Great Barrington Community Preservation Committee Public Hearing on Cemetery and Library Preservation Projects – December 18, 2025

The Great Barrington Community Preservation Committee (CPC) met on December 18, 2025, for a presentation-only hearing on proposed Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding requests. The chair said there would be no citizen comment during the presentations, no vote would be taken, and the committee vote is scheduled for January 13, 2026. Written comments were to be emailed to Mr. Rimble for distribution. Presentations covered the Mason Library exterior painting/restoration, Elmwood Cemetery monuments, Water Street and Mahaiwe Cemetery fencing/gates, the Brown Mausoleum, and the Ramsdell Library renovation proposal.

Mason Library Exterior Painting and Preservation

• Joe Aberdale presented a package described as restoration/preservation, not just painting, for the Mason Library exterior. An independent evaluation by Ty Bond was used to support the expanded scope.
• The request was increased from the original submission to include procurement and contract administration, with funds not available through the town operating budget.
• Aberdale said phasing the work is possible but would require paying procurement and contract administration costs multiple times. If funded, the clamshell sconces work may be combined with the project, though the sconces may not fit because they are metal work.
• A building assessment covering five town buildings identified about $1.8 million in immediate needs. Mason has a building management system partly funded by grants.

Elmwood Cemetery Monuments

• Joe Aberdale explained cemetery funding: the perpetual care account principal (roughly $400,000) cannot be touched; only about $1,100 in annual interest can be used with Town Meeting approval. The lot sales account holds about $270,000 and can be used occasionally with approval for equipment such as mowers or a truck.
• The Cemetery Commission voted to allow one full burial plus up to eight cremations per grave, replacing the previous unwritten two-cremation limit, to extend cemetery capacity. Greenlawn was identified as the cemetery with the least remaining space.
• The request would address toppled, leaning, or broken monuments, prioritizing safety hazards such as leaning stones that could fall. Monuments are generally family responsibility, but for many older monuments no heirs can be found.
• Committee members discussed whether the perpetual care fund structure should be reviewed, since cemetery mowing and maintenance are already paid from the town operating budget.

Water Street and Mahaiwe Cemetery Fences and Gates

• Aberdale proposed preserving and reconditioning marble and wrought iron at Water Street Cemetery, and replacing or refabricating substantially damaged fencing at Mahaiwe Cemetery.
• The plan would extend the existing wrought-iron-style fence along South Main Street and reuse reclaimed Mahaiwe marble posts on the Silver Street side, storing surplus material.
• Committee members raised questions about whether the approach meets Secretary of the Interior standards for CPA-funded historic preservation. Staff said the project had to follow those guidelines and may need review by an architect with historic preservation experience or the Historical Commission.

Brown Mausoleum

• The proposal is to preserve the Brown Mausoleum, install a slate roof, repair the lock, and use the space for unclaimed cremated remains, including 58 or more remains currently held at local funeral homes.
• Aberdale said Historical Commission research found no surviving heirs for the Brown family, so preservation was chosen instead of removal. The CPC previously provided $20,000 toward a $40,000 request; the current roof cost is higher.
• Committee members asked whether less-expensive slate-look materials could be used. Staff responded that CPA historic preservation funding requires compliance with Secretary of the Interior guidelines; an architect or the Historical Commission would need to review material choices.
• When asked to prioritize, Aberdale said Elmwood monuments would come first, followed by the Brown Mausoleum, with fencing after.

Ramsdell Library Renovation Proposal

• Pam Sandler, a local architect and Ramsdell Building Committee member, described severe existing conditions: failing mortar, broken windows, roof flashing leaks, inaccessible aisles and bathrooms, an inaccessible second floor, no climate control, no air conditioning, and water and plaster damage. She framed the project as restoring a National Register building for modern community-library use.
• Michael Belfield of Perry Dean Rogers presented the preliminary concept developed through 28 public building committee meetings, four community meetings, surveys, and poster sessions. The plan includes an elevator, an accessible at-grade entrance, a restored Great Hall with seating for up to 100, children and teen spaces, a sensory/comfort room, and an after-hours zone. It is intended to complement, not duplicate, Mason Library services.
• In response to a question about doubling the building, the team said the existing building is about 10,934 square feet, including unused basement and second floor, and the proposed addition is about 5,594 square feet.
• Deborah Mankett, owners project manager, explained the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) process. Ramsdell is on the MBLC waiting list; the grant application and program submittal is due December 31, 2025. About 200 libraries apply annually, 18 are selected in three categories, and each category has a waiting list. Earliest possible notice is May or June 2026 if a town ahead drops out.
• Once approved, the town would have roughly six months to secure local funding and pass required town meeting votes. Design would take 12 to 14 months, with construction after that.
• The team presented a preliminary historic-preservation and accessibility cost estimate of about $1.9 million and requested $1.5 million from the CPC. MBLC would fund up to about 59% of eligible project costs; ineligible costs include furniture, parking, and temporary quarters. CPC funds would only be used for eligible historic preservation and accessibility work.
• Ruby Chang, library trustee and Ramsdell Building Committee chair, explained that if Ramsdell moves off the waitlist, the town meeting would need to approve both the total project cost and acceptance of the MBLC grant, which is why the committee was seeking funding commitments early.
• Committee concerns included whether it was premature to fund before a full project cost was known, the distinction between needs and wants, and whether approval would commit the town prematurely. Pat said the roof needs immediate repair regardless of the larger project; Kate responded that piecemeal work would trigger code upgrades and that walking away from MBLC would leave the town paying 100% instead of a much smaller share.
• Steve, Jeremy, and staff discussed making any CPC approval contingent on future town meeting votes, possible bonding, and return of funds if the project does not proceed. Staff estimated a 20-year, $1.5 million bond at 4% would cost about $11,000 per year plus initial bond costs.
• Several members and speakers raised the need to protect archival records stored on the unheated second floor. Presenters said archival storage could be added later if eligible under MBLC rules, but MBLC eligibility may depend on whether the materials are under library control.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Malcolm Fick asked why the committee was being asked for CPC money before the town meeting and state grant approval.
• Donna Jacobs of 260 Park Street spoke in favor, urging the committee to preserve the historic building for a growing community.
• A Housatonic resident noted the library is one of the most-used public institutions in the area and said the Great Barrington Library Fund, a 501(c)(3), had been established to attract private donations; CPC support would help unlock the MBLC grant and private money.
• Sharon spoke about the need for a coordinated solution for town archives, noting the Stockbridge Library and Archives as a possible model.
• Karen Gregory of Holland Avenue supported the request, saying it meets CPA criteria, provides significant public benefit, and that $1.5 million over three to five years would reduce future town borrowing.
• Sarah Parker of Cottage Street, chair of the Housatonic Improvement Committee, reported that an August 2025 visioning session with 50 residents repeatedly identified Ramsdell Library as a civic anchor and essential infrastructure. She supported the CPA request as a commitment to a careful, phased process.

Key Outcomes

• No project funding votes were taken. The committee’s vote on all presented applications is scheduled for January 13, 2026.
• Written comments will be accepted by email to Mr. Rimble for committee distribution.
• The chair closed the hearing with a motion and voice vote; this did not constitute approval of any funding request.