LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen set a special town meeting for Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m. that will address the Mount Greylock Regional School project.

 

There will only be two articles, with one of them not having a vote. The first question authorizes the Board of Selectmen to acquire easements to move a project to replace the Narragansett Avenue bridge, and the second is about the middle and high school project.

 

The regional high school was the driver behind calling the meeting but the Selectmen also wanted to get those easements in place to keep the bridge project moving forward. There will be no vote on the school project but rather open discussion. 

 

"We are not looking to take a vote at this meeting, we are just looking for discussion," Chairman John Goerlach said. 

 

The $64.8 million project was already approved by the Mount Greylock School Committee and the Massachusetts School Building Authority, which is paying $32,491,074 of the cost. Williamstown and Lanesborough, the two towns in the regional district, will split the estimated remaining amount $32.3 million through a rolling cost-sharing agreement over the course of a bond lasting around 30 years. 

 

Voters will be asked to approve the project on March 15 at the ballot box by excluding the debt from Proposition 2 1/2 provisions. The forum on the 23rd is seen as an opportunity to share information prior to that vote.

 

However, resident Michelle Johnson asked why go through the legal requirements call it a "special town meeting" when it could just be a forum for a fraction of the cost. Town Manager Paul Sieloff, when asked, said an annual town meeting costs $1,500. 

 

"We are labeling it a special town meeting and with that are certain requirements. We could just have a public forum," Johnson said.

 

The Selectmen said there have been many other forums on this but residents didn't attend. Having a special town meeting not only gets the vote for the easements but also will help drive more people out.

 

"If you don't show up, that's not the board's fault," Johnson said. "To me, it doesn't make any sense."

 

The Selectmen faced similar questions when the board opted to hold the ballot vote on March 15 at a cost of nearly $1,000 when it could have coupled the vote with the presidential primary on March 1 for a fraction of the cost.

 

Williamstown is holding its debt exclusion vote on Super Tuesday, March 1, and will not hold a special town meeting.

 

Below is information about the building project as presented by the Mount Greylock School Committee.