NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Monday unanimously authorized borrowing $65,362,859 to build a new Greylock School for prekindergarten through 2. The Massachusetts School Building Authority will pick up about $41,557,218 of the cost and balance is expected to come from federal energy grants. 

 

Voters will weigh in on Sept. 24 with a ballot vote to exclude the debt from Proposition 2 1/2 limits. Officials say the failure of the vote would mean millions having to be invested in Brayton with no corresponding match by the state. 

 

The 30-year tiered loan for about $20 million is expected to have its highest impact in 2029 when it will add $270 to the average tax bill, or about $22.50 a month.

 

"I have often said that our greatest asset is our students and we should invest in them wisely," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey. "Now is the time to seize this tremendous opportunity that has been presented to us from the MSBA."

 

The proposal also found support from two former mayors — Thomas Bernard and Richard Alcombright, who sits on the School Building Committee. 

 

Alcombright, who oversaw the renovation of Colegrove Park Elementary School during his tenure, echoed Macksey that the only money the city invests is "to educate our kids. The only one. The rest is simply to pay the bills."

 

"While we are not Andover, and we're not Newton, and we're not Weston, we're not Lexington, our children deserve nothing less in the way of education than those communities," Alcombright said. "We deserve nothing less."