Auburn buys school land, mulls Candia partnership

The approved purchase of 58 acres of undeveloped land in Auburn brought hope to school officials who saw it as an opportunity to build a new school and alleviate overcrowding at Auburn Village School.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the $650,000 purchase at March’s annual School District Meeting. The land is off Route 101’s Exit 2.

The purchase prompted the Auburn School Board to discuss a new school partnership with the school board in neighboring Candia. Candia School Board members have maintained they want an agreement only if it’s long-term and provides the Candia board with some autonomy regarding the education of Candia students.

The two boards have been talking seriously since October about ironing out some sort of long-term tuition agreement for a potential new middle school, though Auburn officials haven’t committed to what grades they hope to move to the new site.

Auburn school officials have said they hope to present voters at the 2007 School District Meeting with a proposal for school planning and design money.

Candia’s school board has said it would be willing to contribute to planning for a school, if it gets positive reactions about a potential school partnership from Candia residents.

Soldier returns for Candia Old Home Day

Candia’s annual Old Home Day, though hampered by some extremely soggy September weather, turned largely into a welcome home party for a soldier injured in Iraq.

Signs lined Candia’s streets leading up to the event welcoming home Marine Lance Cpl. Louis “Louie” Stamatelos Jr. Stamatelos, 21, was shot once through the right shoulder while standing guard at the Iraqi city of Kharma.

More than 50 people greeted Stamatelos at the Manchester- Boston Regional Airport on the evening before Old Home Day. Stamatelos, a graduate of Candia’s Jesse Remington High School, lost use of his right arm. Before his return, Stamatelos was transferred to hospitals both in Iraq and America.

Stamatelos, who had two grandfathers serve in the military, said he’s always wanted to join the armed forces.

During the Old Home Day parade, Stamatelos sat with his 6-year-old sister, Audrey, who was perched on his lap inside a Candia fire engine. People cheered Stamatelos as he and his sister passed down High Street.

Auburn speaks up

Auburn residents were given a rare forum to voice their wishes for the future of the small town.

On Nov. 4, about 75 people came to an all-day event, titled “Speak Up Auburn,” at the Auburn Village School. Controlling growth, solving a school space crunch keeping property taxes manageable and getting more responsive town leadership were four of the most discussed topics of the day.

The event was led by the New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, which will return to the town with a written “community profile” based on the day’s discussions.

The event’s organizers said that community profile will aid the town as it embarks on revisions of its master plan and Capital Improvements Program. Many people at the event said they were discouraged because more people – including many of the volunteers on the town’s boards and committee’s – didn’t attend.