Town Manager Peter Fohlin has announced he will retire in April.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Life for the Board of Selectmen got a little more complicated on Monday.

 

Peter Fohlin, who has served as the town manager for nearly 15 years, notified the board of his plans to retire effective April 26.

 

Chairman Ronald Turbin made the announcement at the beginning of Monday's meeting. Turbin and his colleagues, who were notified by letter in advance of the meeting, greeted the news with praise for Fohlin, concern for the town and a bit of humor.

 

"Do we have accept this letter," quipped Selectman Hugh Daley.

 

"I'm leaving either way," Fohlin parried from the other end of the table in the Selectmen's Meeting Room.

 

"As a freshman selectman, I was looking forward to learning more from you, but we'll have to cram it into these next 90 days," Daley said, turning serious.

 

Andrew Hogeland, who like Daley was just elected in 2014, agreed that the board should "make the most of the next 90 days."

 

"I've always been impressed that any time an issue comes up, you've already thought it through," Hogeland said. "You've either seen it before or done it before.

 

"I pity your successor."

 

At the end of Monday's meeting, Turbin pivoted toward the search for that successor, telling the board he would on Tuesday poll his colleagues about dates for a retreat to begin discussing the search process for the town's first new town manager in a decade and a half.

 

"Let's do it soon," Hogeland said.

 

Selectman Thomas Sheldon, who was out of town before returning on Monday for the meeting, called it a "sobering return to town" and recalled that Fohlin already has gone above and beyond the call of duty in service to the town.

 

"Peter was prepared to retire a couple of years ago and decided to defer that because of [Tropical Storm] Irene and the destruction she wrought upon this town. Duty required him to stay on for a couple of years. We've been blessed to have his leadership during that time."

 

Selectwoman Jane Patton agreed.

 

"You probably didn't have to stay a couple of years ago," she said. "Knowing you, you felt bound to stay and see it through. I think you set a remarkable example all of us should consider following in that regard."

 

Fohlin's letter demonstrated his affection for the town, Turbin said, reading a passage from the missive: 

 

" 'One month shy of 15 years, I have served longer than any previous town manager,' " Turbin quoted Fohlin as writing. " 'Most days, it has been the best job in the commonwealth.'

 

"I feel a little shaky, but I want to congratulate Peter on giving himself a well-deserved break," Turbin continued. "Peter is irreplaceable."

 

In other business on Monday night, the Selectmen held a joint meeting with the Finance Committee at which both panels heard a presentation from the chairman of the Mount Greylock Regional School Committee about its intent to bring expanded regionalization to a vote in Williamstown and Lanesborough during 2015.

 

Caroline Greene and interim Tri-District Superintendent Gordon Nosworthy both appeared at the joint meeting and faced several probing questions — most centering on the potential financial impact on Williamstown of moving its elementary school into an expanded K-12 Mount Greylock region.

 

In other business, two town residents asked the board to adopt a resolution opposing the proposed gas pipeline project that Kinder Morgan plans to run through Massachusetts. Two additional residents of Williamstown and the initiator of a similar resolution in North Adams rose to support the request.

 

Board members expressed sympathy for the request but deferred a final decision until at least its next meeting on Jan. 26. The pipeline opponents suggested that the selectmen and any other town residents consider attending one of a series of information nights organized by activist groups: this Thursday at Lanesborough Town Hall at 7 p.m., Jan. 23 in Williamstown, Jan. 24 in Dalton or Jan. 31 in Pittsfield. More information available at www.nofrackedgasinmass.org.