Clarksburg School Preparing for Town Meeting Vote on Feasibility Study

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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Clarksburg School is preparing to appoint a school building committee and hopes to have approval for a feasibility study at May's town meeting.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — A school building committee will be created soon to begin preparing for the new school project.

Superintendent Jonathan Lev told the School Committee on Thursday that establishing the panel will be the first step for developing a feasibility study.

"We're hoping at the May town meeting we'll be able to have a vote on the feasibility study," he said. "We have ... six months to turn something in to the MSBA that the town has approved the feasibility study, which is the next step. we're hoping, if possible, to be able to do that at May town meeting."

The school district was invited into the eligibility process last month after several years of submitting statements of interest hoping to repair or replace the 60-year-old school.

Lev said he and Chairman Jeffrey Levanos and Town Administrator Carl McKinney had a conference call with Massachusetts School Building Authority officials on Wednesday to review the procedures.

The school and town officials would first agree to compliance with MSBA regulations and procedures; creation of a school building committee; completion of an educational profile; summary of current maintenance practices; and determination of expected enrollment.

The final steps before entering the feasibility period are the approval of a study and signing a feasibility agreement with the MSBA. Once the town approves the study, the school building committee would submit a request for proposals for a consultant.

Lev said a notification had been sent home to parents to see if any were interested in volunteering for the school building committee; he had received some calls back. Interested applicants can contact the superintendent.

There are certain required professions that must be on the committee, which must be approved by the MSBA. Clarksburg residents will be the first asked but should officials be unsuccessful in finding someone with the needed experience, they may appoint someone from outside the school district. One person can also fill two requirements.

The school building committee must include:

A certified procurement officer
The town administrator
At least one School Committee member
The superintendent


Local official for building maintenance (custodian)
A representative from an office authorized by law to construct school buildings
Someone knowlegable about educational needs, such as a teacher
The school principal
Local budget official or a Finance Committee member
An architect, engineer or contractor
A parent or other interested community members
 
Interim Principal Karen Gallese and School Committee Patricia Prenguber member asked if a student could be on it. Lev said a student could fall under "other," but suggested it be younger student since the process could take a few years.

"It would be nice to have a student," Prenguber said.

Gallese said she had gone through this process as principal in 2006, when the school had gotten to the point of hiring what was then Margo Jones Architects to do a study.

Jones had determined the newer wing was not able to be renovated and suggested it be removed and rebuilt. Some of the classrooms for the younger children were not compliant with new codes, such as not having bathrooms. The "cafetorium" was also obsolete since schools could no longer use a gym and cafeteria together; it was suggested the space be used as a cafeteria and theater. The school building committee back then also had requested a preschool, science lab or room, music room and smaller rooms for meetings or tutoring in the design.

Lev said the new feasibility study would determine whether the school could be renovated or a new one built. Enrollment will be a critical factor and directly affect the size of the school. Clarksburg currently has an enrollment of 178 and anticipates adding the preschool.

Another critical factor will be the support of the Selectmen and the town.

"The MSBA will make a recommendation, also what the town can afford will be a big part of it," he said. "The Selectmen may say this is what we can't pull off, this is what we can.

"There's a lot of work before we do any digging."

In other business:

Lev proposed the school union buy a short bus for field trips as a way to save on costs. The four schools would share the vehicle. The School Committee indicated it was interested in the idea, which will be discussed at Northern Berkshire School Union meeting in the spring.

The principal search committee has recommended two candidates for the post. The School Committee will interview the finalists on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 5:15 p.m. during an open meeting at the school


Tags: Clarksburg School,   MSBA,   school building committee,   

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Pittsfield CPA Committee Funds Half of FY24 Requests

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A few projects are not getting funded by the Community Preservation Committee because of a tight budget.

The projects not making the cut were in the historic preservation and open space and recreation categories and though they were seen as interesting and valuable projects, the urgency was not prevalent enough for this cycle.

"It's a tough year," Chair Danielle Steinmann said.

The panel made its recommendations on Monday after several meetings of presentations from applications. They will advance to the City Council for final approval.  

Two cemetery projects were scored low by the committee and not funded: A $9,500 request from the city for fencing at the West Part Cemetery as outlined in a preservation plan created in 2021 and a $39,500 request from the St. Joseph Cemetery Commission for tombstone restorations.

"I feel personally that they could be pushed back a year," Elizabeth Herland said. "And I think they're both good projects but they don't have the urgency."

It was also decided that George B. Crane Memorial Center's $73,465 application for the creation of a recreational space would not be funded. Herland said the main reason she scored the project low was because it didn't appear to benefit the larger community as much as other projects do.

There was conversation about not funding The Christian Center's $34,100 request for heating system repairs but the committee ended up voting to give it $21,341 when monies were left over.

The total funding request was more than $1.6 million for FY24 and with a budget of $808,547, only about half could be funded. The panel allocated all of the available monies, breaking down into $107,206 for open space and recreation, $276,341 for historic preservation, and $425,000 for community housing.

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