Meeting colors

OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Housatonic Improvement Committee Meeting: Resignations, Halloween Events, and Water Works Discussion (2026-10-27)

Selectboard & Town Boards — Tuesday, October 27, 2026

BodyGreat Barrington, Massachusetts

SessionSelectboard & Town Boards

DateTuesday, October 27, 2026

StatusNEW · FILED

Video Record

0:00 / 32:00

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:00

Um okay it is 634.

0:05

We're gonna call the meeting to order uh we have.

0:12

Oh, since I'm online, we have to do roll call.

0:14

So Sarah here, Julie.

0:17

We are Betsy here, Chris.

0:23

And

Speaker 2

0:25

Luis.

Speaker 1

0:26

Louise.

Speaker 2

0:28

Here.

Speaker 1

0:29

Okay, and we have no Ben, yeah.

Speaker 2

0:32

Correct.

0:32

I know Beth.

Unassigned speaker

0:34

Oh

Speaker 2

0:34

no Ben and actually Ben is here online.

0:37

Sorry.

0:38

Okay.

Speaker 1

0:51

Hello.

Unassigned speaker

0:53

Hi

Speaker 1

0:53

Ben.

0:53

Okay, so Ben, for the sake of attendance, say here.

Speaker 3

0:58

Here.

Speaker 1

0:59

Thank you.

1:00

Um, all right.

1:02

Well, uh very briefly we've called the meeting to order.

1:05

I did not send out the September minutes.

1:07

I don't think we had those done, so we're gonna skip that and go right into uh resignations as this committee knows.

1:17

Um I have uh decided to resign from the Husatonic Improvement Committee effective November 2nd.

1:25

Um Betsy, would you like to share as

Unassigned speaker

1:31

well?

Speaker 4

1:33

Yes, I will also be resigning effective November 9th.

Speaker 1

1:39

Um so I know that I've spoken with uh most of the committee about this.

1:46

Um I know that some of the committee members wanted to have a conversation.

1:50

Um and so I'm happy to have uh committee a committee conversation about these things specifically if if this line item warrants

Speaker 5

2:00

it's a little

Unassigned speaker

2:06

bit.

Speaker 2

2:08

Um I don't know, Sarah, if you shared this and forgive me if you did, but um as far as like appointing a new chair to the committee.

2:18

Um if someone were to want to do that, what is that process?

Speaker 1

2:26

Uh it's it's very similar to the comparable things that we vote on.

2:33

So somebody would nominate uh chair and somebody would second them.

2:37

So let's say for example, that we were recounting how I got nominated.

2:42

Somebody says I nominate Sarah as chair, somebody on the committee would then second it and say I second that nomination.

2:50

Uh then the committee would vote uh the majority approval.

2:54

So all those in favor, yay or nay.

2:57

Uh, and then the person, if the person is willing to be in that position, then um they accept the position.

3:03

From there, uh you need written minutes that state and they can be drafted minutes, they don't have to be approved minutes.

3:11

You didn't then need minutes that state that um that vote has been taken and uh those need to be submitted to the town clerk uh in order for those positions to be updated on the town website.

3:23

And that's the same with the vice chair as well as the secretary position.

Speaker 2

3:29

Okay, and does it have to be someone that's currently on the committee or can it be someone else and have like what's the difference there?

Speaker 1

3:36

It would need to be somebody on the committee, obviously, because there are now vacancies.

3:42

Um two new members will need to be appointed.

3:46

As of right now, the people who are able to serve as chair are the people who are currently on the committee.

3:53

Um, but if that uh position, if somebody in the community wants to be on the committee and serve in that position, then they would need to be appointed first and and then and then be um voted into that position.

Speaker 2

4:07

Thank you.

Speaker 1

4:16

Any other thoughts on this item?

4:23

Are we taking citizen talk?

4:25

Like Sidney Susie's

Speaker 2

4:26

comments.

4:27

Sorry,

Speaker 1

4:29

I'd prefer not to

Speaker 2

4:30

on this

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Parks and Recreation██████████████████████████████████████38%

Procedural████████████████████20%

Community Engagement███████████████████19%

Water And Wastewater Management███████████████████19%

Personnel Matters████4%

Summary of Proceedings

Housatonic Improvement Committee Meeting: Resignations, Halloween Events, and Water Works Discussion (2026-10-27)

The Housatonic Improvement Committee (HIC) met on October 27, 2026, starting at 6:34 PM. Chair Sarah announced her resignation effective November 2, and Betsy announced hers effective November 9. The meeting served as a transition point, with extensive discussion on future committee structure, upcoming Halloween weekend events, and a period of public comment heavily focused on the Housatonic Water Works (HWW) rate dispute.

Discussion Items

Resignations and Future Leadership

Chair Sarah announced her resignation effective November 2, 2026. Betsy announced her resignation effective November 9, 2026.
The committee reviewed the process for appointing new officers: a nomination, a second, a committee majority vote, and submission of written minutes to the town clerk. New officers must be existing committee members, or new members must be appointed by the Select Board before being eligible.

Future Committee Structure

Member Chris raised questions about the committee's goals, meeting structure, and future direction. He indicated he would bring ideas to the next meeting.

Halloween Parade and Costume Contest (Saturday)

Event begins at 4:00 PM at Ramsom Library, parading down Main Street to the Commons.
Features a flash mob by Berserker Pulse and a costume contest for humans and dogs.
Prizes are sponsored by Common Pub (first place human contest gift card), Tucker Keene/Strawberry Hill Landscaping, and Lee Bank. Tom's Toys prizes were coordinated by Louise.
Logistics: Pete the Cat character arrives at 2:30 PM. Raspberries Productions puppets arrive at 3:30 PM. Participants assemble at 3:30 PM. Trick-or-treating in the village begins at 5:00 PM.

Village Cleanup and Pumpkin Smash (Sunday)

Scheduled for noon at the park.
The committee is partnering with Berkshire Compost for a pumpkin smash event.
DPW is providing trash and recycling bags; the committee will provide coffee and baked goods.

Rail Trail Invasive Removal

A committee member reported working with DPW to organize volunteers to remove invasive plants from the new rail trail section. The project awaits a liability waiver form from DPW.

Public Comments & Testimony

Housatonic Water Works (HWW)

Donna Jacobs (260 Park St): Reported that the Select Board refused rate increases for HWW ratepayers. Noted a $500,000 state appropriation for HWW is awaiting the governor's signature and encouraged letters to Senator Mark. She stated she is compiling an asset list of the HWW/Mercer Corps holdings. She advocated for a "civil disobedience" approach where ratepayers do not pay their bills, instead holding the money in reserve until an escrow account is established.
Deborah Herman (373 North Plain): Provided a counterpoint warning that HWW is legally entitled to shut off water for non-payment and has a consistent history of winning court cases against ratepayers.

Cultural District and Community Resources

Wiley Goodman (224 Highland St / BRPC): Encouraged the committee to build a stronger connection with the Guthrie Center, noting its stage and community seating could serve as a venue during the library renovation. Offered BRPC's assistance in stewarding the Cultural District application, which has a deadline of February 2027.
Frederica: Expressed hope that the Cultural District application would not languish. Deadline was identified as February 2027.
Jennifer: Inquired about the status of a grant application to the Konic Foundation. It was suggested she send the grant information to the committee email.

Key Outcomes

Resignations Acknowledged: The committee acknowledged the resignations of Sarah (effective Nov 2) and Betsy (effective Nov 9).
Leadership Transition: The process to fill the chair and other open positions was formally clarified.
Cultural District Application: BRPC offered to steward the application, which has a February 2027 deadline.
Rail Trail Initiative: The volunteer invasive removal project is pending a DPW liability waiver.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:05 PM following a unanimous roll call vote (6-0).

Meeting Transcript

Um okay it is 634. We're gonna call the meeting to order uh we have. Oh, since I'm online, we have to do roll call. So Sarah here, Julie. We are Betsy here, Chris. And Luis. Louise. Here. Okay, and we have no Ben, yeah. Correct. I know Beth. Oh no Ben and actually Ben is here online. Sorry. Okay. Hello. Hi Ben. Okay, so Ben, for the sake of attendance, say here. Here. Thank you. Um, all right. Well, uh very briefly we've called the meeting to order. I did not send out the September minutes. I don't think we had those done, so we're gonna skip that and go right into uh resignations as this committee knows. Um I have uh decided to resign from the Husatonic Improvement Committee effective November 2nd. Um Betsy, would you like to share as well? Yes, I will also be resigning effective November 9th. Um so I know that I've spoken with uh most of the committee about this. Um I know that some of the committee members wanted to have a conversation. Um and so I'm happy to have uh committee a committee conversation about these things specifically if if this line item warrants it's a little bit. Um I don't know, Sarah, if you shared this and forgive me if you did, but um as far as like appointing a new chair to the committee. Um if someone were to want to do that, what is that process? Uh it's it's very similar to the comparable things that we vote on. So somebody would nominate uh chair and somebody would second them. So let's say for example, that we were recounting how I got nominated. Somebody says I nominate Sarah as chair, somebody on the committee would then second it and say I second that nomination. Uh then the committee would vote uh the majority approval. So all those in favor, yay or nay. Uh, and then the person, if the person is willing to be in that position, then um they accept the position. From there, uh you need written minutes that state and they can be drafted minutes, they don't have to be approved minutes. You didn't then need minutes that state that um that vote has been taken and uh those need to be submitted to the town clerk uh in order for those positions to be updated on the town website. And that's the same with the vice chair as well as the secretary position. Okay, and does it have to be someone that's currently on the committee or can it be someone else and have like what's the difference there? It would need to be somebody on the committee, obviously, because there are now vacancies. Um two new members will need to be appointed.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI

TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com