CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Town meeting approved using up to $613,000 to put a new roof on the elementary school. 

 

Article 13 authorized the borrowing of $500,000 and Article 14 the use $113,371 from the school roof stabilization fund.

 

The five-year borrowing is expected to add about $200 to the average property bill, with it declining in each year starting in fiscal 2027. A ballot vote on excluding the borrowing from Proposition 2 1/2 will be held on June 25.

 

Voters approved an amendment by Kyle Hurlbut to put any funds left over from the borrowing into a stabilization fund specifically for school building maintenance. 

 

The 127 voters who attended the meeting in the school's cafeteria went through the first 11 articles on the warrant in quick succession. 

 

They passed at town operating budget of $1,862,872, up $94,217, or 5 percent, and a school budget of $3,085,643, up $118,034, or 4 percent, along with a McCann Technical School assessment of $437,567. 

 

They also approved using $172,000 in free cash to plug a deficit in the budget and Finance Committee Chair Charles Lewitt's amendment to Article 11 to transfer $58,295 in free cash to the stabilization account, based on the state's certification of free cash.

 

All articles passed with no discussion and only a few questions of clarification within about 20 minutes.

 

The debate around the roof project focused largely on the costs. Eric Booth asked why the town was setting aside 50 percent more than the roof bid, which was $399,000.

 

"The only thing it's contingent they haven't cut through this roof yet, so they don't know what they're going to find," said Town Administrator Ronald Boucher. "Now we're in a situation where the roof is leaking. OK, you got water coming in here. You got kids, you got teachers. It's not a healthy situation."

 

Rachel Clark asked why any leftover money be put against the borrowing to pay it down. Boucher said he'd like to see it go to free cash next year and put into the stabilization fund. 

 

After some discussion, Hurlbut's amendment was approved with Sarah Hurlbut noting the school has only put aside $5,000 for maintenance. 

 

This approval was met with applause but then Booth asked if he could amend to have any leftover funds go to the town's stabilization. 

 

"I think that's a better, better opportunity for a taxpayer in the town to be able to have that option," he said. 

 

Daniel Tanner arose to say the school building is owned by the town. 

 

"This building needs money. It needs repair. Don't dicker about where the money comes from. If it goes to one side or the other, it's still the same money," he said. "If we don't put a roof on it, it will become a dilapidated building that will be a giant liability for this entire town, whether there's a school or not. ...

 

"Stop fighting, just accept that it's a town building we own it. Get it fixed."

 

Carlyle "Chip" Chesbro said the town needed to have oversight of the project to make sure the work is being done correctly. 

 

"We need to hire a clerk of the works to overlap what's going to happen," he said. "You know Tom Bona's just sitting over there looking for something to do."

 

Bona said he was already volunteering his time, to laughter and applause. He has stepped in to provide oversight on a number of school projects.

 

A new bylaw on junk vehicles drew so many questions about how it would be enforced and became so confused with voters trying to make amendments and Moderator Seth Alexander overexplaining the sections that Tanner called for it to be tabled and sent to the Planning Board. 

 

An obviously frustrated Select Board and Boucher tried to explain the reasoning behind the bylaw, which was slightly tighter than the current one, as a way to clean up the town and bring in revenue. 

 

"I see a lot more vehicles unregistered, filled with crap in yards and everything else," said Boucher. "So we have an opportunity to maybe put a little bit of teeth into this bylaw where we can fine people ... 

 

"It's not fair to the people that take care of their properties and work hard to keep them nice."

 

Planner Erin Scott noted that a public hearing on the bylaw was held last week and no one showed up. In the end, Select Board member Colton Andrew motioned to amend it to retain the existing bylaw and only change the enforcement to the Berkshire Public Health Alliance and building inspector. This passed with enough votes. 

 

A new dog bylaw that included creation of an animal control commission passed with no changes. A motion by Chesbro to amend the bylaw to exclude boarding kennels from excessive barking fines failed; he was concerned about the regulations effect on his family's kennel business. 

 

Judy Licht asked why dogs would not be allowed at Briggsville Park. Select Board Chair Robert Norcross said there had been issues with owners not picking up after their dogs, people afraid of dogs and an incident in which someone was bitten. 

 

Norcross was ending his term on the board and was thanked for his service to the town by resident Edward Denault. 

 

"Bob has always been someone people feel comfortable sharing their ideas with. He has been an inspiration to me and I'm sure many others," said Alexander at the beginning of the meeting. "I would like to be the first to say thank you, Mr. Norcross, for your years of service and dedication."