Quite apart from getting the budget passed before July 1 is the question of how to find the extra $52,000 to restore transportation to New Marlborough Central School for next year.
The School Committee has insisted the Monterey and Egremont schools were not closed, but that their operations were temporarily suspended or put "on hiatus." But others see the busing policy as a tactic to cripple enrollment at New Marlborough Central in order to close it.
If district taxpayers refuse to authorize spending for the school district, the state has an elaborate system to ensure the district's continued operation.
In his letter to the editor Dennis Sears writes: “[Trump’s health care plan] would have a severe impact on our Towns and our taxes right here in Berkshire County.”
Flynn, a former member of the Southern Berkshire Regional School Committee who has become embroiled in a battle over whether to keep the South Egremont School open, lost by more than anyone expected to McGurn, a retired business school dean who has never held elected office in the town, by a margin of 343-112.
Monterey's "future probably lies in leaving the district," not only because of the town's dissatisfaction with Southern Berkshire but because 46 percent of the town's students are choicing out to other districts anyway.
-- Kenn Basler, chair of Monterey Board of Selectmen
In his letter to the editor, Ralph Noveck writes: “It has been shown that kids exposed to this kind of small, nurturing environment [in Egremont Village School] do better when they graduate to elementary and high school.”
In his letter to the editor Steve Willig of Egremont writes: “In what appears to be a weak attempt to save face, the Egremont Board of Selectmen announced plans to spend my tax dollars bringing a lawsuit against the district for violating the terms of the regional agreement.”
"Living in fear is the not the quality of a welcoming and safe community — it is instead the very essence of a totalitarian state. A community in which any of our members live in fear is not the kind of community that any of us, regardless of political affiliation, I am sure, want Great Barrington to be."
-- Housatonic resident Anne O’Dwyer
Clearly, consolidation did nothing to control taxes in Great Barrington. And, based on the Egremont In her letter to the editor, Susan Bachelder writes: "Finance Committee's evaluation of the SBRSD budget, closing the Egremont village school will have no effect at all on SBRSD escalating school taxes either."
The town's proposed policy says the Police Department will treat undocumented citizens like everyone else and will not be an arm of ICE (the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency).
The complaint further asks the court to consider the School Committee's action to be a "material breach" and to grant the town the authority to enter into "tuition agreements with another district or districts."
Using African dance and drumming as a vehicle to explore the concepts of folklore and storytelling came via a talented group of educators from Berkshire Pulse, an organization dedicated to building and strengthening community life through diverse and accessible programming.
Beth Regulbuto is currently serving as the Associate Superintendent of Schools with the Hampden-Wilbraham School District. She will assume her new post in July.
In her letter to the editor, Sharon Gregory writes: “Consider South County’s high school districts. Merging high school districts seems quite possible, as students cross district lines all the time. School boards need to be willing to do so.”
