By Devon Cormier
Staff Writer

About 40 citizens came together at Hooksett’s annual School District Meeting to use the power this unique tradition allows them. A group of people called for a recess, gathered together and wrote an amendment to an article they deemed the rest of the public may find confusing at the polls.

Article 2 was amended at the school district’s deliberative session to give priority to renovations at the Underhill School over renovations to the School Administrative Unit offices. The article asked voters to approve the school district’s use of $975,000 left over from work on Hooksett’s other two schools for renovations to Underhill and to the SAU building.

Voters in attendance were concerned that the rest of the public would be unclear about how much money was going to each of the buildings and submitted an amendment that passed nearly unanimously. Led by budget committee member Bryan Williams, the amendment added a line saying that the money would go first to fix Underhill.

Williams was in favor of the warrant article but said it could benefit from clarification.

“There is a lot of angst that Underhill should come first, so let’s do some wordsmithing,” Williams said.

However, some at the meeting remained upset that Hooksett is paying all of the repair costs to the SAU building on Farmer Road even though Auburn and Candia, both part of SAU 15, rent space in the building. Many likened the situation to school districts without high schools paying for repair costs to Manchester schools.

“The Hooksett School District owns the building,” said Building Administrator of SAU 15 Sally Waterhouse. “Should, in the future, they decide to vacate and sell the building, that money would go to Hooksett.”

Repairs at Underhill would include the heating and ventilation system, asbestos removal, a sprinkler system, tile and floor replacements, electrical work and a roof upgrade, among other things. The repairs are expected to cost between $700,000 and $900,000 and the remainder of the money would go to repairs at the SAU building. The building is more than 20 years old and rotting wood is ruining windows while an ice dam is causing leaks throughout the building.

After approving the article asking voters to designate close to $1 million for renovations to the Underhill School, a few residents had trouble justifying Article 4, which asks for $10,000 in unanticipated building repairs because the other schools are new.

School Board Vice Chairman Joanne McHugh explained that the money would be returned to the general fund if it wasn’t used specifically for repairs. McHugh said that if Article 2 fails, the $10,000 will be imperative to have for unanticipated costs at Underhill. The full $10,000 has been used, mostly for Underhill repairs, for the past four school years. The other articles on the ballot were approved without amendment. The operating budget will be seen on the ballot as $21,744,339. Part of the costs involve a new school bus for about $36,000, increasing health insurance costs and more teachers. If the budget fails, the default budget has been calculated at $21,180,599.

“It is very difficult following a default budget,” said School Board Member John Pieroni. “The number of students is increasing and the standards of No Child Left Behind and other standards are increasing as well.”

Resident Peter Farwell stood up to address his disgust with the increasing cost of health insurance.

“The insurance line is up $417,000,” Farwell said. “I don’t think you’re doing a good job with this line. I am sick and tired of seeing these astronomical lines; you’ve got to get this under control.”

Pieroni said the negotiations have been making headway, but until the four-year contract is up next year, prices will be high.

Williams submitted two petitioned warrants and one almost underwent an amendment that would have made it moot, but the amendment failed so the article will be on the ballot as written.

The first petitioned article asks that the school district move the date of its deliberative session from February to March, and the voting date from March to April, to move it closer to the town’s sessions. Williams said it would help voters understand the tax impact of the town and school budgets.

The second petitioned article asks that the budget committee be given the power to calculate the default budget rather than the SAU office.

Also on the ballot on March 8 will be an article asking for $25,000 to be put in the Special Education Expendable Trust Fund. This is an annual article and the money is used to place special education children in other programs and towns if necessary, which can be very