Great Barrington — Members of the Selectboard gave Town Manager Mark Pruhenski compliments for his annual job performance review. Copies of the job performance review for 2023, which was completed by members of the Selectboard, were part of the informational packet for the Monday, February 26 regular Selectboard meeting.
Pruhenski started his term as town manager back in May 2019 and previously served as the town manager for Richmond and Whately. He also served as the public health director for Great Barrington from 2005 to 2015.
In his review, Selectboard Chair Stephen Bannon wrote that Pruhenski “has done a good job presenting a slightly below level service budget.” He went on, “It is now up to the [Selectboard and Finance Committee] to decide if there needs to be further reductions. Mark is level-headed and does not get flustered during stressful times.”
As for constructive criticism, Bannon wrote, “Mark is enthusiastic and works hard, maybe to [sic] hard.” He explained, “He needs to reduce some of the time he spends in the office. In the long run, this will keep him fresh and hopefully the town manager in [Great Barrington] for an extended period of time.”
In her review of Pruhenski’s job performance, Vice Chair Leigh Davis echoed many of the same things Bannon wrote in his review. “[Pruhenski] is hard-working, honest, reliable, knowledgeable, [and] affable,” Davis wrote. “Mark truly cares about this town. The FY25 municipal budget is going to be extra tough. I appreciate the town manager making many cuts already, but many more will need to be done.”
“Mark does an amazing job at keeping me up to date on all things happening within town,” Selectboard member Eric Gabriel wrote. “From major situations to the smallest of items, I always feel like I’m well informed after our discussions. Overseeing 130 employees and a whole community is no easy task.”
As for constructive criticisms, Gabriel wrote, “My suggestion for Mark would be to make sure he sets aside the time to enjoy family, rest, recover, and reset to maintain morale.”
While Selectboard member Ben Elliott is mostly complimentary in his performance review of Pruhenski, Elliott was critical of some aspects of Pruhenski’s job performance. “[Pruhenski should establish] a more transparent relationship with the public,” Elliott wrote. “I understand we are often constrained by different considerations, but anything the town manager’s office can do to keep the community feeling like they’re in the loop will go a long way.”
The Selectboard’s reviews of Pruhenski’s job performance for 2023 can be viewed here.
In other business: At the February 26 meeting, Town Manager Pruhenski said that consultants DPC Engineering of Longmeadow and Harwich Port, Mass. have begun a financial study of Housatonic Water Works. At their meeting on January 17, the town’s Finance Committee approved a study by DPC Engineering to evaluate the potential operation and acquisition of HWW.
Pruhenski said that the town has requested updated data from the company. “[The company’s fiscal] 2023 returns should be submitted to the [Department of Public Utilities] shortly, so I will have access to that information,” Pruhenski told the Selectboard. “We’re making progress, but I still don’t have an update on the timeline [for completion of the study].”
Meanwhile, Pruhenski told the Selectboard that a third investigation into the “Gender Queer” book incident at W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School is moving forward. Back at its January 31 meeting, the Selectboard approved an independent investigation into the Police Department’s investigation at W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School over a copy of the book “Gender Queer.”
Pruhenski said that the town has hired Comprehensive Investigations and Consulting LLC of Boston and that the company report would be available as soon as it is completed. However, Pruhenski did not give a time estimate of when the company’s report would be completed.
Also during their February 26 meeting, the Selectboard unanimously approved a policy for the disposal of historical assets. The policy was developed by Historical Commission member Malcolm Fick.
Selectboard member Gabriel asked that the word “disposal” be reworded as “transferal.” “When I think of ‘disposal,’ it means throwing in the garbage, and it just doesn’t sit right with me, especially since just how this all started,” Gabriel said. “I think we’re just talking about transferring stuff to previous owners.”
While there was no formal motion or vote on the word change, both Chair Bannon and Fick agreed to it.
