School Warrant

State of New Hampshire

 

To the inhabitants of the School District in the Town of Windham, New Hampshire qualified to vote in District affairs:  You are hereby notified of the following annual School District meeting schedule.

 

First Session of Annual Meeting (Deliberative)

 

You are hereby notified to meet at the Golden Brook School in said District on the 8th day of February, 2008 at 7:00 pm.  This session shall consist of explanation, discussion, and debate of warrant articles numbered 1 through 16. Warrant articles may be amended subject to the following limitations:  (a) warrant articles whose wording is prescribed by law shall not be amended and (b) warrant articles that are amended shall be placed on the official ballot for a final vote on the main motion, as amended.

                                                  

Second Session of Annual Meeting (Official Ballot Voting)

 

You are hereby notified to meet at the Golden Brook School in Windham, on Tuesday, March 11, 2008, between the hours of 7:00 am and 8:00 pm to vote by official ballot on warrant articles numbered 1 through 16.

 

Article 1 – Election of Officers  

(Voting by official ballot March 11, 2008)

 

To the following school district offices:

 

a.   To choose a Moderator for the ensuing year.

b.   To choose a Clerk for the ensuing year.

c.   To choose two School Board members for the ensuing three years.

d.   To choose a Treasurer for the ensuing year.

 

 

 

Article 2

Shall the Windham School District vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,498,480 for the construction of a Windham High School second gymnasium at the high school and for the construction of three additional athletic fields at Windham High School and for the architectural, engineering and permitting fees for the completion of final construction documents for the Windham High School multi-purpose sports center and for the construction and completion of the multi-purpose sports center including site work, roads, final site grading, parking lots, ball fields, track, field, bleacher seating, storage/concession/locker facility, lighting system and outdoor scoreboard and authorize the issuance of not more than $5,498,480 of bonds or notes in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Finance Act (RSA Ch. 33) and authorize the School Board to issue and negotiate such bonds or notes and determine a rate of interest thereon, and further to raise and appropriate the additional sum of $124,000 for the first year’s interest payment on the bond and authorize the School Board to apply for, accept and expend federal, state or local grants or funds for the support of this project and to take any other action necessary to carry out this vote? 

 (Recommended by the Windham School Board) (3-2)

(3/5 majority vote required)

 

 Article 3

"Shall the District raise and appropriate $0 under this article because the purposes of the article have been consolidated into Article 2?"

                

 

 Article 4

"Shall the District raise and appropriate $0 under this article because the purposes of the article have been consolidated into Article 2?"

 

 

Petitioned Warrant Article

 

Article 5                            CITIZEN PETITION

 

To see if the Windham School District will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of One Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand and no 100ths ($1,250,000.00) Dollars for the purpose of engineering and constructing a new road, which will serve as a second access road to the High School and that will transverse over the general area of the former London Bridge Road beginning at its intersection with the Windham High School entrance and ending at its intersection with Castlehill Road and payment of costs associated with the financing of said project; any federal, state or private funds made available therefore shall be applied toward the cost of the project; and to raise the same by issuance of not more than $1,250,000.00 in bonds or notes in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Finance Act (RSA Chapter 33) and to authorize the Windham School Board to issue and negotiate such bonds or notes and to determine the rate of interest thereon; and further raise and appropriate the additional sum of $31,250.00 for the first year’s interest payment on the bond and authorize the School Board to apply for, accept and expend federal, state, or local grants or funds for the support of this project and to take any other action as may be necessary to carry out this vote. 

 (Recommended by the Windham School Board) (4-1)

(3/5 majority vote required)

 

 

 Article 6

Shall the Windham School District accept a transfer of land from the Town of approximately 16 acres from portions of land known as Tax Map 20-D, Lot 1800, and Tax Map 20-D, Lot 1600, said land being a portion of the land known as the 'Gage Property' and authorize the School Board to swap back to the Town a portion of the School District's land that is at least twice the acreage of land accepted from the Town in order to compensate the Town for the transfer of the 'Gage Property' mentioned above and further authorize the School Board to take any other action necessary to carry out this vote. Said authorization to complete this transaction shall expire on December 31, 2014.

 (Recommended by the Windham School Board) (3-2)

 

Article 7

To see if the Windham School District will vote to approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Windham School Board and the Windham Education Association which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits at the current staffing levels:

 

                                          Year              Estimated Increase

                                    Year 2008-2009   $ 484,060                          

                                    Year 2009-2010   $ 507,620

                                    Year 2010-2011   $ 483,618

 

and further to raise and appropriate the sum of FOUR HUNDRED EIGHTY-FOUR THOUSAND AND SIXTY DOLLARS ($484,060) for the upcoming fiscal year, such sum representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits over those of the appropriation at current staffing levels paid in the prior fiscal year.

            (Recommended by the Windham School Board)

 

Article 8

Shall the Windham School District, if article 7 is defeated, authorize the governing body to call one special meeting, at its option, to address article 7 cost items only?

 

Article 9

 Shall the Windham School District vote to raise and appropriate the sum of TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY SIX THOUSAND EIGHTY-TWO DOLLARS ($286,082) to be added to the Driveway/Parking Lot Paving Capital Reserve Fund established under RSA 35:1 in 2006 for the purpose of future paving repairs, replacements, or additions to the driveway, existing parking lot or a new parking area at Windham Middle School.

(Recommended by the Windham School Board)

(Money is allocated in the Town CIP Plan.)

 

Article 10

 To see if the Windham School District will vote to raise and appropriate up to ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($100,000) to be placed in the School Buildings and Grounds Maintenance Fund, created in 2007, with such amount to be funded from the June 30 unreserved fund balance available for transfer on July 1, 2008.  This article will not raise taxes.

(Recommended by the Windham School Board)

 

The Windham School Board intends to cap the total dollar amount to be applied to this fund (Art. 10) at $200,000.00 and replenish in ensuing years as needed.  

 

Article 11

Shall the Windham School District add a new Assistant Principal position at the Golden Brook Elementary School and raise and appropriate the sum of NINETY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($95,000) to be added to the operating budget for the salary and benefits for this additional position.

            (Recommended by the Windham School Board)

 

Article 12

Shall the Windham School District add a new Spanish Teacher position at the Windham Middle School and raise and appropriate the sum of SIXTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($65,000) to be added to the operating budget for the salary and benefits for this additional position.

            (Recommended by the Windham School Board)

 

Article 13

Shall the Windham School District raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant or as amended by vote of the first session, for the purposes set forth therein, totaling $34,453,396. Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $34,185,643 which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the Windham School District or by law; or the governing body may hold one special meeting, in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only.”* 

(Recommended by the Windham School Board)

*NOTE:  Warrant Article 13 (operating budget) does not include appropriations in any other warrant articles.

 

Article 14

To see if the Windham School District will vote to create a planning committee pursuant to RSA 194-C: 2, to consider withdrawal from and/or reorganization of, the School Administrative Unit Number 28; said committee to consist of two members of the Windham School Board, appointed by the Windham School Board, five public members appointed by the Moderator; and the Superintendent of Schools, who shall serve as a non-voting member of the committee.

(Recommended by the Windham School Board)

 

 

Petitioned Warrant Articles

 

Article 15

CITIZENS PETITION

 Are you in favor of changing the terms of the school district clerk, moderator and treasurer from one year to three years, beginning with the terms of the school district clerk, moderator and treasurer to be elected at next year’s regular school district meeting?

(Recommended by the Windham School Board)

 

Article 16

CITIZENS PETITION

Citizens petition by Jim Curtin and others to keep with the traditions of Windham, NH since the Searles School and requiring the Windham School Board to make the official colors of Windham High School “Green and Gold and White” and the official mascot of Windham High School as the “Wildcat”

            (Not Recommended by the Windham School Board)

 

                                                                             

 

Given under our hands at said Windham, New Hampshire, on the   8th day of February, 2008.

 

_________________________________

                                                Albert J. Letizio, Jr., Chair

 

                                                _________________________________

                                                Elizabeth Valentine, Vice Chair

 

                                                _________________________________

                                                Bruce Anderson

 

                                                _________________________________

                                                Barbara Coish

_________________________________

                                                Beverly Donovan