1. Jamie Minacci called the meeting to order
2. Minacci introduced a deputation from the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans President Shannon Holsey and Tribal Historic Preservation Manager, Bonnie Hartley.
Construction at the Congregation of Marians on Prospect Hill Road required digging at a site just feet from where the Mission House was first built in 1739. It is a location of great importance to the tribe and to the Town of Stockbridge.
Just a few feet down, musket balls and coins were found by private individuals with metal detectors. With luck these will be retrieved, properly identified, dated, and preserved. As Shannon Holsey said, “…find a way to work collectively.”
Patrick White, former Chair of the Mohican/Town Committee, pointed out that connecting and strengthening Articles 12 and 23 would grant Stockbridge the power to protect historic artifacts above and below ground.
#12 “The removal of earth materials such as loam, sod, sand, gravel, clay or stone, from land not in public use, anywhere in town is hereby prohibited unless done in strict compliance with a permit granted hereunder by the Board of Selectmen”
#23 “This Article is adopted for the purpose of protecting and preserving significant historic buildings within the Town and encouraging owners of such buildings to seek out alternative options to preserve, rehabilitate or restore such buildings rather than to demolish them…”
Using these current bylaws or other means, the question before the SB was how the two groups work together to preserve and protect our mutual history?
The Congregation of Marians does benefit from The Dover Amendment (1950) which exempts some agricultural, religious, and educational institutions from certain zoning restrictions. (For example, claiming to be an educational institution, Kripalu avoided Stockbridge’s height restriction on new buildings.)
3. A representative from Austen Riggs reminded SB that the land on Pine Street with the tennis and basketball courts is not owned by the Town. Austen Riggs owns and then leased the land to the Town for 99 years. Fifty-five of the ninety years have been exhausted. The condition on the lease is that the Town maintains the courts. The Town has not done that for some time. Austen Riggs could simply take the land back for noncompliance. However, they were at the SB meeting to ask that the Town honor its end of the lease agreement.
Canales said it was too expensive — perhaps as much as $500,000 — to do the maintenance properly as the base is compromised. He also argued it was odd to have two sets of courts so close together — the other is at Town offices.
Canales said there were alternatives such as demolishing the courts, creating a park with cement tables with chess and checker boards. That would be subject to Austen Riggs approval as the lease specifically says tennis and basketball courts.
Immediately Cardillo said he was prepared to render a decision as the cost was unreasonable — do the repair and perhaps return the property to Austen Riggs.
Dennis Alsop objected and asked: will there be discussion? Lis Wheeler asked if SB would consult Parks and Rec? The Chair allowed discussion and Alsop spoke for keeping and maintaining the courts. Rich Bradway said something with respect to the Finance Committee (inaudible).
Canales restated the choices: demolish the courts and return the land to Austen Riggs; demolish the courts and install a “passive” park with Austen Riggs approval; repair the courts, or offer another solution. Canales asked Stockbridge Updates to invite and post ideas for the use of the parcel on Pine Street.
The matter was postponed until a future meeting with a caution that Austen Riggs requires an answer.
4. The new members for the Town Boards, Commissions, and committees were announced. There was some mix up with respect to the Cemetery Commission, so all new members were voted on except for Cemetery Commission. There are still two open seats, one on the Green Committee and one on the PILOT Committee. Please contact the SB or Town Offices if you would like to apply.
Meeting adjourned.
Editor’s Note: if you have an opinion about the use of the land on Pine Street or a suggestion with respect to its future use, please submit it to Stockbridge Updates and we will post in the next issue. Thank you.
