Mount Greylock Asking Lanesborough Voters For Full Assessment
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.— Mount Greylock Regional High School officials are brainstorming ways to convince Lanesborough voters to approve the assessment rate the school committee requested after the town's Finance Committee said it would recommend a lower rate.School Committee members drafted a letter to be sent to Lanesborough voters but the school's attorney said they would not be able to send it. The committee is now looking for another group that can send the letter on its behalf.
"This is a town election and we can't be come part of the political mechanism," Carrie Greene, School Committee member, said at a special committee meeting Tuesday.
The district is legally an outsider in the election and cannot campaign to oppose the Lanesborough's Finance Committee's decision, committee member David Langston said.
However, school officials said the letter could be sent by the student council, the Parent-Teacher Organization or any other parent group. The committee could also ask to speak at town meeting to explain the request.
Last year, the school organized a separate committee to advocate for a debt exclusion vote in Williamstown, Greene said. Superintendent of Schools Rose Ellis said she was intrigued by the idea of having the student council send the letter.
Langston added that it is important that students attend the town meeting to put a face to the proposal as well as help teach the students about civics.
The draft letter outlines the school's budget process and emphasizes that the budget and the assessments are lower than last year. The assessment is down $21,798 because the school level-funded Williamstown's assessment and the budget is smaller overall.
Lanesborough approved a budget $60,000 shy of the request last year and officials reached an agreement to use unrestricted funds to make up some of the difference. Last month the board received a letter from Lanesborough Town Administrator Paul Boudreau informing the district that the town's finance committee once again is recommending an assessment $30,000 short of the request.
A $30,000 shortage from Lanesborough would translate to a net loss of about $90,000 because Williamstown's assessment would also have to be reduced, school officials said.
Last week, the committee said they are ready to take the issue to a joint town meeting to force Lanesborough to pay the full assessment.
The drafted letter is below.
Mount Greylock Draft Letter to Lanesborough Voters
