Jason Hoch reported to the Select Board that the town s free cash as of July 1, 2020, was certified by the Department of Revenue last week, effectively closing the books on fiscal year 2020. The free cash approval for the general fund is about $1.3 million, which is up a bit from last year, Hoch said. I offer that just as a way of saying we made it through the fiscal year and the budget hits without dramatically impacting our ability to have flexibility for future hits in the general budget. We basically get to free cash by spending somewhat below appropriations and having revenues that overperform. We ve been fairly consistent at this range the last few years, so it s certainly a good stable place. If that number starts getting higher, that would be a concern. And if it gets significantly lower, it really boxes in our flexibility.
On Tuesday evening, they have another chance to decide whether to move forward or again press the pause button. The committee is scheduled to take a vote on a $44,000 proposal from architect Perkins Eastman to draw up bid documents for a renovation of the school s playing fields that includes a multi-sport synthetic turf field. Without the updated documents, the district cannot put the project projected to cost north of $2 million out to bid. Committing to the $44,000 expense now makes it a near certainty that it ultimately will reissue the request for proposals. It would be the second time in a year and a half that the district would be soliciting bids for the project. The first round came in well over the projected cost of the project and were rejected in September 2019.
Liz Lafond, a consultant on superintendent searches for the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, laid out a timeline the newly formed search committee on Thursday. The committee will be finalizing questions for prospective candidates in January and, sometime around Feb. 7, review applicants and decide who they want to interview. This is aimed to only take one meeting but can be spread out over two meetings if necessary. When finalists are selected, the chairman will present them to the full School Committee in early March. Lafond highlighted that keeping the identity of applicants private is extremely important, as they often don t notify current employers that they are seeking employment elsewhere unless they are a finalist.
Alexandra Swanson of Pittsfield High School and Benjamin Vengalil of Taconic High School were both recognized with the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Certificate of Academic Excellence. The presentations were made Superintendent Jason McCandless prior to his departure to Mount Greylock Regional School District. The awards are given to high school students who have distinguished themselves in the pursuit of academic excellence during and have achieved the highest grade average at their school. I hope that life sometimes affords you the opportunity to maybe write a parenting book to assist the rest of us in our endeavors as moms and dads and as people raising children, McCandless said to Swanson and Vengalil during the televised presentation. What remarkable students, but also what remarkable families are being honored here tonight.
Alexandra Swanson of Pittsfield High School and Benjamin Vengalil of Taconic High School were both recognized with the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Certificate of Academic Excellence. The presentations were made Superintendent Jason McCandless prior to his departure to Mount Greylock Regional School District. The awards are given to high school students who have distinguished themselves in the pursuit of academic excellence during and have achieved the highest grade average at their school. I hope that life sometimes affords you the opportunity to maybe write a parenting book to assist the rest of us in our endeavors as moms and dads and as people raising children, McCandless said to Swanson and Vengalil during the televised presentation. What remarkable students, but also what remarkable families are being honored here tonight.