NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The School Committee endorsed on Tuesday night the recommendation of the school building committee to pursue a two-school option.
The board reiterated some of the points made during the building committee's session last month in updating School Committee member William G. Schrade Jr., who had not been able to attend.
The school building committee unanimously voted to present the Massachusetts School Building Authority with a $52 million plan to build a new Greylock Elementary School and to renovate vacant Conte Middle School into an elementary school.
Parents of children at Sullivan School, which would be vacated, had expressed doubts about the safety of Conte in the downtown and lamented the loss of a the quiet neighborhood school.
Committee member Mary Lou Accetta said she had spoken to "a couple of dozen" protesting parents who have since been somewhat assured after the superintendent said their concerns would be address.
"I think that has mitigated a lot of the fear," said Accetta, who recalled that "one of the parents from Sullivan spoke very eloquently and said that the essence that was Sullivan School was going to go with it. .. that it wasn't the building but the sense of community."
Schrade his concern was that in voting for two schools, the entire project was endangered.
"I'm a parent of Sullivan; the school is in dire need," he said. "I just don't want to see two schools, actually, possibly be lost because of this situation."
Mayor Richard Alcombright, chairman of the School Committee, said school officials shared the same concern but were swayed by the confidence of Margo Jones, the project architect, that the SBA would at minimum authorize one school.
"She very strongly said if they don't allow two schools you'll get one," said Alcombright. "The hands just went up ... I think the vote was not only affirmative it had a lot of mustard in it."
The city will not know until November if the SBA will approve the project; should the state OK only one school, the mayor's opinion is that it would be Greylock.
"I think if it came down to one building, [the committee would] have to come together again, and take that through and figure out what the best solution is for the community," he said.
The School Committee voted unanimously to support the project; the mayor said he would bring a similar resolution to the City Council.
In other business:
:: The committee is closing in on completing a new policy handbook. The final sections were distributed for review.
:: The committee also discussed changes to policy on renting out the Drury auditorium. Superintendent James Montepare said the major change was to clarify that the very expensive audiovisual equipment was not included. Board members discussed raising the fee of $350 for for-profit renters.
:: The public schools will hold parent orientation programs on Tuesday, Sept. 13, from 6 to 7:30 at Brayton, Sullivan and Greylock elmentary schools. Parent orientation at Drury High will be Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 and will be preceded by a meeting for seniors and their parents at 5:30.
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I'm sorry, this parking meter stuff is nuts. RealWayne just said that there is $8M in lost revenue in nickle parking meters and $5 tickets.
That's 1,600,000 tickets or 160,000,000 nickles. And that doesn't count the costs of collecting that money.
I'm sorry if I sound rude, but this moronic talk has to stop... if there are cost savings lets find them, and use real numbers that actually make sense. Not this fantasy world crap.
NA Res If you think $22,000 per mo. is not real numbers then it is you that is moronic. If you think another overrride will pass than that is your fantasy.
Editor: I do not believe there is $22,000 a month. As soon as you start cracking down, people will start putting their dimes in or start avoiding the meters. Second, fines are not supposed to be revenue generators, they're supposed to get people to follow the rules. I Agree (2) - I Disagree (0)
The numbers that Wayne uses are based on fantasy to begin with. For Mr. Trottier's numbers to be true, he would have had to have found almost 60 cars in violation on each of his walks. There are not that many meters. Sorry, his math is complete bunk and so are Wayne's assertions.
Not Wayne Mr. Trottier's spent six months on his study. Unless you did your own how can you say he is wrong? You are just another person that lives off the tax payers and wants to vent becaust the override did not pass and another one will never pass either. That is not an assertion that is what over 1800 told the mayor the last time.
Editor: Stop making ridiculous assumptions about people because they don't agree with you. I'm sick and tired of this "lives off the taxpayers" nonsense. I Agree (3) - I Disagree (1)
Agreed. I work on Main Street. I'm there every day. For his numbers to be REMOTELY true, every car on Main Street, every day, all day, would need to be parked at expired meters. This simply isn't true. Not even close.
Editor Everyone that works or has worked for the state or city is living of the taxpayers weather you it or not . I could care less of anyone agrees with me or not.
Sorry to here that you are sick and tired , live goes on.
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:: Preliminary Election: Deadline to register is Wednesday, Sept. 7. (Office open from 8 to 8.)
:: General Election: Deadline to register is Tuesday, Oct. 18
Registration can be completed at the city clerk's office at City Hall.
Absentee ballots are now available at the city clerk's office for the Sept. 27 preliminary city election. Voters may come in between the hours of 8 and 4:30 weekdays. Written reguests for mailed ballots can be sent to City Clerk's Office, 10 Main St., North Adams, MA 01247. Deadline for absentee ballots is Monday, Sept. 26, at noon.
The preliminary election will be held Tuesday, Sept. 27, to narrow the field of three mayoral candidates to two. The general election to select nine city councilors and a mayor will be held Tuesday, Nov. 8.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The School Committee endorsed on Tuesday night the recommendation of the school building committee to pursue a two-school option. 