Simon's Rock Lecture Focuses on Woolf

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GREAT BARRINGTON - Jennifer Browdy de Hernandez, a faculty member in Simon's Rock at Bard College's gender studies and literature program, will speak on "Off the Beaten Path: Virginia Woolf's Critique of Patriarchal Capitalist Militarism" on Monday, Nov. 26, in the McConnell Theater of the Daniel Arts Center. The lecture will take place at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. This is part of the Seminar Lecture Series, which supplements courses that first- and second-year students are required to take, “First Year Seminar: The Examined Life,” and the “Sophomore Seminar: Voices Against the Chorus.” On Monday, Dec. 3, a lecture on "Dante's Inferno" will be given by Dean of New Students and faculty in literature Rebecca Fiske. That lecture will also take place at 7 p.m. in the McConnell Theater. Browdy de Hernandez received her bachelor's degree magna cum laude from Simon's Rock, and her master of arts and doctorate from New York University. Her areas of research include world literature by women, women's activism and global feminisms, feminist, queer and postcolonial theory and media studies, especially alternative media. She has been invited to speak at many venues, and her essays have appeared in Other Sisterhoods: Literary Theory and U.S. Women of Color, Interventions: Feminist Dialogues on Third World, Women’s Literature and Film, and Memory and Cultural Politics in American Ethnic Fiction. She also teaches at University at Albany in the Project Renaissance program. Fiske received her bachelor's degree from Bennington College, master's from Smith College, and doctorate from University at Albany. She has taught literature at North Adams State College (now Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts), and founded and directed the Peer Tutoring program and the Writing Center at Berkshire Community College. She is the founding director of Berkshire Learning Services, an organization devoted to the advancement of gifted adolescents with learning challenges. Her areas of scholarly research include education theory, biblical studies, literary theory, and psychoanalysis. She has received numerous honors including a Melon Fellowship nomination, and twice received the University of Chicago Outstanding Teacher award. All lectures in the seminar series are free and open to the public.
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.

Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.

The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.

Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is  appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.

Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.

Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.

Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.

The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.

The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.

Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.

Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years. 

He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.

Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.

Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve  a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.

Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.

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