Among the items facing Windham voters on March 11 is the decision of whether to spend money to provide additional athletic facilities to the town’s new high school.

A majority of the School Board is recommending a $5,498,480 bond warrant article to construct additional athletic facilities at Windham High School: three additional fields, a second gymnasium and a multipurpose sports center, which would include a track with an artificial turf field, bleachers and other amenities.

The estimated tax impact on a $400,000 home is $68 per year. The school is scheduled to open in the fall of 2009.

The new facilities were originally proposed in separate warrant articles, but voters approved consolidating them into a single proposal at the school district’s deliberative session. The article requires at least a 60 percent majority on Election Day, Tuesday, March 11.

In order to accommodate the new facilities, voters are being asked to approve a land swap in which 16 acres of recreation and conservation property would be transferred from the town to the school district, and the town, in exchange, would receive 40 acres of school district land.

A $1.25 million bond article would fund the construction of a second access road to the new high school. The road would be built over the area of the former London Bridge Road from the school’s entrance to Castlehill Road. If the article is approved, officials would have the authority to use federal, state and private funds toward the project. The article requires a 60 percent majority.

The School Board is proposing a $34,453,396 operating budget, which includes three new positions at the middle school and eight new positions at the high school.

Also on the ballot is a new collective three-year bargaining agreement between the School Board and the teachers union which provides increases in salaries and benefits of $484,060 in 2008-09; $507,620 in 2009-10; and $483,618 in 2010-11.

There are a half-dozen other warrant articles, most of which seek money for capital improvements and new positions. Voters will decide if they want to form a study committee to explore Windham breaking away from School Administrative Unit 28, which also includes the Pelham School District.

Two seats are available on the School Board, and five candidates are running: Michael Hatem, Mark Brockmeier and Chris Lane, along with write-in candidates *** Forde and Laura Bellavia.

Town ballot

There are 26 zoning questions, 29 warrant articles and a contest for a pair of seats on the Board of Selectmen on the town ballot.

If voters approve, the town will hire four new firefighters and use a federal homeland security grant, if obtained, to defray some of the costs. From 2008 to 2012, the town’s share will be $1,154,925, and the grant will provide $421,700.

After that, the town assumes full cost of the new firefighters. The article will be null and void if the town doesn’t win the grant.

A revised blasting ordinance has been proposed. Under the proposed new rules, blasting and detonation would be allowed only between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and not permitted on weekends and town-observed holidays.

Selectmen are proposing a 2008 operating budget of $11,645,020. If the budget and all money warrant articles are approved and officials receive all the revenues they hope for, the town tax rate will increase roughly 34 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

Some of the money sought by officials will allow them to move forward with capital improvement projects which are being partially funded by the state.

Voters are being asked to approve spending $501,585 to replace the Castle Hill Road Bridge, which crosses Beaver Brook at the Windham-Pelham border. By approving a warrant article to authorize this expenditure, voters will also allow selectmen to accept 80 percent in bridge aid from the state and an $89,000 donation from a developer, leaving $11,317 to be raised by taxes. The total cost of the project is $636,385.

Selectmen are asking voters to approve spending $73,200 to fund a portion of the town’s 20 percent share of the costs to construct bike paths along Lowell Road from Route 111 to Golden Brook School. The state will pay for 80 percent of this project. The town’s estimated 20 percent share is $233,200 and $160,000 has already been raised at previous town meetings.

Officials hope to renovate and repair the buildings and grounds at the old train depot area on Depot Road. Voters are being asked to approve spending $33,000 this year for engineering and design plans. The state will provide 80 percent of the $210,000 project.

Two seats are available on the Board of Selectmen, and four men are running: Planning Board member Ross McLeod; former selectman Galen Stearns; Zoning Board of Adjustment member Bruce Richardson; and state Rep. Charles McMahon, a former selectman.

Voters will cast ballots between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. at Golden Brook School.