By KATY SAVAGE
Special to the Eagle Times
CHARLESTOWN — Voters rejected the school budget on Town Meeting Day Tuesday.
The almost level-funded school district budget of $30.6 million was turned down 356-234 by Charlestown voters.
Charlestown’s school votes will be combined with those in four other communities that make up Fall Mountain Regional School District.
Charlestown’s education tax rate could increase close to $2 per $1,000 of assessed property value if voters approve the school budget and articles in other towns. The results from other communities were not available for the Eagle Times’ deadline.
While turning down the education budget, voters approved the town’s $5.1 million operating budget, up about 8 percent, 330-239.
Snow didn’t impact the number of voters at the polls. While more than one foot of snow closed and delayed area schools, 619 people voted in Charlestown—up about 40 people from last year. Voters approved almost every article on Tuesday. They also elected a new selectman.
Albert St. Pierre ousted selectboard incumbent Art Grenier for a three-year term 382-225 in unofficial results.
Grenier, a highway patrol foreman for the state of New Hampshire, was chair of the selectboard before he was ousted. He would have been going into his seventh year as a selectboard member.
Grenier has lived in town all his life. He was plowing roads on Tuesday night and attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.
St. Pierre, another lifelong Charlestown resident, co-owns St. Pierre Inc. Sand and Gravel. He said he spent the day at the polls. He was surprised by the results.
“I was reading the crowd and I thought, it being a younger crowd…he might beat me,” St. Pierre said.
St. Pierre has served on more than 30 boards and committees in Charlestown and neighboring towns.
Besides being named selectman and adding a new board to his list, St. Pierre’s special article was also approved by voters.
Voters approved St. Pierre’s $5,000 special article 377-231 for a school research committee to form and seek education alternatives. St. Pierre petitioned to have the article on the ballot to reduce Charlestown’s soaring education tax rate.
St. Pierre said the education tax rate has long been an issue in Charlestown. He planned to form a six-member committee that would look at cost savings options by departing from Fall Mountain Regional School District.
“It’s going to get right to work,” said Pierre after learning voters supported his research plan.
St. Pierre will serve on the selectboard with Steven Neill and Thomas Cobb. All three selectmen will determine members of the school research committee.
All articles but one passed by voters on Tuesday.
Voters rejected off-highway recreational vehicles, such as ATVs, dirt bikes, and UTVs, on town roads.
The article, rejected 348-255, was placed on the ballot only as an advisement to the selectboard, which will have the final decision in the matter.
In other results:
• Voters approved placing $30,000 into a pool rehabilitation reserve fund 385-210.
• Voters approved the purchase of a new transfer station truck 313-284. The total cost of the truck ($186,000) will be paid over five years in a lease-purchase agreement.
• Voters approved a $55,000 to buy a new highway truck, with monies coming from an existing reserve fund 386-209.
• Voters approved a $25,000 expense to create a reserve fund for a town-wide reappraisal 356-234. The next reappraisal, mandated every five years, is scheduled for 2021.
• Voters approved $25,000 for the Silsby Library/Municipal Building Masonry Restoration and Preservation Capital Reserve fund 401-191.
• Voters approved Keno games 311-268. Keno is a lottery game which uses money generated from lottery gamblers to help fund full-day kindergarten. Nineteen percent of the money Keno generates goes to kindergarten, 70 percent goes to prize money, 8 percent to the businesses that sell Keno, 2 percent to administrative costs and 1 percent to the state Department of Health and Human Services for problem gambling.
A town vote was required before local stores could start selling the game.
Keno is currently available in at least 40 other locations, including locations in Claremont.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.