Could it be possible that formerly opposing parties could overcome a seemingly insurmountable dilemma with reason and compromise?

The apportionment of costs between Sandisfield and Otis for funding the Farmington River School District has been under discussion by the combined school committee since late 2022. After a long two years of discussion and exhaustive numbercrunching, a resolution may be at hand.

At a School Committee Special Meeting on September 23 the committee completed the amended Regional District Agreement and approved it by a unanimous vote of 7-0.

The amended agreement includes a new cost apportionment method that more fairly distributes district costs between Otis and Sandisfield. According to a report in The Berkshire Eagle,

“As the less wealthy town in the two-town district, Sandisfield taxpayers have been shouldering more than what the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said they can afford. Otis taxpayers, on the other hand, have been shouldering less than they can afford.” The amended RDA addresses that discrepancy.

The next step is for the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to issue a preliminary approval of the plan.

Once that happens, both Otis and Sandisfield residents would have to vote in favor of the revised Regional District Agreement at Special Town Meetings that could be held within the next few months.

The fly in the ointment is that Otis residents will have to vote to increase their share of the district bill. However, if Sandisfield were to withdraw from the district, the cost to Otis to continue the district would be many times higher.

If the RDA receives a positive vote from both towns, the amended RDA would return to the DESE Commissioners for final approval.

Should that happen, with the financial sustainability of the district assured as a result of the amended Regional District Agreement, the School Committee can focus on its efforts to establish the Farmington River Elementary School as the premier elementary school in all of Berkshire County.

Members of the Committee we have spoken to are cautiously optimistic that both Otis and Sandisfield will pass the town votes.