2013 Town Meeting: School Ballot Results

* indicates the winners.

School Ballot

Yea Nay Pass/Fail Article 2: Construction of a New Consolidated Special Services / Central Office
Construction of a New Consolidated Special Services / Central OfficeThis article seeks to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,512,996 through the issuance ofbonds and or notes for the construction of a new facility to house the Central OfficeAdministration and Special Services Department. It also seeks to raise $30,315 for the initialpayment of interest in the 2013-2014 budget. The School Board is proposing to finance thisproject over a ten year period where the highest total installment payment would be in secondyear (2014-2015) in the amount of approximately $206,505. These payments would thendecline each year over the term of the loan with the last payment being approximately$152,625 in the 2023-2024 budget year. The ten year payment term allows the District to alignits debt schedule in order to be free of all bonded debt the year after the final payment ismade for this project.Currently, personnel in the Superintendent's Office and the Special Services Office occupytwo residential single story dwellings that were constructed in 1963 and acquired by theDistrict in 1973 and 1979 respectively. They are both located adjacent to the high school andare commonly referred to as the ìGreen Houseî and the ìBlue Houseî. These two houseshave been utilized by the district for decades. However, they have now reached a state whereeither significant money has to be spent on maintenance and repair, or a new facility needs tobe constructed. Even if repairs were made, the two facilities would still lack appropriate spaceand would not solve the issues of security, confidentiality, and accessibility. TAX IMPACT: The first payment of a half year's interest in 2013-2014 would be less than apenny per thousand. If a 10 year bond is authorized, the highest year'spayment in year 2 (2014-2015) would be .07 cents per thousand or $14.00 ona house valued at $200,000 963
912

Fail

needed a 60 percent majority of 1,127 votes to pass.

Article 3: Accepting Gifts on Behalf of the School District
This article would allow the Merrimack School Board to accept gifts of personal or real property during the year such as land. This article appears on the ballot every year inorder to allow the School Board to accept property on behalf of the District. If thisarticle was not approved, all non-cash donations would have to come before thevoters. Any acceptance of property would still be discussed and evaluated at a formalschool board meeting. 696
322

Pass

Article 4: Discontinuance of Capital Reserve Funds
This article seeks to close outstanding balances in three Capital Reserve Accountsthat have fulfilled their purpose, and to return the remaining funds to the General Fund.The remaining balance of these three combined accounts is $67,477.
TAX IMPACT: None

1,565
423

Pass

Article 5: Increasing the Balance of the School District Repair Capital Reserve Fund
This article seeks to raise and appropriate the sum of $67,477 and deposit it in thepreviously established School District Repair Capital Reserve Fund. This fund coversthe cost of unanticipated repairs to District facilities and equipment. The fund wasrecently used for a necessary roof repair and to replace the phone system at the highschool that had failed unexpectedly. The repair of these items was essential and didnot coincide with the budgeting process, hence the need. There is approximately$38,000 in this fund currently and the addition of $67,477 is appropriate and warrantedconsidering unforeseen circumstances that may occur such as equipmentmalfunctions or unanticipated outcomes from weather events.
TAX IMPACT: None 1,385
573

Pass

Article 6: Merrimack Teachers Association Agreement
In the proposed contract, teachers will continue to share in the cost of health insurancepremiums by increasing their contributions towards the health plans offered to them bythe District. The District offers three health plan options and bases the percentage it pays off of thelowest cost plan which is the HMO. For the term of the contract covering the2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-2016 school years, the teachersí contributions to healthcare will increase to 15% for the HMO, while allowing them to buy up to higherpremium plans such as the Point of Service for 24%, and the Indemnity plan for 44%.Salary Increases that will partially offset the higher employee health insurance costsare calculated overall as $633,753 (2.99%) in 2013-2014, $556,937 (2.75%) in2014-2015, and $460,288 (2.75%) in 2015-2016. The proposed contract will help theDistrict remain competitive with area school districts.
TAX IMPACT: .22 cent increase per thousand or a total of $44.00 on a house valuedat $200,000 1,097
919

Pass

Article 7: Special Meeting Request
This article authorizes the School Board to hold one special meeting to discuss costitems only if the teacher contract fails. The School Board would then have the option ofbringing the revised cost items back before the voters. If this article did not exist, theDistrict would have to petition Superior Court to get approval to hold a special meetingwhich is usually only granted in the event of emergencies.

1,295
695

Pass

Article 8: Merrimack School District Operating Budget
This article is to raise and appropriate $66,266,884 to support the operation of theSchool District. This budget represents a 1.28% increase over the 2012-2013operating budget and was derived through a series of public meetings with the SchoolBoard, Budget Committee and voters at the Deliberative Session. If this article isdefeated, the School District will revert to a default budget which is $66,713,981.
TAX IMPACT: .29 cent increase per thousand or a total of $58.00 on a house valuedat $200,000

1,461 533

Pass

School Board (Two, three-year seats)

Votes *Shannon Barnes
1,264
Gary Krupp 896
*Chris Ortega
1,268

Planning and Building Committee (Two, three-year seats)

  # of Votes *Gage Perry
1,355
*Stanley Heinrich 1,290

Budget Committee (Four, three-year seats)

# of Votes *Stanley Heinrich
1,155
*Lisa Mooney
1,146

*Alicia Nelson

1,079 Write In votes to be counted
953

Moderator (One, one-year seat)

# of Votes *Lynn Christensen
1,552

Clerk (One, one-year seat)

# of Votes *Patricia Heinrich
1,440

Treasurer (One, one-year seat)

# of Votes *Richard Hastings Jr.
1,441