Trump and Hegseth and their supporters will do everything in their power to hide the cost of war. But like it or not, this is our war. These are our leaders. It is our tax money that has bought the bombs.
At a meeting Thursday night, the school committee voted unanimously to ask Superintendent Peter Dillon to draft a mission and recommend the composition of a panel that would meet regularly and propose a solution for the aging school.
According to correspondence between the Berkshire Hills Regional School District and the Massachusetts School Building Authority last winter, Monument is not eligible for reimbursements through their Accelerated Repair Program, in which specific renovations or replacements can be made to an otherwise robust school building.
It was 57 degrees in Monuments Regional High School science labs and several more barrels had appeared in hallways to catch leaks. Indeed, students report several space heaters in a biology classroom where the teacher recommended they wear hats and fingerless gloves for Friday’s bitter temperatures.
Superintendent David Hastings noted that of all the Accelerated Repair Program projects accepted by the MSBA Monday, “our project is the largest, by far...” and that reimbursement rates are based on a host of variables that include “the relative wealth of the towns...”
"Taking the MSBA accelerated repair program off the table simplifies the situation. What we can do to repair the building will be pretty much limited to what we can pay for with our own resources.”
-- Great Barrington Finance Committee member Michael Wise
In her letter to the editor, Claudia Laslie of Great Barrington writes: "When it comes to security and safety there are so many concerns here. Is there any greater negligence than knowing what might occur and not preventing it?"
It is bad news for Great Barrington taxpayers, who overwhelmingly defeated the District’s $51 million renovation project that included $23.2 million from the MSBA under its Major Repair Program.
In his letter, architect Housatonic Diego Gutierrez defends the 5-year process through which the Monument Mountain Regional High School renovation project was developed.
"Great Barrington has a habit of putting off expensive public projects to the detriment of future generations, waiting until its older buildings desperately need repair and upgrade."
-- Karen Smith, Renovation Committee Chair
Richard Coons, chair of the Monument Mountain Regional High School Building Committee advises that the so-called Alternative Approach to Renovating Monument "reflects a lack of knowledge of virtually every aspect of law, building planning, design, construction and educational program needs."
"It’s hard for voters to feel that students are in such a desperate state, which is a credit to the school board. The output is so successful here that crying wolf really doesn’t work in this town."
-- The Rev. Charles van Ausdall of the First Congregational Church
This is what happens when we manage things like this. In any other business, they would spend money to get it back up and running.
-- BHRSD School Committee member Rich Bradway
