Hot topic: Residents will consider whether to adopt Senate Bill 2, which would require the school district to hold a budget hearing and a deliberative session instead of town meeting.

Like at a town meeting, residents hear the articles on the warrant presented at deliberative sessions, and can debate and amend them. However, they do not take a final vote on any of the articles. All of the issues are decided at the polls weeks later.

In a town meeting, items are discussed and voted on, usually through a show of hands, by people who show up at the meeting that day.

Around one-third of all towns in the state have adopted SB2 since it was first introduced in 1995.

Proponents of town meeting say that the town meeting format creates more informed voters because voters get the chance to hear arguments for and against articles up for review. SB2 proponents say the deliberative session model gives voters time to consider the arguments and answer any additional questions they have before making a decision. Ballot voting participation is also higher than participation in town meeting, and offers absentee ballots for those who can’t attend.

Deliberative sessions, however, typically have low attendance.

This article was added to the warrant by petition. It is not recommended by the school board.

Budget: The proposed operating budget for the Merrimack Valley School District is $41.8 million, up less than 1 percent from last year.

The largest increase is $88,000 in tuition for students who attend vocational programming in other districts, such as the Concord Regional Technical Center.

There is an increase for co-curricular advisor stipends for grades K-12 amounting to $20,452.

Contested races: There are five school board seats open for election this year: one two-year terms for residents of Salisbury, and three three-year terms for a resident of Loudon, Penacook and Boscawen. All of those races have only one person running in them. Louise Andrus and David Farr are both running for a three-year term for any resident of Webster, Salisbury, Loudon, Penacook or Boscawen.

When and where: The annual meeting will be held at 7 p.m. March 6. Ballot voting will take place between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. All events will be held at the Merrimack Valley High School auditorium.

Leah Willingham