Adams-Cheshire Ask Putnam to Stay on as Superintendent
CHESHIRE, Mass. — The acting Adams-Cheshire Regional superintendent has been asked to remain as the permanent superintendent of schools.
The vote by the School Committee was unanimous in offering the post to Robert Putnam, who has led the three-school district in an interim capacity since July 1.
"I am honored by your approval of what I have been doing and your trust," Putnam said Monday night. "I will continue to do the best I can."
School Committee member Darlene Rodowicz said the Audit and Evaluation subcommittee recently finalized Putnam's review and all agreed to recommend him to lead the district forward more permanently.
Putnam was chosen to head the district last year after the departure of Superintendent Kristen Gordon. The School Committee wanted to hire someone on an interim basis until it had to time to conduct a more thorough search.
But the search never occurred and Putnam passed the audition during his six months on the job, including throwing himself into finding solutions to the district's financial and enrollment troubles. He had previously been superintendent of the Central Berkshire School District.
The School Committee still has to negotiate Putnam's contract before he officially takes the position.
In other business, Rodowicz said the Audit and Evaluation subcommittee has been working on the budget and found that if either elementary school closes, the district will receive additional transportation funds from the state to cover taking students to a single school.
She said if C.T. Plunkett School in Adams were to close, nearly 406 students would have to be transported to Cheshire Elementary School. With transportation reimbursement at 60 percent, this would mean an additional $160,000 for the district.
If Cheshire closed, 132 students would have to be transported to Plunkett, which would bring in $90,000.
"There is about a $70,000 difference between the two options, but both options will provide revenue that we don't have today and I think that will be really important when we start our budget meetings," she said.
The School Committee also agreed to submit two Statements of Interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority; one for Cheshire Elementary and one for Plunkett, to solicit for accelerated repair funds to make repairs to the buildings.
Putnam said accelerated repairs qualify as roof, window, doors and heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) projects that cost more than $250,000. He said both Cheshire and Plunkett need this kind of work.
Applications are due Feb. 17. Putnam at first suggested waiting until next year and gaining a firmer vision of what the district will look like in the future after the University of Massachusetts' Collins Center releases its study on Wednesday, but the School Committee asked him to submit placeholder applications.
Putnam agreed and said they can retract the applications at any time or even reapply for more substantial funds if they chose to pursue renovation or a new building. These applications are due April 7.
Tags: ACRSD, superintendent,
