The Allenstown Board of Selectmen will hold a joint discussion with the school board on Thursday to continue gathering information as they weigh options on what to do with the former elementary School building.
The town is considering purchasing the building from the school district for $1, with the concern that if they don’t, the building could be turned into a charter school. Acquiring the building could provide a new space for the Town Hall, as well as a community meeting venue. However, given the need for building maintenance and potential renovation, the selectmen want to ensure the decision is economically viable, especially with anticipated budget constraints in the coming year and resident concerns over rising taxes.
Thursday’s meeting will allow residents to voice their thoughts about the future of the building and let the two boards discuss together. Scott McDonald, chair of the Board of Selectmen, hopes this meeting can be a step toward more consistent communication among the different decision-making bodies in town.
“I want to sit down and have a close relationship between the Board of Selectmen and the school board so if issues come up, we can nip them in the bud and hopefully solve them together. I hope we can do some brainstorming on Thursday night,” he said. “We all work for the citizens, and we want to make sure we’re making the right decisions.”
The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Allenstown Fire Department, located at 1 Ferry Street.
