Policy subcommittee agrees to take new regional-representation plan to full committee

The Policy Subcommittee voted to send a proposed change to the regional agreement to the full school committee for a vote after discussing representation, election timing and outstanding legal language with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The change the subcommittee agreed to advance would keep nine at-large seats but require residency distribution of four members from Pepperell, three from Townsend and two from Ashby, with elections to be held in November.

The matter matters because the regional agreement governs how the three towns share governance and budget assessments; the subcommittee said the proposed change is meant to stabilize membership through the budget process and reduce midseason turnover. The subcommittee also noted that several other sections of the regional agreement still need legal review and…