Williamstown Forums Focus on Elections, Mount Greylock Building Project

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — It is a busy week for public fora in the Village Beautiful.
 
Williamstown voters have three different events to follow over the next three nights, starting with Tuesday's candidates forum for three people looking to fill two seats on the Williamstown Elementary School Committee.
 
The League of Women Voters is hosting that event and one on Thursday for the four candidates vying for one open seat on the Board of Selectmen.
 
Both candidates forums are scheduled for 7 p.m. at Town Hall and will be telecast on the town's public access television station, WilliNet.
 
Also on Thursday at 7 p.m., the Mount Greylock Regional School District's Building Committee will host a special "Community Update and Input Session," in the school's meeting room.
 
The Mount Greylock committee is seeking input from residents of Williamstown and Lanesborough to help guide the architectural firm Design Partnership of Cambridge, which is conducting a feasibility study mandated by the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
 
"The best way to proceed with this project is to have as many voices as possible contribute," Mount Greylock Principal Mary MacDonald said in a news release announcing the meeting. "We have a wealth of talent in our two communities, including people who have expertise in design, construction, environmental conservation, green technology, landscaping, audiovisual technology, digital technology, engineering, the performing and visual arts and more.
 
"The School Building Committee is eager to hear townspeople's ideas and questions."
 
A second community input session is scheduled at the school on Tuesday, May 12, and the committee plans another session in Lanesborough on Sunday, May 5.

Tags: election 2015,   MGRHS,   public forum,   school project,   


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Williamstown Fire Committee Talks Station Project Cuts, Truck Replacement

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
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.
 
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