Key Notes from the Select Board (SB), September 13, 2023, Hybrid

Mark Cappadona from Colonial Group presented what will happen now with the Stockbridge Aggregation Plan. The SB approved forming an aggregation plan which will allow Stockbridge to negotiate for the best electricity price per kilowatt. Now Colonial will go first to the Department of Energy Resources to be approved and then to the Department pf Public Utilities, Approval rom the second body could take two to four years, Once granted Sockbridge would hav emore negotiating power than an individual and could alos endeavor to join a larger group.

Seats to be filled: there is an open seat on the Council on Aging and Patrick White offered to step aside if someone else is interested in serving on the Cemetery Commission. Chair Cardillo invited people interested to apply.

The Town Administrator reported on the Children's Chime Tower, the Ice Glen, and the crosswalks. Once the bells are repaired and reinstalled in October, it will only remain to restore the copula.

All parts of the Cat and Dog fountain are repaired except for the cat and dog. It will be fully restored soon. Patrick White asked if there was a plan for restoration of the grounds surrounding the fountain. He pointed out than is the entrance to Town and an important feature of Main Street. He hoped Tom Farley and other local landscape designers would be asked to make suggestions as well as townsfolk. White also thanked Kate Fletcher, Bob Jones, Carl Sprague for their years of work.

When the crosswalks are due to be repaired and paved, we will be informed via the "code red" system which street will be closed.

It was proposed that the Building Department be reorganized. For four towns — Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox and Stockbridge, there will be one Building Commissioner, three building inspectors, and staff in each of the four offices. Jennifer Carmichael will remain in Stockbridge office plus we will have one building inspector 20 hours per week. Canales said it should be more cost effective and give adequate coverage. The proposal passed.

The ash trees in Ice Glen are doing well — we lost a number of hemlocks - treatment of both will continue.

Great Barrington Select Board member Leigh Davis presented the plan for the Transfer Fee proposed in GB. Step one for being able to implement the plan would be approval from the legislature. There is some urgency in getting this approval so Great Barrington is placing it as a warrant item on the October 23, Special Town Meeting.

Patrick White would like the SB to vote to do the same so Stockbridge is onboard. He was careful to stress that voting for the warrant item does not commit Stockbridge to a Transfer Fee, that would be discussed and voting on separately. This warrant item would just accomplish the first step of getting legislative approval to pursue the idea. Jamie Minacci and Cardillo said they needed more time and more information. It may be on the agenda of the next SB meeting still in time to place on the warrant for the October 23 Special Town meeting.

Editor's note: Municipal electricity aggregation is a form of group purchasing in which a town selects an electricity supplier on behalf of its residents and businesses.

Photo: Lionel Delevingne