Sen. Rosenberg said the meetings are held regularly to provide an opportunity for local officials and state policy makers to “be in direct conversation.”
File photo. Sen. Stanley C. Rosenberg, D-Amherst.
NORTHAMPTON - Boston was brought to Western Massachusetts on Saturday, as part of a municipal conference for local officials to discuss regionalization initiatives, a hot topic as many municipal budgets are stretched thin, and leaders are looking for ways to save.
Hosted by the Hampshire Council of Governments, Franklin Regional Council of Governments and state Sen. Stanley C. Rosenberg, D-Amherst, more than 40 communities were represented at the event, which was held at the Clarion Hotel.
Rosenberg said the meetings are held annually to provide an opportunity for local officials and state policy makers to “be in direct conversation.” As many local officials are part-time volunteers, it’s hard for them to make the trek to the Statehouse to meet with their representatives, he said.
“This is an opportunity to bring a piece of Boston to each of you,” Rosenberg said.
Belchertown Selectmen Kenneth E. Elstein said he was there to learn more about regionalization opportunities, and also because he is a staff member for the Hampshire Council of Governments, which serves 13 towns including Belchertown. Elstein said his town already has saved “hundreds of thousands” from its membership with the Hampshire Council of Governments; over the past three years, the town saved $347,000 by buying electricity through the council at wholesale rates.
Another Belchertown selectman, and also chairman of the Hampshire Council, William R. Barnett, told the crowd that the council is moving forward with an initiative to bring the electricity program to homeowners as well. Barnett introduced the council’s new director, Todd D. Ford, who said the council also is focusing on bringing solar power to communities.
“We’re focusing on creating new regional solutions to some of our local issues,” Ford said. “All the things in your town budgets that we are struggling to pay.”
Linda L. Dunlavy, executive director of the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, said she was happy that theme of the meeting was regionalization.
“That’s really what gets our heart pumping at the Franklin Regional Council of Governments,” Dunlavy said.
Her council serves 26 towns. She offered several examples of savings by regionalization: eight school districts in Franklin County saved $130,000 by combining their general liability insurance, and some towns and schools saved 85 percent compared to what they paid before by doing a cooperative bid for such things as fire alarm testing and elevator maintenance.
The keynote speaker was Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray, who said Western Massachusetts “leads on a lot of different fronts, and regionalization is a great example.”
Murray said regionalization helps provides efficiencies in local government.