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		<subject index="0" >January 30, 2006</subject>

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January 30, 2006

Present:  Deb McMenamy, Cris Irsfeld, George Shippey, Gary Kleinerman-Stockbridge Bowl Association, Bruce Finn-Red Lion Inn, Mark Baldridge, Attorney Philip Heller, Gary Johnston, John Hart, Derek Gentile and Karen –CTSB and Jorja Marsden

Gary Kleinerman wanted to up date the Selectmen on meetings that have been taken place with George Shippey, and Ken Wagner from ENSR and Attorney Tom Harrington, Miyares and Harrington.  The parties met to discuss strategy regarding Tennessee Gas Pipeline and the division pipe.  Tennessee Gas told them a plan had been approved by them and the Board of Selectmen in the early 1990’s.  Mr. Wagner and an engineer from ENSR came and reviewed the area and felt that it would be easy to install the division with most likely the monies already given to the Town as a gift from Tennessee Pipeline.  The committee discussed the option and felt it would be better to rethink the proposal for the 5 ½ foot draw down first, then do the division pipe.

The committee is concerned with the grating over the dam as it is too small to pass leaves and other debris down stream.  This is the main reason the Town was unable to achieve a good drawdown over the past years.  Changing the grating would allow us to accomplish a 5 ½ foot drawdown.  Remote monitoring and control of the flood gate is being looked at and in fact Mr. Wagner has stated that this would be a requirement to actually do a 5 ½ foot drawdown.

The diversion pipe plans will be updated, preliminary work, testing and permitting costs and ENSR’s monitoring of the construction is estimated to cost about $38,000, with the cost of pipe installation to be about $70,000.  The diversion pipe will be drilled under the exiting sewer and gas pipes and will be a natural flow pipe needing no pumps.  There will be abutments on each end about ground level.  The division pipe work will be done under water.

The committee will be meeting with Natural Heritage soon and the Conservation Commission on February 28 for informal conversation prior to filing the NOI.

Deb publicly disclosed that she works for Country Curtains a Fitzpatrick Holding Company which the Red Lion Inn is one of the companies.

Bruce Finn, General Manager of the Red Lion Inn, came by to inform the Selectmen of the major improvement they are planning for the Red Lion Inn.  The Inn has hired Einhorn, Yaffee, Prescott of Albany, a renowned architectural and engineering firm for the improvements based on their national reputation for preservation work on historic structures.

The first phase of the improvements will be to the 28 room on the South side (called the motel side) which will include, replacing existing windows to improve acoustic and energy performance, improve sound transmission properties of interior walls, replace the HVAC system with a 4 pipe system, renovate bathrooms, accessibility, improve the overall fire rating and egress points, repair chimneys and install gas fireplaces in room with currently non-functioning fireplaces, structural repairs, replace electrical, plumbing and sprinkler system, provide new fire alarm and detection system and provide lightening protection.

The Inn has been planning extensive landscaping of the front of the inn, which may be started this spring.   The landscaping will include re-plantings, some re-paving, new signage, a new covering over the Lion’s Den entrance and new menu boards out front, as well as additional ground level seating areas.  The idea is to tie in the front of the Inn with the sidewalk and parking, to provide more inviting impression.

The pool area renovation is planned which would include taking back some of the parking area surround it and turning it into a park like setting, winterizing the pool and adding a hot tub.

 Mr. Finn stated that the cost of the building permit will be $25,691 as Stockbridge doesn’t have a sliding scale for their building permit fees.   Other towns do have scale-Pittsfield and Lenox for example.  He asked the Selectmen if there was anything that they could do regarding the fee.  The Selectmen will talk with Town Counsel.

Another concern was the sprinkler system for Inn as the flow rate for Town water needs to be at 2500 and 2250 GPM on the two hydrants.  When the hydrants were tested the current rate is 440 and 950 and would be insufficient to power the sprinkler system.  The Selectmen stated that the Town has been saving money to install a new water tank off of Route 7 that would increase the pressure within the downtown area.

Attorney Philip Heller representing Philip Wallach of Bean Hill Road explained that Mr. Wallach has entered into a purchase and sale agreement to sell a parcel of his property containing 9.54 acres for sale.  The Board of Assessors has determined that one acre of the 9.54 is under M.G.L. Chapter 61, Forest Land Classification.  Attorney Heller is requesting that the Selectmen waive their first refusal option for the one acre parcel.  The Selectmen stated that before they could act on this they would need to send it to Town Counsel for review.

Mark Baldridge, Christian Hill Road, came to request a culvert or some preventative construction to prevent the water from running down the road and on to his property.  The Selectmen will speak with Clint, however they are concerned that they would be preventing a problem on his property and creating another problem for another property owner or the Town.

John Hart, Rattlesnake Mountain Road, came to the Selectmen with the listing of the questions (which the Selectmen asked to be put in writing last week) that he would like answered by the Assessors.  It was suggested that he attend an Assessor’s meeting as a tool to have his questions answered.  John would like the Selectmen to also get the answers so that the Town’s people would also have the answers.

Another zoning bylaw amendment was discussed.  The Plain School is located within a Residential District, so one other item that needs to be corrected with the clearing of the title of the property is to have the definition of Municipal/government use changed.  Cris made a motion to recommend to the Planning Board the following proposed zoning change for the annual Town Meeting in May:

ARTICLE XXX:  To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 2.2 of the Zoning Bylaws by striking therefrom the definition of “Municipal/Governmental Use” and replacing it with the following:

MUNICIPAL/GOVERNMENTAL USE – Any land, structure, or combination thereof used or controlled predominantly for public purposes by any department or branch of the Town of Stockbridge, Berkshire County, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or federal government whether or not such department or branch owns the building or structure and/or the land on which it is situated.  

or to take any other action in relation thereto.

A second was received from George.  The vote to recommend to the Planning that the definition be changed for Municipal/Government Use was unanimous.

Deb announced that the Special Act regarding the Plain School had passed through committee and will be heard by the House and Senate and then onto the Governor’s desk for signing.

Cris thanked everyone who came to the retirement party for Sergeant Louis Peyron.  It was a terrific turn out.  George complimented that applause for Chief Wilcox who organized the event and Castle Street Café for the delicious food.

George made a motion at 8:20 to adjourn.  Cris seconded the motion.  The vote to adjourn was unanimous.

						A true copy, ATTEST: