Pelham - Windham News January 7, 2011 - 5


by Barbara O’Brien


Proposed School Budget Less Than Default Budget Unusual as it might seem, the proposed Windham School District


operating budget is actually less than the default budget that would take effect, should voters turn down the budget that is proposed for the 2011-2012 school year. “We wanted to come in as low as possible,” Acting Business Administrator Adam Steel told Windham School Board members during the final meeting of 2010. Business Administrator Donna Clairmont is said to still be out on medical leave, but no other information was provided. Steel was thanked several times for the excellent job he has done in Clairmont’s absence. According to Steel, the proposed 2011-2012 Windham School District operating budget currently totals $40,962,296, an amount $244,332 less than the $41,206,628 default budget that would come into play, should voters say “no” to the proposed budget. The proposed 2011-2012 school district budget is also $109,000 less than the $41,071,296 budget that is in effect for the current 2010-2011 school year. The $40,962,296 budget that is presently being proposed for next year does not include any money for separate warrant articles, of which there are currently two being proposed. School Board Vice Chairman Ed Gallagher said the administration’s reduced budget request is “reflective that we’re hearing what the public has to say.” Many Windham residents have


expressed serious concerns about their ability to pay increasing taxes in an economy that continues to flounder. After reviewing the proposed school district budget line by line, former School Board member and chairman Barbara Coish said she has some “areas of concern.” The first concern voiced by Coish was a plan to hire a certified media specialist and, thereby, eliminate the two current assistant media employees; both of whom, according to Coish, have worked for the Windham School District for at least the past 10 years. School Superintendent Frank Bass said the change is being recommended by the school principals and would generate a financial saving for the district. Assistant Superintendent Roxanne Wilson said that NH State Minimum Standards recommend that each school has a certified media specialist on staff. “This is not about who holds that position,” Wilson said. “It is about certification.” Coish also commented that there are still some employees in the


school district who are not contributing to the cost of their health benefits, namely custodial staff and some secretarial employees. Coish said that, in this economy, and with the cost of health insurance being so high, most people are paying a larger percentage of the cost than in days past. Coish also said there is an inequity of pay between secretaries who work for SAU #28 (Pelham and Windham) and those who work in the Windham schools. School Board members did not respond to Coish’s comments.


School Space Consideration- continued from front page


over-crowding at both Center School and Golden Brook for the next three years, Lecaroz said. The cost of leasing the portable classrooms carries a price tag of $350,000 for the first year and $109,000 for subsequent years. Optimistically, school officials would like to see the kindergarten addition well underway and the portables in place at Center School by the autumn of 2011. School Board Chairman Bruce Anderson said he’s concerned that being able to get a construction bond on the ballot three months from now, for the annual School District Election, “would be an incredibly tough thing to do.” A number of residents attending the meeting, however, said they felt it would be “foolish” to throw away the chance of getting 75 cents on the dollar


Ed Hurrell Pelham, NH


from State coffers. School District Facilities Director Warren Billings said that the student capacity issue being felt by Windham is “not just a bubble moving through.” “This is long-term,” Billings said. “In good conscience, I have to recommend building a brick and mortar addition.” When questioned about Windham buying the used, leased portables that are currently located at Golden Brook, Billings said that they will already be 13 years old when the current lease expires and the buyout price is set at $358,000. “Portables are not a good solution in this economy,” he said.


Resident Joel Dube said he thinks that there is a high likelihood that whatever warrant article is placed on March’s School


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District ballot “will get voted down due to a lack of faith in the School Board and the administration.” “It’s probably a good idea,” former


School Board member Barbara Coish said of building an addition. “But it’s too late in the game at this juncture. This should have been brought forth months ago.” Resident Stephanie Wimmer said she thinks it’s worth taking a chance on, though. “Putting it on the ballot is the most fiscally responsible thing we can do,” she said. “We need to move forward, not back. We need to use our energy to be part of the solution. These are our kids. We owe them.” The issue and viable options will be discussed additionally at a future School Board meeting.


Charlie


Outdoors with


Chalk


Ice Fishing Events


Plan now for the Meredith Rotary Ice Fishing Derby, Saturday and


Sunday, February 12-13. The Meredith Rotary Club kicks off the derby with a free ice fishing panel discussion on Friday, February 11, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Meredith Community Center on Route 3 in Meredith. Fish and Game’s Don Miller and local experts will discuss ice- fishing tips, techniques, and equipment. The derby brings anglers to New Hampshire from all over the country in hopes of snagging the heaviest tagged rainbow trout and claiming the grand prize. The Meredith Rotary Club, in consultation with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department as part of an ongoing fisheries management plan, stocks tagged fish in several New Hampshire lakes for this event. Waters stocked have included Little Squam, Mascoma, Ossipee, Waukewan, Wentworth, Winnipesaukee, and Winnisquam. For tickets and information, go to www.meredithrotary.com. For Kids: On Saturday, February 12, NH Fish and Game’s “Let’s


Go Fishing” Program presents free hands-on clinics for kids and their parents on the basics of ice fishing. Sessions run hourly from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. in the roped-off area directly behind the Meredith Rotary Headquarters trailer on Lake Winnipesaukee. All participants will receive a “goody” bag. Ice-fishing equipment will be featured, including using tip-ups, sounding the hole, and power augers. Then, the kids will have a chance to fish!


Charlie Chalk can be reached at outdoorswithcharlie@areanewsgroup.com


New Year- New Insurance- New SMILE! Get the MOST out of your Insurance


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Goodnow RE Services


Dover Saddlery, Inc. GHK LLC


Mary Howie, Esq. Kahuna RT Leeward RT Niacom LLC


GRES represented the Seller in the sale of four R&D spaces representing 41,754 SF


Fulton RT


Gudek Enterprises J. Bucciarelli, LLC Laser Light Engines LNX Corporation Park Place RT


Salem Corp. Park Assoc. Sarnia Seacoast LLC Victorian Park RT


West Rock Endowment


Breckenridge Associates Peter Bronstein, Esq. Brooks Properties


CP Management, Inc. Enterprise Bank MHF Design, Inc. Shea Commercial SFC Engineering


GRES represented a public company in a long term lease for 100,000 SF of space


Pentucket Bank


Steve Shadallah, Esq. TD Banknorth


Thank you to the staffs at the Salem and Windham Town Halls


A Special Thanks:


GRES represented the Landlord in leasing over 75,000 SF in this 173,500 SF Dev. in 2010, bringing it to 100% occupancy


Attorney Arnold Croft and his wife Alice, after almost 30 years of service in the Greater Salem area, have decided to relocate to Florida. While Attorney Croft will be available on an ‘of Counsel’ basis the area will miss his professional expertise and his devotion to the region. It is good for them to be able to do as they wish in this stage of their life and it was good for us for having them in our community. We wish them good fortune, they’ve earned it.


GOODNOW RE SERVICES (603) 893-5000


GRES represented the Landlord in the lease of 42,000 SF of Office/R&D space


GRES represented the Estate in the sale of a portfolio of properties


Thank you to contributing professionals and organizations; Butler Realty


Bernard Campbell, Esq. Grubb & Ellis


Thank you to our loyal clients who have stayed resilient in 2010’s challenging economic environment; Linda Brown


would like to acknowledge the following parties: Mark Bedrick


Let's go with the new year new insurance and who better to spend it with but the cute dr! Let's focus on the new year and making appts early if you have new insur- ance. We accept most insurance, including Healthy Kids (and MassHealth in Pelham).... yada yada yada!


GRES represented the Landlord in a lease for 46,200 SF


GoodnowMIT@Juno.com


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