Notes from the Select Board, January 26, Hybrid meeting.

Present:

• Patrick White, Chair
• Chuck Cardillo
• Jamie Minacci
• Michael Canales, Town Administrator
• Others identified as they speak.

1. The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.
2. Report by Steve Shatz on the "Housatonic Rest of the River" (HROR) Municipal Committee
   1. Shatz joke: should be called rest of my life committee (served 10 years)
   2. EPA permit issued; permit challenged by Housatonic River Initiative (HRI).
   3. Some revision on cleanup and landfill
   4. In Court of Appeals now — oral arguments this summer and then decision — hard to estimate when ruling expected.
   5. Depends on who loses — if "they" (apparently HRI) lose only appeal is to Supreme Court.
   6. "Good" that GE agreed to planning immediately so that planning is underway even as case is in court.
   7. White called Executive Session to discuss more details and will return to open meeting.
3. Canales reported $16,000 will be deducted from American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds to pay for the Berkshire Community Action Council (BCAC) weatherization program.
4. Minacci reported that Stockbridge won an award for the Ice Glen Project — Stockbridge was one of three municipalities in Massachusetts to win the Kenneth E. Pickard Municipal Innovation Award.
5. February 13, Paul Mark and (possibly) Smitty Pignatelli will visit Stockbridge for "Coffee and Conversation." SB room in Town offices 10am
6. One-day liquor licenses for Berkshire Botanical Garden for specific dates through September 2023 approved.
7. Three candidates applied for the position of Director of the Senior Center. Two were declared strong candidates. Of the two Canales recommended Stockbridge resident Roxanne McCaffrey. Voted by SB and approved.
8. White opened meeting to public comment
   1. Michael Roisman asked for SB to place an Article on the Warrant for Town Meeting. That is: To see if the Town will vote to have the Finance Committee members elected by the voters rather than appointed by the Town Moderator.
   2. John Hart and Anita Schwerner spoke in favor. SB declined to place it on the Warrant.
   3. Roisman has opportunity to place it on the Warrant by citizens' petition.
9. Request for Special Permit for 10 Pine Street. Attorney Lori Robbins represented owner Linda Shafiroff.
   1. Tear down existing barn which is in bad shape and was built over the boundary line
   2. Build new two-story structure with garage and office on ground floor and living space above.
   3. White placed a condition that the space could not be short-term rental.
   4. Approved unanimously — White applauded decision as creating additional housing close to Town
10. There was a temporary interruption as Canales and the applicants left the room. Upon return there was a problem. Unclear if Canales, PB, or TC objected but someone thought if there was living space on second floor, then an additional permit from PB was needed. It seemed unclear. Final decision was that permit w/condition approved by SB stood and Shafiroff would get a building permit and start work while simultaneously sorting out the other issue.
11. White presented an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) bylaw to be placed on Warrant for TM approval. Passed unanimously. PB has 65 days to review and hold hearings plus 21 days to act. if PB does not meet deadline automatically on Warrant.
12. White recommended a second bylaw change called the Residential Inclusionary Development Bylaw (RID). In brief RID requires developers of 10 units to include 1 affordable housing unit (AHU); 20 units 2 AHUs; 30 units, 3AHUs etc. Passed.
13. Pine Woods — White reported deferred maintenance at Pine Woods requires "a deep dive" into current condition.

Meeting adjourned.

Editor's question: 1. HROR "was created in 2013 to advocate common Housatonic River cleanup goals for the Rest of River to the EPA. It is governed by an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) signed by each municipality." Members are appointed by their respective executive authorities. "Originally consisting of Pittsfield, Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, Sheffield and Stockbridge, this was the first time all the Massachusetts municipalities on the Housatonic River directly impacted by the cleanup spoke with one voice." In his report, Steve Shatz kept using "we" and "they" — who is we and who is they?

Kenneth E. Pickard Municipal Innovation Award, received by Stockbridge, the first Berkshire County municipality to win this award since 2014.