Berkshire Music School Calendar Update

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Saturday October 24, 11am
Piano students from the studio of Susan Hadfield will present a free recital Saturday, October 24 at 11am. Free. Edgar B. Taft Recital Hall, 30 Wendell Ave., Pittsfield. Free parking. For information call 413.442.1411.

Saturday October 31, 1pm
Boo! Piano students from the studio of Yelena Levina will don costumes for a free Halloween inspired concert Saturday, October 31 at 1pm. Free. BMS Taft Recital Hall, 30 Wendell Ave., Pittsfield. Free parking. For information call 413.442.1411.

Wednesday November 11 BMS closed for Veteran’s Day

Friday November 13, 3:30pm
The “Forget Me Nots” perform at Melbourne Place, Pittsfield. Gabriella Maku, piano; Sophie Cohen, French horn; Hannah Cohen, violin. Jean Stackhouse, coach.

November 25 – 29 BMS closed for Thanksgiving recess

Sunday December 6, 1pm
Holiday tunes with a Cabaret-To-Go twist at the Berkshire Museum. $15 adults/$8 children. Museum members $8 adults/$6 children. 413.443.7171 for reservations.

Saturday December 12, 1pm
Bing’s Strings, Too and KinderChoirs present a holiday program at the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield. Free.

Tuesday December 15, 7pm
Student recital from the voice studio of Jack Brown. Free. BMS Edgar B. Taft Recital Hall

Saturday December 19, 3:30pm
Kindred Spirits, the new BMS girls choir directed by Carolina Carry, performs at Ventfort Hall’s holiday tea.

December 23 – January 3 BMS closed for Holiday recess

Sunday January 17, 4pm
Cabaret – To - Go performs at the Stockbridge Library. Free & open to the public

Monday January18 BMS closed for Martin Luther King holiday

Feburary14 – 21 BMS closed for Winter Vacation

Saturday February 27 & Sunday, February 28
Contemporary Music Festival featuring  composers from the University of CA and Stephen Lewis, an alumnus of BMS and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. BMS Edgar B. Taft Recital Hall.

April 2 – 4 BMS closed for Easter holiday

Friday April 9 - Sunday April 11
Music Marathon weekend. BMS Edgar B. Taft Recital Hall.

April18 – 25 BMS closed for Spring Vacation

Sunday May 23, 4pm
BMS benefit concert with Albany Pro Musica and works by composer Steve Murray. St. Ann’s Church, Lenox. $15 adults/$5 students. Call 413.442.1411 for reservations.

Monday May 31 BMS closed for Memorial Day
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.

Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.

The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.

Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is  appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.

Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.

Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.

Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.

The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.

The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.

Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.

Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years. 

He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.

Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.

Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve  a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.

Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.

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