By Jodi Wolfe
Staff Writer

A record turnout of 82 registered voters attended the deliberative session of the School District Meeting on Saturday, Feb. 12.

The meeting was originally scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 10, but the 16 voters who came out following a snowstorm voted to move the meeting to Feb. 12.

A $3.4 million bond for additions and renovations to the schools was discussed for less than 15 minutes. The 90-minute meeting resulted in no amendments to the five warrant articles.

School bond
The proposed $3,483,730 bond would increase the tax rate by 34 cents next year, $1.11 the following year, and then continue to decrease. The 10th and final year of the bond would cost taxpayers an additional 56 cents on the tax rate.

The project would cost $3,535,985 in all, but $55,255 would offset by the 4.5 percent bond interest.

The project involves putting an addition on Allenstown Elementary school and making renovations to Dupont School.

The addition would give the school 16,922 square feet of space, including an expanded library, a new computer lab, 44 additional parking spaces, separate classrooms for art and music, and rooms for special instruction.

The 44 additional parking spaces would allow for all the faculty and staff to park in back of the building, giving the students a drop-off area in the front of the school. Currently students are dropped off where staff members drive up the school.

“It’s not a safe area for kids to access the school,” said Thomas Iryzk, vice chairman of the school board.

The project also includes kitchen and security updates at both the elementary school and the middle school.

Irzyk, chairman of the school building committee, told voters the school board made this same proposal two years ago, but it was defeated. At that the time, the school district would have gotten just 30 percent state aid. Now the school district will receive 60 percent.

“It may not ever be this high again in the future,” said Irzyk.

Irzyk also told voters there are currently 32 houses going up in the town, so there will be more school children moving into town.

“I don’t know where we are going to house those kids,” he said.

If approved this March, construction could be completed by winter break of next year.

Resident Rebecca Paulsen asked how the project would affect programs, such as adding a musical education program.

“Because of the limitations as they stand, the students are missing out,” she said.

Elementary school principal Terri Kenney said a music program would be possible with a classroom dedicated to music.

However, resident Roger LaFleur said the school district should work on a new school instead of renovating the current buildings.

While some may doubt that a new school could be built, people thought that a new library and safety center couldn’t be built in Pembroke, but they were, LaFleur said.

“This town has got to start moving forward and not putting on band-aids,” he said about the proposal.

“This is my future,” he said as he held up his baby, Nolyn.

Operating budget
Residents had no comments on the proposed $8,138,708 operating budget.

The proposed budget is 3.97 percent over the current $7,556,442 budget.

The proposed budget would result in a $1.41 increase resulting in a tax rate of $15.30 for the state and local school portion of the tax rate.

The increase is due to a decision by last year’s budget committee to cut the budget well below the default budget, said Irzyk.

Paraprofessional increase
Another warrant article will ask taxpayers for $41,139 for wage and benefit increases for the school district’s non-certified staff as part of a three-year contract for the Allenstown Paraprofessional Association.

Part of the $41,139 will go towards an annuity increase for the full-time employees that they did not receive last year.

“I might move that Article 4 be put off to get some real numbers so these people can actually make a living,” said Jason Carrier, an Allenstown resident running for school board.

Irzyk said the $41,139 equals about 50-cent-per-hour raise for employees.

“That’s less than a $1,000 a person,” said Greta Gendron, the chairman of the 47-member Allenstown Paraprofessional Association.