Louis Peyron
1. Louis J. Peyron Sr., 1935 — 2024, Stockbridge Police Sergeant, Stockbridge Fire Chief, and beloved member of our village. I remember Louis, we all do. The ubiquitous Louis Peyron, always there when needed. He was that fire chief and policeman that actually did make you feel safer.
There is a story about Louis, and I believe it. He was the one chosen to train new recruits to the Stockbridge police force. He would take them out on the streets — on foot or in a cruiser — and say, “Look around. See the people? That is who you work for.”
What a contrast with a more modern member of the force who told me with a straight face, “My job is to protect the Chief.”
“But then whose job is it to protect us?”
We will all miss Louis because we were so lucky to have him. Rest in peace, Sarge, for you, it is end of watch.
2. Clarification
At the request of Victoria Clifford, Skanska USA Building, Inc., Program Manager for the Monument Mountain Regional High School (MMRHS) Feasibility Study, SU is offering this clarification.
Following are two screenshots of exhibits shown during the meeting and posted in the last issue of SU. Those interested can watch the entire meeting on CTSBTV.org/ click on “Education” and then click on Monument Mountain Regional High School (MMRHS) Virtual Community Information Session, presented by the MMRHS Building Committee and the Monument Mountain Building Project.
“Total project Costs” for the 6 alternatives range from $114,000,000 to $183,000,000 with Commonwealth contribution ranging from $0 — $53,000,000. At the high end that would net $130,000.000 in cost for a new school divided between three towns — West Stockbridge, Stockbridge, and Great Barrington.
For comparison purposes, there are two additional screen shots of cost estimated during the Regional School District Planning Board (RSDPB) presentations in November 2023. As you can see, the costs jumped and more than doubled in that brief time — from an estimated $90,000,000 (for a new school without the merger) to the high of $183,000,000.
Comparisons for cost per student:
Building a new school vs. placing Stockbridge high school students in extant schools
Based upon estimates, the low is $114million for repairing current building and with no contribution from the Commonwealth, and the high of $183million for construction of new building with estimated $53million contribution from the Commonwealth. According to the signed Regional Agreement, the Stockbridge obligation for the cost of construction is roughly 1/3. It can change based on aggregate real estate values, Equalized Values (EQV), in all three towns. Based on that, the Stockbridge obligation would range from $38,000,000 — $43,000,000.
Flowers
3. Repairs to the Civil War Monument were proposed to the Community Preservation Committee in March 2021 by Michael Canales, Town Administrator (SU, March 2021). Canales, on behalf of the Select Board, submitted a proposal for restoration of the Civil War Monument at an estimated cost $135,000. The repairs are now complete. The Monument looks wonderful and the plantings are very pretty. Let’s remember, it was strongly recommended that wear and tear on the base of the monument was accelerated by plantings around the base which were routinely watered. Let’s plant further away. Early photographs show a small, decorative iron fence perhaps a foot from the base with no plantings inside that periphery. Let’s respect that and protect our monument.
Stockbridge Updates in on TV!
4. Stockbridge Updates in on TV! We are ready for our close-up on CTSB—you can watch on CTSBTV.org or on Youtube. Here are the first three episodes. We are telling stories.
Launch/Solo Creatives: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TMpew3eSW0&t=583s
July 1 issue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0KmnuCSh8E&t=1007s
July 15 issue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a49bYHxfAUQ
