By Darrell Halen
Correspondent

Weare voters will consider a proposal to build a new middle school, increased operating budgets, a new teachers’ contract and other education-related spending requests this March.

Weare School District ballot
The most expensive article calls for spending $18,510,000 to design, build, equip and furnish a new middle school. The school board wants to build the new building, which would have a capacity of 920 students, on the current 13.3-acre site of the current school.

Officials have said that the current school is plagued by many problems, including asbestos and mold, overused wiring, a lack of equipped science labs, no lockers or showers, and lack of space. The bond article needs at least 60 percent of the vote to pass.

Voters are being asked to approve a $9.25 million operating budget. The budget represents an increase of about 5.8 percent from the current one.

Some of the factors of the increase, according to Superintendent Christine Tyrie, are an increase in salary and benefits for 64 full-time teachers, increased special education costs and higher transportation costs.

If the budget is turned down, the school district must live under a $9.092 million “default” budget – which is the current year’s budget, plus costs that the school district is obligated to pay.

Residents are also being asked to put $25,000 into a fund designated for any future maintenance, upgrading and development of grounds and fields. The money could be used to construct middle school fields offsite if the new school is approved.

The school board is also asking the voters for permission to take half of any surplus, at a maximum of $25,000, at the end of the current fiscal year and place it in a fund for major building repairs and improvements. They are also seeking approval to take the other 50 percent of any surplus, at a maximum of $25,000, and put into a capital reserve fund. This fund would pay for future expansions, including building renovations.

The Weare School District’s deliberative session will start at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8, at the Center Woods Elementary School.

John Stark Regional School District
The largest item is the proposed district budget. School officials are asking voters to approve approximately $10.4 million for the next fiscal year. If the budget is turned down, a default budget of roughly $10.26 million would go into effect.

The proposed budget is a 2.05 percent increase from the current year, according to Tyrie. Some of the factors of the increase are additional pay for support staff, and higher utility and materials costs.

Residents are being asked to ratify a three-year collective bargaining agreement between the school board and the John Stark Teachers Association. The estimated additional cost for the 2005-06 school year is $467,021. Estimated additional cost is $165,508 for the following year, and $230,615 in the 2007-08 school year.

School officials want to add $25,000 to the district’s Buildings and Grounds Expendable Trust Fund. This fund, set up two years ago, provides future upgrading, maintenance and or development of grounds and fields.

School officials are also seeking permission to continue to investigate a negotiated lease, transfer or purchase of land for septic wells and fields. The article would also provide $1,000 to pay for expenses to do that.

School officials also want to add $5,000, through another warrant article, to a nine-year-old fund to upgrade, repair and maintain water and septic systems.

The deliberative session of the John Stark Regional School District will begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 9, at the high school.

Weare voters will cast ballots from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8, at Center Woods Elementary School.