Mount Greylock Awarded $50K To Study Further Regionalization

 WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Mount Greylock Regional High School now has $50,000 to study regionalization.

 The state awarded the district the money to study if the pros and cons of bringing the elementary schools into the district — meaning there would be one school committee and one budget.

"Regionalization can be more advantageous in meeting the future needs of all our students and providing greater continuity in a first-class education system," Superintendent Rose Ellis said in a prepared statement.
 
 The school will now create a planning team consisting of a communications consultant, financial specialist,legal counsel and representatives from the Mount Greylock, Williamstown Elementary and Lanesborough Elementary School Committees. Additionally, representatives from both town's Board of Selectmen and Finance Committees will be part of the team.

The money comes from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Williamstown Fire Committee Talks Station Project Cuts, Truck Replacement

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
05:17AM / Friday, April 26, 2024

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.