Southern Berkshire School Committee Approves Calendar, Stipend Amid Budget Surplus Alarm

LENOX — June 11, 2026 — Southern Berkshire School Committee faces budget surplus alarm ahead of five special town meetings. Member Kim Alcantara told the committee at its June 11 meeting that budget rollforward documents she had obtained show the district tracking toward a roughly $2.5 million year-end surplus — a figure that, if accurate, would exceed the approximately $1.7 million in staff reductions carried out earlier this year. Business manager TJ from Open Architects was not present to respond, and Superintendent Dr. Brian Ricca said he could not confirm the numbers. Sandisfield resident Kevin Fish told the committee during public comment, "That covers the $1.7 million in rifts — I am really upset." The committee also heard from New Marlboro Central School parents pressing for clarity on whether the school's third-grade class will be eliminated for the coming year after a projection chart in the meeting packet listed zero students for that grade. The committee voted unanimously to approve an up to six-day paid overlap period for incoming business administrator Myers at roughly $2,500 in fiscal year 2026 funds, and moved its next meeting from June 25 to June 22 to get ahead of special town meetings in Alford, Monterey, Sheffield, Egremont, and New Marlboro scheduled between June 23 and 29.