Southern Berkshire School Committee Unanimously Votes to Review Legal Counsel Arrangement

LENOX — April 30, 2026 — Southern Berkshire School Committee seats permanent superintendent and votes to review legal counsel. The committee welcomed Dr. Brian Ricca as permanent superintendent at its April 30 meeting — his contract signed that morning — and approved an updated 2026-27 academic calendar that moves winter professional development days from Wednesdays to Tuesdays to end a longstanding conflict with the district's ski-and-ride program. The FY2027 budget, which carries a 10.3 percent gross spending increase before offsets, remains unsettled; Business Manager TJ's Finance Committee memo uses $518,000 in school-choice funds to model a 6 percent composite town assessment, but Ricca said excess-and-deficiency funds, grants, and state House aid adjustments not yet reflected in the figures are expected to bring the final number lower — noting that Sheffield's share under the current model would reach 7.1 percent, a figure he called unacceptable. The committee added a special meeting on May 18 and now holds three May dates — the 14th, 18th, and 28th — to accommodate a potential budget vote before member towns post special town meeting warrants, likely in mid-to-late June. After a lengthy debate over process and timing, the committee voted unanimously to form an ad hoc committee, beginning July 1, to evaluate the district's two-decade relationship with legal firm Murphy, Lemire and Murphy, with a report due at the November reorganization meeting.