Hot topic:This year, voters face whether to appropriate $97,192 to send eight sixth-graders to neighboring Bow Middle School a year early or whether to cut their full-day kindergarten program back to half-day.
Enrollment is growing in the district, but that means a space crunch in the town’s elementary school.
Next year’s sixth-grade class is so large that it would need two teachers instead of one; the other option is breaking up the class and sending some to Bow.
SAU 67 Assistant Superintendent Duane Ford said the district was able to do full-day kindergarten last year contingent on space being available and sending the sixth-graders to Bow would free up a classroom so the district can continue to offer full-day kindergarten.
Budget: The proposed operating budget is $6.5 million, up from $6.05 million budget from last year, a nearly 7 percent increase.
If approved, the tax rate will go up about $2.14 per $1,000 of assessed property value, which is about a $430 increase to property taxes for a $200,000 house.
Noteworthy articles: The district’s growing enrollment is impacting a couple important articles this year, including the increase in the budget. Each new student in the district costs an additional $12,000 to $14,000. Growing enrollment in the district also means ongoing space issues. Voters will be asked to approve $240,000 to the district’s capital reserve fund and another $100,000 for architectural design and engineering fees for construction and renovation projects at the school.
Contested races: Deb Trottier, John Herlihy and Heather Lalla are running for two three-year positions on the town’s budget committee. Trottier is an incumbent and chairwoman of the board.
When and where: The town meeting will be held Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Dunbarton Community Center at Dunbarton Elementary School. Ballot voting will take place Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Dunbarton Community Center.
Ella Nilsen