CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Hoosac Valley Regional School Committee on Monday night unanimously approved a document "strongly" endorsing the school district's fiscal 2025 budget.

 

"This budget is a fiscally responsible plan that keeps the increases well below inflation and focuses on maintaining the district's financial health without drastic cuts or tax hikes," the position paper reads. "Much of the increase is driven by unavoidable costs, including state mandates and necessary contractual costs, ensuring the district remains competitive as an employer and service provider."

 

The endorsement comes a week before a districtwide meeting that will vote the $23 million spending plan up or down. 

 

Cheshire rejected a Proposition 2 1/2 override last month that would have fully funded its portion of the budget and instead passed a motion that would level fund the town's fiscal 2025 school assessment. Adams had approved the budget in June. 

 

All registered voters from Cheshire and Adams, the two towns in the regional school district, will meet on Monday, Sept. 30, at 6:30 p.m. in the Hoosac Valley High auditorium to vote on the budget, the only item on the warrant. This will be a majority vote. 

 

A joint meeting of the School Committee and the select boards chose Thomas Bernard as moderator. Bernard, president of Berkshire United Way, is the former mayor of North Adams and was considered a neutral selection. 

 

"I've started to familiarize myself with the warrant and the relevant section of MGL, and I'm boning up on my Robert's Rules of Order just to make sure that we do everything as clearly and transparently as we can next Monday evening," Bernard told the committee Monday.