The five towns that make up the Southern Berkshire Regional School District have formed a committee to discuss and possibly change the way in which they are assessed their portion of the district’s budget. The Berkshire Record reports that the group hopes to find an alternative formula that would make assessments more predictable and stable on a year-to-year basis.

The move comes after yet another budget season which saw drastic changes in the expected financial contribution for some of the district towns — specifically Sheffield, whose taxpayers were asked to contribute $7.1 million to the district’s $16.7 million fiscal year 2019 budget. It was a more than $520,000 increase to its assessment in fiscal year 2018.

The other towns in the district are Alford, Egremont, New Marlborough and Monterey. Each community will be represented on the committee by one select board member and one finance committee member. Their next meeting is scheduled for June 12. Any proposed changes to the current agreement would have to be put to a vote and passed by a majority in each of the five towns, and then be approved by the Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state Attorney General's office.

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