Mold Found in Wahconah High Auditorium

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:30AM / Monday, August 26, 2024Print Story | Email Story

DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School District is investigating what has caused penicillium, a type of mold, to grow on the walls of Wahconah Regional High School's auditorium.

The district filed a claim with its insurance company and anticipated the mold would be completely remediated by the weekend. However, the auditorium will remain closed until the investigation into why the mold grew is complete, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said.

The mold was discovered by a staff member the week before and reported by the school's Principal Aaron Robb.

The mold was "in different places" in the auditorium, but anyone would have to have been "pretty observant" to see it," said Blake-Davis. "It's not something that, if you just walked in, you would see right away."

The school closed off that section of the building and shut down the auditorium's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to contain the mold, she said.

"Right now, we're confident that it's a safe building. We're not sending anyone into that room. We're confident we can get to the bottom of it," she continued.

"Nobody really has a solid why. I think most likely there are a number of reasons why."

Testing has been done throughout the building to ensure the mold has not spread to other areas. It appears not to have but there will be continued testing, the superintendent said.

Penicillium is a common household mold often found in cheesemaking and as the basis for penicillin. The district is coordinating with the project owner's manager of the school project to find the root cause of the mold growth.

They are examining several things that could have contributed to the growth, including the HVAC system, the siding used in the auditorium, the room's humidity, and other factors.

School Committee member Ellen Lattizzori asked whether there is a risk to students with an allergy to penicillin since the mold is found in that antibiotic.

Blake-Davis said there should not be a risk to students because the area has been restricted, and testing shows it has been contained in the auditorium.

However, parents and families have been notified of the mold, and continued testing will be done in multiple areas of the building.

Tags: mold,

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Lanesborough Tax Rate Up 3%

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:20AM / Wednesday, November 12, 2025

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Select Board has adopted a single tax rate that will increase the average homeowner's annual bill by about $350.

With a rate of $17.29 per $1,000 valuation, the average single-family home (valued at nearly $351,000) will see a $350 increase, and the average commercial property (valued over $543,000) will increase by $438 per year. This rate is 56 cents higher than last year's $16.73 per $1,000 valuation; the average residential tax bill has risen $700 in the past two years.

"Historically, as part of their annual budget policy, the Select Board and Finance Committee have endorsed a single tax rate option, providing no exemption or discount to a particular class of property or group," Principal Assessor Ross Vivori explained during Monday's regular meeting.

"Voting a residential factor of one affirms a single tax rate and proportionate share of the tax levy between all classes of property."

The town's total taxable value is $611,239,142: about $511 million in the residential class, $49 million in the commercial class, $8 million in the industrial class, and $43 million in personal property. It is more than three percent higher than the previous year.

For fiscal year 2026, the maximum allowable levy is $11,934,891, and the town is levying $10,568,324, leaving an excess levy capacity of $1,366,567. There was more than $5 million in new growth, with more than $4 million from the residential class.

There was a round of applause from the audience after the single rate was endorsed, as several business owners attended the meeting to support it.

Barbara Davis-Hassan, owner of Barb Hassan Realty, said when a town increases the commercial tax rate, it discourages new businesses from going there, and it makes existing ones think twice about expanding or even staying. She warned that a split rate would mean a steep increase for businesses and modest savings for homeowners.

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