MONTAGUE, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — The after-school program at Sheffield Elementary School in Turners Falls has been saved for this school year.
The Montague Selectboard has approved spending American Rescue Plan Act—or ARPA funds—to cover a shortfall of $75,000. The shortfall occurred when the Collaborative for Educational Services informed the school district last month that it would not be receiving funding this year.
Selectboard Chair Rich Kuklewicz said the board is happy to fund the program, but hopes a funding mechanism can be built into the school budget.
“I always get nervous when a program as important as this is counted on from a grant,” said Kuklewicz. “I think it’s great we are going to work with C.E.S. , they’ve been a good partner for years, but fallback would be good in the budget planning process.”
The selectboard also approved using ARPA funds on the Carnegie Library basement rehabilitation project and the Montague Clean Water Facility sewer pump project.