Review of Meeting with the Mass School Building Authority

Superintendent Jim Montepare and I recently met with officials of the Massachusetts School Building Authority at their offices in Boston.

At this meeting, Joseph Buckley, Chief Engineer of the MSBA, gave a detailed review of the processes involved with school districts requesting state funding, and more specifics regarding how this applies to the North Adams School District.

The North Adams School District has made the “first cut” in the MSBA’s selection of those districts being considered for funding (as has the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District). Officially, we are in the “pipeline” for funding of a feasibility study. This feasibility study would take approximately six months to complete.

The process from beginning to end is full collaboration between MSBA and the North Adams School District. They would work with the school district and the city through the entire process, with the focus to design and implement a construction project that meets the education program goals of the school district. Stated in the meeting, “We want your buildings to accommodate your education program.”

The entire process timeline from the signing of the Initial Compliance Agreement to the start of construction is estimated to be 12 to 18 months.