With a $75,000 Efficiency & Regionalization grant, Leyden and Bernardston will be launching a regionalization study to see how the two towns might further collaborate in hopes of maximizing efficiency and being most cost-effective.

Over the next 18 months, a new regionalization committee will be working with the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management to consider which town departments and positions could be regionalized and consolidated with a goal of hopefully attracting more candidates for those positions, according to Leyden Town Coordinator Michele Giarusso.

“Look at how many small towns struggle to find a town clerk or an accountant,” she said. “This grant will help us look at how we can utilize shared services in the future.”

Bernardston and Leyden already share a Police Department, and collaborate with other towns and entities for other services, such as animal control and health services, which both towns get through the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG).

Giarusso said small towns like Leyden struggle to find qualified candidates who are interested in part-time positions that only offer five to 10 hours of work per week. People want full-time positions that offer benefits, she added, but small towns do not always have the need or budget for full-time workers for roles like town clerk or accountant.

Leyden is still seeking a new town clerk to take over for Paul McLatchy III, who announced in the fall his plans to step down from the position by the end of January. The role involves eight to 10 hours of work per week.

Bernardston is similarly searching for candidates to fill part-time roles, such as a clerk for the water and fire districts. That role entails eight to 10 hours of work per month.

No specific roles have been selected for regionalization yet, according to Bernardston Town Administrator Karen Kelly, but combining work hours and budgets could enable the two towns to offer full-time positions that would attract more candidates. While Giarusso said small towns could count on volunteers to fill these roles at one time, there are fewer people who are willing to take on part-time positions nowadays.

“All services should be looked at,” Kelly said. “Whatever services that can be regionalized to create cost savings and efficiencies for our residents and taxpayers will be looked at.”

Kelly said the Collins Center will be conducting the feasibility study, guided by input from a new regionalization committee. Committee members have not been selected yet, but will likely include representatives from both the Leyden and Bernardston selectboards and finance committees, as well as residents.

The study, funded using a 2025 Efficiency & Regionalization grant from the Massachusetts Community Compact Cabinet, should be complete by summer 2026.

“It’s going to be a long road but anything we can invest in to provide a higher level of services for our town is something to be considered,” Kelly said. “We’re very excited about it.”

Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-579 or mschofield@recorder.com.