If Allenstown residents agree, the elementary school could be renovated into a new town hall and community center and the middle school could become an apartment complex once students move into a new school being built on River Road.

One of the warrant articles posed to town voters on March 14 would allocate $200,000 for the renovation of the former Allenstown Elementary School into a new town hall, community center and incubator space, which has generated the most interest from the town and it’s residents this past year.

Town and school officials discussed their operational budgets Saturday morning during their deliberative session at the Armand R. Dupont middle school. Though 20 residents sat in the audience throughout the presentations, no public comment was made.

Article 13 will ask residents to discontinue funding for a town hall renovation study, which was created in 2022 for the purpose of renovating the 33,000-square foot school at 30 Main Street, and instead create a $200,000 municipal building capital reserve fund that will include $87,000 from the discontinued fund. Since the money will be taken from the unassigned fund balance, it won’t impact tax rates for residents.

“We will take the funds given to do the study and lapse them into an unassigned fund balance and continue to put money away for the renovations,” said town administrator Derik Goodine.

It will cost the town approximately $650,000 to renovate the elementary school, which would be saved over a three year period until renovations began in 2026, he continued. The town does not expect to take possession of the school until 2024.

“Five out of the six selectmen want to turn the school into a town hall,” Goodine said. “It would cost millions to build a new town hall as opposed to thousands to renovate the elementary school.”

In addition to taking possession of the elementary school, which would be sold to the town by the school district for $1, the town will also purchase the Armand R. Dupont school for a dollar with plans to retain the land between the town hall and the school for recreational use, like a walking trail, a splash park and a skateboard park, Goodine said. The recreational fields are about the size of a football field.

“It’s a good thing to have a place for the kids to go after school and it will be another community gathering spot,” said budget committee member Jeffery Venegas. “This is an opportunity for businesses, open gyms, recreational programs and intramural sports for adults and kids.”

If the sale is approved during elections next month, the town will solicit developers to submit proposals and Goodine suspects most will propose housing projects and apartment complexes due to the housing crisis cross the state.

Additionally, residents will be asked to approve this year’s proposed town operating budget of $4.7 million, which is 4.8% higher than last year, and the proposed school district operating budget of $12.68 million, which is 4% higher than last year.

If the proposed budgets are defeated, the towns budget will default to $4.5 million and the schools will default to $12.5 million.

As part of the proposed town operating budget, $47,000 will be allocated to the police department to offer competitive salaries and discourage resignations and $25,000 will help the fire department fund equipment like air packs and extrication tools. The budget is expected to raise the tax rate by $0.51, which would be an additional $153 a year for a home worth $300,000.

Residents will also be asked to pass a new three-year teachers contract and a paraprofessional contract and allocate funding for special education, technology and maintenance as part of the school district’s operational budget.

Town and school ballot elections will be held on March 14 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the St. John’s Parish at 10 School Street.

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