Math ain’t mathing
As Sutton residents — and drawing directly on experience serving on the Facilities “B” Subcommittee — we want to establish perspective based on sound evidence from the committee’s own work that the argument to close Sutton Central School is like tearing down a solid house that just needs a new roof, only to take out a massive mortgage to build an expensive addition down the road.
According to the subcommittee’s own evaluations, Sutton Central has the lowest deferred critical maintenance burden in the entire district at $1,381,750 — barely 5% of our overall facility needs. By comparison, critical repair costs elsewhere reach towards millions.
Closing our least expensive facility to maintain, only to spend $18 to $20 million expanding KRES Bradford to absorb those students, creates a massive 13-to-1 cost trade-off before a single dollar of net savings is realized.
This local push is further compounded by state-level legislative overreach, including Dan Innis’s inserted HB 1374 language and proposed budget caps — a direct political reaction to last year’s 1,435-to-113 vote against spending caps. Both act like a blunt instrument, stripping local taxpayers of the steering wheel.
Closing Sutton Central is an irreversible decision based on unsound economics. On Saturday, Dec. 5, a special district-wide meeting will take place at Kearsarge Regional Middle School to vote on this petition. Under HB 1374, a simple majority decides the outcome. Kearsarge voters from all seven towns should come out and stand by our Articles of Agreement, and vote no on closing Sutton Central.