DEERFIELD — With the Selectboard taking into consideration feedback from its public safety leaders, River Road will remain two lanes, although the town will closely monitor its structural integrity over the winter months.

In a Monday morning meeting, board members clarified to residents the agenda item “vote on one-way traffic proposal” didn’t properly convey the discussion they intended to have because it could have led people to believe the entire road was going to be reduced to one lane.

Instead, the board — with Trevor McDaniel absent — specifically wanted to discuss the area around 526 River Road, which has been sinking following July’s rainstorms.

After meeting with Highway Superintendent Kevin Scarborough and Police Chief John Paciorek Jr., the Selectboard opted to keep traffic flowing because the road seems to be stabilizing.

“At the moment they do not see any reason to go to one lane,” Selectboard member Tim Hilchey said of Scarborough and Paciorek. “They monitor it daily and we are obviously going to follow the advice of the public safety officers.”

Following the discussion, a handful of residents in attendance raised concerns about their increased tax bills, which would likely further increase if the town ultimately passes up to $5 million of borrowing authority at the Jan. 16 special election.

The Selectboard has stated previously that approximately $3 million of that $5 million amount would be for money spent in deficit to fix roads that were severely damaged and closed following July’s rainstorms, while the rest would provide flexibility to fix River Road in the event it fails.

The same measure concerning the Selectboard’s borrowing authority failed earlier this month in a narrow vote. Less than 10% of voters turned out at the polls.

“It’s out-of-control spending. … Every time we turn around it’s another expense,” said resident Charlene Galenski. “It’s hurting the taxpayers and it’s not fair.”

Hilchey said he understands the frustration regarding taxes among residents, but greatly increased property assessments also play into residents’ bills. Personal property tax is calculated by multiplying the assessed value of the property — in Deerfield’s case, the town contracts Patriot Properties for assessments — by the personal property tax rate of the municipality per $1,000 valuation.

“The recent assessments and property valuations were pretty shocking for folks,” Hilchey said.

Deerfield’s tax rate has decreased in the last few years from a high of $15.85 per $1,000 valuation in 2021, down to $15.17 in 2022 and then $14.97 in 2023.

“Our tax rate went down and everyone’s assessments went up,” Selectboard Chair Carolyn Shores Ness said. “We’re all faced with the same thing.”

In a proposal to take the load off taxpayers, Galenski referenced a 2015 Greenfield Recorder article where Shores Ness showed support for a bill filed by then-Rep. Steve Kulik that would allow towns to require nonprofits to pay 25% of what they would have paid in property taxes if they were not tax-exempt under state law. A municipality’s residents would also have to vote to adopt the provision.

That bill, however, was never reported out of committee by the Legislature, according to Shores Ness. A similar bill was filed in the current legislative session by Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven, D-Somerville, and it was referred to the Joint Committee on Revenue in February.

Hilchey said he’d support the payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) legislation for Deerfield’s nonprofits and it’s something others in the state are also pushing toward.

“Every year since Steve Kulik filed that bill it’s never been reported out of committee. … PILOT would be a great thing for the town,” he said. “It’s one of the things the Mass. Municipal Association has recommended.”

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.