Towns, school districts prepare for meetings

Mar 05, 2013 (The Keene Sentinel - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Towns and school districts across the region are holding their annual meetings this month. Here's a look at what voters will be facing at some local town and school district meetings.

Alstead Budget proposal: $1,634,348, up $124,685, or 8.3 percent, over last year's budget of $1,509,663.

Hot topics: An article proposing to return the town to a traditional town meeting format by rescinding the official ballot form of government. Selectmen criticized the official-ballot format during the deliberative session last month. Another article proposes to add a total of $215,000 to seven different capital reserve funds, with the Highway Capital Reserve Fund and the Fire Department Capital Reserve Fund receiving the most, at $75,000 each.

Other warrant articles include: Several zoning amendments are on the ballot, including one that would allow small wind energy systems. Another zoning amendment would compel applicants for wireless telecommunications facilities to pay for notifications and mailings to surrounding municipalities. Other articles ask voters to appropriate $130,000 to pave Gilsum Mind Road and North Road and to appropriate $135,000 to repair the bridge on Hill Road.

Contested races: None.

Elections: Tuesday, March 12, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Alstead Town Hall.

Hinsdale Budget proposal: $3,369,439, up $2,152, or 0.06 percent, from the current budget of $3,367,287.

Hot topics: A nearly $1.1 million project to build a new police station on donated property at 8-10 Main St. and to buy adjacent property at 12 Main St. The $38,000 to buy the property would come from the Wal-Mart Development Agreement fund and up to $773,000 would be bonded for the project.

Other warrant articles include: Creating a welfare expendable trust, and funding it with $10,000 this year; appropriating $15,500 to continue transit service from Hinsdale to Brattleboro; raising $80,000 to buy a utility/rescue vehicle for the fire department.

Contested races: Wayne T. Gallagher, Joan C. Morel and Richard A. Schill are running for two, three-year terms on the board of selectmen; Tammy-Jean Akeley and Lynn Mcloughlin are running for one, one-year term as tax collector; Bruce Bellville, Lisa Borst and James MacDonell are running for two, one-year terms on the budget committee; George Benedict, Clare Hudon, James P. Mitchell and John D. Smith are running for two, three-year terms on the planning board.

Town meeting: Saturday, March 16, at 10:30 a.m. at the Hinsdale High School gymnasium.

Elections: Tuesday, March 12, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hinsdale Community Center at 19 Main St.

Monadnock Regional School District Budget proposal: $32,409,110, down $90,890, or 0.3 percent, from the current budget of $32,318,220.

Hot topics: An article requesting $56,787.67 for a school resource officer; an article seeking to change the formula used to calculate how much towns owe the district. The new formula would be based 75 percent on student enrollment and 25 percent on total property valuation. The current formula is based 50 percent on enrollment and 50 percent on property valuation.

Other warrant articles include: Raising $1,548,627 for renovations at the middle/high school; a two-year collective bargaining agreement with the Monadnock Association of Principals and Supervisors that would cost an additional $52,811 in 2013-14 and $34,902 in 2014-15; amending the composition of the school board from 15 members to 13 following the withdrawal of Sullivan from the school district in June.

Contested races: None.

Elections: Tuesday, March 12, at polling locations in the district towns of Fitzwilliam, Gilsum, Richmond, Roxbury, Swanzey and Troy.

Swanzey Budget proposal: $5,824,380, up $76,495, or 1.3 percent, from the current budget of $5,747,885.

Hot topics: An article seeking to change the Optional Veteran's Tax Credit from $100 to $250 beginning in 2013; a zoning amendment seeking to exempt Wilson Pond from the 125-foot setback enforced for building near all other streams, rivers, lakes and ponds in town. If passed, construction of a main building near Wilson Pond could be done as close as 50 feet to the water.

Other warrant articles include: Appropriating a total of $541,750 to be placed among 20 expendable trust and capital reserve accounts; prohibiting the use of electronic voting machines; raising $35,000 to purchase and outfit a patrol vehicle for the police department.

Contested races: None.

Elections: Tuesday, March 12, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Christian Life Fellowship Church, 211 Whitcomb Road..

Winchester Budget proposal: $3,417,661, up $346,074, or 11 percent, from the current budget of $3,071,587.

Hot topics: An article requesting approval of the third and final phase of upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant. The $1.48 million project includes the upgrades and the development of a plan to inspect the sewer collection system. Also, an article seeking to establish a seven-member committee to study consolidating the Thayer and Conant public libraries. The committee would be appointed by the selectmen, and consist of a representative from each library, and five town residents.

Other warrant articles include: Adopting a town ordinance making it illegal for domestic animals to run at large; changing the number of at-large budget committee members from nine to five; appropriating $50,000 to subsidize the youth recreation program at the E.L.M. Memorial Community Center.

Contested races: Jennifer M. Bellan, Brian Moser, John E. Pasquarelli, Theresa G. Sepe and Herbert "Chan" Stephens are running for two, three-year terms on the board of selectmen; Arthur Charland, Michael Doherty and Gustave "Gus" Ruth are running for two, three-year terms on the planning board.

Elections: Tuesday, March 12, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Winchester Town Hall.

Meghan Foley can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1436, or mfoley@keenesentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @MFoleyKS.

___ (c)2013 The Keene Sentinel (Keene, N.H.) Visit The Keene Sentinel (Keene, N.H.) at www.sentinelsource.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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