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GOFFSTOWN
Kindergarten land transfer on both town and school ballots

By Nathan Duke
Staff Writer

The transfer of land for a kindergarten is at the top of the list of issues Goffstown residents will vote for on March 8.

“Based on the (yard) signs I’ve seen, the kindergarten issue, which appears on both ballots, will be the biggest issue,” said Town Administrator Sue Desruisseaux.

The transfer appears as Article 5 on the school ballot and Article 24 on the town ballot.

The Goffstown School District ballot will contain six warrant articles. Article 5, asks voters to authorize the district to accept any gifts of property that could secure new land for the proposed kindergarten to be built on.

The property across from Glen Lake, which is being sought for the proposed construction, is a 58-acre parcel that was purchased in 1974 by the town and has been left undeveloped.

The estimated cost for the school is $3.3 million. The district has been informed by the state that if it does not have a decided-upon opening date by June, Goffstown will not be qualified for kindergarten construction aid – $2.2 million – which which is 75 percent of the total cost.

“From what I saw at the deliberative session, people were for the (Glen Lake) site in majority,” said Desruisseaux. “The timing and need to name a site are the focal issues right now.”

Article 3 on the school ballot asks voters to approve raising $25,000 for the study of Bartlett Elementary School’s facilities.

School Board member Scott Gross and Bartlett Principal David Bousquet both said Bartlett’s facilities cannot adequately house all of the school’s students and the infrastructure is in desperate need of renovation.

“This building is busting at the seams,” said Gross. “There are also heating and ventilation problems and a major electrical issue in the lunchroom.”

Other issues on the school ballot include Article 2, which asks voters to approve raising $187,500 for architectural, construction and other fees to expand parking and field facilities at Goffstown High School and Article 6, asking voters to approve the $28.9 million operating budget.

Running for school office
There are three candidates for three seats on the Goffstown School Board. Running are Karen Pratt, Philip W. Pancoast and Sara Ann Sarette.

Town charter up for vote
One of the biggest issues on the town ballot is Article 22, which would create a new charter for Goffstown, making changes in the existing form of government.

Under the charter, the governing body of five selectmen would be replaced by seven councilors. Also, the administration would be the town manager, rather than the selectmen and town administrator.

The charter would also change the budget committee’s 12-member board to nine members and the default budget would be set by the budget committee, rather than the board of selectmen.

The new charter would make bond issues more difficult to pass, requiring a 66 percent majority instead of the current 60 percent required.

Desruisseaux said the town’s selectmen voted 4-to-1 against recommending the charter.

“There has been active education about the charter,” she said. “People understand what they are voting on, but I’m not sure if it is an issue that is driving people. I haven’t seen a lot of signs for or against it.”

Other town ballot items
Also on the ballot are several articles asking voters to approve improvements to the town’s emergency services.

Article 27 is a petition asking to keep the ambulances in town a service of the fire department. The article was drafted by fire department officials in response to a suggestion by the board of selectmen to investigate privatizing the town’s ambulance services, which Goffstown Fire Chief Frank Carpentino said would also affect the fire department.

“Without ambulance services, the department will lose revenue and have a more difficult time attracting employees, as many fire personnel are also medically trained for emergency services and would want to work where they can use their skills,” he said.

Another petition asks to raise funds to replace outdated equipment with new equipment, rather than repair it.

The fire department wants to purchase new equipment, while the town’s selectmen want to repair the old equipment.

“I believe the board of selectmen’s viewpoint is that they address the immediate needs of the fire department,” said Desruisseaux. “The additional truck (for the department) failed to garner support, which is why it wasn’t part of the budget.”

Article 26 on the town ballot is another of some concern to a number of residents. The article asks the town to deposit 50 percent of the revenues collected pursuant to the land use change tax in a conservation fund.

Currently, property owners who own more than 10 acres of land can place their land in current use, which would reduce their property tax obligation. When they take the property out of current use, they would pay a current use change tax equal to 10 percent of the fair market value of the property. If the article passes, then 50 percent of the current use change tax revenue would be deposited into a conservation fund.

Resident Jason Sachs supports the warrant.

“We have a lot of development going on in town and we need to preserve open space,” he said. “I am concerned that there is not much park land in the area and not a lot of public recreation land.”

Running for town office
On this year’s ballot, Vivian Blondeau, Philip A. D’Avanza and Victoria Gailinas are the candidates for the open threeyear selectman position. For the one-year position, Richard Gamache, William E. Gordon and Gossett McRae are the candidates. Eric Geissenhainer and Suzanne Tremblay are running for the three-year budget committee position. Linda Reynolds Naughton is on the ballot for the cemetery trustee position. Running for library trustee are George Rullerton an Arnold Wajenberg. For planning board, Joseph M. Beauchemin and Lowell Von Ruden are running. The candidate for sewer commission is Stephen R. Crean and Jean Mayberry is running for town treasurer. Earl S. Carrel is running for trustee of trust funds for three years and George A. Collins is the candidate for trustee of trust funds for one year.

Town clerk’s office contested
The town clerk race is out of the ordinary this year, said Desruisseaux. Donna Bergeron is running again for town clerk, but this year Karen Johnson is running as a contender.

“Usually, there are not any contenders in that race,” said Desruisseaux. “There’s a lot to that job – a lengthy learning curve. It’s a full-time job, it involves a three-year certificate process; (the clerk) registers vehicles and boats and they go to a two-week learning session each year for three years.”

There is a state statute that requires the town clerk to be elected, rather than appointed. Several years ago, the local government center tried to introduce legislation for the appointment of the town clerk, but the state town clerk’s association

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