Letter: Williamstown Planning Board Proposals

To the Editor:

How many citizens voted at the last town election? How many will vote at the town meeting? Town meeting is quaint AND irrevocably broken.

A holistic approach to town zoning is far preferable. Selectively passing one or two of the failed Planning Board's proposed zoning changes amounts to spot zoning. All related articles should be tabled or voted down.

Here is something to consider if you think the GR proposals, at minimum, are harmless. If you own land that can be divided into two or more now buildable parcels, guess what? Your property taxes will be jacked up because now, your property is "more valuable!" Voila!

These ill-thought out zoning changes have actually sucked the life out of any new real ideas as to how to create affordable housing in "The Village Beautiful." Sadly, instead, all our energy has been wasted on debating these ill-advised Planning Board proposals!

Ken Swiatek
Williamstown, Mass. 

Williamstown Backs Parents on School Amendment, Passes All But One Article

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
11:17PM / Tuesday, May 19, 2026

School Committee Chair Julia Bowen speaks in favor of the school budget, saying difficult decisions had to be made.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Annual town meeting voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to increase the $30.9 million operating budget of the Mount Greylock Regional School District by $120,000 to fund a math interventionist at the elementary school.

 

The fiscal 2027 assessment of $16,963,270 to the Mount Greylock Regional School District then passed easily by voice vote.

 

All town meeting questions on the 32-article warrant passed easily with the exception of a request by the Select Board to initiate special legislation to allow the town administration to determine the type of media for legal notices. 

 

The addition of the math interventionist generated the most discussion, focusing on the educational and financial effects of the position.

 

A group of WES parents concerned about mathematics instruction at the school had been advocating for the additional funds, about 0.7 percent of the proposed assessment.

 

Jenna Hasenkampf, a member of the School Council that unanimously recommended the post, made the amendment, which was quickly seconded.

 

"Our MCAS state math scores at WES have declined every year since 2019," said Hasenkampf. "Our iReady assessments, which is our current math curriculum from this school year, show that 40 percent of our students are currently below grade level by at least one grade level, if not more, in math, as of December 2025."