The Berkshire Hills Regional School District will ask voters next month to approve a $152 million plan to build a new Monument Mountain Regional High School.
The Berkshire Eagle reports that voters in Great Barrington, Stockbridge and West Stockbridge will be presented with two ballot questions on Nov. 4: whether to allow the district to borrow $152 million, and whether the towns can override the Massachusetts law that limits how much property taxes can increase each year.
Question 1 is a districtwide vote on authorizing $152,067,064 for a new school. If it passes with a simple majority, the project may continue.
Question 2 is a town-by-town vote that will ask to override Proposition 2 1/2 limits that restrict how much property taxes can increase each year. This question will determine how the towns will pay for its share of the debt.
If the ballot questions passes, the district's building committee can move forward with its plan to build a new school in Great Barrington in front of the existing building. Construction would begin in 2027, the school would open in 2029, and the old building would be demolished.
Of the $152 million, the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) would cover $61 million and MassSave incentives will contribute $1.5 million, leaving $89 million for local taxpayers.
The district has determined that the school, built in 1968, is at the end of its life and requires significant repairs if it's not replaced. If the district's proposal is rejected, repairs are estimated to be at least $89 million.
The existing facility lacks fire sprinklers, has doors and windows that don't lock, and needs a new roof, boilers, plumbing and electrical systems. According to the building committee, some classrooms have no windows, there are signs of asbestos, and the school suffers from poor ventilation, limited natural light, outdated educational spaces and insufficient security measures.
