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.
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Toy Library Installed at Onota Lake
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Feel free to use or leave a toy at Onota Lake's newest infrastructure meant to foster community and benefit kids.
Burbank Park now has a toy library thanks to Wahconah Regional High School senior Alexandra Bills. Located along the wall at the beach area, the green and blue structure features two shelves with sand toys that can be used to enhance children's visits.
The Parks Commission supported Bills' proposal in February as part of her National Honors Society individual service project and it was installed this month. Measuring about 4 feet wide and 5.8 feet tall, it was built by the student and her father with donated materials from a local lumber company.
Friends and family members provided toys to fill the library such as pails, shovels, Frisbees, and trucks.
"I wanted to create a toy library like the other examples in Berkshire County from the sled library to the book libraries," she told the commission in February.
"But I wanted to make it toys for Onota Lake because a lot of kids forget their toys or some kids can't afford toys."
Bills lives nearby and will check on the library weekly — if not daily — to ensure the operation is running smoothly. A sign reading "Borrow-Play-Return" asks community members to clean up after themselves after using the toys.
It was built to accommodate children's heights and will be stored during the winter season.
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