Sheffield — Special town meeting dates are set for each of the five towns in the Southern Berkshire Regional School District to vote on spending up to $7.7 million for the replacement of Mt. Everett Regional High School’s 23-year-old leaky roof and failing boilers, projects that will be eased by sizable state reimbursements.
If one town votes no, however, the projects die.
According to Superintendent David Hastings and School Committee Chair Carl Stewart, $7.7 million is a high estimate that includes the possibility of overruns.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) will kick in 39 percent of the cost, or $2,612,552 through the Authority’s Accelerated Repair Program, though the school may qualify for more funds.
The project will also receive $360,000 from the Department of Energy Resources SAPPHIRE Program, since an economical and environmentally friendly wood pellet boiler system will be installed. According to the district’s feasibility study, the pellet system is estimated to save the school 67,600 gallons of fuel oil per year, and $76,631 in annual fuel costs. Upfront, the pellet boiler will cost $808,000.
Stewart said that the town meeting system may not be the “most democratic” way to “express the will of the majority of the people in the district.” Stewart noted that a town with a small population like Alford, for instance — one with under 10 students in the district — could “subvert the will of the overwhelming majority” if the town voted down the projects.
Stewart said not acting on the roof and boilers would not make economic sense, as both are failing, and projects get more expensive over time.
The school committee, he went on, “believes this is a good and necessary project, but we have different interests…some people in the towns are legitimately concerned about an increase in taxes. There are a fair amount of people in the Berkshires who are strapped.”
The meeting dates are as follows:
Monterey: Monterey Fire House, Thursday, February 26, at 7 p.m.
Sheffield: Mt. Everett Auditorium (TAC PAC), Monday, March 2, at 7 p.m.
Egremont: Undermountain Elementary Cafeteria, Monday, March 2, at 7 p.m.
Alford: Alford Town Hall, Thursday, March 12, at 7 p.m.
New Marlborough: New Marlborough Town Hall, Monday, March 16, at 7 p.m.
For more information about the projects or the meetings, call (413) 229-8778 x300 or x303 or visit the district’s website at www.sbrsd.org
