Ron Tinkham told the Selectmen about the proposed school warrant article.

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Voters are going to be asked if they want the final say in school affiliation.

 

The School Committee has the power to determine the school district's partnerships; it currently has an agreement with Williamstown for shared administration through Supervisory Union 71.

 

That affiliation came under fire over the last year when one of the three School Committee members pushed for its dissolution. Just a vote of the School Committee can end the agreement.

 

A research committee appointed by the Board of Selectmen is crafting a warrant article to change that authority. The group wants a change of such magnitude be done through a townwide vote instead.

 

"The concern wasn't just about this one instance," said Regina DiLego, a research committee and School Committee member. "Our thought was that any educational change that is major should be up to the voters and not a transient school committee."

 

Committee member Ron Tinkham said the article will be worded so that any major change involving the school has to be a "community decision."

 

The town has experience in making changes when it switched from Union 69 with Richmond, New Ashford and Hancock to form Union 71. The decision was ultimately made by the School Committee in the face of some opposition.

 

"Much of the opposition in the community came as a result from feedback parents got from teachers who were opposed to it," said Jack Hickey, who was involved with that change. "When we formed, we held two hearings and in both instances the tone was more negative than positive."

 

But now "the community is very satisfied."

 

In other business, Fran Trembley presented the Selectmen with a petition of 138 names asking for the top of Silver Street to be opened during the winter for the Pittsfield Sportsmen's Club.

 

"We'd like to get the road open so we can do things with the members year round," he said. "They pay membership years round, once a year."

 

Right now the road is in good condition, Trembley said, but is blocked at the end of Ore Bed Road. The club owns land at the top of the hill and has plans to grow its membership as well as build a clubhouse. To do that, Trembley said the club needs to be open more often.

 

"If we don't utilize that property as much as we can, we don't have the funds to progress," he said.

 

Trembley said he will be adding to the petition. However, the Selectmen wouldn't agree to open the road.

 

"We have a policy as a way of concerning tax dollars of closing certain roads in the winter," said Town Administrator Paul Sieloff.

 

The road would be opened if there were homes up there, he said, but the town hasn't opened roads otherwise. The Selectmen want to think it over and talk to the Highway Department to discuss maintenance. The Selectmen will be weighing the costs to keep it open to the merits of doing so.