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February 23, 2004

Present:  Cris Irsfeld, Deb McMenamy, George Shippey, Matt Gillis, Donna Moyer and Paul Coates-Berkshire Hills Regional School District, Ernest Lowell-GIS, Luke McBride –CTSB, and Jorja Marsden

Ernie Lowell, GIS/IT for the Town of Stockbridge came to give a presentation to the Board of Selectmen regarding an official map for the Town.  Ernie is working with Peter Falcier of Berkshire Regional Planning as part of the Transportation portion of the Community Development Plan.  He stated that the final plan is due to the State in June of 2004, and hoped to have this portion done by late March.  Ernie presented a listing of all the streets/roads in Town giving a listing if they are private, Town or State roads.  The list was a culmination of five sources:  Highway Dept. (ownership and maintenance information, Atlas Map (official Arrow Street Atlas copyright 1998), Berkshire County Engineer’s Map (last updated 1988), MassHighway Road Inventory File and the Town E911 listing.  He stated that there are many instances of minor problems, where sources disagree on spelling or placement of roads, in most cases a check of Official Town Meeting records will clear these up for example Old Colonial Road/Bucks Lane, Dugway Road, Ice Glen Road.  Ernie requested that the Selectmen review the listing and get back to him.

Donna Moyer, Superintendent of BHRSC, Matt Gillis, Business Manager of BHRSC and Paul Coates, School Committee member from Stockbridge, came before the Selectmen to present the budget for the Berkshire Hills Regional School District.  Mrs. Moyer began by handing out an estimated cost savings from the consolidation into two new buildings.  Proposed budget sheets were also handed out which described possible assessments as follows:  Combined Budget Level Funded State Revenues-Proposed Level Program Operating Budget-Stockbridge’s figure would be $2,687.136; Proposed Level Funded Operating Budget-Stockbridge’s figure would be $2,627,371; and Proposed Level Funded Operating Budget-Stockbridge’s figure would be $2,618,706.  These figures are preliminary as the School Committee has not reviewed the figures and the State figures are not available at this time.  At the present, Ms. Moyer stated that they are hoping that the School Committee will use the Operating Budget Level Funded.

Donna also stated that she was going to be sending out a letter to all residents that chose to send their child to other schools to see how the Berkshire Hills could help especially with the construction of two new schools.  Also mentioned was that a new program will be developed called Distance Learning whereby two schools would communicate by audio and video for different classes.  Great Barrington and West Stockbridge lost students this year, and Stockbridge gained.  The total student population for Stockbridge students is 180.

Cris requested that the Plain School be given back to the Town at the end of the fiscal year.   Donna stated that the new schools should be ready sometime in December, 2004, and then the punch lists will be reviewed.  After everything is done and the school emptied it will be very close to the end of June, 2005.   An architect, Margo Jones of Greenfield is looking at four options for the District Offices- Housatonic School, Plain School, Farm House or a new structure.

John Niedzielski of ECS Marlin came at the request of the Selectmen to review the proposal to place the equipment to alleviate the problem at the Convenience Store along side of the building facing Park Street.  The equipment enclosed within a fence will protrude onto Town property approximately two feet.  

The Selectmen approved the installation along side the Convenience Store, the equipment will be enclosed within a fence that will be covered with some kind of material as not to show the links and that the hours of operation will be Monday through Saturday, with no operation on Sunday.  It was also decided that Cris would speak with Town Counsel regarding the equipment being placed on Town property.  After speaking with Town Counsel, Cris or his office will be getting back to ECS Marin.

Cris stated that since two Selectmen will be out of time at the same time, the Board should designate Jorja to act in the absence of the two Selectmen.  Deb made the following motion:  “I move that the Executive Secretary be authorized to act by and for the two Selectmen who will be absent from the Town during the period February 29, 2004 to March 8, 2004 in any matter relating to the administration of the affairs of the Town that would ordinarily require the approval of a majority of the Board, provided that the Chairman determines that it is necessary or appropriate to act prior to March 8.  A second was received from George.  The vote was unanimous.

Cris made the announcement that we need a representative on the Cable Advisory Board.  The committee only meets approximately 3 times a year, and in a year when the contract needs to be rewritten the meetings would be more.

A motion was made by George to adjourn at 8:15 p.m.  A second was received from Deb.  The vote was unanimous.

						A true copy, ATTEST: