Area Briefs: South Hadley Budget Task Force to hold final listening session

South Hadley Budget Task Force to hold listening session

SOUTH HADLEY — South Hadley’s Budget Task Force will hold the third and final listening session on Thursday before the committee sends its fiscal findings and recommendations on managing the town’s structural deficit to the Select Board.

The hybrid meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Senior Center on 45 Dayton St. Residents can speak on their funding priorities, ask budget-related questions or suggest ways to counter the town’s upcoming $3 million deficit for fiscal year 2027. This deficit is expected to grow at least $2 million each year in subsequent years.

To close the budget deficit without an override, town officials have said Gaylord Memorial Library will close, every department would eliminate one position, and the town’s main library would have its hours reduced. Additionally, the school district would cut funding for sports and extracurriculars and lose 23 positions, 20 of which are student-facing.

The Budget Task Force will also weigh in on a potential Proposition 2½ override to help balance town revenue with expenses. Currently, the committee will consider a $3 million, $6 million and $9 million override, but no decisions have been made. The overrides would delay severe budget cuts to departments and provide time to implement long-term plans to generate revenue.

More information on the budget task force can be found on the South Hadley town website.

PV Family Center lands grant to address needs

BOSTON — The Children’s Trust, a statewide public-private organization dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect in Massachusetts, recently that it has awarded $71,428 to Pioneer Valley Family Center to address core service funding gaps to support center-based activities.

The money will help fund plan and learn groups, support groups, special family events, and staffing for provision of individualized family support. Funds may also be used for food, child care and transportation, as needed. 

This funding comes as part of the Children’s Trust’s efforts to strengthen family support programs facing challenges because of continued federal funding cuts. In total, the Children’s Trust has provided $500,000 in funding to family centers across the commonwealth. 

“Family Centers are a lifeline for families in our communities. They ensure that families have access to the information, resources, and services they need most,” said Jennifer Valenzuela, executive director of the Children’s Trust. “These grants ensure that each center has the flexibility to meet the specific needs of their community. These funds are necessary, but they are also just a band-aid. In a state with as many resources as Massachusetts, we must do all we can to fortify and support safety net services for all families so that children stay safe and families thrive.” 

The funding comes from the Children’s Trust Massachusetts SAFE Child Communities program.

Volunteers needed for restorative justice program

NORTHAMPTON — The Northwestern district attorney’s office partners with Communities for Restorative Justice (C4RJ), a community-based restorative justice organization, to divert certain cases out of the traditional court system and into a restorative justice process.

This partnership has been in place since 2020 and is now expanding to include Franklin County.

The restorative justice process has resulted in positive outcomes in cases where a responsible party is willing to acknowledge harm. Through this process, victims and other impacted parties may participate in determining how harm can be addressed and repaired, including through community service, meaningful apologies, restitution, and other restorative practices. Upon successful completion of the process, the criminal case may be dismissed.

C4RJ’s work is primarily volunteer-driven, and the organization is currently seeking new volunteers interested in restorative justice work, both online and in person, in Hampshire and Franklin counties. Volunteers receive training to prepare them to work within restorative justice principles and the C4RJ process.

Upcoming volunteer training will consist of four Zoom sessions held on Saturday, Jan. 25, and Sunday, Jan. 26, with sessions running from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Individuals interested in learning more about C4RJ and what volunteering involves are encouraged to visit C4RJ’s volunteer page at https://www.c4rj.org/join-us/volunteers.

Email C4RJ Director of Programs, Nathan Simms, at nsimms@c4rj.org to RSVP, with questions.

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