Pittsfield School District SAU#51

District News

The March School District Newsletter and the March edition of the Safety Educator are linked here. Also, the 2017-2018 Pittsfield School District Annual Report is available here.

Superintendent

Election of Officers

School Board Members – Three Year Term – Vote for not more than two:

• Michael “Mike” Cabral – 240 votes
• Beatrice “Bea” Douglas – 498 votes
• Theodore “Ted” Mitchell – 359 votes
• (write in)

School District Clerk – Three Year Term – Vote for not more than one:

• Erica Anne Anthony – 659 votes
• (write in)

Warrant Articles

Article #1 – School Lunch Program

• To see if the Pittsfield School District will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $330,000 for the support of the School Lunch Program.  This appropriation will be funded by a like amount of revenue from the sales of food and State and Federal sources.  (Estimated tax impact of this article: $0) Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board.  Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no).  (Majority vote required)  Yes – 641, No – 71

Article #2 – Receive and Expend Grant Funds

• To see if the Pittsfield School District will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $850,000 for the support of Federal and private foundation grant-funded educational programs of the Pittsfield School District.  This appropriation is contingent upon receiving revenue from Federal grants and private foundations and will be expended in accordance with Federal and State requirements upon approval by the NH Department of Education or private foundation requirements.  (Estimated tax impact of this article: $0).  Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board.  Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no).  (Majority vote required.)  Yes – 633, No – 82

Article #3 – Operating Budget

• Shall the Pittsfield 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 $10,399,738?  Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall by $10,245,905, which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the Pittsfield School District, or by law; or the governing body may hold on special meeting, in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only.  (Estimated tax impact of this article: $0.83/thousand.)  Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board.  Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no).  (Majority vote required.)  Yes – 451, No – 258

Article #4 – 3-Year Collective Bargaining Agreement

• To see if the school district will vote to approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Pittsfield School Board and the Educational Association of Pittsfield Teachers which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits at the current staffing level:

Fiscal Year 2019-2020     Estimated Increase $144,977     Estimated Tax Impact $0.55/thousand
Fiscal Year 2020-2021     Estimated Increase $153,308     Estimated Tax Impact $0.58/thousand
Fiscal Year 2021-2022     Estimated Increase $160,611      Estimated Tax Impact $0.61/thousand

and further to raise and appropriate $144,977 for the upcoming 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.  Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board.  Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no).  (Majority vote required)  Yes – 424, No – 270

Article #5 – To Allow a Special Meeting if the Collective Bargaining Agreement is Defeated / Amended

• Shall the Pittsfield School District, if Warrant Article #4 is defeated, authorize the governing body to call one special meeting, at its option, to address Warrant Article #4 cost items only?  Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board.  Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no).  (Majority vote required.)  Yes – 443, No – 245

Article #6 – Dumpster Replacement Capital Reserve Fund

• To see if the school district will vote to establish a Dumpster Replacement Capital Reserve Fund under the provisions of RSA 35:1 for replacement of dumpsters used at the schools and to raise and appropriate the sum of $3,000 to be placed in this fund.  Further, to name the Pittsfield School Board as agents to expend from said fund.  (Estimated Tax Impact of this article: $0.02/thousand.  Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board.  Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no).  (Majority vote required.)  Yes – 478, No – 215

Article #7 – Drake Field Tennis Court Resurfacing and Fence Replacement

• To see if the Pittsfield School District will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $35,000 for the purpose of resurfacing the tennis courts and replacing the fence of the tennis court located at Drake Field.  (Estimated Tax Impact of this article: $0.14/thousand.  Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board.  Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no).  (Majority vote required.)  Yes – 355, No, 339

Article #8 – Petition Article to Rescind SB2

• Shall we rescind the provisions of RSA 40:13 (known as SB2), as adopted by the Pittsfield School District on March 14, 2017, so that the official ballot will no longer be used for voting on all questions, but only for the election of officers and certain other questions for which the official ballot is required by state law?  (Inserted by voters’ petition) (3/5 majority ballot vote required)  Yes – 310, No – 385