Curtis reported that the district would be comfortable bringing forward proposals for non-staff member cuts on June 26, sending out the information to committee member before hands.
President Jamie Birge told the board of trustees on Thursday that the college has been in discussions for the last couple years with a donor who wishes at this point to remain anonymous.
Despite the pain of raising taxes, a majority of the City Council members agreed that it is their responsibility to approve 2024 tax classification so that the city doesn't fall behind.
Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren, Ward 2 Councilor Charles Kronick and at-Large Councilor Karen Kalinowsky spoke against the proposal that would increase the average homeowner's bill by 8.75 percent.
The average residential property tax bill will go up by $103.85 for fiscal year 2024 under a tax distribution plan OK'd by the City Council on Tuesday.
Mayor Linda Tyer and the Board of Assessors have put forward a residential rate of $18.45 per $1,000 of valuation and a commercial, industrial, and personal property rate of $39.61.
That translates to a residential tax rate of $17.54 per $1,000 assessed value, down around 6 percent from last year's $18.59, and a commercial rate of $24.23, down from $25.65 last year.
Following up on a request he made at the committee's July meeting, Chief Craig Pedercini asked the panel's permission to increase the fee for inspecting a residential property at the time of sale and institute fees for the business inspections the department conducts on an annual basis.
Gov. Maura Healey on Wednesday morning signed a $55.98 billion state budget for fiscal 2024 that includes a half-million in earmarks for Berkshire County projects.
President Peter Marchetti pleaded for him to reconsider the motions, as these costs will become taxpayers' burden if they are not appropriated by the end of the fiscal year on Friday.
On the last day of fiscal 2024 budget hearings last week, the City Council preliminarily approved five departmental spending plans and a $205 million city budget.
The Finance Committee last week began review of the fiscal 2024 budget presented by Mayor Jennifer Macksey, voting to recommend the School Department and General Government spending plans and compensation plan.