus' & Dodi's Ownership
From 1960’s to 1980’s, operated a cattle trucking sideline, started by my father, which weekly
collected cows and calves in the area to go to Cambridge Valley Livestock Market in Cambridge, New York.
Served as a representative for Eastern States Farmers Exchange, which became Agway; and then
later for other brands, selling and delivering grain, seed, and fertilizer to area farmers.
With brother Fred, ran our milk processing plant; operated five delivery trucks with routes
from north of Pittsfield to south of Bennington, with a processing plant in Stamford.
Bred cows artificially for area farmers with semen stored in dry ice and later in liquid
nitrogen.
Went on a People to People Agricultural Tour in 1980 with then state agricultural commissioner,
Fred Winthrop, plus twenty other individuals to Poland, Romania, Denmark and Sweden.
While a 4-H Club Agent, chaperoned 21 4-H’ers from Massachusetts to the World Expo ‘67
in Montreal... and from there, for a stay with 4-H families in Ontario, Canada.
Showed cattle at many fairs in the region.
For a time, raised a Shorthorn beef herd, heifers came from a sale in Cortland, NY, and
a bull from Frieburg Fair in Maine.
Purchased cows at an auction in Indiana. Purchased half of the Amy Wing herd, the Lawrence
Bieniek herd, the Dean herd and other small herds like Sophie Randall's and Mrs. Nowak's. A large number of cows came
from the Chickering auction in Bellows Falls, VT while many others from dispersals around New England.
Had a dispersal of our registered Holsteins in 1966. Our herds were always on DHIA testing.
Worked at Berkshire Farm For Boys in 1968. Bought their surplus heifers and started
a new herd of Holstein cattle. Kept small herd of 20 cows while renting part of farm to Fred Balawender and later expanding.
Sold herd again in 1979-80.
A former square dance caller who still likes to Waltz and Polka.
Family Hosted
Farm Exchange Visitors
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STUDENT
Govind Man Shrestha – Nepal
Thongtanh Souvannaphandhu – Laos
Hack Ro Rhee – Korea
Ahmnd ElKai – Egypt
Midori Matsuzaki – Japan
Kota Suzuki - Japan
Sven Erikson – Sweden
Per Martin Jedenberg – Sweden
Raul
- Venezuela
Kristin Sobstad – Norway
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PROGRAM
International Farm Youth Exchange, "IFYE," Program
Voice of America tour, Pittsfield Grange Hosted Visitors
IFYE
IFYE
Japanese 4-H Exchange
Japanese
4-H Exchange
Experiment in International Living
High School Exchange Program
IFYE
IFYE
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