Pedro Noguera, will deliver the Allison Davis Lecture at Williams College

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Pedro Noguera, professor at the Steinhardt School of Education at New York University and director of the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education, will deliver the Allison Davis Lecture on Thursday, Feb. 8, at 8 p.m. in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall on the Williams campus. Entitled "Changing Racial Inequality in Our Schools," the talk is sponsored by the Oakley Center for the Humanities and Social Sciences. Noguera is the author and editor of a number of books. Most recently released are the trio "Unfinished Business: Closing the Racial Achievement Gap in Our Schools," "The Color of Success: Race and High-achieving Urban Youth," and "Beyond Resistance: Youth Activism and Community Change: New Democratic Possibilities for Practice and Policy for America's Youth." He is also the author of the book "City Schools and the American Dream: Reclaiming the Promise of Public Education," in addition to numerous research articles published in major scholarly journals. An urban sociologist, Noguera has been involved with urban education on many levels. In addition to serving as the executive director of the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education, Noguera is also co-director of the Institute for the Study of Globalization and Education in Metropolitan Settings (IGEMS.) Before joining the faculty of New York University, Noguera was professor of communities and schools at Harvard Graduate School of Education, and professor in social and cultural studies and director of the Institute for the Study of Social Change at the University of California, Berkeley. A K-12 teacher for several years, Noguera continues to teach part-time in high schools. He is the recipient of many awards for his efforts to further urban education. In 1995, he received an award from the Wellness Foundation for his research on youth violence and in 1997, he received the University of California's Distinguished Teaching Award. He was named one of the "100 Most Influential Hispanics in the U.S." by Hispanic Business Magazine.
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.

Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.

The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.

Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is  appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.

Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.

Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.

Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.

The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.

The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.

Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.

Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years. 

He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.

Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.

Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve  a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.

Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.

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