Williamstown Selectmen Name Kaiser Acting Town Manager

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen on Monday finalized a contract to appoint retired Town Manager Peter Fohlin as interim town manager and appointed Public Works Director Tim Kaiser as acting town manager during Fohlin's one-month absence.
 
Fohlin retired from the position effective Sunday, and Massachusetts law does not allow him to return to work for the town within a month of his retirement date.
 
So even though Fohlin has agreed to return on an interim basis until a permanent successor is hired, Kaiser will temporarily be the final authority on town affairs on a day-to-day basis.
 
Not that Kaiser expects to throw his weight around too much.
 
"You're in good hands," Kaiser said. "The town has a very good staff. They know what they're doing, and they do it very well.
 
"I'll just try to make sure the ship doesn't run aground the next month before Peter gets back."
 
Kaiser has been acting town manager in the past, filling in for Fohlin while he was away on vacation.
 
The contract for Fohlin's interim appointment calls for his appointment up to Aug. 28, but the board hopes to have a permanent replacement on board before then.
 
Selectman Thomas Sheldon reported to his colleagues on Monday night that the headhunter hired to find the new town manager received 30 applications.
 
GovHR of Illinois is vetting those applicants and conducting Skype interviews with an eye toward delivering a list of possibilities to the town's screening committee on May 11, Sheldon said. 
 
That committee will then conduct private interviews before giving the Selectmen a short list later in May for public interviews.
 
Moments after Kaiser was named the acting town manager on Monday evening, he performed his first official task: delivering the last town manager's report prepared by Fohlin in his 15-year tenure at Town Hall.
 
The highlight of the report was the news that the town has finalized its power purchase agreement with Solar City to operate an up-to 2.5 million killowatt-hour photovoltaic project on the town's capped landfill.
 
The town and solar power producer also have a memorandum of agreement that will allow Solar City to install a 1.0 million Kwh private project or for both the town and Solar City to opt out if there are no net metering credits available.
 
The commonwealth's net metering cap for municipal projects is already met, and it is near meeting the cap for private projects, but Fohlin reported that the legislature may increase the municipal cap, which would allow for a more lucrative facility for the town.
 
"We're confident that will happen," Kaiser said.
 
In other business on Monday, the board in its capacity as liquor licensing authority, approved a change of manager at Taconic Golf Course, where David Travisano takes over for Dominic Sachet.

Tags: interim appointment,   solar array,   town administrator,   

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Williamstown Fire Committee Talks Station Project Cuts, Truck Replacement

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Prudential Committee on Wednesday signed off on more than $1 million in cost cutting measures for the planned Main Street fire station.
 
Some of the "value engineering" changes are cosmetic, while at least one pushes off a planned expense into the future.
 
The committee, which oversees the Fire District, also made plans to hold meetings over the next two Wednesdays to finalize its fiscal year 2025 budget request and other warrant articles for the May 28 annual district meeting. One of those warrant articles could include a request for a new mini rescue truck.
 
The value engineering changes to the building project originated with the district's Building Committee, which asked the Prudential Committee to review and sign off.
 
In all, the cuts approved on Wednesday are estimated to trim $1.135 million off the project's price tag.
 
The biggest ticket items included $250,000 to simplify the exterior masonry, $200,000 to eliminate a side yard shed, $150,000 to switch from a metal roof to asphalt shingles and $75,000 to "white box" certain areas on the second floor of the planned building.
 
The white boxing means the interior spaces will be built but not finished. So instead of dividing a large space into six bunk rooms and installing two restrooms on the second floor, that space will be left empty and unframed for now.
 
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