Great Barrington Select Board and Sewer Commissioners Meeting – October 26, 2026

The Great Barrington Select Board and Sewer Commissioners met on Monday, October 26, 2026, beginning at 5 p.m. The meeting was recorded by the Berkshire Edge, CTSB, and the town. Actions included a unanimous vote opposing Housatonic Waterworks rate increases, a sewer asset management grant closeout, a continued show cause hearing for All-Star Salvaging/Formells, routine license and donation approvals, and referrals to the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Consent Calendar / Routine Approvals

• Sewer Commissioners approved August 26, 2026 minutes (4 yes votes; one member not present) and September 17, 2026 minutes unanimously.
• Select Board approved September 28, 2026 minutes unanimously.
• Approved a temporary beer and wine license for Guthrie Center/Guthrie Family Apples, Saturday November 14 and Sunday November 15, 2026, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., at 2 Van Deusenville Road.
• Approved a sign request from Lynn Posner, League of Women Voters of Southern Berkshire, encouraging voting by November 3; staff were asked to verify the QR code/Vote411 reference.
• Approved appointment of Eric Room to the Historical Commission for a two-year term expiring June 30, 2028.
• Accepted donations: $248.80 to Great Barrington Libraries; $350 to Great Barrington Police Department K9; $344.75 in bottled water for distribution to Housatonic residents; and $1,000 to Great Barrington Fire Department.

Public Comments & Testimony

• On the Housatonic Waterworks rate increase item, Cecilia Turner, 208 Pleasant Street, said she cannot trust the water for her six-month-old baby’s formula, described frequent outages, brown-water conditions, and unreliable notices, and called on Governor Healey to declare a state of emergency for 850 Massachusetts households. She said residents deserve a public water utility or at least removal of the current operator.
• A resident who arrived during the discussion opposed the rate increase and described a civil disobedience effort in which customers are withholding water bill payments until a safeguarded account is set up through the Department of Public Utilities or the Attorney General.
• Another Housatonic customer said she could not bathe her child that day, had spent $10,000 on a reverse osmosis system, and said the water situation felt like an assault on her children.
• Kate Ranald, 24 Heart Street, identified herself as a Housatonic ratepayer and town employee. She showed a photo of her child’s brown bathtub, asked what the plan is if Housatonic Waterworks fails, and requested that none of the $50,000 state appropriation go to the company, its debts, or the Mercers. She said she feels she is paying both sides of the legal fight through town taxes and water bills.
• Michelle Bear, 70 Division Street, compared Tuesday’s testimony to a 2018 case before the Select Board involving a baby bath in dirty water, and said the town board cannot handle the crisis alone.
• State Rep. Lee Davis said she is working with the Select Board, governor, DPU, DBR, and AGO, and that she secured $50,000 in the FY26 supplemental budget for the town to help Housatonic customers. She said she cannot imagine a rate increase happening and wants any transition of Housatonic Waterworks to move quickly and smoothly.
• At the All-Star Salvaging show cause hearing, Donna Jacobs said the operation’s impacts fit heavy manufacturing, not light manufacturing. Attorney Mitch Greenwell, representing Michelle and Bruce Loubert, argued the 1985 special permit extension was not a valid special permit because it lacked notice, a public hearing, and recording. Another commenter said Massachusetts classifies auto salvage as heavy industrial. Board of Health member Ruby Chang submitted a Clean Harbors Environmental Services report dated October 15, 2026, showing benzene at 77.6 micrograms per liter in one groundwater sample versus the 5 microgram per liter standard, and urged private well testing nearby.
• During citizen speak, Michelle Bear and James Garzone said the special permit process has not protected residents, that complaints bounce between boards, and that residents and taxpayers bear the costs of enforcement.

Discussion Items

Housatonic Waterworks Rate Increase

• The Select Board discussed a possible future emergency or long-term rate increase filing by Housatonic Waterworks. A board member said the owner told a fire district meeting that he planned to file for an emergency rate increase.
• The board voted unanimously to send a negative recommendation to the Department of Public Utilities for any emergency or long-term rate filing by Housatonic Waterworks.

Sewer Asset Management Grant Closeout

• DPC consultants Justin and Aaron Reed presented the closeout of the town’s sewer asset management grant. Great Barrington completed years one through three before applying for the $150,000 grant, which funded year four, with a second grant funding year five. The DEP program has since ended.
• Work covers about 20 percent of pipes and manholes per year, reaching 100 percent of the system by the end of year five. Fieldwork included CCTV inspection of sewer mains and pole-camera inspection of manholes.
• Deliverables include an Excel-based asset database and GIS mapping. Preliminary observations found normal maintenance needs, candidates for cured-in-place pipe lining or epoxy lining, and few open-cut replacements.
• The project is separate from the recently approved water treatment plant project, and no sewer rate projections changed.
• In response to a Board of Health question about wet wipes, staff said new pump station pumps pass wipes through more effectively and an upgraded bar rack at the treatment plant removes solids.
• Final grant paperwork was expected to be submitted by the end of the week; year five work is expected to begin next.

All-Star Salvaging / Formells Show Cause Hearing

• The Select Board continued the September 28, 2026 show cause hearing on whether to modify, suspend, or revoke annual class 2/3 licenses held by All-Star Salvaging, doing business as Formells, at 21 Van Deusenville Road, for alleged violations of town bylaws and MGL Chapter 140 Section 59.
• Building Commissioner Matt presented a written determination. He said he did not see a zoning bylaw violation, considered the current operation an expansion rather than a change of use, and found processing of vehicles consistent with the light manufacturing definition. He noted, however, that the original special permit contemplated most work inside while much of the work now occurs outside.
• The licensee’s attorney said the claim of no special permit is false, pointing to a 1984 special permit renewed in 1985, and said the only determination in the record is zoning compliance.
• The board voted to refer the factual record to Town Counsel and continue the hearing to November 23, 2026 at 5 p.m.

W.E.B. Du Bois Freedom Center Legacy Trail

• Marcus Smith, Deputy Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Freedom Center, presented a proposed Legacy Trail for a Community Preservation Committee application. The concept would place signs or kiosks at historically significant locations connected to the Black community and Du Bois, with QR codes linking to existing history tours.
• Staff have worked with the town planner and DPW to identify town-owned locations. The board expressed support; a preliminary CPC application is expected next week.

Zoning Recommendations

• The board made a positive recommendation to the Planning Board for a special permit application by 274 GP LLC to expand the non-conforming structure at 425 Park Street, Housatonic, in the Housatonic Mill Revitalization Overlay District. The applicant’s representative said the project would add a second-floor fire egress, replace the front deck and stairs so they sit on the property, and install a split-rail fence along the sidewalk/town property to control pedestrian movement. The magnolia tree will remain.
• The board made a positive recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals for James Toby Zuko’s application to build a larger garage on the same non-conforming footprint as the previous structure.

Municipal Cannabis Equity Compliance

• The town received a September 23, 2026 notice from the Cannabis Control Commission stating that Great Barrington is out of compliance with social equity requirements.
• Town Counsel has drafted a compliance policy. The board will discuss it on November 9, and staff will need to maintain website criteria and an evaluation system.

Town Manager’s Report and Board Announcements

• State Rep. Lee Davis announced House adoption of two amendments to the FY26 closeout supplemental budget: $50,000 for the town’s water emergency efforts, with availability extended to December 31, 2028, and $20,000 for the South County Connector, with availability extended through June 2027. Final approval and the governor’s signature are still pending.
• DPW installed rectangular rapid flashing beacons at the South Main Street crosswalk on October 20.
• Southern Berkshire Community Transportation restored its full weekday schedule effective October 26, with service Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Early voting runs October 26-30, 2026, at town hall from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; election day is November 3; vote-by-mail request deadline is October 27 at 5 p.m.
• The report thanked participants in the October 19 special town meeting and noted a health department professional certification.
• Board members commented on the Housatonic water crisis, urged CodeRED signups, called for Governor Healey to declare an emergency and start receivership, thanked DPW, and reminded the public about Halloween weekend traffic.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimous vote to oppose any emergency or long-term Housatonic Waterworks rate increase and send a negative recommendation to the DPU.
• Sewer asset management grant closeout accepted; year five work will complete 100 percent system baseline, and grant paperwork is due by the end of the week.
• All-Star Salvaging/Formells show cause hearing continued to November 23, 2026 and referred to Town Counsel.
• Positive recommendations approved for 425 Park Street (Planning Board) and James Toby Zuko (ZBA).
• Approved routine minutes, Guthrie Center license, League of Women Voters sign, Historical Commission appointment, and donations.
• Cannabis equity compliance policy scheduled for board discussion on November 9, 2026.
• Du Bois Freedom Center Legacy Trail preliminary CPC application expected next week.