Great Barrington Select Board Meeting — August 10, 2026

The Great Barrington Select Board met on August 10, 2026. The meeting opened with an executive session concerning Housatonic Waterworks real estate, then returned to open session for licenses and permits, new business, presentations on the Housatonic Cultural District and Ramsdale Library renovation, and public comment.

Executive Session

• The board voted to enter executive session under MGL Ch. 30A, §21(a)(6) to consider the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real estate related to Housatonic Waterworks, because an open discussion could harm the board’s negotiating position.

Select Board Announcements

• Board members discussed priority-list items, including removing the 45-room cap on the hotel and moving tax-title properties up the list, and celebrated the restored Housatonic School building now housing eight families.
• One member announced recusal from license item 2026-154.
• A member reported a dozen active public records requests between July 21 and August 10, covering topics such as All-Star Salvage, police department records, printers/copiers, 250 Long Pond Road, transportation, bears, Brookside Bridge, Western Field Road, and bear drones. The member said the requests are valid but require substantial staff time and may become a budget issue.

Town Manager’s Report

• MassDOT approved the town’s requested design waiver for a temporary Brookside Road Bridge replacement designed for HS-15 loading. The temporary bridge will restore passenger-vehicle access while the permanent replacement advances, with load and vertical clearance limits; larger emergency apparatus will continue using alternate routes.
• MassDOT repairs to the Holbert Road Bridge over the Green River began August 10 and are expected to take 8–10 weeks with a full road closure and detour.
• DPW will stabilize the East Sheffield Road washout beginning August 20; work is expected to take about one day, with a second day reserved if needed, and will require a road closure from roughly 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Emergency access can be provided.
• On August 22 at 3 p.m., the town and the Du Bois Freedom Center will unveil a permanent interactive storytelling kiosk honoring Elizabeth Freeman at Town Hall; the Du Bois Freedom Center Visitor Center will be open afterward.
• The town manager’s report will now include relevant correspondence to give the board and community greater visibility into work between meetings.
• The town manager stated that the South County Connector is not being dissolved. It will be restructured as a formal transportation department, with a new campaign (“Drive Connection, Deliver Community”), revised positions posted August 11, and a full assessment and organizational proposal scheduled for the August 24 board meeting.

Minutes

• The proposed July 6, 2026 minutes were tabled to the next meeting after an attendee said the minutes were inaccurate and provided written corrections. No vote was taken.

Licenses & Permits

• A business at 425 Park Street: approved a change of DBA and manager name on its entertainment licenses and one amusement device license. Approved unanimously.
• Housatonic Improvement Committee: approved a temporary Sunday entertainment license for an outdoor movie screening in Housatonic Commons on August 16, 7:30–10 p.m., with a rain location at the community center.
• Stanton Home: approved a temporary all-alcoholic-beverage license for its annual harvest roast fundraiser on September 26, 4–9 p.m., at 205 North Plain Road; about 100 guests are expected and alcohol will not be sold.
• 490 Main Street: approved a DBA change on the all-alcohol package store license to Route 7 Wine and Spirits.
• US Road Show Inc.: approved a temporary precious-metals buying event at 249 Stockbridge Road (Fairfield Inn), September 15–19, 2026; the police department is aware of the applicant’s reporting obligations.

New Business

• Temporary lawn signs: approved Juliet Sisko’s request to place signs on Town Hall, police station, fire station, and gazebo property for a first-responders cornhole tournament. Signs in front of Town Hall must be removed before the August 22 kiosk event. The board noted the need for a future town property sign policy.
• Proclamation: the board recognized August 22 as Elizabeth Freeman Day in Great Barrington and will observe it annually. Mark Smith of the Du Bois Freedom Center spoke about the significance of the date.
• Donations: approved acceptance of summer cash donations for bandstand programming totaling $789 and a $1,231.78 donation from Rita Valeri to the Senior Center. The town manager described a new procedure requiring select board acceptance of all donations.
• The warrant for the September 1, 2026 primary election was approved.
• New election officers were approved: Nancy Rogers, Carol McGlinchy, Silka Menka, Deborah Mink, and Kate Van Holtz.
• Lauren Clark was approved as the Board of Library Trustees representative to the Ramsdale Building Committee.
• The 2027 select board meeting schedule was reviewed; comments are to be sent to staff.

Housatonic Cultural District

• Housatonic Improvement Committee representatives presented the application for a Massachusetts Cultural Council designated Housatonic Cultural District. They said the village is compact, walkable, and already has cultural institutions, local businesses, historic assets, and community support; more than 50 residents took part in the visioning process.
• They cited statewide data: 58 cultural districts, nearly 3 million visitors to district events in FY25, more than 250 new businesses opened in cultural districts, $27 billion annually contributed by the creative economy, and 84% of cultural districts reporting increased visitation in FY24.
• The board authorized the town manager to submit a letter of intent to the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The application would be due February 8, 2027, with a site visit in April or May 2027 and a decision expected in September 2027. The motion was approved unanimously.

Ramsdale Library Renovation Project

• Library trustees and staff presented the project status. Initial planning used a $150,000 town appropriation plus a $100,000 Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners grant; the project was accepted into the MBLC program, the Ramsdale Building Committee was formed, and the design team is CHOP Consulting and Harry Dean Rogers.
• The level of design was approved, and the project moved to the top of the state funding list. The Massachusetts Historical Commission issued an adverse-effect finding related to replacing the library’s 1930 addition; PDR prepared an alternative study being sent to MHC with support letters from the trustees, town manager, and Historical Commission.
• The timeline discussed includes a construction cost estimate in November, signing an MOA in December, total project cost by mid-January 2027, MBLC approval in February 2027, a town meeting presentation in May 2027, an MBLC contract by June 30, 2027, and construction beginning in mid-2028. The MBLC grant would cover up to 60% of eligible construction costs.
• Board discussion covered a possible special town meeting, the need to finalize the “need factor,” remaining funds of about $20,000, and why a two-story design was chosen. No formal vote was taken.

79 Bridge Street Hotel Project

• Chris reported that town counsel’s preliminary determination is that the special permit for the 79 Bridge Street hotel project has vested and remains valid. Written details will be provided for continued discussion at the next meeting.

Public Comment

• James Garzone of North Lane Road thanked the town manager for addressing the South County Connector, called it vital for elderly and transit-dependent residents, and expressed frustration about diminished service and the length of time many town issues have remained open, including Housatonic Waterworks, 79 Bridge Street, invoice discrepancies, Prosperity Way, and 343 Main Street. He praised town staff and said the public records workload should be supported in the budget.
• Donna Jacobs of 260 Park Street, founder of the Housatonic Filter Initiative, said Housatonic residents should not have to live with brown water, described the utility purchase effort as about a century in the making, and noted that about $30,000 remains in town funds for whole-house filtration reimbursements. She encouraged residents to apply.
• A board member asked about transit fare changes, but the item was not on the agenda; the town manager said the next meeting’s full transportation presentation would address the topic.

Key Outcomes

• Entered executive session on Housatonic Waterworks real estate.
• Approved all license and permit actions listed above.
• Tabled the July 6 minutes and continued the 79 Bridge Street discussion to the next meeting.
• Approved the lawn-sign request, Elizabeth Freeman Day proclamation, donations, primary election warrant, new election officers, and Lauren Clark’s appointment.
• Authorized the town manager to submit the Housatonic Cultural District letter of intent.
• Received the Ramsdale Library renovation update; no vote was taken.