NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The School Committee on Tuesday approved a spending plan of $17,329,082 for fiscal 2018 that is offset by an appropriation of $250,000 from the school choice account.
The committee also approved a three-year contract with the North Adams Teachers Association after a brief executive session.
The contract balances out the wage and step schedule in year one and has 1.5 percent increases in years one and two.
The negotiations were done as interest based bargaining, where the two sides worked together in mutually beneficial talks rather than each side coming in with separate positions.
"When you don't have a lot of resources, it's better to all sit at one table and discuss possible solutions," Superintendent Barbara Malkas said. "I think for our first time going through it was very successful ... it allows us better planning as we go forward."
The success of the approach could be seen in the speed at which the talks occurred; the first meeting was on March 13 and an a agreement reached by April 25. Two subcommittees worked in different aspects, including the salary schedule.
Malkas said the changes in the salary schedule were to realign steps related to seniority and education that had gotten out of whack over the years, with a wide range in increases. The new schedule is designed to be more orderly and equitable.
"Our teachers have shown tremendous discipline," said Mayor Richard Alcombright. "Our increases have been marginal the last few years. ... Knowing what the committee went through, I'm really pleased with what I heard and pleased at this contract."
The spending plan is up 2 percent, within the limit set by the administration, and includes a consolidation of resources with the relocation of preschool classes into the three elementary schools (with the addition of a class for a total of six) and moving Grade 7 to Drury to create a middle school module with Grade 8.
A net total of nine full-time equivalent positions were reduced — two teachers and seven teaching assistants. Retirements and resignations reduced the number of positions being cut. The budget adds one preschool teacher, two positions for the middle grades and three early childhood registered behavior technicians.
"We're not spending a lot on things, we're already spending on people and the time of the teacher in the classroom," Malkas said, noting instruction is the biggest cost center in the budget. "However, when it comes to being lean in a budget, you have to look at positions."
Business Manager Nancy Ziter said the use of $250,000 to reduce the budget was something of wash with about $287,000 in choice expected to come in next year. The account will have about $967,000 going into fiscal 2018.
School officials continue to be concerned about continuing cuts at the state level and the possibility of more significant reductions at the federal level. The mayor said the city is down about $150,000 total in state aid next year.
"This budget allows us to keep the status quo ... but it doesn't allow us to be truly progressive," he said. "To take some chances and do some things."
Alcombright thanked the committee and school administration for their "great work, with very little to work with."
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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime.
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather.
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5.
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure.
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
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Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather.
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