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This week's stories: (click on the headline
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Auburn
Space is at a premium at Auburn Village
School
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By LARA SKINNER
Staff Writer
lskinner@yourneighborhoodnews.com
French class comes on a rolling cart filled
with papers and two small replicas of the Eiffel Tower. Lisa
Pope has to think twice before she erases anything written on
the blackboard because the teacher who works out of the room
everyday might need the notes for the next class. Students come
to the rescue, though, by offering to copy the blackboard notes
so they won't get lost to the French lessons Pope wants to put
up instead.
Thursday morning's class is one of 10 French classes she teaches
during the week at Auburn Village School. Every day, Pope walks
with her cart to a different classroom to explain how to conjugate
French verbs.
"I have no idea which class I'm
going to be in until I write it down," she said, laughing.
Pope started teaching at Auburn Village
School at the beginning of the school year, and was told she
would have a cart as a classroom when she interviewed for the
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NO ROOM TO CALL HOME
French teacher Lisa Pope moves from classroom to classroom at
Auburn Village School since no room can be dedicated to French
class. Things like being unsure if she can erase a blackboard
add to the difficulties of a class on a cart. (L. Skinner Photo)
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position. Her office, which is created
by temporary walls, is tucked into a corner behind the second
floor guidance office and Mrs. Nesbitt's math room. Last year's
French teacher had a classroom downstairs, but a first-grade
class needed the space this year.
Room needs change each school year depending on class sizes.
Third grade usually has the largest classes, according to school
board member Robert Hayes. He is also the chairman of the Space
and Needs Committee, and said the needs of the school have shifted
from an enrollment problem to a programs problem.
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"It's a seven-day-a-week adventure,"
he said.
Community groups and the town's recreation programs use the cafeteria
and gym every afternoon and weekend.
Principal Anita Johnson has signs posted on doors between the
community space and the school space warning people that the
doors are locked after 4:30 p.m. A special security door was
installed in front of the stairs to the second floor as well,
because the after-school traffic is so heavy Johnson said she
is concerned about safety.
Beyond those after-hours security doors is a maze of rooms that
have evolved since the school was built in the 1940s. Restrooms
on the first floor are small, and industrial wash basins in the
hallway are remnants of a bygone era.
Three building additions were constructed over the years. Three
modular classrooms, not visible from the road, accommodate the
first and third grades. Two of the modular classrooms are separate
from the main building and students have to go outside to get
from one building to another.
Another portable is on the warrant for
this year's School District meeting. Hayes said it will take
up part of the recess area behind the school, and one of the
elementary grades will use it for a classroom.
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PORTABLE CLASS Pope
rolls a cart full of her supplies for class through the hall.
(Lara Skinner Photo)
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French
will still travel from room to room.
About a quarter of one blackboard was empty in the classroom
Pope was teaching in.
"Should I erase it?" she asked the students about
page numbers and chapter headings on the board. "Are they
going to get mad if I erase it?"
At the end of the class, she talks with social studies teacher
Wendy Smith, who is ready to come back into her room after French
has dominated for the past 50 minutes. Smith didn't seem upset,
and Pope rolled her classroom back to her office to plan for
her next class. |
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CLASS ON A CART Room
for posters or French culture isn't available when the classroom
has to fit on a rolling cart. Pope gathers her grammar lessons
so she can bring her cart back to her office after class. (Lara
Skinner Photo)
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Pembroke
No contract
Pembroke Academy teachers must wait until
next year to restart negotiations
By RUSS CHOMA
Staff Writer
rchoma@yourneighborhoodnews.com
Pembroke teachers will not have a contract
when they begin work next year after last-minute negotiations
fell through.
The school board and the teacher's union the Education
Association of Pembroke had until Jan. 27 to come to an
agreement over a new teacher's contract. That date was the deadline
to get any information to the budget committee to review it,
make a recommendation and place it on the March ballot for voters'
approval. By law, teachers will remain on the job but will see
their salary and benefit increases frozen.
When asked where the situation stands, School Board Chairman
Clint Hanson said the negotiating process is done for the year.
"It doesn't stand. It's over," he said. "Once
we miss the deadline (of Jan. 27) for getting information to
the municipal budget committee, essentially nothing happens."
Negotiations stalled earlier, but the latest talks were a last-minute
effort. Both sides agree the key sticking point is salary.
The union originally proposed increasing teacher salaries by
approximately 14 percent over the next three years, while the
board suggested an increase closer to 10 percent.
On Jan. 27, the union offered to accept a one-year contract on
the school board's salary scale, but the board rejected the offer.
Union president Margie Poznanski suggested the rejection was
not made in good faith.
"Because the teachers want to maintain stability in the
Pembroke School District, we notified the school board that
we would accept the salary increase offered by the board in year
one, but not for the full three years," she said. "The
board rejected the teachers' offer, which has the effect of turning
down their own salary proposal. This begs the question: Is this
bargaining in good faith?"
Hanson said the reason the board rejected the one-year contract
was that he did not think voters would have accepted it.
"It's not in our best interest to do a one-year deal,"
he said. "We would be put in a position where the likelihood
is the voters would've rejected the contract. (The teachers)
wouldn't have had a contract and we'd start all over again."
The school board and teachers' union also traded barbs oover
who's responsible for the impasse.
"This is not unusual," Hanson said. "There
are some folks who believe that their salary requests were within
reason, and frankly the facts just don't support that."
The union's chief negotiator, Roger Miknaitis, criticized Hanson
for "his all-or-nothing approach to negotiations."
"Failure to settle was irresponsible on the board's part," he
said. "Now we'll regroup as an association and change our
approach since the process led us to this dead end."
Candia
Where would new transfer station go?
By KATE BENWAY
Staff Writer
kbenway@yourneighborhoodnews.com
Location, location, location.
It's what residents are most concerned about when they hear a
transfer station could be coming to town, worried that odors
and traffic could be problems.
On Monday, Feb. 9, a crowd of about 40 residents heard the latest
on a plan to build a transfer station in town that would require
a $4 million bond but should generate a sizable chunk of revenue
for the town, according to officials.
But some residents asked selectmen, "Would you want it in
your backyard?" as they discovered that proposed sites included
those along Route 27, from its intersection with Route 43 down
to the Lions Club.
And while selectmen said there has been no final determination
on where the facility would be, the outcome of the hearing seemed
be a draw, with equal numbers indicating they would vote for,
against or were unsure of their vote on the proposal.
Need for change
With the state ordering the capping of landfills and local selectmen
unsure about whether Candia's incinerator will be re-permitted
in 2008, officials and residents seemed to agree that the town
needs to find another way to dispose of its trash.
The current plan is a $4 million one that would build a materials
recovery facility in town essentially a beefed up transfer
station.
Other options include building a 500-ton-per-day transfer station
without the premier recycling options for about $2
million, or instituting curbside pick-up for about $250,000 annually.
Some residents against the $4 million proposal suggested officials
go with the $250,000 plan, in favor of taking the trash housing
responsibility out of Candia.
Under the $4 million proposal, in addition to taking in up to
500 tons of garbage per day, the facility would provide "the
ultimate in recycling," said Selectman Gary York.
"This expands our great recycling program," he said,
describing a system in which materials are thrown away and sorted,
with recyclables set aside and solid waste compacted and removed.
Profit possible
The town would contract with a private hauler which would pay
rent to use the facility, potentially pick up the residents'
and the schools' garbage for free and pay a fee. York used the
example of $1 per ton of garbage that's taken into the facility.
The plan is attractive to a private hauler which can store other
communities' or commercial garbage at the facility and cart it
away.
Trash, said recycling and garbage removal experts, is a commodity,
and the more a private hauler can take, the more money there
is to be made.
Meanwhile, the town could rake in some cash of its own, said
York.
The $332,000 budgeted to run the town's current incinerator and
recycling facility would disappear and the private hauler would
pay for the $4 million bond through rent, said York.
"We're looking to do something pretty aggressive so we can
have a premier materials recovery facility at no cost,"
said York.
And with the potential of a $1 per ton charge levied on the hauler,
the town could take in as much as $500 a day, he said.
York estimated the project could shave as much as $2 per $1,000
off the tax rate.
"But being a host of this kind of facility could come with
a cost," he said, acknowledging that residents are
concerned about the location of the facility, odors and litter.
At what cost?
Many residents said they are worried about the potential Route
27 location.
"You could be creating a hazardous condition up there,"
said resident Peter Butt, adding that he's skeptical the plan
will work out so well.
"I'm 54 years old and I haven't yet seen government do anything
efficiently, especially in business," he said.
Others criticized York when he said he wanted to "fast-track"
the project to get the facility on line by January 2005.
"We should know where the site will be, who the company's
going to be and what the impact will be before we vote,"
said Butt.
Town clerk Christine Dupere said she is concerned about run-off
from the site polluting local waterways, and resident Bob Bruce
wanted to know who would control the types of trash being brought
into Candia.
Those concerns, said York, are not only handled locally, but
by federal and state agencies that mandate environmental and
safety standards.
He also pledged that the facility would be a clean, first-rate
transfer station and would not produce an odor.
Selectmen would not name which private haulers they are in talks
with, concerned about limiting their ability to negotiate the
best deal for Candia.
Hooksett
Kelly not surprised at safety complex
leaks
By LARA SKINNER
Staff Writer
lskinner@yourneighborhoodnews.com
Sub-standard windows and window-frame caulking
that should get replaced every year are the culprits behind leaks
in the Hooksett Safety Complex, which houses the town's police
and fire departments, according to Kelly Construction.
"I know the rain is coming through those window systems,"
Thomas Roy said.
Problems at the building don't surprise Roy, the president of
Kelly Construction Co. Inc. of Manchester. Kelly won the contract
as a construction manager in 1996 with a bid of $2.4 million.
Most of the actual construction was done by sub-contractors,
he said, though Kelly did donate some work to the final building.
During construction, Roy said Sandra Oliver, who was Council
Chairman Sandra Sheidow in 1996, asked him to cut back on construction
costs because the town didn't budget enough money for the radio
communications equipment.
Money for the radio system came out of the capital reserve fund
and budgets for the public safety departments, according to Oliver.
Before awarding the construction contract, Oliver said, the building
committee asked the two contract bidders, Pro Con Construction
and Kelly, to review their bids with the committee because the
bids seemed low.
After Kelly started building, there were changes made on the
second floor, such as replacing windows that open with windows
that don't, she said. But she isn't sure why the changes were
made. She said none of her people would have told Roy to cut
back on building materials.
However the window systems were chosen, both parties seem to
agree that the building has some water issues.
Leaks started even before the building was finished, according
to Roy. Halfway through the construction, Kline Roofing went
bankrupt. Roy had to bring in Leclair Roofing and Skyline Roofing
to finish and repair the work.
A letter from Roy to former Town Administrator Michael Farrell
states, "The outstanding roof issues regarding the main
tower and main foyer have been temporarily repaired to avoid
leaks. The leaks only occur when there is extremely high wind
with driven rain with the water being driven under the flashing."
Flashing is pieces of sheet metal that help seal the connection
between the second floor and the first floor extension.
Fire Marshall Harold Murray said he suspects the water could
be coming in between the flashing and the building.
Caulking used to seal the windows is also causing leaks, Roy
said. The window systems were installed after the building was
constructed because of the frame quality. Cutting through bricks
to place a window means the frames are sealed with caulking afterward,
so the seal is not as tight.
Good window systems are set up and then masons fit the bricks
around the frames, said Roy.
A light rain that falls straight down won't sneak between the
flashing and the building. A good wind with driving rain soaks
the insulation and ceiling tiles inside. Building the complex
in an open, flat area added to the possibility of leaks, according
to Roy.
"It's like desert land," he said.
Since Kelly completed the building in 1998, Roy said he has gone
back to fix doors and even light bulbs in the bay area for the
fire trucks. It was one of the worst jobs he ever contracted,
he said, though he and the town worked very hard to complete
a project that had problems from the lot soil on up.
Murray is working with other contractors to determine where the
leaks are coming from. Councilor Michael Jolin said the council
discussed funds to repair the building at the last council meeting.
Jolin served on the building committee in 1996, when voters approved
an article for $2.5 million for the complex construction.
Councilors don't want to spend money on repairs for the building
until they know what the exact problems are, he said. There are
no plans to bring legal action against Kelly either, because
proving that a contractor was negligent during construction is
difficult.
Town Administrator Chuck Packard said the town needs to hire
an engineer and fix the problems as soon as possible.
"This building will nickel and dime us to death forever,"
he said.
COLOR="#330099"Town Meetings
Hooksett School District
Meeting
Vice principal, teacher get funding
By JAMIE GORTON
Correspondent
Assuming voters approve the budget, Underhill
School will have a new teacher come September, and Memorial School
will have an assistant principal.
An amendment to Warrant Article 4 was made at the deliberative
session of the Hooksett School District Meeting on Saturday,
Feb. 7. The amendment raised the operating budget by $48,732,
after the original request for two first-grade teachers was blocked
by the budget committee.
The objective of the school board was to bring the expected first-grade
class size in line with the policy of 20 students per teacher
in classes from kindergarten to second grade.
The total budget was raised to $20,575,900, including increased
funding for an assistant principal for the expanded Memorial
School, an additional secretary, and $26,000 to expand the Unified
Arts department, like physical education and art.
Though the resolution passed, debates focused on Hooksett's elevating
tax rate, what the school must fund and what families can afford
to pay.
"(New residents) do not come alone," warned resident
Patricia Spencer. "They come with a family. Even if it is
justified, guess what? There isn't any money. It's easy to ask;
it's hard to provide."
"Something is out of kilter," said Bryan Williams,
budget committee chairman, citing steady, large increases in
the school budget.
"A lot of this money is fixed costs. Textbook areas,"
said school board member John Pieroni."We look for discretion."
Land transfer
Views continued to conflict throughout the meeting, including
over the proposed transfer of land from Memorial School to the
sewer comission.
The 7-acre parcel has been slated for a composting facility,
heralded by the commission as "a total recycling program."
Neighbors have been fighting the composting program and have
filed a lawsuit to stop it.
"We already spoke to this! It shouldn't be here," resident
Craig Ahlquist said. A similar warrant article was voted down
at last year's School District Meeting.
Village School
Those attending heard explanations of a $10,000 fund for unexpected
repairs, and plans to sell Hooksett Village School from the school
district to the town, for exclusive civic, educational or government
use.
The restrictions placed on the transfer of the school caused
some confusion, but it was explained that the property could
not be sold by the town for profit. The warrant article makes
clear that if the building and property are not used for civic,
education or government use, it reverts back to the school district's
ownership.
The clause was put in to ensure the school district has control
of the property, including the ballparks behind the school, should
the school be sold.
The articles will be voted on Tuesday, March 9.
Epsom
School District Meeting
Athletic field care sparks discussion
By RUSS CHOMA
Staff Writer
rchoma@yourneighborhoodnews.com
School board members told the assembled
crowd that they had done their best with the budget.
It is as pared down as it can be, they told the 93 residents
who turned out for the school district's Feb. 5 deliberative
session.
The operating budget that will appear on this year's warrant
article is approximately $6.24 million, including $25,000 added
by voters at the deliberative session to fund a school expansion
committee. The budget represents a tax increase of $2.84 per
$1,000 of assessed value over this year's budget. This represents
an increase of $426 for the owner of a $150,000 home.
After going through the budget line by line, school board members
told the audience that any extras in the budget had been cut
under the previous operating budgets both default
so any increase should not be seen as frivolous.
"(Previous budgets) have cut it down to the bare minimum," board
member Virginia Drew said. "These increases are the bare
minimum."
In response to a resident's question about what could still be
cut if the district once again had to accept a default budget,
school board Chairman Don Harty said he wasn't sure.
"We've cut the budget as far as we feel is financially sound
and still provides good education for the kids," he
said.
Harty added that any additional cuts would "not be pretty."
Drew explained that the board has been careful to remove any
pricey new initiatives and put them on separate warrants for
residents to consider.
"There's nothing in there that we can afford to cut," she
said. "The few things we thought might cause an issue are
warrant items."
One of those issues included a separate warrant article for the
purchase of a modular classroom. The classroom is currently on
the site. Article 3 asks voters to approve $42,740 to purchase
the structure outright.
Athletic fields
Another issue that generated discussion was Article 5 $25,000
for the improvement of donated land into athletic fields.
Board member Tim Riel said the money would be used to transform
the property, located behind the school, into two soccer fields
and a baseball field. He also mentioned the possibility of a
nature trail.
Road Agent Gordon Ellis stood to support the warrant, saying
the current fields tend to be overused.
"At the end of the season, or even halfway through, it looks
like a cowpath," he said. "I really hate
to spend more money, but it's one of the few things I agree
to spend on. (Athletics) are part of education, too."
The article inspired lengthy discussion, but passed through the
deliberative session without amendment.
At least one resident voiced displeasure over the additional
money for athletics and the attention paid to the issue.
"I think it's a sin we spend so much time talking about
$25,000 for the fields when we spend half the time talking about
salaries for teachers," said resident Lisa MacNaughton.
School board members defended the decision and said that out
of hundreds of hours of discussion each year on budgets and school
policy, probably only 10 to 20 were devoted to athletics.
MacNaughton said she would rather see the money and land devoted
to more education rather than more sports.
"I'd rather see a new building than new athletic fields,"
she said.
Allenstown
School District Meeting
School board forced to make hard choices
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By JAMIE GORTON
Correspondent
In a 16-16 vote, Allenstown residents rejected
an amendment to the school board's operating budget to allow
for a modular classroom at Armand Dupont Middle School.
The Thursday, Feb. 5, meeting began as school board members explained
the discrepancies between their budget and the budget committee's
recommended budget. The school board developed an initiative
package totaling $128,000, including a modular for Dupont and
a defibrillator. The budget committee then cut $128,000 from
the school board's recommended budget.
After placing the $32,535 request for high school transportation
on a separate warrant article and cutting $93,000 in behavior
programs and a continuation of the seventh-grade laptop project,
the school board decided that the modular classroom is "too
important to put on a special warrant," said Thomas Irzyk.
"We are in the closets," said
Betsy Cox Stebbins, principal of Dupont, in explanation. "We
are in the hallways. There is nothing left."
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EXPLAINING CUTS Allenstown
School Board member Tom Irzyk explains where cuts would have
to be made in the school budget, and why the board is unwilling
to take a modular classrooom out of the general fund. (Jamie
Gorton Photo)
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"This isn't a classroom issue.
This is a space issue," echoed board member John Hayward.
The school board's presentation focused on the lack of space
for special education students, citing small groups working in
hallways and the cafeteria. Cox voiced concerns about distractions
from traffic and noise interfering with the learning, especially
with students coded for attention deficits.
"If you want to stick them in a closet, go ahead."
Hayward challenged the 34 residents. "You are violating
the Americans with Disabilities Act. Like it or not, there's
a lawsuit waiting."
An amendment to the article was proposed, restoring the school
board's recommended budget. The operating budget was increased
by $34,850 over the amount set by the budget committee. The vote
failed in a 16-16 split.
Henriette Girard, the budget committee member who recommended
the cut, said it was about the budget being too high.
"The incentives don't take away from the children,"
she said about the $128,000 the budget committee forced the school
board to cut.
"Nothing (was cut that) couldn't possibly
wait another year," she said.
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IT'S A MATTER OF SPACE
School board member John Hayward warned Allenstown that without
the added space provided by a modular classroom, the town may
face federal penalties for violating No Child Left Behind.
(Jamie Gorton Photo)
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The remainder of the meeting explained
the warrant increasing teacher salaries and benefits, and the
warrant contracting a bus to transport high school students to
Pembroke Academy. The budget committee is opposed to the bus
warrant, as were several longtime Allenstown residents.
"We always found a ride," said Dawn Labrecque. "There's
a fine line as to what we need do here."
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