2016 ConVal School District Warrants

WARRANT

The State of New Hampshire

To the Inhabitants of the Contoocook Valley School District consisting of the Towns of Antrim, Bennington, Dublin, Francestown, Greenfield, Hancock, Peterborough, Sharon, and Temple qualified to vote in District affairs:

You are hereby notified to meet at the ConVal High School at 184 Hancock Rd., (Route 202 North) in Peterborough on the sixth day of February next at 10 o’clock in the morning for the first session of the Annual School District Meeting, and you are further notified to meet at the following places in the Town of your residence:

Antrim
Antrim Town Hall
8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Bennington
Pierce Elementary School
8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Dublin
Dublin Town Hall
8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Francestown
Francestown Town Office
10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Greenfield
Greenfield Town Hall
10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Hancock
Hancock Town Office
8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Peterborough
Peterborough Town House
8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sharon
Sharon Meeting House
11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Temple
Temple Town Hall
10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

on the eighth day of March next for the second session of the Meeting (polls will be open for voting at the second session) to act upon the following subjects:

Article 01: Operating Budget-School District-SB2

Shall the Contoocook Valley Regional School District raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant or as amended by vote of the first session, for the purposes set forth therein, totaling $45,228,639?  Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $44,876,932, which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the Contoocook Valley Regional School District or by law; or the governing body may hold one special meeting, in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only. (The ConVal School Board RECOMMENDS adoption of this article.)

Article 02: Collective Bargaining Agreement

To see if the Contoocook Valley Regional School District will vote to approve the cost items included

in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the ConVal School Board and the ConVal Education Association which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits at the current staffing level:

Fiscal Year                Estimated Increase
2016-2017                 $167,531
2017-2018                 $647,778
and further to raise and appropriate $167,531 for the current fiscal year, such sum representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits required by the new agreement over those that would be paid at current staffing levels.  (The ConVal School Board RECOMMENDS adoption of this article.)

Article 03: Special Meeting for Defeated/Amended Collective Bargaining Unit

Shall the Contoocook Valley Regional School District, if Article 2 is defeated, authorize the governing body to call one special meeting, at its option, to address Article 2 cost items only? (Majority vote)

Article 04: Appropriate to Capital Reserve Fund from Fund Balance

Shall the Contoocook Valley Regional School District vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $150,000 to be added to the Contoocook Valley Regional School District Building Capital Reserve Fund, previously established? This sum to come from June 30, 2016 fund balance available for transfer on July 1, 2016.  (The ConVal School Board designates this article as a SPECIAL warrant article and RECOMMENDS adoption of this article.)

Article 05: Appropriate to Equipment Capital Reserve Trust Fund from Fund Balance

Shall the Contoocook Valley Regional School District vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $100,000 to be added to the Equipment Capital Reserve Fund as previously established? This sum to come from June 30, 2016 fund balance available for transfer on July 1, 2016. (The ConVal School Board designates this article as a SPECIAL warrant article and RECOMMENDS adoption of this article.)

Article 06: Appropriate to Athletics/Co-Curricular Trust Fund from Fund Balance

Shall the Contoocook Valley Regional School District vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $100,000 to be added to the Athletics/Co-Curricular Fund as previously established under the provisions of RSA 198:20-c? This sum to come from June 30, 2016 fund balance available for transfer on July 1, 2016. (The ConVal School Board designates this article as a SPECIAL warrant article and RECOMMENDS adoption of this article.)

Article 07: Appropriate to Health Insurance Maintenance Trust Fund from Fund Balance

Shall the Contoocook Valley Regional School District vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $100,000 to be added to the Health Insurance Maintenance Fund as previously established pursuant to the provisions of RSA 198:20-c? This sum to come from June 30, 2016 fund balance available for transfer on July 1, 2016. (The ConVal School Board designates this article as a SPECIAL warrant article and RECOMMENDS adoption of this article.)

Article 08: Appropriate to Special Education Trust Fund from Fund Balance

Shall the Contoocook Valley Regional School District vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $50,000 to be added to the Special Education Trust Fund as previously established? This sum to come from June 30, 2016 fund balance available for transfer on July 1, 2016. (The ConVal School Board designates this article as a SPECIAL warrant article and RECOMMENDS adoption of this article.)  

Article 09: Accept Reports of Agents and Auditors

Shall the Contoocook Valley School District accept the reports of Agents, Auditors, Committees, and Officers chosen?

Article 10: School Board Salaries

Shall the Contoocook Valley Regional School District appoint the salaries of the School Board and fix the compensation of any other officers or agents of the District as follows: School Board Chair, $1500; each member, $1000; Treasurer, $2,500; Moderator, $300? (The ConVal School Board RECOMMENDS adoption of this article.)

Article 11: Establish Performing Arts Center Trust Fund

Shall the Contoocook Valley School District 1) establish an expendable trust fund under the provisions of RSA 198:20-c to be known as the Performing Arts Center Funding Account, for the purpose of depositing privately donated gifts, legacies, and devises including gifts and donations from the Contoocook Valley Visual and Performing Arts Center (VPAC); 2) designate the Trustees of the Trust Funds of the Town of Peterborough as custodian of the Trust Funds and 3) designate the Contoocook Valley Regional School Board as agents to expend these Trust Funds? (The ConVal School Board RECOMMENDS adoption of this article.)

Article 12:  Petitioned Article

In the interest of providing voters with an accurate and detailed assessment of the impact school closures have on communities, we are requesting that an impact study be required for any proposed school closure, consolidation or relocation.  It is our opinion that school consolidation, closure or relocation has a substantial impact beyond just our school budget.  It is our hope that voters are presented with honest information that assesses the impact such a measure would have on their property values, local businesses, traffic flow, law enforcement and most of all, on our children’s futures.  For these reasons, we are presenting the following amendment to the Conval School District Articles of Agreement for voter consideration.

To amend paragraph 5 of the Conval School District Articles of Agreement to read as follows:

  1. The Contoocook Valley School District (ConVal) shall be responsible for grades one through twelve (1-12) and Kindergartens. Kindergartens were previously authorized by a vote at an annual Cooperative School District meeting.  Grades nine through twelve (9-12) shall be educated at the centrally located Senior High School in Peterborough.  Grades five through eight (5-8) shall be educated at the Middle Schools in Antrim and Peterborough.  Elementary Schools shall be maintained in Antrim, Bennington, Dublin, Francestown, Greenfield, Hancock, Peterborough, and Temple.

Any proposal, either petitioned, initiated by the school board, or administration considering school closures, consolidation and or relocation must be accompanied by a current, comprehensive and independent impact study that includes evaluating potential changes in property valuation, local business, traffic flow, traffic enforcement, student transportation, student participation in sports, extracurricular activities, class sizes, and community outreach.  The impact study shall evaluate each township within the Contoocook Valley Regional School District separately and the final report will be made public at a minimum of three months prior to a public vote on the proposed closure, consolidation or relocation.  The definition of “current” in terms of the independent impact study, shall mean a period of three years prior to a public vote.  No school closure, consolidation, and or relocation will become effective unless two-thirds of the voters of the District voting shall vote in favor of adopting the measure. (SUBMITTED BY PETITION. The ConVal School Board DOES NOT RECOMMEND this article for adoption.) (2/3’s Vote Required)

Article 13: School Board Members

To choose Contoocook Valley School District Officers as follows: Six (6) Members of the School Board; one (1) from the Town of Antrim for a term of three (3) years; one (1) from the Town of Dublin for a term of three (3) years; one (1) from the Town of Hancock for a term of three (3) years; one (1) from the Town of Peterborough for a term of three (3) years;  one (1) from the Town of Peterborough for a term of three (3) years; one (1) from the Town of Peterborough for a term of one (1) year.

2016 ConVal School District Warrant