While I expected debate on Article 17 to be heated, I assumed that transparent and consistently applied rules would govern the meeting. What I observed instead was a concerted effort to put the citizens who submitted the petition at the grossest possible disadvantage.
"I have no idea how this election will turn out. I put signs up this weekend. I asked some people to put up signs and they said no. They liked everybody."
-- Great Barrington Selectboard Chair Steve Bannon
The devil, however, was in the details, as panelists debated the pros and cons of building a brand-new new school or stripping the old one down to its core, constructing an addition and adding sprinkler systems and new infrastructure.
Monument Next Steps includes 22 members and will be modeled after the Regional Agreement Amendment Committee, which met several times over the course of the last year in a successful effort to change the district agreement's formula for taxing the district's member towns to pay for its operations and capital expenses.
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.
In his letter to the editor Great Barrington Selectboard member Ed Abrahams writes: “On Monday night, Stockbridge didn't say 'What's best for us?' You said, 'What's best for ALL OF US?' How rare is that today?"
“There is no better way to ensure a better future for our community, state and country than to invest in education. What we are saying is that we believe in education for all the children, not just in our town but in the district. Education has longevity”
---Stockbridge resident Sarah Horne, speaking at the Annual Town Meeting
In his letter to the editor, Gary Pitney writes: "The proposed amendment to the existing agreement between the three towns of Great Barrington, Stockbridge, and West Stockbridge would place an unfair financial burden on Stockbridge."
In his letter to the editor, Rich Bradway of Stockbridge writes: “I look at this change as an investment in our community’s future, our town’s future. Our town has lost a lot of families. Our schools are the best way to encourage new families to move back into the area.”
In her letter, Sharon Gregory writes: “Warrant Article 28 would encourage formation of an enlarged group to discuss district enhancement with other towns and school districts.”
"I just wanted to get my viewpoint out. I believe it'll raise my taxes — maybe not immediately — but it'll happen."
-- Wilson Wright of Stockbridge, owner of the truck and sign urging voters to reject an amended regional school district pact
Unfortunately for Great Barrington taxpayers, the proposed BHRSD budget calls for an increase in the town's assessment of almost 6 percent, with an increase in Stockbridge of 1.16 percent and an actual decrease in West Stockbridge of 4.58 percent.
In his letter to the editor, Chip Elitzer writes: “For all 58 Massachusetts school districts, that additional amount in FY2017 [that would have been raised by the Education Finance Reform Act] would have been $210 million.”
The amendment won’t change the current headcount formula, but will give Great Barrington a break by using a measurement of a town’s wealth to determine how much it should pay for future capital projects.
In 2016, the Regional Agreement Amendment Committee was formed with citizens from our three towns to once again review and update the Regional Agreement of the Berkshire Hills Regional School District. They met for more than a year.
