CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The town will once again see if town meeting will accept combining school districts with Stamford, Vt., with the same article tabled at the December special town meeting.
The Select Board signed off on a single-article warrant Wednesday that would see if town meeting would accept an agreement with the town of Stamford that would merge the two districts. Chairman Jeffrey Levanos shared his concerns over the redundant article.
"This is the same warrant ... so I guess my concern is ... we kind of got trashed for this so if this is verbatim are we just going back to get trashed again?" he asked.
Levanos was referring to the December special town meeting in which there was an obvious disconnect between the town and the School Committee about the presence of the question on the warrant. This led to the failure of the article.
Town Administrator Carl McKinney said both communities are under the gun and have to move on the merger, which is being driven by Vermont's Act 46 that calls for small Vermont school districts to begin consolidating.
"Th Vermont Legislature is only part time… and if we can't get this figured out before they are out of session that would set back the process rather considerably," he said. "Like maybe a year."
McKinney said a placeholder for the merger has been set on the Legislature's agenda and Stamford needs to make a determination by November.
"I think that this is imperative," he said. "I think that if we don't do this, I am not saying it will, but I am concerned that it could deal a fatal blow to this effort."
He added that passing the article would also allow the town to enable the $25,000 the late state Rep. Gailanne Cariddi was able to secure for the community to run a feasibility study. Vermont will also contribute.
Levanos agreed but said McKinney made the same presentation at the last town meeting and it didn't do any good.
"The speech you just gave is the speech we gave to the School Committee at that meeting," he said. "This aggravates me to no end because we just went through this and we have to do it again."
McKinney said he will ask the School Committee members to attend a future meeting and noted the consolidation will only be a plus for both communities because they will be able to share some resources.
The special town meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 5, at 6:30.
In other business, McKinney said state Sen. Adam Hinds filed legislation to secure $500,000 to go toward the replacement of the Clarksburg Elementary School roof.
He said the legislation still has to pass the House and be signed off by the governor.
"It is not a given by any stretch of the imagination, but it is still a solid first step and we are very grateful for that effort," McKinney said.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Pittsfield Resident Victim of Alleged Murder in Greenfield
By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A man found dismembered in a barrel in Greenfield on Monday has been identified as Pittsfield resident.
The Northwestern District Attorney's Office identified victim as Christopher Hairston, 35, and subsequently arrested a suspect, Taaniel Herberger-Brown, 42, at Albany (N.Y.) International Airport on Tuesday.
The Daily Hampshire Gazette reported that Herberger-Brown told investigators he planned on visiting his mother outside the country.
Herberger-Brown was detained overnight, and the State Police obtained an arrest warrant on a single count of murder on Tuesday morning, the Greenfield Police Department said in a press release.
According to a report written by State Police Trooper Blakeley Pottinger, the body was discovered after Greenfield police received reports of a foul odor emitting from the apartment along with a black hatchet to the left of the barrel, the Greenfield Recorder reported.
Investigators discovered Hairston's hand and part of a human torso at Herberger-Brown’s former apartment, located at 92 Chapman St, the news outlet said.
According to the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Herberger-Brown originally told investigators that he had not been to the apartment in months because he had been in and out of hospitals.
Taylor Garabedian scored a team-high 22 points and grabbed five rebounds, and Abby Scialabba scored 16 points for the ‘Canes, who got 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists from Ashlyn Lesure. click for more
On Saturday afternoon at Lowell’s Tsongas Center, the Hurricanes will take aim at Division 5 State Championships in girls and boys basketball. click for more
Pittsfield High's Matt Dupuis and Lee's Bella Kotek Sunday completed a Berkshire County sweep at the State Bowling Championships at Bowlero.
click for more
Emily Holian’s strike to open the 10th frame of the Wildcats’ second game against Worcester Tech all but assured Lee a team title at Bowlero Chicopee.
click for more
Hoosac struggled to get into rhythm on the offensive end until Joey McGovern got the 3-ball working. McGovern finished the game with 21 points including a triple in the fourth quarter that cemented him in the record books. It took him nearly the whole game but he was able to join the 1,000-point... click for more
Pittsfield High's Eliza Mullen won state title and in the giant slalom and slalom, winning the former discipline by 1.6 seconds and the latter by nearly 2.7 seconds.
click for more