The Rest of the Story (School District Warrant Articles for 2017)

This blog completes the School District portion of the Warrant Articles you will see at the Deliberative Session on February 4, 2017 in the high school cafeteria.  At that meeting, citizens have an opportunity to "deliberate" on the Warrant Articles.  The final version of these Warrant Articles will go to the voters on March 14 in the middle school gym.

Warrant Article Number 4 is a vote to approve a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with our support staff:  paraprofessionals, secretaries, custodians, payroll, financial assistant, and food service workers.  This contract is for two years and includes changes to their current health insurance plan. The total cost of this agreement in year one is $86, 114 and in year two, $78, 528- a modest amount for the wonderful services these employees provide.

(Recommended by the School Board:  Yes-5; No-0)

(Recommended by the Budget Committee:  Yes-3; No-2)

Warrant Article Number 5 asks voters to approve a special meeting if Number 4 is defeated.

Warrant Article Number 6 asks voters to approve spending $214,000 from the Capital Reserve Funds for some needed maintenance work and other items to include: upgrading two bathrooms at the elementary school; purchase math books; and upgrade our wireless system. The cameras at the elementary school would increase from 24 to 40 and would be digital instead of analog -similar to the high school and middle school cameras. These cameras are a part of our District’s safety plan.  This warrant article amount is the same amount requested last year from the voters.

(Recommended by the School Board:  Yes- 4; No-0)

(Recommended by the Budget Committee: Yes-5; No-1)

Warrant Article Number 7 asks the voters to approve $50,000 to be placed in the Equipment, Facilities Maintenance, and Replacement Capital Reserve Fund from the undesignated fund balance at the end of the school year.  This Capital Reserve Fund is the one in which we pay for all of our maintenance projects costing more than $10,000 and includes everything from furnace work to painting to grounds keeping to repairs and replacement of plumbing fixtures! If something goes wrong in the district- it usually falls on maintenance to take care of it.  This would allow us to begin building a savings fund for those unexpected emergencies that seem to happen at the worst times (just like in our homes!).

(Recommended by the School Board: Yes-5; No-0)

(Budget Committee vote on recommendation: Yes-3; No-3) 

Warrant Article Number 8 concerns a resource that we have been working on with the town of Raymond over the last year.  Raymond is in need of replacing the current water sources in town and a viable supply of pristine water has been found on high school property.  The School Board is asking the voters to approve an easement between the School District and the town of Raymond in order for this well project to go forward.

Warrant Article Number 9 is an advisory article for the School Board and asks the voters whether they approve the outsourcing of our food services. The School Board would like to hear from the voters on this topic.

As always, I am thankful to the citizens of Raymond for their support and for voicing your opinion by voting on these important warrant articles.