While the proposed budget may be the only controversial item at the annual Bow School District Meeting, school officials are still hoping that residents will turn out in high numbers to vote.

The meeting takes place Friday, March 14, at the Bow High School auditorium, at 7 p.m.

The biggest issue for residents will be the School Board’s proposed operating budget, as the board and Budget Committee have differing views on how much should be spent.

While the School Board recommends a budget of about $24.98 million, the Budget Committee suggests $24.83 million, a difference of about $150,000.

If the Budget Committee’s operating budget is approved, it would be a 3 percent increase from last year, compared to the School Board’s proposed increase of 3.65 percent.

The tax increase would mean 72 cents per $1,000 property valuation for the School Board budget, as opposed to 59 cents per $1,000 for the Budget Committee’s recommendation.

“There wasn’t a specific area (that caused the difference). The board identified some categories we’d look at. You look at non-required items. Those areas are the school-to-career program, gifted and talented, the athletic trainer and sports,” he said. “These are areas that you look at first because they’re not mandated programs. We’ve had good results from them, but you have to look. We’re not looking at those areas just to avoid the cuts.”

Budget Committee member Rick Hiland said any increase was too high from his perspective.

“With the economy as it is and not looking very rosy, I was not going to support anything bigger than a zero percent increase,” said Hiland. “I didn’t vote in favor of the budget, even with the $152,000 cut. I was thinking of the taxpayers.”

Hiland pointed to the $70,000 in the budget for International Baccalaureate and other activities as well.

“The employees of the district need to start sharing some of the increases. The cost for activities keep escalating, and they’re adding new programs every year that fall on the back of the taxpayers,” he said. “At some point it needs to be curtailed. When times are bad we have to pull the strings in and no one seems to want to do that.”

In addition to the budget, Article 5 asks voters to authorize the School Board to enter into a five-year lease and purchase agreement for two school buses, which would cost about $154,000. Of that total, $34,000 needs to be raised for the first-year payment.

Articles 6, 7 and 8 deal with maintenance and repairs, including the wooden siding at Bow Elementary School for $156,000, the patio area of Bow High School for $16,000 and paving at Bow Memorial and Elementary schools.

All three maintenance items would be funded out of a variety of Capital Reserve Funds.

The final two issues up for debate at the School District Meeting will ask voters to add up to $60,000 to the Capital Reserve Fund and up to $40,000 allocated for paving in the Capital Reserve Fund, with both amounts being added from the unreserved surplus account available on July 1.

Bow Superintendent of Schools Dean Cascadden said he hopes the appearance of meeting won’t prevent voters from filling the high school’s auditorium.

“There isn’t anything super controversial about this year’s meeting, which is too bad. People may see there’s nothing big and stay home,” said Cascadden. “But really we need people to come out and have a good support. There are issues with the budget that need to be discussed.”

This will also be Cascadden’s first election in a long time that he’ll be involved in a Town Meeting.

“My hometowns have previously been SB2,” said Cascadden. “In one sense, I’m very excited because it’ll be the first time I’ll have been involved in a meeting that really counts. I’m hoping that we get a very good turnout, because there are some important things on the agenda.”