An Independent Weekly Newspaper
Salem Community Patriot
Salem Community
see pages 10 & 11
NU at Salem Boys & Girls Club Camp Patriot
Ecaterina Rojco plays with a baby goat at York’s Wild Kingdom in York, ME
Patriot First grader Anna Carbone enjoys her big bag of cotton candy at Funtown USA in Saco, ME Salem Community Behind the Schools’ Walls
Lancaster Principal Adam Pagliarulo will also have a concrete floor space to work in—his office is pictured here
by Andrea Ganley-Dannewitz Phase I of the Salem School District’s facilities master plan has been underway all summer long. Though some may just drive by expecting to see a major construction site of the work thus far, the most important issue to be addressed – asbestos removal – is near completion. The project remains on schedule, with the current work being done remaining behind the schools’ walls. The first phase of the facilities master plan includes asbestos abatement, interior remodeling, and safety issues corrected to bring three of the district’s schools, Lancaster, Barron, and North Salem, up to current code. Asbestos abatement had to be completed first. According to school district Superintendent Michael Delahanty, the removal of asbestos from the schools was performed one section at a time as to not contaminate other areas within the schools while the work was ongoing, with libraries and all- purpose rooms being done last, as those rooms
Lancaster kindergarten teacher Sarah Raboin’s classroom is officially asbestos-free. Tiles were torn up during abatement, and the last of the cleaning is almost done for her to come back and set up for this year’s incoming kindergarten students
were used to hold furniture, office, and school supplies while construction was underway in other rooms inside the schools. “The next step is for a hygienist to complete air quality tests to be sure the air is free of harmful particles and the buildings are safe for occupation. We anticipate this part of Phase I to be completed by August 20,” Delahanty said. Soon after, the site work for additions that will be built to address space issues will begin. The construction documents are ready and Delahanty believes they will be officially ready for the public by this week. What the public has seen so far are schematics. A Website available as a link through the school district’s current Website,
www.sau57. org, should be online and ready this week. “The link that will be made available from the
Website is a sophisticated, multi-page site full of all the information regarding the project. I think
Tis classroom on the second floor of Lancaster School is now ready for the furniture to be put back in place
people will be pleased with it,” Delahanty said. Delahanty anticipates that by September, the final guaranteed maximum price will be ready after the bidding process is completed and after background checks have been completed on all construction contractors’ employees. At that time, site work will begin, concrete foundations will be poured, and steel framework will be put in place. The project’s planning, which took many months and in some parts years to be ready, required a lot of work from the School Board and the Superintendent. “After the March vote, we still had a lot of
work to do; for instance, what type of lighting will be used in the classrooms, what type of security entrance will be introduced, and items such as information technology upgrades and situating— where the wireless units will go and where jacks and outlets will be hardwired and placed,”
Delahanty said.
Safety concerns regarding students attending classes at the schools while construction is ongoing has been put into place and is now a finalized plan, which will be available on the Website and will also be addressed along with public information regarding the entire project in public information sessions that the school district is planning to hold in the next few weeks. “The students will be sufficiently separated from the construction going on, and also the contracted construction employees will be kept separate from the students,” Delahanty said. Phase II of the facilities master plan has not yet been approved by voters. Phase II involves Soule, Fisk, and Haigh Schools and the same type of continued to page 6- Behind Walls
Selectman Arthur Barnes Resigns
by Jay Hobson The chair on the dais in the Knightley Meeting Room that has been empty for the past several weeks remained empty, and Monday night, the now-familiar table with the speakerphone and microphone that has been a symbol of a selectman’s presence was also missing—missing because Selectman Arthur Barnes resigned. Several weeks ago, Arthur Barnes’
son, Arthur Barnes IV, 30, was critically injured while serving in the Army in Afghanistan. His injuries warranted that he be flown home to the United States to receive treatment at the Walter Reed Medical Center near Washington, DC.
The elder Barnes and his wife, Janice, have been at their son’s
side ever since, with the selectmen carrying on his duties via speakerphone and roll call votes. In a letter read by Selectman Chairman Mike Lyons, Barnes noted that his son’s recovery could take from six months to a year. “Allowing that it is unlikely that I will be returning to Salem for the better part of a year, I have determined that it is in the best interest of the community and my family to resign from office,” Barnes wrote. Selectman Barnes said in his letter that his son is “progressing through the medical phase of his healing process extremely well.” He also said that “with extreme luck, good luck, perhaps I’ll see
Arthur Barnes
you at town meeting next March.” According to the letter, the younger Barnes is allowed to have one non-medical provider to “assist him through his recovery.” Barnes said that his son asked him to be his provider, and Barnes accepted. Selectman Chairman Lyons, after reading the letter, said that Arthur will surely be missed, and “he’s not only my fellow selectman, but one of my very best friends.”
Selectman Everett McBride added his sentiments. “I’d like to thank Arthur and thank his son for his service to our
country, obviously. We look forward to him and his son walking into the town meeting next March completely healed and ready to go.” Selectman Pat Hargreaves said that Arthur Barnes was an excellent selectman.
“His heart and soul is in Salem in whatever he did. I hope
everything goes well for him and his son,” Selectman Hargreaves said.
Selectman Elizabeth Roth said that it was with a heavy heart that
such news was received. “It’s with a heavy heart that we receive the news, but we’re not surprised. You’ve served our town well, and now it’s time to serve your son. That’s where your priorities should be, and we’ll miss you,” Selectman Roth said. Acting Town Manager Dr. Henry LaBranche, recalling a telephone
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conversation with Barnes earlier in the day, said that he told Arthur, “make no apologies; it’s family first. You need not worry; we’re obviously going to miss the contributions and participation, but it’s more important that you [Barnes] as the caregiver for your son, and the selected one, be there for the term you need to be there.” LaBranche noted Barnes’ typical ending to a conversation by Barnes saying, “sorry to have bothered you.” LaBranche also reminded the Board that it was the Board, under RSA 669:63, that is to fill the vacant position until the next election, and that there was “a sense of urgency” to finding that replacement. “The Board has its most busy time of year coming up with budget reviews, the CIP, and everything entailed with that as you prepare for your annual meeting and you have the task of selecting a new town manager. I think it would be prudent if the Board had a full complement of members participating in that process,” LaBranche said.
LaBranche suggested a deadline of August 30 to receive letters of interest and resumés with interviews to commence on August 31.
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Volume 4 Number 4 August 13, 2010 12 Pages
photos courtesy of Rachael Hill
Salem Community Patriot
Alyssa Cloutier, second grade, looks at money under a microscope at the Museum of Science
staff photos by Andrea Ganley-Dannewitz
Te lobby of Lancaster School was not left out. Every room in the school other than the library and cafeteria has had tiles
removed. Te libraries and cafeterias of the schools worked on during Phase I will have tiles pulled, asbestos removed, and tiles
replaced when students are not in session—possibly next summer. For now, the rest of the school will operate on concrete floors until Phase I is complete
BACK TO SCHOOL
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