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INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM

TO: BOARD OF SELECTMEN

FROM: PETER L. FOHLIN, TOWN MANAGER

SUBJECT: TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT 2011-18 NOVEMBER 14, 2011http://www.williamstown.net

DATE: NOVEMBER 15, 2011

CC: DEPARTMENT HEADS

SPRUCES MHC

Certificates of Occupancy have been issued to 50 owners. Electricity has been restored to9 more units bringing the total to 84. Demolition Permits have been issued for 25 units. Effortscontinue to assist residents who can to get back into their homes.

PUBLIC WORKS

The Highway Department has rebuilt catch basins on Bulkley Street, North Street, andone near the rear parking lot at Town Hall. A drive apron located at 38 Prospect Street has beenreplaced. The culvert pipe headwall located at the intersection of Torrey Woods and Oblong Roadhas been rebuilt. Culvert pipes and ditches on Petersburg Road and Northwest Hill Road havebeen cleaned in preparation for winter weather. Bee Hill Road and Berlin Road will receive thesame attention. The street sweeper continues to pick up debris on our paved roads with theintention of keeping as much debris out of our catch basins as possible. Approximately 30 cordsof firewood has been cut and split with more to come for this heating season. Our wood boilerwas repaired by R.I. Baker last week.

Facilities Technician Ken McAlpine has put up the transparent window insulation at theHarper Center. Oil fired boilers at the DPW and the Library have received their annual service.We are experiencing heating system circulator pump problems at the Milne Library. Immediatelyupon discovering the problem we switched out our 3 HP pump with our 2 HP backup providingan operable heating system. Good parts were salvaged from two damaged pump assemblies andre-built as a fully operational 3HP pump. After discussion with HVAC techs and electricians itwas decided to install a variable frequency drive. The VFD has been ordered through RickertElectric with delivery expected by Nov. 18. Rickert will then install the VFD at a total parts andlabor cost of $700.

We have completed the flushing of our water mains and all 252 hydrants have beenpumped out, leaving a dry barrel and readying them for Winter.

We have been loaning our vacuum truck and operators to the City of North Adamsfollowing the failure of the pump on their vacuum truck.

We repaired two leaks last week in the 2-inch cast iron line at the end of Thomas Streetand another near Cole Field House where a bolt had loosened since the 1979 installation.

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Last week we worked with Berkshire Sanitary Septic to televise the septic tank atSweetbrook to make sure the tank is not deteriorating from hydrogen sulfide. The upper half ofthe tank where we would expect to see that kind of damage is in good condition with no signs ofdeterioration.

FINANCE DEPARTMENT

Real estate and personal property collections are slightly ahead of last year. Typically inthe second week after the due date we have approximately $600,000 outstanding in real estate and

personal property taxes. This year we begin our second week with $415,500 outstanding whichrepresents a 5% delinquency rate. Reminders of unpaid taxes will be sent out the week ofNovember 28.

The Abatement Filing period ended November 1 with a total of 66 abatementapplications (60 Residential / 6 Commercial). The BOA has met twice and acted on 48applications, granting 27 and denying 13 with site-visits scheduled for 8. The final 18 will bediscussed at the next meeting on November 16. Appointments will be scheduled later this monthand early December. The BOA have 3 months from the receipt of the application to render adecision (i.e. 1/3/2012 to 2/1/2012).

INSPECTION SERVICES

The Board of Health has approved 20 applications to sell processed foods at the HolidayFarmers Market. These applications from out of town and out of state vendors were reviewed forequivalence with Massachusetts standards. Williamstown food permit holders are deemedacceptable without any additional permit.

Board of Health member Ron Stant has been named the Board of Healths representativeto the Berkshire Public Health Alliance Governing Council.

The Chapin Hall renovation project at Williams College has run into several problems.The existing stand pipe system is not functional. The field modified sprinkler system requires acode compliance alternative to be approved by the state sprinkler board. The double paneacoustical window design does not allow sprinkler coverage.

The Stetson Library project is ongoing. Contractors have placed 17 drilled piers, two ofwhich do not meet the engineers design. Progress continues on reviewing plans and performingprogress inspections on other projects in town including many residential repairs and renovations.Ryan has been assisting with Spruces issues in Mike Cards absence. (Mike Cards brother passedaway last week.)

The November meetings of the Conservation Commission and the Sign Commissionhave been canceled. The next meetings of these boards will be on their regularly scheduled datein December.

The Conservation Commission at their October 27 meeting set an extensive list of 17conditions on the proposed Gilden subdivision project in South Williamston.

The Planning Board met on Tuesday the 8th to continue discussions on potential ZoningBylaw amendments. Board member Ann McCallums proposal to allow up to 2 dwelling units ona lot was extensively discussed. The board has reached consensus on allowing what arecommonly known as in-law apartments by right, and allowing potentially larger units on specialpermit. The exact regulation will be worked out and presented at the Boards December meeting.Board Member Dick DeMayo is currently working with Andrew Groff on research for a potential

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solar energy bylaw, and Andrew and the Board continue to research and work on a proposal toexpand business uses associated with agriculture in Williamstown. This proposal was initiated byCricket Creek Farm and has since received interest from other farmers in the community.

The Zoning Board will be meeting on November 17 to discuss a proposal from theWillows Motel to extend a non-conforming use (motel) by means of constructing a deck attachedto their main office. The petitions for cell phone towers in S. Williamstown are also on theagenda for this meeting, however the Board has not received an official response from the stateNatural Heritage and Endangered Species program on the project and it is likely the hearing will

be continued again.

COUNCIL ON AGING

The VNA and Hospice of Northern Berkshire will offer a seasonal flu shot clinic at theHarper Center on Friday, November 18, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The clinic is open to allindividuals aged 18 and older. The flu season is approaching and everyone whose health permitsthe vaccine are urged to get a flu shot. The clinic is free, however donations to the VNA andHospice will be gladly accepted.

The Garden Club of Williamstown will offer their traditional Holiday Green Workshopat the Harper Center on Monday afternoon, November 28, at 1:00 p.m. This is an excellentopportunity to create a true New England holiday decoration with live greens and they smell sogood! All are welcome and the event is free.

At 1:00 on Thursday afternoon, November 17, Diane Elias and Jane Bryce, exerciseinstructors for the North Adams COA at the Spitzer Center, will offer a senior fitnessdemonstration class at the Harper Center. The exercises in this class are reportedly different thanthose offered in the regular weekly class at Harper and have been very well received in NorthAdams where they are currently offered. COA personnel have not seen this new class; it comes toWilliamstown highly recommended by participants and should be fun to see. All are welcome;the event is free and refreshments will be served.

The Council On Aging Village Ambulance Service second annual Winter CoatCollection was a success with many new or gently used coats collected for distribution to the

less fortunate in the Williamstown area. We havent quite reached the phenomenal 300 coats wedistributed last year, not surprising considering the overwhelming response in 2010, but thenumber has been substantial and coats are still coming in. A sincere heartfelt thanks to all thosewho open their closets and give the gift of warmth this holiday season.