Local News

Four warrant articles move to ballot after weekend deliberative session 

By KATLYN PROCTOR 

Eagle Times Staff  

CLAREMONT, N.H. — No one spoke to oppose the four warrant articles at the deliberative session on Saturday, Feb. 1, and all four articles will now move to the ballot as presented. Voters will have no further chance to amend these articles.  

“The Claremont School Board has made budget transparency a top priority. We believe this has led to a level of public trust that has not existed in the past. All our Finance Committee meetings are open to the public and available for viewing on CCTV. The administrative team has been a great partner and shares our commitment to transparency,” said Claremont School Board Chair Heather Whitney. “The Board and administrative team is committed to recruiting and retaining great teachers and support staff. A school is only as good as its staff. Our budget reflects these values and we believe the community supports them as well.” 

Article 1 is for the election of officials including two school board members for three-year terms; the moderator for one year; the treasurer for one year; and the district clerk for a year term.  

The proposed budget of $42,933,564, included in Article 2 in the town warrant, has a total budget increase of $2,971,297 (7.44%) before additional revenues, and $331,116 after the revenues. It includes a tax impact of 1.9% or $0.27 cents on the tax rate, according to information provided by the school board.   

The presentation also showed that Article 2 included a first-year teacher’s contract of $514,836, and thus a tax impact of 2.96% or $0.42 cents on the tax rate.  

After revenues, which increased by $2,125,297, the total increase is $845,952 (2.12%) before other warrant articles, which is for the teacher contracts. 

“We tried very, very hard to keep this budget manageable,” said Frank Sprague, vice chair of the Claremont School Board.  

Costs of living and the increase in health care-related expenses were mentioned several times during a special presentation by SAU 6 Superintendent Chris Pratt and Whitney.  

“Our presentations carefully detailed the rationale behind our budget priorities, the why behind the hard decisions that were made. For over a decade the district has lacked a strategic plan, now we have one. This plan is a roadmap to success. Superintendent Pratt is a transformational leader capable of meeting the considerable challenges our district faces,” Whitney said. “The Board and administrative team looks forward to collaborating with parents, community leaders, businesses and the city council in the months and years ahead. Great schools attract families, businesses and investment in our community. The whole community benefits when schools are successful.” 

Article 3 is for a three-year paraprofessional contract, starting at $168,000 for FY 2025-2026, and then $139,718 and $137,791 respectively over the next two years. The tax impact of the first year of the contract would be 0.97% or $0.14 on the tax rate.  

Article 4 is for the Claremont Administration Association contract of $78,000 for a one-year contract.  

The majority of the budget increase was due to a 15% hike in insurance costs and 10% in dental, amounting to $1,221,704. There is also an increase in out of district placements amounting to $1,480,180. Two social worker positions were removed from the budget, but they will be funded by the grant. SAU costs decreased $91,855 due to a change in Unity assessed value, and debt payments decreased by $32,751.  

The school board also had to make the difficult decision to close the pre-K program, which board members and the public expressed qualms with.  

There were also budget related FTE adjustments that include the following: $334,270 cut from five teachers and benefits; 4.35 para positions and benefits cut, amounting to $185,036; reducing the guidance counselor at Claremont Middle School; adding a teaching program at Sugar River Valley Regional Technical Center amounting to $102,171; and decreasing the budgeted amount for open positions that were at the top of the pay scale. 

“The teacher’s union accepted very modest raises so the district could support meaningful wage increases for the paraprofessional group. Paraprofessionals and the school administrators (principals/vice-principals/tech director/athletic director), have not been competitively compensated, and the district has struggled to recruit and retain,” Whitney continued. “If Articles 3 and 4 do not pass, the district will continue to struggle to fill critical positions and lose top performers to other higher paying districts.” 

The second session of the Annual Meeting is Tuesday, March 11 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Claremont voters will be asked to cast their ballot. Wards 1 and 2 vote at Claremont Middle School and Ward 3 votes at Disnard Elementary School.