Pittsfield Committee Recommends Against School Budget Law

By Joe DurwinPittsfield Correspondent
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The Ordinance & Rules Committee is recommending the City Council reject a petition on Tuesday to adopt a law allowing it to override a mayor's school budget.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Committee on Ordinance & Rules is recommending the City Council reject a petition on Tuesday to adopt a little used Massachusetts law enabling it to override a mayor's decision on the annual school budget.

The subcommittee voted 3-2 last week against recommending a petition.

If enacted, Massachusetts' Chapter 329 would allow a school budget appropriation to be increased above that called for by a mayor, provided at least four members of the School Committee, and eight members of the City Council vote to do so. Opponents of the move point out that there do not seem to be any other discernible cases where a community has adopted this in the 17 years it's been on the books.

"This is a proactive measure," said Councilor Churchill Cotton, who brought the petition forth after the School Committee voted 6-1 in support. "This is not a criticism of how things have been done in the past."

"There's no guarantee that by adopting this, school budgets will go up," added Cotton, who previously served on the School Committee prior to election as a councilor in 2011.

Two current members of that committee, Chairwoman Katherine Yon and Cynthia Taylor, also attended to speak in its favor, saying the provision could offer greater public participation and overall transparency in the budget process.

"Let's make history, let's blaze a trail," said Yon. "Let's adopt 329 to have the opportunity to work more effectively to do what's right for our community."

Councilor Kathleen Amuso, also a former School Committee member, disagreed, saying she believes adopting this could lead to yearly attempts at increased budgets.



"This is very difficult for me," said Amuso. "I believe it sounds good in theory."

"It nags at me that I can't find a community that's adopted this," added Council President Melissa Mazzeo, who along with Councilor Kevin Morandi also voted against the proposal.

Mazzeo said she is "not opposed to talking about this again at another time" but was not convinced that being one of, if not the first, municipality to adopt it is the right thing to do.

Councilor Jonathan Lothrop deferred, contending that the nature of the provision would "bring additional checks and balances" that would likely result in it never having to be invoked.

"It's a pretty high burden for that to ever come into play," said Lothrop, of the super-majorities from both bodies required to increase the figure.

Councilor Christopher Connell, who chairs the subcommittee, said he "felt torn" on the issue, but ultimately agreed with Lothrop.

The petition to adopt the statute by city ordinance will now go before the full council on Tuesday.


Tags: ordinance & rules ,   pittsfield schools,   school budget,   

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North Adams Regional Reopens With Ribbon-Cutting Celebration

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

BHS President and CEO Darlene Rodowicz welcomes the gathering to the celebration of the hospital's reopening 10 years to the day it closed. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The joyful celebration on Thursday at North Adams Regional Hospital was a far cry from the scene 10 years ago when protests and tears marked the facility's closing
 
Hospital officials, local leaders, medical staff, residents and elected officials gathered under a tent on the campus to mark the efforts over the past decade to restore NARH and cut the ribbon officially reopening the 136-year-old medical center. 
 
"This hospital under previous ownership closed its doors. It was a day that was full of tears, anger and fear in the Northern Berkshire community about where and how residents would be able to receive what should be a fundamental right for everyone — access to health care," said Darlene Rodowicz, president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems. 
 
"Today the historic opportunity to enhance the health and wellness of Northern Berkshire community is here. And we've been waiting for this moment for 10 years. It is the key to keeping in line with our strategic plan which is to increase access and support coordinated county wide system of care." 
 
Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, under the BHS umbrella, purchased the campus and affiliated systems when Northern Berkshire Healthcare declared bankruptcy and closed on March 28, 2014. NBH had been beset by falling admissions, reductions in Medicare and Medicaid payments, and investments that had gone sour leaving it more than $30 million in debt. 
 
BMC was able to reopen the ER as an emergency satellite facility and slowly restored and enhanced medical services including outpatient surgery, imaging, dialysis, pharmacy and physician services. 
 
But it would take a slight tweak in the U.S. Health and Human Services' regulations — thank to U.S. Rep. Richie Neal — to bring back inpatient beds and resurrect North Adams Regional Hospital 
 
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