 Egremont News |
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Issue 42 |
November, 2008 |
Rules & Regulations of this Newsletter:
The purpose of this newsletter is to keep residents informed of what is going on in their community. It is printed on a bi-monthly basis by the Selectmen’s Office Staff. Articles submitted by Town Boards are not edited by the Select Board or Office Administrator. Outside organizations are allowed to submit articles of no longer than one column length. These articles are to be factual and will not be printed if they contain any political format, forum, or communication. We welcome reader input and hope you enjoy reading the Newsletter.
Reminder: July 26, 2009 11am to 4pm Egremont on Parade at French Park
Volunteers, donations and funding appreciated
Selectmen:
At the Special Town Meeting on October 4, 2008 all articles passed. There was a great turn out for this meeting. Thank you all.
Welcome new Finance Committee member Stephen Schoenfeld.
The Selectmen recently appointed an Egremont Green Committee. Please see a news article from them later in this newsletter.
Plan ahead - mark your calendars for Saturday, April 18 - this will be the Spring Saturday Selectmen’s meeting, another opportunity for our second-home owners to attend a Selectmen’s meeting and share their views.
Would you like to participate in a Voluntary Lock Box Program. A small box with a key to your premises would be installed at your home. The Fire Chief and Police Chief will be the only one with access to that lock box. This will help with access to your home in case of an emergency. Contact Town Hall (528-0182) if you are interested and want more information.
Town Clerk:
The Polls will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 4th, from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. If you wish to receive an Absentee Ballot for this election, we need to have your request, in writing , by 12:00 noon on Monday, Nov.3rd.
The Ballot for Nov. 4th is quite long. There are 3 questions that voters should familiarize themselves with before coming to the Polls. Also, at the Nov. 4th election, for the first time, we will be electing members for the Southern Berkshire Regional School Committee. You will be voting for representatives from Alford, Egremont, New Marlborough, Monterey, and Sheffield. Information on the candidates is attached to this newsletter.
Egremont residents should be very proud--we always have a high voter turnout. For Presidential elections, we average between 80 and 85% of our voters. Please be patient if there are lines and you have to wait. The right to vote is one of our most important rights and responsibilities. We assure you, everyone will have ample time to vote.
If you have any questions, please contact Town Clerk Margaret Muskrat
Draft Hydrant Committee:
The Hydrant Committee is pleased to advise that we have received approval to construct a new fire pond with a draft hydrant from the Egremont Conservation Commission on October 2, 2008.
The fire pond will be located on 20 Blunt Road on property belonging to Mr. Bruce Bernstein. The proposed pond will be 30 feet wide by 96 feet long by approximately 5 feet deep and should hold some 107,000 gallons of water.
Coverage will extend from John Andrews Restaurant to about 46 Blunt Road based on 2000 feet in either direction from the draft hydrant.
Contractor William Warner has agreed to do the excavation. Soil is to be removed. Costs for the construction will be to replace diesel fuel used by the Contractor. Other costs will be for “native seed”, silt fence and hydrant piping.
Timing will depend on the weather, but we hope the fire pond will be placed in service this fall before cold weather sets in.
The Alford-Egremont Cultural Council:
The Alford Egremont Cultural Council will host award winning artist Gregory John Maichack, at the North Egremont Firehouse at 175 Egremont Plain Road, Route 71, North Egremont, on Saturday, November 8, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. The pastel workshop, The New Art of Pastel Painting: The da Vinci Mode, is a free pastel painting workshop designed for both sheer beginners to advanced participants. Seats may fill quickly so please call (413) 528-6505 to pre-register for this free class. Bring a photo/image of a landscape to work from. All supplies provided.
From the perspective of Leonardo da Vinci’s working methods, participants will receive an engaging hands-on experience of pastel painting with beginning to advanced techniques. A fearless approach to drawing and a special technique of Leonardo da Vinci’s called sfumato, a term he coined, will be thoroughly explained and demonstrated. Special pastels to achieve this ethereal effect will be provided. Participants will freely experiment with hundreds of artist’s professional grade hard and soft pastels and professional pastel paper. Beginners to accomplished artists benefit, side-by-side, in this fun pastel painting workshop.
Maichack, nominated twice for a Massachusetts Gold Star Program Award, will individually demonstrate the essentials of painting with pastels, and he will display his original pastel artwork to illustrate his talk. His demo of expressive pastel painting shows how to achieve luminous color and volume, how to structure an engaging composition, and tips on creating impact. All will receive help tailored to their projects, whether landscapes, still-life, or portraiture.
Library Building Committee:
The Egremont Free Library Building Committee is continuing to consider plans for the library’s future. As everyone is aware the law mandates that the library needs to be ADA compliant, as do all town buildings.
At the September 11th meeting the committee, with the help of Ken Best our architect, completed the checklist for possible LEEDS certification for a “green” building. We determined from the checklist that we could qualify for the Silver Certification level. This ultimately would provide us with the possibility of obtaining grant monies to make the future library a “green” building.
The town still needs to determine where the building can be placed on the site. One of the proposals is to locate the building as an attachment to the town hall. Another is to design a free standing building. Ken Best continues to work on designs which would address both the economic and compliance issues.
Our next Library Building Committee meeting will be on Thursday, November 13th at 5:30 at the Town Hall. Please feel free to bring your ideas and join us.
Treasurer\Collector:
PLEASE NOTE:
Second Quarter FY 2009 - Preliminary Real Estate & Personal Property Taxes are due November 3, 2008. Payments made after that date are subject to interest.
FY2008 Taxes are considered delinquent and subject to public advertizing and a lien if arrangements are not made to satisfy the obligation immediately.
Please contact the Board of Assessor’s with questions pertaining to valuations.
Motor Vehicle Excise - Interim bills are still being mailed periodically as the bill information is received from the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Interim bills are generated when a new or used vehicle is purchased and/or registered during the present or prior year. PLEASE NOTE: If you have disposed of a vehicle, please remember, it is the taxpayers responsibility to file an abatement. Do not ignore the tax bill as it stays on the books until it is paid or abated. Again, we only have the information provided to us from the Registry of Motor Vehicles which comes from the vehicle owner. If you have received a notice from the Deputy Collector please call his office to clear your obligation.
On Line Banking - UNIPAY on line banking is a great tool for last minute payments of any bill owed to the town. Go to the Town of Egremont web site www.egremont-ma.gov/ and click on pay your bills on line. Follow the instructions from that point. You will be able to use ACH or a credit card. Thank you to all who are using the on-line product. It is working great. Please give it a try.
Note: When making payments through your bank bill pay please remember to use your current tax bill number and check to be sure the remittence address is correct.
Questions/Confusions - I will be glad to address any question that would be of general information to the taxpayers. Submit questions and concerns pertaining to the Tax Collector/Treasurer to Pat, P.O. Box 368 So. Egremont.
Winter Office hours - Tax Collector 7-3 Monday through Friday or by appointment.
Council on Aging:
There is an emergency and First Responders have to take you from your home. Suppose you are leaving someone behind who is incapacitated, or a pet that needs to be taken care of. How does the First Responders know whom to contact for assistance? He needs someone immediately available. You have a File of Life form posted on your refrigerator, but it indicates a son in Florida and a daughter in Maine.
This is a real problem that is at times faced by those trying to help us. They need each of us to designate a local person or persons who can be called in to help in an emergency. The Council on Aging, along with AGE Triad, wants to make a File of Life available for every senior to post on the refrigerator, and another smaller one that can be carried on one’s person. The File of Life asks for important information, but it only asks for “contacts” rather than “local contacts”. Some emergencies call for someone to be immediately available. We intend that in the very near future, each senior in Egremont will:
1. Have a large refrigerator size File of Life and a smaller personal one
2. Edit the FOL by using the bottom few lines of the section that asks for a listing of Medications to add at least one local contact, with address and telephone number.
Members of the Council on Aging will be doing presentations at various events where seniors gather in an attempt to reach every senior in the town of Egremont.
*As wintry months approach, we urge everyone to KEEP WARM and KEEP SAFE.
Heating is the number two cause of home fires in Massachusetts, causing over 14,000 fires over the past five years. Use your home heating system and space heating appliances wisely and responsibly. That’s the way to Keep Warm and Keep Safe!
Have your furnace professionally cleaned and serviced every year. Check your smoke detectors and replace batteries as needed. Have the chimney professionally cleaned every year. Do not use space heaters as your #1 heating source. Install carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home.
*Information from Mass. Dept. of Fire Services.
Historical Commission:
The Egremont Historical Commission is continuing its work in several ways. It helps town residents find information about historic buildings and sites. Many come to the Archives to find out about local business and industry, or to research family history.
Recently, the Commission received a grant from the Upper Housatonic Valley Heritage Area (National Park Service) to expand its documentation of the papers, photographs and objects in the collection. This project improves on organizational work already begun. The purchase of a computer and scanner will provide easier access to the records for many more people. With the leadership of Chairman, Betty Duryea, Nic Cooper as project manager, and Charlie Flynn’s help with technology, along with interested volunteers, we hope to have more data available on the system by the Spring.
We plan to have informational meetings about the system, for townspeople first, and another session open to the public.
Anyone wishing to volunteer to assist in this project can call Betty Duryea at 528-3426.
The Archives Room, located on the second floor of the Academy Building on Buttonball Lane in South Egremont is open from 9am - noon on the first Saturday of the month and from May through October the third Monday of the month from 2pm to 4pm. It is also open by appointment (call Betty Duryea at 413-528-3426.
Technology Study Committee:
Since the passage and signing of Governor Patrick’s $40M rural broadband initiative the committee has been working to form and support a regional broadband committee. Currently there are 11 member towns on the Southern Berkshire Technology Committee. Our goals/mission statement is stated as follows:
Our mission:
Rural broadband equity, as soon as possible. To expedite the expansion of modern broadband infrastructure and services to the rural communities of our region, as soon as possible.
The Southern Berkshire Technology Committee is a community-led initiative in which residents, with the official endorsement of the town Select Boards, have joined forces to work toward a common goal:
Our beliefWe believe strongly that equitable, affordable access to broadband is an essential right of every American. We stand in solidarity with all unserved and underserved communities in the Commonwealth and throughout the United States. Reliable broadband access is an absolute requirement for the viability of economic development, education, communications, health and safety, and quality of life in our towns. Delivering that service is the contemporary equivalent of the rural electrification and telephone initiatives of the past.
Our pledge
We pledge to mobilize support for the officials and organizations that join with us in this effort. We also pledge to do all we can to expedite our towns' processes with regard to permitting, zoning, and any other necessary approvals.
Who we are
The Southern Berkshire Technology Committee is comprised of representatives of the broadband committees that were formed in towns across our region to address the discrimination against rural communities with regard to high-speed Internet access. Towns currently represented include Great Barrington, Alford, Egremont, Monterey, Mt. Washington, New Marlborough, Otis, Sandisfield, Sheffield, Becket, and Tyringham. The members of our Committee represent a cross-section of our communities: technology experts, professionals, students, small business owners, working people, parents, educators, Chamber of Commerce representatives, seniors, and concerned citizens.
On October 25 the committee will be meeting with Commissioner Sharon Gillett to discuss the role the committee can play in expediting the roll out of a broadband infrastructure in the region and to further lobby for having a member from our region appointed to the Massachusetts Broadband Institute; a newly created governing body to oversee the design, procurement, and roll out of rural broadband in our region.
Telephone Communications
The town of Egremont is joining in a lawsuit initiated by the town of Hancock, MA against Verizon for inadequate and unreliable telephone service. Those of you who have Verizon land line service and have experienced major telephone service interruptions, degradation of service, or have been unable to contact emergency services during a crisis, I need to hear from you. If this applies to you, please contact me at jugendroad@hotmail.com with the following:
Your Name:
Your Address:
Your Phone Number:
Best time to contact you:
Brief Description of the problem you experienced:
When I have this information, I will contact you and discuss it further.
Planning Board:
The Planning Board thanks the town for approving the definition of “youth facility” at the Special Town Meeting on October 4. This change will strengthen our Adult Entertainment Bylaw. The definition will now be reviewed by the office of the Attorney General for addition to the Adult Entertainment Bylaw, which was approved by the AG’s office in April 2008.
Green Committee:
A recent poll asked Massachusetts residents to comment on their feelings about environmental issues we now face. 80% were deeply concerned about how to go about maintaining our quality of life. With this need in mind, the Egremont Selectboard has appointed an Egremont Green Committee to collect and promote green policies as they affect the Town and its citizens.
Many of today's challenges (high energy costs, the global financial crisis, and global warming) can be addressed with sound fiscal policies and projects that include environmental considerations in long-range planning. The EGC will find educational programs and forward-thinking environmental projects to meet those challenges, and, with the support of the Town's other Boards, will strive to implement them.
The first meeting will be held on Thursday, November 13, at 4:00 at Town Hall. If you are interested in green issues, please join us. If you can't commit the time to serve but would like to be engaged, please let the committee know what areas interest you.
Board of Health:
In these tough economic times who isn’t looking for ways to save money? One sure fire way to economize is to invest in the maintenance of big ticket items in our lives and homes to avoid having to purchase new. For example, we service our cars regularly because it is certainly less expensive to change the oil than buying a brand new car. The same is true for that underground, out of site, mysterious and, let’s face it, less than pleasant big ticket item that your home could not function without, known as your septic system.
Failing septic systems are expensive to repair or replace, and poor maintenance is often the culprit. A new system for the average home can cost as much as $40,000 to replace with a new one, compared to approximately $200 to $400 to have a system inspected, and $200 to $300 to have it pumped. Here are some easy and affordable tips to help you prolong the life of your septic system:
1. Use liquid laundry detergents.
2. If you have an outlet filter on your septic tank clean it annually. This is relatively easy to do and you don’t have to have a professional do this for you.
3. Have your septic tank pumped every 3 to 5 years and have them check the condition of the outlet baffle. The outlet baffle keeps the solids from flowing into your septic field causing premature failure.
4. Install low flow toilets, showers and clothes washers. Lower water usage translates into a lighter load to the system. While you’re doing this you are also conserving water and using less energy to power your pump and hot water heater.
5. Don’t dump drugs, grease or paint down your drain and avoid large amounts of toxic cleaning products like bleach and acid. These products upset the delicate balance in your leach field where those millions and millions of hungry microorganisms are happily chomping away at the bacteria you are feeding it. These products also can clog the lines and disrupt the flow of wastewater through the entire field.
6. Don’t use a garbage disposal. All that organic matter going down the drain is filling your tank and field with more material than it
needs. Try composting your kitchen and cooking scraps which turn into free, earth friendly vitamins for your garden.
French Park Fund:
The French Park Fund is a charitable organization whose sole purpose is to improve French Park. The Fund arranged and paid for the enlargement of the horse ring and the renovation of the tennis courts, and is now raising money to upgrade the playground equipment.
Only about 40 acres of the Park’s 150 acres are now being used. In order to assess how the remainder of the Park might be of benefit to townspeople, the Fund commissioned the leading landscape architecture school in Massachusetts to prepare a master plan for the Park. That plan was completed last year, and copies can be examined at town hall or through the Fund’s president, Richard Allen, who can be reached at 528-2108.
The major recommendation of the plan is to develop a multi-use trail system in the unused parts of the Park, together with at least one picnic area and an outdoor classroom. A survey taken last year showed that most Egremonters support that approach. (Any such trail system would, of course, respect the Park’s unique environment.)
What is needed now is someone (or someones) to take on the task of fleshing out a plan, getting it approved by townspeople and the selectboard and implementing it. The Fund stands ready to support that project financially, but no one on the Fund’s board has the expertise for that task. If you might be interested in this important project, please call Richard Allen at 528-2108. French Park is just too valuable an asset of the town to let large parts of it go unused.
Contributions to the Fund are always welcome, and are fully tax deductible. Checks should be made out to “The French Park Fund” and can be given or mailed to the Fund’s treasurer, Hilary Penglase, 61 Prospect Lake Road, Box 27, North Egremont 01252, or dropped off at town hall.
South Egremont School News:
Julie Milani and her students stand with Susan Bachelder of The Friends of the South Egremont School and Tom McGuire, Principal of Undermountain Elementary School to decide where to hang the new Historic Date sign for building.
Mr. McGuire is the new Principal of Undermountain Elementary. Tom promotes a concept of learning through personal experience and the benefit of reflecting upon those experiences with mentors. These mentors are found both within the school as well as the larger community and will shape for Egremont students an innovative and personalized school experience engaging the entire community. His background with Principal Residency Network and The Big Picture (www.bigpicture.org) an organization started in 1993 in Rhode Island by CVS and other corporate sponsors and the realization that over half of all principals will be retiring within the next ten years has made mentoring a leading issue with 21st century education. We hope to have a chance to engage him more and be engaged by him as the school year begins.
Energy Tips: (see attached for more details)
Fill in air leaks and drafts
Insulate
Check your duct work
Set water heater to 120 degrees or less and wrap it with a hot water heater blanket
Lower the wattage size of your light bulbs
Consider purchasing compact flourescent lamps
Turn off all appliances and equipment when not in use, unplug if possible.
Energy/Food/etc Assistance:
Contact our local church.
Mass. Department of Housing & Community Development HEATLINE 1-800-632-8175.
www.energybucks.com 1-866-537-7267. All questions.
Citizens Energy Corporation: www.citizensenergy.com 1-877-563-4645
Mass Good Neighbor Energy Fund: www.magoodneighbor.org 1-800-262-1320
MassSAVE: www.masssave.com 1-800-666-3303
Home Energy Loss Prevention Service: www.munihelps.org 1-888-333-7525 or 1-888-335-7203
Lifeline and Link-up: www.fcc.gov/cgb/ consumerfacts 1-888-225-5322
WIC: 1-800-942-1007
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: www.gettingfoodstamps.org 1-800-645-8333
Basic Banking for Massachusetts:
www.masscommunityandbanking.org/Guidelines.htm
Mass 2-1-1: Free access to health and human service info: www.mass211.org
MasMutual LifeBridge: Free Life Insurance program 1-800-272-2216
Homeowner Options for Mass Elders: www.elderhomeowners.org 1-800-553-5337
Residential Assistance for Families in Transition: Short-term, limited financial assistant. www.mass.gov/Ehed/docs/dhck/ph/raft/raftcitytownlist.htm
Health Services: 1-877-414-4447
NSTAR 1-800-592-2000
Center for Ecologlical Technology 1-800-238-1221 (www.cetonline.org)
Pets during emergencies:
Prepare! Have a kit of pet emergency supplies to include three days of food and bottled water; medicines and medical records; first aid kit; important pet information(registration/adoption/ vaccine papers); crate or pet carrier; sanitation items; picture of you and your pet for identification; items familiar to your pet such as toys or bedding. Have a collar/harness with ID tag on the pet. Have a plan for your pets. Remember when you go - they go - either with you or to some safe location. For more detailed information go to www.smart-mass.org.
Board meeting schedule:
Subject to change. Please see postings of meetings at Town Hall and the Post Offices for more detail.
Archives Room - First Saturday 9-noon and May to October the second third Monday 2-4pm
or by appointment
Assessors - Thursday 9am to 12noon & Tuesdays 6pm to 8pm or by appointment
Board of Health - Monday- 8am to 1pm, Tuesday 8:30am to 12pm & 12:30 to 2:30pm Wednesday & Thursday 8am to 1pm Meetings - First & Third Thursday 9am to 11am
Board of Selectmen - Meetings Tuesday evenings 7pm. Office weekdays 7am to 3pm.
Wednesday 7am to 1:30pm
Building Inspector - Tuesday 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Other times and inspections by appointmentConservation Commission - Second and Fourth Thursdays 7:00pm
Finance Committee - Wednesday 7pm as needed.
Library - Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 2-6pm & Saturday 9-12noon
Planning Board - Second & Fourth Monday 7:30pm
School Committee: Second & Fourth Thursdays 6pm Mt. Everett High School Library
Tax Collector: 4/1 - 11/1 = Monday 7am to 4pm, Tuesday 7am to 6pm, Wednesday 7am to 11am, Thursday & Friday 7am to 3pm.
11/1 - 4/1 = Monday - Friday 7:00am to 3:00pm
Town Clerk - Tuesday evenings 7pm - 9pm or by appointment
Transfer Station - Tuesday & Thursday 8am to 1pm, Saturday 8am to 3pm, Sunday 12noon to 4pm
Water Department - Office weekdays 8am to 2pm Meetings Third Thursday 4:30pm at Town Hall
Zoning Board of Appeals - as needed
To reach a board member or to leave a message please call the Town Hall.
Business listings:
In an effort to promote local small businesses, the following businesses/services located in Egremont have agreed to be listed here. If we missed asking you and you wish to be included, please send your information to the Town Hall.
The Silo B&B - guest accommodations
413-528-5195
The Inn at Sweet Water Farm - B&B
1 Prospect Lake Road
413-528-2882
www.innsweetwater.com
The Weathervane Inn - Lodging
413/800-528-9580
John Andrews’ Restaurant - Restaurant
413-528-3469
Elm Court Inn - Restaurant
413-528-0325
Swiss Hutte Country Inn and Restaurant-
Restaurant & Lodging
413-528-6200
Howard’s Antiques - Antique Lighting & Restoration
413-528-1232
www.howardsantiquelighting.com
Red Barn Antiques - Antique lighting & fine metal polishing
413-528-3230
Home - Asian Antiques & Interior Objects
195 Hillsdale Road (Route 23)
413-528-5383
Blue Rider Stables - Therapeutic Horseback Riding
Lessons, summer programs
www.bluerider.org
413-528-5299
Green River Arabians & Pintos -
Boarding, lessons, a 4-H program.
413-528-2367 arabpinto13@yahoo.com
Indian Line Farm - Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) & Farmers Markets
413-528-8301
Turner Farms Maple Syrup - Phillips Road, open 7am to 7pm 7 days a week. 413-528-5710
G&S Gventer “Books - Buy & Sell Books
413-528-2327
Elfi Six Shiatsu/Acutonics®, Bodywork
413-644-9979
www.CosmicResonance.com
Peter Goldberg, Dipl. Ac - Acupuncture, Pain
Management 413-528-5055
Zorn Family Chiropractic-Chiropractor
44 Main Street
413-528-9654
www.healingspiritdc@yahoo.com
Divine Automotive - Automotive repair
413-528-8007
Old Egremont Country Store - groceries, beer, wine, liquor, newspapers, lottery, & much more
413-528-4796
Blueberry Lane Home Design - Interior decorating
413-528-9633
Closet Collection - clothing & household
consignment shop
413-528-6236
Berkshire Veneer Company - wholesale/retail
wood veneer sales
413-644-9696
L and L Construction - Home repairs, additions,
new home building
413-528-5548
“Jack of All Trades”-Handyman Services
Jack Buckley
413-528-1982
413-446-1982
Catamount Ski Area - Skiing
413-528-1262
Anita Schilling - Real Estate Listing & Sales
Barnbrook Realty
413-528-4423
Florence F. Browner Real Estate - Full Service
90 Creamery Road
413-528-3266
Kenver Ltd - Ski equipment and apparel
39 Main Street
413-528-2330
Maple Leaf Art Gallery - Joan Mentzinger
154 Hillsdale Road, Route 23
The Agency Without Walls - Helen Krancer
Advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing. 413-644-9700
Cyber Knight - Matthew Wall
PC repairs - Networking - Internet
413-528-5415
Zorn Core Fitness - Boot Camp
Outdoor workouts.
413-528-1594
Support local businesses
Town of Egremont
P.O. Box 368
South Egremont MA 01258
413-528-0182
Printed, on recycled paper, by the Selectmen’s Office Staff
as submitted by Town Departments.
“The Town of Egremont is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”
PROFILES OF THE CANDIDATES FOR SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The School Committee has 10 members, with each town allotted the number of seats indicated. Voters from each town vote for candidates from all five towns. The candidates were each asked for a brief bio, a photo and statement of their vision. Those were distributed at the school’s forum held Oct. 30 and elsewhere. The following are excerpts. Listed alphabetically by town and by candidate.
Alford—1 seat
Linda Silvestri
Retired elementary school teacher, a college grants administrator and bequests and charitable trusts manager. Has lived in Alford full-time for six years after spending summers there much of her life. On the School Committee since 2006.
“The District is facing ever-increasing energy and health-care costs, changing demographics, underfunded federal and state mandates, and the need for significant repairs to the primary school building. Despite these challenges, the School Committee will continue to advance the SBRSD excellent educational achievements.”
Egremont—2 seats
Charles B. Flynn
Technology administrator for the Lee Public Schools after a career in the Navy. Resident of Egremont; former Egremont selectman. On School Committee since June 2008.
“We need to establish relationships with parents and the community and use data to identify strengths and weaknesses in curriculum and instructional practices, then develop strategies to expand the strengths and remediate weaknesses. We need to engage parents, the community/region, and the school in a partnership for learning.”
Stephen P. Willig
Works at Mead Corp. Specialty Papers in South Lee. On board of directors of the Hurlbut Employees Federal Credit Union. Has lived in South Egremont since 1978. Currently on School Committee. Two of his children are graduates of Mt. Everett, one is now a sophomore there.
“The quality of the educational experience offered at the schools of SBRSD is among the best in the county, and I would venture to say among the best in the state. My vision is to continually find ways to improve the quality of education. We also need to foster an environment where the teachers and staff find job satisfaction and compensation sufficient to be able to live within a reasonable commuting distance.”
Monterey—1 seat
Deborah D. Mielke
Real estate broker with Corashire Realty. A lifelong resident of the area, the past 32 years in Monterey. Beginning her fourth year on School Committee; served as the Committee’s vice-chair last year; has served as the Committee’s representative to the Eagle Fund. Two daughters are SBRSD alumna.
“I look forward to my continued participation on the School Board especially as the District faces some new, as well as old, challenges.”
New Marlborough—2 seats
Herbert Abelow
Retired investment banker. Has worked with nonprofits and schools at the board level, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association of America, National Association for Learning Disabled, Rumsey Hall School, a mentoring program at Columbia, the Edith Wharton Restoration and the Lenox Library. Part-time resident since 1986, now in Mill River. Treasurer of the New Marlborough Village Association and the New Marlborough Historical Society. Currently chair of the School Committee.
“We must be able to think outside of the box, to maintain our most important mission—teach our children to the best of their ability to learn, as well as provide them with social skills to become proficient in whatever they wish to do as adults. We must husband our resources and work with the administration, faculty, and parents to ascertain how the district can best provide what our kids need. We must provide total transparency to all our constituents. We must have a comprehensive five-year plan so that we all will be able to evaluate whether or not our goals are being met. I will continue to work on the state level to encourage our legislature to reduce the regulatory abuse by state agencies and to demand coordination and streamlining of the state’s accountability, assessment, and accreditation systems.”
C. William (Bill) Dunsay
Retired teacher, working at SBRSD and New Marlborough Central School. Has lived in area since 1974. Has one daughter and four grandchildren, three of whom attend New Marlborough Central School.
“I recently attended a workshop for new and prospective members of Massachusetts school committees. I want to be sure that we have tight safety and security policies and that they are being followed throughout the district. I know that teachers deserve professional pay, and providing a well-rounded education for our children is important. As a teacher I know that real learning occurs from creative and spontaneous experiences for teachers and students. The challenge is to merge that with very fine standards set out by the state.”
Charles McSpiritt
Works at Torrington High School in Torrington, CT, as athletic director, instructional supervisor for physical education and health, and assistant principal. Resident of Mill River since 1988. A daughter graduated from Mt. Everett and a son is a senior there. Participates in school-related community activities such as the Undermountain-Mt. Everett Youth Athletic Assoc. Saturday Soccer and Travel Team programs and the Mt. Everett soccer camp. On the School Committee for six years; chair for five years.
“The School Committee should communicate with school administration, parents, and faculty to help the SBRSD provide the resources that the students will need to participate fully and succeed in education, the arts and athletics. The School Committee should work with the school administration to provide the faculty and students with the supportive leadership and resources necessary to help students become productive members of our society.”
Sheffield—4 seats
Andy Fetterhoff
A woodworker and information technology specialist. Has lived in the area since 2000 and now lives in Ashley Falls.
“I intend to make the district more financially accountable and to assure that the education it provides increasingly suits the needs of current and future student bodies. We will do well to keep in mind that every decision of the school committee impacts not only students and their education, but also parents, taxpayers, and, most importantly, the future of our community.”
Catherine Miller
Retired college administrator and teacher of psychology at the State University of New York at Albany and Simon’s Rock College. Involved for over 30 years at the board level with organization including Community Health Programs, Berkshire Choral Festival, Berkshire Bank and Berkshire Bankcorp, Christ Church/Trinity Lutheran Church, Barrington Stage Company and Berkshire United Way. Founder of the Eagle Fund, an endowment for educational enrichment programs for the SBRSD. On the School Committee from 2005-2007. Has lived in Sheffield for 36 years.
“Our young people need to be educated for occupations and world conditions that we can not imagine. We all share in this responsibility, which requires an educational program involving parents and highly qualified, motivated teachers who reflect local values. Our small district faces many challenges, but at the same time our size offers opportunities that are not available in a larger system.”
John (Jack) Pollitt
A business consultant for Goodyear Tire and Rubber and district manager for Penske Auto Centers and Monro Muffler Brake. Has lived in Sheffield for 20 years. On the School Committee for eight years; served as chair and vice-chair of the Finance Committee, chair of the Collective Bargaining Committee, member of the Warrant Committee, and chair of the Superintendent Search Committee.
“Southern Berkshire is blessed with some of the finest, most dedicated teachers and administrators in the commonwealth. Southern Berkshire is a top-performing organization striving to become the best in the state. The elements are in place. We just need to support and trust our professionals to get the job done. I am proud of the teacher’s administrators and committee members past and present that have made this a district to be proud of.”
Scott Sanes
Trial lawyer. Member of the board of directors at the Option Institute and Fellowship and the Eagle Fund. A school council member at Undermountain. Has lived in Sheffield for 10 years. Has a daughter in the sixth grade at Undermountain Elementary School and a special needs son attending the Mt. Everett High School Life Skills Program.
“We have incredibly talented teachers and the facilities available to make SBSRD a shining example of public education throughout the Commonwealth. I am passionately committed to making certain that the district has the support and resources necessary so that our children can realize their academic potentials. As a trial attorney with 26 years of advocate experience, I wanted to volunteer my time and efforts to improving the education in our community.”
H. Dennis Sears
Retired from a career in sales and marketing at IBM and as a consultant and entrepreneur in the technology field. Has lived in Sheffield for nine years after living in the area part-time for many years. Has worked with several area nonprofits, some at the officer level, including Christ Episcopal/Trinity Lutheran Church, Sheffield Historical Society and Sheffield Land Trust.
“The vision I had when I became involved in changing the selection of the School Committee members from appointive to elective has not changed: to make the School Committee a truly district-wide body that thinks and acts in the interest of students of the entire district; and that our five towns would come together as a united body to provide the desired educational opportunity to our children.”
Vito Valentini
Retired middle-school math teacher. Has lived in Sheffield 13 years after several years part-time in the area. Two children, one at Undermountain Elementary, the other will enter pre-K next year. Member of New Marlborogh Central and Undermountain Elementary school councils. Volunteer tutor for advanced math students at Undermountain. Member of the Sheffield Parks and Recreation Commission.
“I will work to develop a spirit of cooperation and good feeling between the five member towns and to promote and enhance the positive image of our schools in our communities. I will make maintaining educational excellence and positive educational innovation a top priority. I will encourage increased communication between the schools, parents, and community. I will work to maintain good communication, cooperation, and support between the school committee and the professional staff. I will promote sound fiscal management. Finally, I will be an enthusiastic advocate for our schools with a reasonable common sense point of view.
Produced as a community service by the Sheffield Times, in conjunction with the Monterey News, the New Marlborough 5 Village News, and the Egremont town newsletter, and with Mt. Everett High School, whose Student Council is hosting a candidates forum on Oct. 30.