Dalton Select Board Mulls Declining Student Population
 School systems and declining student population were the topics at Monday's Select Board meeting. |
DALTON, Mass. — An augmented education system is vital to counteract a declining school-aged population, Central Berkshire County School Superintendent William Cameron told the Select Board on Monday night.
Cameron said the current model for education systems in the Berkshires is unsustainable, as part of a conversation meant to gauge the concerns and questions of board and residents before creating a new budget proposal for School Committee approval.
"Some form of reorganization of the education systems in the county is essential," he said. "Either the people of Berkshire County are going to do something about this or somebody is going to do something for them, mainly the state Legislature."
The primary concern addressed was the long-term, school-aged population that, based on demographic analysis of Berkshire County school systems, will decrease in the next 30 to 40 years.
Board Chairman John Boyle referenced statistics presented by the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission that predict a decline in student-age population by 28 percent in 17 years.
Aware of those statistics, Cameron said it is imperative — countywide — for residents with roots in the community to discuss and create solutions now for this issue, including state and local elected officials and parents of children in the school system.
"I think that there ought to be proactive planning going on now for Berkshire County and start looking at ways that it can consolidate, eliminate duplications, increase programming, reorganize boundaries, look at other funding sources — something, or all of these things together," Cameron said. "There needs to be some sort of push to get the things going. I suspect it lies with state elected officials, but I don't know for sure."
Despite a 50 percent decline from 30 years ago, enrollment in Pittsfield and Lenox have remained stable in recent years largely because of school choice, according to Cameron, who said the variety of vocational programs found at Taconic and Pittsfield high schools is a contributing factor.
"There are a lot of people who need to have a say in how this proceeds. They don't start with people like me. People like me come and go," Cameron said.
Cameron said a draft of the school budget proposal will be ready for approval by the School Committee in six or seven weeks. A fiscal 2015 school budget proposal is due on Jan. 9, 2014.
In other business, Terry Williams, chairman of the Finance Committee, reported a 2.29 percent increase in the single-family tax bill. According to Williams, this is the third consecutive year that the increase has been under 2.75 percent, which he believes is a moderate rate. The approximate total of this year's residential tax bill for an average house is $3,736, an $84 increase from last year ($3,652 in fiscal 2013).
"Tax bills are always going to go up, let's be honest," Williams said. "Our job is to make sure that the increase is as moderate as possible."
In other business:
• The board approved a Letter of Intent issued by Citizens Energy to conduct a feasibility study on a 20-acre site adjacent to the town garage and landfill to install a solar array. The town's approval ensures that there will be no competition with Citizens Energy for use of that land for a period of three months. Citizens Energy is the only organization to offer the town a proposal for repurposing that parcel of land.
• Edward Hall, 119 Sunnyside Drive, was appointed as Highway Department foreman.
• The board took no action on a petition written by a local business owner to increase the town quota for off-premise alcohol licenses.
• The board reminded residents that parking tickets will be issued to vehicles in violation of the annual winter parking ban implemented on Friday and effective through April 15, 2014.
• The Dalton Civic Arts Committee has scheduled the 18th annual Light Up the Holiday Parade for Saturday, Dec. 7, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Depot Street. It will proceed down Main Street to Union Block and the CRA, where Santa will light the tree.
• Santa's Winter Wonderland is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 13, from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 14, from noon to 8. Both will be held at Crane Model Farm, 161 Main St.
Tags: enrollment, property taxes,
