Adams-Cheshire Board OKs $1.1M in Budget Cuts

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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The School Committee wasn't happy about it but still voted for the only budget option that did not require an override.

ADAMS, Mass. — The Adams-Cheshire Regional School District approved a $17 million budget on Monday night that includes more than $1 million in cuts.

The committee had three options but only one included assessments to the towns below the Proposition 2 1/2 levy limits. The committee "reluctantly" approved the option that calls for the reduction of eight positions.

"It is certainly not an ideal budget but reflects our belief that the taxpayers are in tough straits," Chairman Paul Butler said.

School officials had hoped to add a curriculum coordinator in next year's budget but found that would increase Adams' assessment by 25 percent and Cheshire's by 16 percent.

The school district depleted its reserve accounts over the last few years so there is nothing to fall back on.

Officials eliminated the curriculum coordinator post and a maintenance supervisor, cutting about $500,000 and another $300,000 from individual line items but town assessments still required an override. The district then cut eight positions to save another $400,000.

"This was a very, very painful budget process," Superintendent Kristen Gordon said. "There are $1.1 million in cuts from where we started and that was with nothing added except a curriculum director ... We are going to be working with a very bare-bones budget next year."

The budget still calls for increases in assessments. Adams will be assessed $4,715,484, which includes $239,489 for the high school building project that voters had excluded from Proposition 2 1/2. Overall, Adams will be paying 12 percent more.


Cheshire will be assessed $2,305,224, with $95,281 of that being excluded debt. The overall increase is 3.4 percent.

The budget isn't exactly as presented at the first budget hearing. The committee also voted to remove about $284,000 in expenditures and revenues and create revolving accounts. Items such as gate receipts from sporting events will now go into those accounts, which lowers per-pupil spending in the operating budget, thus reducing the charter school reimbursements the school is required to pay.

Gordon said the district will still be able to continue all of its programming this year but those positions should be replaced eventually, she said.

"We can't keep doing this every year," she said. "Next year we really need to add some of these things back."

The district is trying to increase enrollment and lobby state officials for increased transportation funding and lower charter school reimbursements. Additionally, Gordon said she is embarking on a marketing campaign to keep the students there.

About a dozen students are expected to be enrolled at Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School and 27 at McCann Technical School, smaller numbers than in the past.

"That is an all-time low for us so I think we are heading in the right direction," Gordon said.


Tags: ACRSD,   school budget,   

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Hoosac Valley High School to Stage 'Suessical'

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Hoosac Valley High School will showcase their rendition of "Suessical," a musical based on the tales of Dr. Seuss by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.
 
The performances are scheduled for Friday, March 15 at 7 pm, and Saturday, March 16 at 2 pm and 7 pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online via the provided link. Prices are $8 for students and $10 for adults.
 
Directed by Rebecca Koczela and Amanda Watroba, the production features around 50 students participating as actors, pit band musicians, and backstage and tech crews. Notably, this year's cast includes several middle school students who have joined the high school production, marking their first experience performing on stage.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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