 Cheshire Hears Schools, Police BudgetThe Select Board heard presentations on the the two regional school districts that education the town's children and reviewed, again, the police budget. Morningside Community Defends School at Hearing for Possible ClosureMembers of the Morningside community defended their school on Thursday during a hearing for its possible closure. Clarksburg Applies for Home Rehab Program, Continues Budget TalksThe town is applying with New Ashford for $1.1 million that would allow for 14 homes to be rehabilitated.  Pittsfield School Officials See FY27 Budget Without MorningsideRetiring Morningside Community School in the fall would cut about $2.5 million from the FY27 budget.  Lanesborough Officials Review Schools' BudgetsBergeron answered that officials in both member towns told the district they did not want Mount Greylock using taxpayers' money to build their reserves.  North Adams School Committee Applauds Award Winner, Hears BudgetThe School Committee on Tuesday voted to send a recommending fiscal 2027 budget to a public hearing and congratulated the newest recipient of the Superintendent's Award.  Clarksburg School Pressed to Find More Savings for Fiscal 2027School officials are looking at the elimination of three teaching assistants, prekindergarten for 3-year-olds and a two part-time positions to reduce the fiscal 2027 budget. Williamstown Fire District Expects Slightly Lower Tax RateA rise in operating expenses for the Williamstown Fire Department will be offset by lower debt service payments on the new fire station, resulting in a slightly smaller tax bill from the district, officials noted last week. Pittsfield Schools Schedule Morningside, Budget Hearings This WeekThe School Committee will hold another public hearing for the potential closure of Morningside Community School. Pittsfield Reviews Financial Condition Before FY27 BudgetThe average single-family home in Pittsfield has increased by more than 40 percent since 2022. Williamstown Finance Committee Finalizes Fiscal Year 2027 Budget ProposalThe tax bill of a median-priced single family home will go up by 8.45 percent in the year that begins July 1 under a spending plan approved by the Finance Committee on Wednesday night. Adams Eyes $21M Spending Plan for Fiscal 2027The town is eyeing a budget slightly over $21 million for fiscal year 2027, an increase of 4.5 percent. PHS Community Challenges FY27 Budget CutsUnder this plan, Pittsfield High School would see a reduction of seven teachers (plus one teacher of deportment and an assistant principal of teaching and learning, and a guidance counselor repurposed across the district. Cheshire Gets Answers on Police Budget, Reviews DPWInterim Police Chief Timothy Garner on Tuesday followed up on questions the Select Board had last month on his proposed fiscal 2027 budget. McCann OKs FY27 Budget, Assistant Principal PostThe total spending plan for the Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational District is $13,218,090, up $564,753 or 3.69 percent over this year. The budget includes a second assistant principal, a special education teacher and interest on the building repair project.  Hoosac Valley Cuts Staffing, Taps Reserves for $24M BudgetThe Hoosac Valley Regional School Committee on Monday approved a level-service budget for fiscal 2027 of $23,990,355 that includes staffing cuts and use of reserve funds. Lanesborough Reviews DPW, COA, Ambulance BudgetsThe Select Board and Finance Committee had a detailed look last week at the needs for the fiscal 2027 budget from the Parks Commission, ambulance, Council on Aging, and the Department of Public Works. Mount Greylock School Committee OKs Budget Without Adding Elementary School PositionThe Mount Greylock Regional School Committee approved a fiscal year 2027 spending plan on Thursday that officials characterize as a "level services" budget. Lanesborough Officials Clarify Relationship with Firemen's AssociationTown officials had plenty of questions for the Lanesborough Volunteer Firemen's Association Inc. as they prepare a budget for fiscal 2027. Williamstown Fin Comm Sets Water, Sewer HikesThat water rate increase and another 5 percent hike in FY28, in conjunction with use of reserves from the water department, will enable the town to address two capital projects — the replacement of a well and the replacement of customers' water meters — without needing to borrow for either project. Mount Greylock School Committee Takes Another Look at FY27 BudgetThe Mount Greylock School Committee on Tuesday decided to bring a fiscal year 2027 budget to Thursday's public hearing that maintains level services while seeking double-digit percentage increases in the assessments to each of the district's member towns. $87.2M Budget Proposed for Pittsfield Schools in FY27The proposed fiscal year 2027 budget for Pittsfield schools is a modest .4 percent increase from the previous year. CBRSD Makes Cuts to Lower Town AssessmentsSchool officials say reductions in the Central Berkshire Regional School District's budget will be felt, but remain optimistic that it will not prevent them from being "the best regional district in the state." Dalton Fire Has Preliminary Budget DiscussionsThe Fire District has started preliminary discussions on its fiscal 2027 budget.  North County Biosolid Waste Costs Jumping Up in Fiscal Year 2027Sewage disposal fees for North Adams, Clarksburg and Williamstown residents are set to rise 17 percent in fiscal year 2027 because of the cost of compost disposal incurred by the Hoosac Water Quality District. |
