Introduction

Stockbridge Updates Statement of Purpose

To inform without opinions or pressure and give you the facts you need to make your own decisions.

To provide space for opinion, but since facts and opinions are different, to clearly mark opinion pieces, and clearly identify the opinion holder.

Stockbridge Updates is a periodic newsletter delivered through email.

by Carole Owens, Editor

Introduction

Vote 2020

October 17: Early in-person voting begins

October 24: Last day to register to vote November 3, 2020

October 28: Last day to request a mail-in ballot

October 30: Last day for early in-person voting

November 3: Election Day

Voting in person at Town Hall on election day from 7 A.M. – 8 P.M. Wear a mask and practice social distancing.

More information is available at: www.stockbridge-ma.gov and from Town Clerk Terri Iemolini at clerk@stockbridge-ma.gov or 298-4170 extension 251.

The Ballot 2020

On the ballot you may see a blank where you expect to see the name or names of candidates.

For example, on this ballot, there is no candidate listed for a Stockbridge representative to the School Board. Sean Stephen, the incumbent, did not return his nomination papers in time for his name to appear on the ballot. He is, however, running for re-election. You may write in his name or the name of someone else you would like elected. *

In addition, due to the resignation of Dan Weston, there is a second vacant seat on the School Board. In this case, the Select Board and the two remaining School Committee members together will appoint someone to finish the term.

* Voters always have the option to write in.

by Carole Owens

Editorial

Spare the Change

A reader asked: Why do some newcomers want to change the Berkshires? Apparently the first time the question was posed was in a letter to the editor during the Gilded Age. A local resident asked, why if they like it enough to move here, do new arrivals try to change the Berkshires after they arrive?

Over the decades, either no one gave an answer, or no one gave a satisfactory answer. In either case, folks asked the same question ever since. Here is a possible answer to add to the mix. Perhaps no more accurate but hopefully no less interesting.

“Only the fish doesn’t know he is swimming in water.”

Some credit an old Chinese proverb, some credit anonymous, and others credit writer David Foster Wallace for this aphorism. According to Wallace, the point is: “a huge percentage of the stuff I tend to be automatically certain of is totally wrong.” According to Will Joel Freedman, PhD, the point is “what is taken for granted is not easy to see”. That is, your constant surroundings are hard to perceive and even harder to properly evaluate. What does that have to do with newcomers to the Berkshires wanting to change the Berkshires?

They come from very different areas. Ones more densely populated with many more businesses, services and resources; the increased number is a function of denser population. They were born and always lived in these more urban areas. That is their water. They begin, without reflection, to replicate what they knew. The familiar seems not just appealing but necessary.

There is another aphorism, no two objects can occupy the same space at the same time. So, sadly, by their coming some folks undo what drew them.

by arole Owens, Managing Editor

News

Town News — October 21, 2020

Notes from the Select Board Meeting

Michael Blay, Stockbridge Assessor, provided the select board with the state-mandated Tax Classification hearing. The select board left the tax classification the same, but expressed a willingness to consider a residential exemption once the required software updates are in place in one year and after public hearings to discuss the pluses and minuses of shifting the tax burden away from the most vulnerable in town.

Each year, prior to the mailing of 3rd quarter tax billings, the Board of Selectmen holds a public hearing to determine the percentage of the town’s property tax levy to be borne by each major property class. This responsibility and procedure are described in Chapter 4, Section 56 of the Massachusetts General Laws.

The Select Board opened a discussion on whether to allow trick or treating and continued the topic until next Thursday.

Notes from the Planning Board

A quick calculation of money allocated for zoning review, Bylaw revision and planning is as follows:

$15,760 for the Joel Russell diagnostic report (the last issue of Stockbridge Updates gave the web address to find and review this report)

$ 9,240 for a professional revision of the Cottage Era Bylaw (Is this available to voters?)

$ 3,500 for the Randall Arendt presentation “Open Space Residential Development” (Scheduled for November — see below)

$25,000 for a planner from Berkshire Regional Planning (Is this a duplication of work already completed and paid for?)

$15,000 for a new professional revision of the Cottage Era Bylaw (Is this duplicative?)

$68,500 Total

Planning Board will present “Open Space Residential Design” with Randall Arendt on November 5, 2020 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Information about joining the meeting should be found at www.stockbridge-ma.gov under Planning Board.

As reported in the last issue of Stockbridge Updates $3500 was approved for this presentation.

Notes from Parks and Recreation Commission

Oversees all parks in town as well as tennis courts and the town beach. The belt of open space, waterways, and parks offer a warm welcome to Stockbridge.

In general, it is the commission’s job to maintain the areas. Specifically, suggestions before the commission are to:

Move the canoe launch from the river (at Park Street) to the Stockbridge Bowl (at the dam) to be used for kayak and canoe launch. The land by the dam is owned by the town and has room for parking.

The Park Street launch was damaged by ice last winter causing $6000/damage. The river level was too low this year to install the launch platform. Under consideration is installing a stone launch at Park Street.

Repair playground equipment in town and replace sand at Averic Road playground

Work necessary at town beach and repairs to kayak rack.

Apply for and use stabilization funds for continued upkeep and improved access

If you have any concerns, questions, or suggestions for this commission, email: parksandrec@stockbridge-ma.gov

Notes from the Board of Health

by Charlie Kenny MD, Chair

Recently, the Tri-Town Health Department organized a meeting of the chairs of the three town boards of health, the chiefs of police, and the town managers/administrators, to discuss the upcoming traditions of Halloween. It was decided that all three boards of health should convene to discuss the holiday and put forth a consensus opinion to the select boards of the towns.

The public meeting, available on CTSB-TV, took place October 13 evening. All members of the three boards were present, along with Tri-Town Health Department and Lee/Lenox town manager.

One board member was “on the fence.” She thought children had been deprived of enough socialization already by Covid-19 and that adding disappointment about Halloween might not be justifiable. On the other hand, one by one, each of the other 8 board members expressed concerns about the risks of the event. The infectious disease specialist-physician thought the event would spread the contagion. All other members of the boards were clearly against the traditional holiday for similar reasons. They did not wish to place children in harm’s way. They noted that cases were increasing almost everywhere in places where they had once been contained. They worried that the more important socialization experience for children, education in schools, would be jeopardized by the risks incumbent in a comparatively frivolous and transient experience. It was thought that town managers could formulate alternative activities that would be much more Covid-19 compatible.

Perhaps the most telling argument came from Director Jim Wilusz, RS. He noted that the CDC had concluded that traditional door-to-door trick or treating was a high-risk activity. He observed that significant capital and manpower expenditures by the department had helped to minimize the impact of the Covid-19, so far. He added that, absent a cure or protective vaccine, the weapons the health department had against the epidemic were public education about the disease, encouraging masks, social distancing and self-isolation, case identification through testing, quarantine, and contact tracing. The last of these, contact tracing, would be significantly undermined by traditional door-to-door trick or treating. He thought that, as a public education effort, a consensus opinion by the three boards of health and the health department should be sent to the select boards of the three towns.

The 9 members of the boards of health of Lee, Lenox, and Stockbridge voted unanimously to strongly discourage and cancel traditional door-to-door trick or treating and to send that message formally to the select boards and town managers.

Other agenda items included upcoming influenza vaccine clinics and the shortage of needles for the injections, due to federal pre-emptive purchasing for anticipated Covid-19 vaccine administrations. Tri-Town would be learning more about cell tower issues in an upcoming seminar.

News

The Stockbridge Bowl Association (SBA)

In the matter of Stockbridge Bowl Association, Inc. v. Town of Stockbridge Conservation Commission, et al. – Berkshire Superior Court Docket No. 1976CV00032 there was a hearing October 13, 2020 11 a.m. via Zoom.

According to Rebekah Lacey, attorney for the town, “The hearing on the contempt complaint was uneventful. Judge Agostini wanted to set dates for filing an answer and holding a hearing.”

The town will file an answer to the SBA filing and in addition will file a motion to dismiss. The deadline for submissions is October 20; the SBA’s opposition is due Oct. 26, and the hearing will be at 9:30 AM on Oct. 29 (again via Zoom).

The public cannot participate in the hearings but can listen in (not watch) via Zoom. For further information about listening in, call 877-927-7415 or use participant code 3419308#

News

Lionel Delevingne Photography Show at the Stockbridge Train Station

An Interview with Lionel Delevingne

Lionel’s show runs through October 25 at the Stockbridge Train Station

Around Town

Pumpkin, Then Pie

Enjoying a snack at Naumkeag

by Patrick White

Around Town

Opening and closing in the Time of Covid

Lionel Delevingne Photography Show at the Stockbridge Train Station

At the Stockbridge Train Station Gallery, from October 9 – 25, is an exhibition of photographs by Lionel Delevingne. Sponsored by Schantz Gallery; a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Laurel Hill Association. Click here for video tour.

Local Trails

15 New Partner Trail Systems Coming in October. The BNRC Berkshire Trails app for iOS and Android smartphones is a great way to find hikes in the Berkshires. Go to www.bnrc.org to get the link. Full list of trails below.

It has been an exceptionally beautiful fall; get out and about.

Trails in Stockbridge

• Ice Glen
• Laura’s Tower
• Mary Flynn Trail
• Upper and Lower Bowker’s Woods
• Gould Meadows
• Bullard Woods
• Olivia’s Outlook

Town of Lenox

• Kennedy Park

MA Dept of Conservation & Recreation:

• Bash Bish Falls State Park
• Clarksburg State Forest
• Clarksburg State Park
• Mohawk Trail State Forest
• Mount Everett State Reservation
• Mount Greylock State Reservation
• Mount Washington State Forest
• Pittsfield State Forest
• Savoy Mountain State Forest
• Greylock Glen

Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation:

• Lehovec Natural Area
• Pine Cobble
• Tenney HillI
• Margret Lindley Park

Perspective

Stockbridge History — Stockbridge-Munsee: It Is All About The “Dash”

The name Muh-he-con-neok or People of the Waters That Are Never Still, evolved over time. To the ears of the Dutch and English, it sounded like Mahican. In later years it was more commonly spelled Mohican.

“Stockbridge” Indians was a place name given by the English settlers to the band of Mohicans living in the Stockbridge area after the founding of the mission at Indian Town in 1737. Indian Town [Stockbridge] was not a homogenous community any more than Stockbridge is today and because of kinship issues and political affiliations created by marriages and other arrangements, members of other tribes lived among the Mohican people.

Originally, the Munsee Tribe was from the Delaware River Valley. Their community was large extending from New Jersey to the west side of the Hudson River bordering the Mohican territory. Although a distinct tribe, the Munsee tribe was considered “cousins” of the Mohicans.

During the American Revolution, the Munsee tribe moved into Canada. They returned from Canada after the Mohican Community established their reservation in Wisconsin. The Mohican community took in the Munsee tribe.

Hence the name Stockbridge (Mohican)-Munsee Band of the Mohican Nation, also called the Stockbridge-Munsee Community, which honors the two communities. To say Munsee Indians is to eliminate half of the membership.

Editor’s note: Rick is correcting a common mistake: calling a people the Stockbridge Indians or the Munsee Community. Correctness is in the all-inclusive dash.

by Rick Wilcox

Conversations

Reader to Reader (an email exchange)

Brian: Carole, a bicentennial worth noting today, October 6, 1820.

On October 6th, 1820, Jenny Lind, a very important person in American musical history was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Lind came to America in 1850. After her debut in New York (6 concerts) she went to Boston and gave 8 concerts. Within the month she was managed by one P.T. Barnum, who presented her in nearly 100 concerts in a little over 6 months. She was married to her pianist, Otto Goldschmidt, at the Beacon Hill home of Samuel Ward (my mother’s maiden name was Ward) on February 5th, 1852.

Nicknamed the “Swedish Nightingale”, she captivated audiences wherever she sang, but she had a soft spot for Boston and New England; she spent her honeymoon in Northampton. Her earnings were in the millions, a significant portion of which she gave away. She died in 1887, and no recordings survive, but the critical reviews leave no question she was one of the greatest singers of all time. In July 1851, after leaving P. T. Barnum, Lind sang in Albany. I am curious if the railroad into the Berkshires was up and running by then.

Carole: Brian, It was. First appearance of RR in The Berkshires was in 1846. It may be true or apocryphal, but here is a story about Lind in The Berkshires. Lind came into The Berkshires by train as the invitation of Senator Charles Sumner. She stayed (possibly) with the Sam Ward family at Highwood or just down the lane with the George Higginson family. Sumner took her on a drive to Lake Averic. Captivated by the beauty, she sang. Her voice went out over the lake and came back. From that day locals called Lake Averic Echo Lake.

by Brian Bell, BSO historian