RMS Auditorium Roof – Last night the Amherst Town Council voted to refer the request for $1.6 million in free cash for the ARMS auditorium roof to the Finance Committee. Finance will now consider the request on 3/10/26. You can join by Zoom. After Finance, if recommended, the request goes back to Amherst Town Council on March 9th. Essentially, most Councilors eventually agreed that it was important to repair the auditorium section — but please keep paying attention and keep going with the advocacy as it is not a done deal by any means. Reservations centered around Amherst shouldering more than its perceived fair share of the cost, and taking money from road repair. In the end, Councilor Mandi Jo Hanneke attempted to add an amendment to the referral that would have asked the Finance Committee to figure out a way that Amherst could be paid back or given free use of the building in payment. There was pushback to this given that the Town of Amherst already enjoys free use of that building for many recreational activities. Ultimately, only Mandi Jo Hanneke, George Ryan and Lynn Griesemer voted for that amendment and it didn’t pass. The Town Manager at one point suggested that the Region use their own free cash or reserves for the roof and multiple Councilors and the Finance Director for the schools had to correct him and tell him that the Regional schools don’t actually have excess money sitting around, unlike the Town of Amherst. Thanks to all who advocated for these funds!
Amherst School Committee (Elementary) Meeting Tuesday 2/24 6:30 PM – Agenda includes a FY27 Budget Update as well as an update on the K-6 Restructuring. This meeting will take place ***at Town Hall*** and not at ARHS and in big news...YOU CAN JOIN VIA ZOOM!!! People have been asking for this option and Dr. Xi and the School Committee have made it happen. Hooray for virtual participation and making meetings more accessible!!! Zoom Link here. You can also email public comment (SCPublicComment@arps.org) or leave a voicemail by 3pm on Tuesday at 413-362-1891.
Tuesday 3/10/26 – Regional School Committee Hearing on the FY27 Budget – This meeting was rescheduled from 2/26/26 and more info will be provided and is here. The draft budget is available here. The draft budget closes a $1.1 million dollar gap through a combination of moving positions to revolving funds, applying more in reserves, and changing and eliminating some positions. In the end it looks like a net loss of approximately 8 full time equivalent positions. Pages 28-35 of the budget provide details on all of this. Please read through the proposed changes ahead of Thursday’s budget hearing and then speak up at the hearing. This is the time to speak up to our elected officials how important our schools are and how budget cuts hurt our students and educators.
Saturday 2/28 9:00 AM – Regional School Committee Four Towns Meeting – In person in the ARMS Library. Elected officials from all four towns will meet to get an update on the Regional budget and discuss their contributions for FY27. No public comment but the public can attend and observe.