Williamstown Names New Rep to Woodlands Partnership
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday appointed the town's second representative to the Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts.
Elise Leduc-Fleming was the lone applicant to succeed Henry Art on the board of the partnership, which is dedicated to "outreach and education to the communities, research and demonstration of "exemplary sustainable forest management practices," and technical assistance related to local recreation and tourism."
Twenty towns and cities in Berkshire and Franklin Counties, along with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, University of Massachusetts Extension and several nonprofits are represented on the board.
Leduc-Fleming is an environmental scientist who currently manages the 2,600-acre Hopkins Memorial Forest for Williams College.
She earned her bachelor's degree at Williams and master's at Duke University and previously served on the Conservation Commission in Bourne, Mass., for six years.
"This seems like a wonderful opportunity to be involved in community affairs and learn more about what's going on regionally with our forests," Leduc-Fleming told the Select Board on Monday.
"I'm hoping I can be a good fit on the committee. I don't know that I could ever fill Hank Art's shoes, but we'll see what I can do."
Art, an emeritus professor of environmental studies and biology at Williams, was a longtime member of the town's Conservation Commission and served as chair of the then-Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership after he was appointed to represent Williamstown on the body in 2019.
Leduc-Fleming said Community Development Director Andrew Groff recruited her to fill the position after Art decided to step down.
"It would be hard to find someone more suited to the position," Select Board member Matthew Neely said before a 4-0 vote to appoint her (Jeffrey Johnson did not attend the meeting).
While her appointment fills one role, the town is seeking volunteers for two dozen other board and committee spots that are up for renewal at the end of the month.
Vice Chair Peter Beck read the full list at the outset of Monday's meeting, and the board made plans to appoint new and returning members at its June 23 meeting, one week before terms expire.
Interest residents can see that list on the town's website and were encouraged on Monday to fill out a Government Engagement Activity Form.
In other business on a light agenda, the Select Board approved a seasonal all-alcohol license for the vendor who operates at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Shana Dixon told her colleagues that the town's inaugural Pride Month celebration at Milne Public Library was well attended despite the weather. She said about 100 people came to the Sunday, June 1, celebration.
"It was raining off and on, but the kids and families had a great time," Dixon said. "A lot of people were there to witness the first [Progress Pride Flag] raising in Williamstown."
During the meeting's public comment period on Monday, Leslie Gura asked the board to consider following up on three issues that carry over from its 2024-25 term: the operation of the Hoosac Water Quality District, the establishment of a leash-free area for dogs at the Spruces Park and a request she made in spring for a local ordinance to ban "SGAR" rodenticides on town properties.
"We set up a section for unleashed dogs at the Spruces with some plans for signage and things, and I wanted to get an update on that," Gura said. "Maybe [Town Manager Robert Menicocci] could bring that up in his next report."
As for the water district, Gura said she realized that the HWQD commissioners had settled on its budget and plan of operations for fiscal year 2026, but she said she hoped the issue would not go away for a year until the FY27 budget discussion.
Select Board members agreed that they should revisit the question of composting at the water treatment facility. But Chair Stephanie Boyd, participating remotely from an airport, noted scheduling that conversation could be difficult. She wants all five board members to be able to attend as well as representatives from the HWQD.
"It's possible, depending on people's schedules, we can do it before September," Boyd said. "I [am] just guessing there are going to be people in and out in July and August. It's an important issue. I don't want to hold things up because I'm not there, but I think we all probably want to be part of that."
Dixon pressed the board to find the soonest date possible that works.
"September just seems so far away," she said. "I think if we want to be proactive about the situation at hand, we should do it sooner rather than later."
Tags: appointments, woodlands partnership,
