Epsom school warrants unchanged

Hooksett Editor — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 21:21:00 GMT

BY NICHOLAS BROWN

Of the 46 warm bodies at Epsom’s deliberative session of School District Meeting, 22 of them – including school board members, budget committee members, three administrators, three supervisors of the checklist, two clerks, two reporters and one moderator – sort of had to be there.

Only two residents posed questions to school or budget officials, and the district’s four proposed money warrant articles survived the one-hour meeting, on Thursday, Feb. 8, at Epsom Central School, unchanged.

School board members said they intend to wage a campaign to inform voters about a proposed four-year contract for Epsom’s teachers, whom school board Chairman Barbara Doughty said aren’t paid well compared to other teachers in the five SAU 53 towns.

Voters denied a three-year contract last year, and this year’s contract proposal would cost the district just over $600,000 in salaries and benefits for nearly 50 employees over the next four years.

“If they don’t have a contract two years in a row, I wouldn’t blame them if they decided to look elsewhere for employment,” said Doughty.

School officials estimate the first year of the contract would cause an increase of 52 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation in the coming year’s tax rate. Under that scenario, the owner of a $300,000 home would pay an additional $156 a year in property taxes. Subsequent years of the contract would see smaller tax hikes, as the first year of the contract would cost more than $100,000 more than each of the following years.

School officials also showed a $7.59 million budget, with increases including $19,499 for replacement computers, $25,528 for more custodial employees and about $23,994 for co-curricular programs like sports, drama yearbook and student council.

Though the proposed budget is about 6.7 percent higher than the current default budget – the district’s fourth in the last five years – school officials estimate incoming revenue will actually lead to a decrease in the tax rate.

SAU 53 Superintendent Tom Haley said the district expects about $750,000 from federal state and local sources – mostly state adequacy money – that would exceed proposed increases in the district’s expenses. If the budget passes, school officials predict a 23 cent decrease in the tax rate. Under that scenario, the owner of a $300,000 home would save about $69 annually in property tax.

School officials estimate if voters reject this year’s budget, a default budget would cause a 73-cent decrease on the tax rate, which would mean $219 in savings for a $300,000 homeowner. Next month, voters will also see a $67,320 request to fund two buses to transport Epsom’s high school children to Pembroke Academy. Voters rejected a similar request last year, and parents of high school students have been footing the bill for high school bus transportation.

“We’ve had a lot of calls from parents, and that’s the biggest reason that’s in there,” said school board member Gordon Ellis.

School District Moderator Gary Matteson asked, “Will the buses be yellow?”

“Just so you know what you’re voting on,” he told residents.

School board member David Goulet explained a request to approve a new trust fund designed for building maintenance and repair.

If voters approve the fund and the district has surplus money at the end of the fiscal year, up to $25,000 of that money would go into the fund. The appropriation would have no direct impact on the tax rate. Voting on the warrant articles and all school district candidates will be Tuesday, March 13, at Epsom Central School.

Epsom News : Epsom: school district meeting

Epsom school warrants unchanged