Seventeen southern Berkshire County towns are receiving state and private grants to explore ways to share services. Governor Charlie Baker was in Great Barrington Tuesday to make the announcement.
Town officials say the money will help them find ways to share services with a focus on schools, including professional development and common data systems. The hope is to hold the line on property taxes and rising costs. Governor Baker, along with Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, applauded the effort and vowed to help work with these communities.
“There’s nothing that Karyn and I enjoy more than an opportunity to do something that puts a smile on the face of our colleagues in local government,” Baker says. “We know how close you are to the people that we all serve and we cannot be a great state if we’re not made up of great communities. That’s a fact.”
The state is contributing about $75,000 to encourage the cooperation, with local businesses kicking in $25,000.