 Egremont News |
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Issue 18 |
November, 2004 |
Currently the Selectmen’s Office is open weekdays 7:30am to 3:00pm. Do you think the office should have one day a week when it is open until 5pm or is open one evening a week? Please contact the town hall by phone 528-0182 or email tegremont@yahoo.com to express your opinion. If you would like to see the town hall open different hours, please tell us what services you would be requiring during those hours. Thank you for your input.
The Selectmen recently completed negotiations with the Police Union and began contract discussion with the Police Chief.
The Wage and Job study approved at the Annual Town Meeting has begun and the results should be reported to the Board by early in December.
The budget process for FY 2006 will begin in November and continue until May of 2005.
The Board will meet every Tuesday evening, except November 9, for the next couple of months.
Cemetery Commission:
The cost of a lot in the Hillside Cemetery will increase from $200 to $250 effective November 1, 2004. There are no lots available for purchase in the Riverside Cemetery or Town House Hill Cemetery.
Conservation Commission:
The Conservation Commission administers the Wetlands Protection Act. A Request for Determination of Applicability must be filed with the Commission to determine whether a project will take place or an area is within the wetlands. A Notice of Intent must be filed with detailed plans and engineering for any work to be done in a resource area and in a buffer zone for any wetlands. The buffer zone is within 100 feet of the resource area which is the wetland area. An Abbreviated Notice of Intent may be filed when the work is entirely in the buffer zone but will disturb less than 1000 square feet of the land subject to flooding.
These forms may be obtained at the Town Hall or on line at www.mass.gov/dep/brp/ww/wwforms/htm. You may complete them on lime or print them out with complete instructions.
Egremont Free Library:
Members of the Library Facility Needs Committee have been meeting to put together the official Planning and Design Application to the Mass Board of Library Commissioners. That application was due in Boston on October 14.
Twenty Egremont school children recently made their first trip to the library. After a story hour led by the librarian, they each made a selection and took out their first library books. This is the volunteer part of the librarian’s job. The children come every other Monday. It is a highlight in both theirs and the library’s life.
New books arrive each month… this year the public has been asking for more and more political books, and our collection is growing. We continue to have the most popular authors on the best sellers’ lists and are constantly on the look for new authors. In case you don’t know, the library subscribes to Booklist, the publication of the American Library Association which reviews books a month or so in advance of publication and is of immense help to the country’s librarians.
Have YOU ever been in YOUR library? If not, do come. We are open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 2-6 and Saturday morning from 9-12. We’d love to welcome you and show off what we have!
Planning Board:
The Planning Board is continuing to work on reformatting our current Bylaw so that it is easier to read, more logical in its layout and more conducive to any changes which may be adopted in the future. The Board agrees that this is the next logical step following the June town meeting, where townspeople postponed action on the bylaw. The majority of comments the Board received following that meeting stated that too much material was being introduced at once and the board should move ahead in a series of steps. Once our present wording is put into a new format it will be easier to understand and individual changes can be proposed section-by-section. The next step, which is being pursued concurrently, is to address those sections which are not in compliance with state statute and/or case law.
The process of reorganization is not an easy one, but the Planning Board intends to have a draft completed in the Fall. The draft will be presented to the public for review and input before being presented for vote at a Special Town Meeting. The date of this meeting will depend upon the timeline of the review and discussion process.
Because of interest expressed by townspeople and emergency personnel in establishing better communications, the Planning Board for the past few months has been actively pursuing contact with multiple cell tower site development companies. In order to expedite this process, the Board is working with the state's Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. The Deputy General Counsel for that Office has been instrumental in helping to communicate with a large number of site development companies, and will continue to provide support as Egremont works to improve wireless communications. The Planning Board has spoken with NexTel, which has requested further information from the board regarding the potential placement of cell service at the site stipulated by Egremont's existing bylaw. Additionally, the Board has been in touch with American Towers, which owns four towers on Mt. Darby in adjacent Mount Washington, and also several cell service companies. The Board will continue to seek out site development companies and cell service providers, and will work with any interested parties to support this process.
In addition to this work and other regular business, the Planning Board reviewed and had input into the draft Affordable Housing Plan proposed by the Affordable Housing Committee. The board also assisted the Selectboard in filing application to the state under its Commonwealth Capital Plan, the state’s new Smart Growth initiative which rates towns according to Smart Growth principles. This rating will be used by the state as part of the evaluation of grant applications for state funds, such as Egremont’s present application for assitance with wastewater management. The board also held a public hearing on the special permit application of David Divine to expand his automobile service garage at 62 Sheffield Road.
The Board of Health:
Just a reminder…to those of you with filters on your septic tank, now is an excellent time to do your yearly cleaning. The process is easy, quick and performing this simple task will extend the life of the system.
Here’s how you do it if you’ve never done it before…hopefully the outlet port on your septic tank has an easy to open cap. If not, you might have to dig around a bit until you find it. Wearing rubber gloves, remove the cap and remove the filter. With a high- pressure hose clean the “guck” on the filter until it is clear. Replace and seal.
If this is a not a process you want to do yourself, you can call a septic hauler and they can do it for you while they are there pumping your tank. Filters that become clogged may interrupt the normal operation of your system and you know what that means…nasty backup of wastewater on your lawn or worst still in your home.
So what are you waiting for…make those filters sparkle!
Happy autumn. Happy cleaning.
Egremont Garden Club:
Several of the member of the Garden Club participated in the “Waterworks at Chesterwood” celebration. Amy Olmsted won a first place award in the Horticulture division with her display. Other award winners were Pam Peacock, Matthew Olmsted, and Nancy Sanders. Congratulations to those very talented members.
Every year the garden club has participated in the Harvest Festival at the Botanical Garden by donating baked goods and staffing a table at the event. This year, in lieu of this, the club supported the Botanical Garden with a donation of $500.00
The Scholarship Committee has approved a proposal to offer a $250.00 scholarship to a high school graduate from Egremont who is furthering his/her education in horticulture or landscaping. The club also sponsors other scholarships. For the last six years, school children from Egremont have been able to go on field trips to the Berkshire Botanical Garden. This idea has been copied by other Berkshire County garden clubs and has become a big program at the Garden. Several years ago, the Garden Club decided to support other “cultural programs”. For instance, last year, we paid for the Undermountain First Grade to go to Washington, Connecticut to the American Indian Museum and experience the hands-on program there. Another one of our projects has been to support the fifth grade program “Nature’s Classroom”.
In the coming months, members will be busy with workshops making items for the Holiday in Egremont, our craft and bake sale held in the Library on December 11 from 10 to 2. We hope you will support us to help raise the funds needed for our many projects. Our gift to you is the lighted tree on the green and holiday wreaths on building buildings.
Flu Facts:
Flu season is fast approaching. You are all aware of the flu vaccine crises. The following information has been given to us by the Lee Visiting Nurses Association. They will be unable to do their flu clinics this year. If you are over 65 years of age or at risk from some chronic disorder or you have a child between the ages of 6 and 23 months, please contact your private physician for a vaccine.
To protect yourself:
Wash hands frequently;
Cover mouth when coughing/sneezing;
Keep at risk people & young children from exposure;
Avoid contact with people with colds/flu;
Stay home for at least 4 days if you have symptoms;
Don’t share food/drink items; and
Clean things that are touched often.
Symptoms:
Fever of 102-104 lasting 3-4 days;
Headache;
Severe muscle aches;
General weakness/extreme fatigue.
How to treat:
Rest in bed;
Drink lots of fluids;
Take non-aspirin pain relievers;
Stay home for 4-7 days;
Talk with your health care professional;
Visit your health care professional if need be:
Severe or prolonged symptoms;
Rapid or labored breathing;
Bluish skin;
Pain or difficulty breathing;
Cough with yellow sputum/phlegm;
Recurrence after improvement;
Not drinking enough fluids;
Not waking up or interacting with others;
Children so irritable they don’t want to be held.
More information can be obtained by logging onto www.cdc.gov./flu or www.mass.gov/dph or by calling 1-888-628-2850.
Board meeting schedule: Subject to change.
Archives Room - First Saturday 9-noon
Assessors - Wednesdays 9am to 11am & Tuesdays 7pm to 9pm
Board of Health - Monday by appointment, Tuesday 11am to 3pm, Wednesday 10am to 12noon, Thursday 10am to 12noon
Board of Selectmen - Meetings Tuesday evenings 7pm. Office 7:30am to 3pm.
Building Inspector - Tuesday 12:30pm to 3:30pm.
Conservation 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
Town Clerk - Tuesday evenings 7pm - 9pm
Waste Water Management - Third Tuesday 3:30pm
Water Department - Third Thursday 4:30pm
Zoning Board of Appeals - as needed
To reach a board member or leave a message please call the Town Hall.
The Olde House
David Allen Hunter
1920's
In the summer many people
Worn by city toil and stress
Come to tarry in the village
And enjoy its peacefulness.
Through its shady streets they wander
On their brief vacatin days.
Then quite oft’ that old brick building
Is the object of their gaze.
Not a few are led to question
Some acquaintances or friend
How it came by that inscription
Which is painted on its end.
Tis a tale that’s oft’ related–
Though some versions disagree.
So I’ll try to tell the story
Just as it was told to me.--
In the days before our country
Had been freed form Britain’s reign,
Came a farmer with his family
To this section to remain.
Here he picked his fertile acres
In this level meadow loam.
And upon this site selected
Built this house to be his home.
Where the brooklet cuts the meadow,
There he molded bricks of clay.
There he made a kiln and baked them,
Toiling on from day to day.
Then he built them int his dwelling,
Aided by no other hands.--
As a tribute to his labors,
Still today it bravely stands.
On the end of his ancient figures
“1761" are seen.
Then an “A” and down below it
“I” and “T” with heart between.
“A” denotes that Anna married
One John Tuller “I” and “T”
And the heart shows that this union
Blent two hearts in harmony.
Other hands have kept the symbols
Bright that today we might know
Of the man who toiled to build it
And his love of long ago.
Owned by Donald Roberts, the property is currently a tree farm.
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.
Baldwin Hill Farm B&B - Lodging and breakfast
413-528-4892 / 888-528-4092
www.baldwinhillfarm.com
The Silo B&B - guest accommodations
413-528-5195
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
413-528-1230
www.howardsantiquelighting.com
Red Barn Antiques - Antique lighting & fine metal polishing
413-528-3230
Blue Rider Stables - Therapeutic Riding Center
413-528-5299
Green River Arabians & Pintos - Horse back riding, training, lessons, breeding
413-528-2367
www.thearabianexperts.com/greenriver
House to House Hauling & Recycling-
Rubbish removal
413-528-0943
G&S Gventer “Books - Buy & Sell Books
413-528-2327
Cosmic Resonance (Elfie Six) - Shiatsu/Acutonics, Soundhealing, Lymphatic Drainage
413-644-9979
Peter Goldberg, Dipl. Ac - Acupuncture, Pain
Management
413-528-5055
Divine Automotive - Automotive repair
413-528-8007
Old Egremont 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
Support local businesses.
Town of Egremont
P.O. Box 368
South Egremont MA 01258
413-528-0182
Printed by Office Administrator Mary Brazie
as submitted by Town Department.