A series of education, family medicine, food access and infrastructure projects across Franklin and Hampshire counties are among the local recipients included in a $3.76 billion spending package signed into law by Gov. Charlie Baker earlier this month.
“I’m delighted that the Senate included these regional education, food security and health care priorities in our final spending package,” said Sen. Jo Comerford, who helped to secure $20 million for the Community Preservation Act (CPA) in addition to the $1 million in targeted spending across both counties. “I’m grateful to the constituents who raised these needs and opportunities with our office and grateful to my team for helping me bring this money home to our people.”
The money, included as part of an amendment to an economic development bill passed by the Legislature earlier this month, includes $200,000 for the Massachusetts Food Trust Program administered by the Greenfield-based Franklin County Community Development Corporation; $200,000 for elementary school infrastructure repairs in Shutesbury; $175,000 to support a diverse teacher workforce initiative out of the Northampton-based Collaborative for Educational Services and to support the nonprofit’s work in Northampton Public Schools; $275,000 for repairs to fire damage incurred at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School in Northampton; and $100,000 for Baystate Franklin Medical Center’s family medicine residency program in Greenfield.
In Northampton, the Collaborative for Educational Services will receive $175,000, $150,000 of which will support the work of the Diverse Teacher Workforce Coalition. The remaining $25,000 will benefit the collaborative’s work in the Northampton Public Schools, according to Director of Development Isolda Ortega-Bustamante.
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