Williamstown Greenlights Green Initiatives

By Tammy Daniels
iBerkshires Staff
02:49AM / Tuesday, July 28, 2009

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Should Williamstown pursue stimulus funds for electric trolleys? Joyce Harsch encourages comments and questions. Yes (Williamstown resident) No (Williamstown resident) Yes No Not sure    pollcode.com free polls Joyce Harsch gives a PowerPoint presenta- tion on electric trolleys and stimulus funding. The presenta- tion is below.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Environmental issues were on the agenda at Monday's Selectmen's meeting, with officials giving the green light to move forward on two separate initiatives.

The board, consisting of Vice Chairman Ronald Turbin, David Rempell and Thomas Sheldon, were on board with the concept of bringing battery-powered trolleys to the town — but only if Williamstown wasn't left holding the tokens.

Two weeks ago, the Selectmen had discussed the issue, generally agreeing it sounded good but there were a number of questions they felt needed to be answered.

Joyce Harsch, who has been spearheading the idea since learning about the available federal funding, was more than happy to offer a presentation and answer those questions. Harsch had been trying to get on the agenda for several weeks because a commitment from town officials was necessary to continue her grant research.

Harsch strongly believes the trolleys will be beneficial both environmentally and economically, providing tourists and residents alike with local transportation that emits no greenhouse gases — or emissions of any kind.

She said she's also been in contact with Gary Shepard, administrator of the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority, who is "totally 100 percent behind this." The BRTA has been reimagining routes that haven't changed in decades by creating "feeder" lines, smaller vehicles that travel neighborhoods to bring people to bus stops.

Harsch said the trolley system would work in part as a feeder line and part as a purely Williamstown entity that could offer stops at various cultural and business venues and even tours.

"I'd like to seem them themed like the 'Eph Experience,'" she said, imagining a trolley transformed into purple cow. "Who wouldn't want to ride in a purple cow?"

The BRTA is also pursuing American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, being doled out by the federal government in $20 million grants. Harsch said she would be writing the Williamstown component of a much larger grant that would likely fall under the fiduciary and operational arm of the BRTA.

"I think letting them assume responsibility for it is the best way to go," she said. "Williamstown doesn't have the the ability to run a transit system. ... [an endorsement by the Selectmen] will provide them with the political support for them to get their grant and we get what we want."

"There's no argument about it" that the benefits are good, said Rempell. "But I'm not sure what we're endorsing." All three selectmen repeated their concerns about potential costs to the town and a commitment that the BRTA would be responsible for their operation and a clarification of how a collaboration with the agency would work.

Harsch said she would bring the questions to Shepard and suggested he might be able to speak to the board directly. The Selectmen withheld full support for the proposal until those questions could be answered but encouraged Harsch to continue with the grant.

They wholeheartedly endorsed the COOL Committee's pursuit of a $10,000 state grant to see if the town can become a greener community.

CO2 Lowering Committee member Thomas Ennis said the grant would provide technical assistance to help the town gain "green community" status under the state's Green Communities Act. That would put Williamstown in line to get some of the $10 million in grants being awarded annually by the state Department of Energy Resources through the act.

The five criteria are "as-of-right" siting for renewable or alternative energy facilities (no special permit would be needed if other criteria are met); expedited permitting for such facilities; an inventory and energy reduction plan for town buildings and fuel efficient vehicles; and requiring residential construction over 3,000 square feet and all commercial and industrial construction to be more energy efficient.

Actions the town has taken over the years through the COOL Committee will count, said Ennis.

"The Planning Board discussed this and thought it sensible to go ahead and make the applications," said Planner Andrew Hogeland. "We did go back and forth over whether it's worth doing."

That included the greater construction costs and loss of some rights over wind power siting, he said.

Ennis said many people, including town board members and the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, would be involved researching whether to adopt the regulations. The grant would provide funding for consulting services to analyze the costs and benefits.

In other business, the board:

Approved a Cable Mills Preservation Restriction requiring the facades of buildings in the former General Cable Co. complex be maintained to preserve their 19-century appearance. The buildings are being rehabbed for condominiums and affordable housing; the town approved $167,529 from Community Preservation Funds at town meeting to support preservation efforts.

Re-appointed Henry W. "Hank" Art to another three-year term on the Conservation Commission and approved the list of election workers as recommended by Town Clerk Mary Kennedy.

Approved the second annual Williamstown Community Chest 5K Fun Run, for Saturday, Sept. 26, beginning at 10. Organizer Jill Strawbridge said about 100 people participated last year, making it a "smashing success." The benefit starts at Cole Field House with registration at 9; cost is $15. Also includes one-mile walk. Call 413-458-2443 for more information.

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