CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Residents in Clarksburg and Stamford, Vt., are encouraged to attend Tuesday's public forum on merging the two towns' school districts.
The forum will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 22, at 6:30 p.m. at Clarksburg Elementary School.
Representatives from Public Consulting Group of Boston will be on hand to walk attendees through the timeline for the feasibility study on creating an interstate school district.
"We encourage people from both towns to attend this meeting because it is their first opportunity to meet with Public Consulting Group and to hear more about the study being conducted," said Kimberly Roberts-Morandi, a member of the Interstate Merger Committee. "It also is an opportunity to ask questions about the process."
PCG was jointly hired by officials in both towns on the recommendation of the merger committee in late December. The consultants have been contracted to review the potential benefits and challenges of merging the districts in terms of academics, finances and physical structures; how the governance of such a district might be constituted; how it could impact the North Berkshire School Union; and the legislative and congressional process for implementing an interstate school district.
Tuesday's meeting will be the first of a number of planned forums and meetings with stakeholders in the process, from community members to teachers. Those attending the first public forum will be asked to sign up for focus groups to take place in February with the PCG team.
Following the presentation, there will be time to ask questions about the feasibility process.
The merger discussion is being largely driven by Vermont's Act 46, which seeks to combine school districts to streamline governance and purchasing power. Stamford, however, is geographically and culturally isolated and rejected the state's push for it to partner with a school 25 miles away.
Clarksburg and Stamford are separated by an arbitrary state line but share not only geographical proximity but also strong familial, cultural and academic ties. There are relatives on both sides of the border and most people in Stamford work in Massachusetts, as well as do their shopping and banking. Stamford and Clarksburg also largely send their secondary students to the same high schools in Massachusetts.
Officials in both towns are hoping a merger will strengthen the two school districts academically and financially and provide opportunities for programming growth. There are no plans to close either school but to rather see how each might be better utilized.
The work is being funded by matching grants of $25,000 from each state and a $30,000 grant to Clarksburg through Massachusetts' Community Compact program. Some of the funds have already been expended on legal fees.
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Pittsfield ZBA Member Recognized for 40 Years of Service
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
Albert Ingegni III tells the council about how his father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo who died at age 94 in 2020, enjoyed his many years serving the city and told Ingegni to do the same.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It's not every day that a citizen is recognized for decades of service to a local board — except for Tuesday.
Albert Ingegni III was applauded for four decades of service on the Zoning Board of Appeals during City Council. Mayor Peter Marchetti presented him with a certificate of thanks for his commitment to the community.
"It's not every day that you get to stand before the City Council in honor of a Pittsfield citizen who has dedicated 40 years of his life serving on a board or commission," he said.
"As we say that, I know that there are many people that want to serve on boards and commissions and this office will take any resume that there is and evaluate each person but tonight, we're here to honor Albert Ingegni."
The honoree is currently chair of the ZBA, which handles applicants who are appealing a decision or asking for a variance.
Ingegni said he was thinking on the ride over about his late father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo, who told him to "enjoy every moment of it because it goes really quickly."
"He was right," he said. "Thank you all."
The council accepted $18,000 from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation and a $310,060 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All program.
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