CLAREMONT — The School Board got its first look Wednesday night at a proposed $38 million budget for the 2020-21 school year, as well as at the superintendent’s plan for restructuring Claremont’s three elementary schools.
The proposed operating budget of $34.7 million, which excludes food service, grants and adult education, represents an increase of 9.14% from the current school year but would result in a decrease of $1.2 million in the amount to be raised in taxes because of an increase in revenues from the state.
According to SAU 6 Business and Finance Director Richard Seaman, if voters approve the plan as proposed and four other appropriations under separate warrant articles, the school tax rate would decrease 56 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. That translates into a decrease in annual school taxes of $84 on a home assessed at $150,000.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Mike Tempesta also presented his restructuring plan for Claremont’s three elementary schools. Instead of three pre-K-5 schools, Maple Avenue Elementary would be pre-K through grade 1; Disnard grades 2 and 3; and Bluff grades 4 and 5.
Tempesta touted the advantages of his plan, such as “equity for all students” and “stronger, consistent targeted curriculum and assessment and intervention” for each grade.
“We feel as a team it is the best education value we can put out for our students,” Tempesta said.
District officials said Wednesday night that the school budget proposal incorporates state aid, which is projected to increase by $3.68 million, with most — $2.5 million — for what is termed “fiscal capacity disparity aid” that the district will use for capital investments.
The aid was contained in the state budget signed by Gov. Chris Sununu in July and must be used for infrastructure improvements. The operating budget puts $1.5 million of the money in the budget for capital investments next year.
Board members explained that deferring maintenance makes repairs more costly and this is an ideal opportunity for the district to better maintain school facilities without impacting the tax rate.
“We won’t be just catching up but getting ahead,” School Board Chairman Frank Sprague said. “If we don’t use the money now, which is state money, we will be using our money later.”
The aid for capital investments is a one-time state revenue and won’t repeat the following year, but neither will the expense in the budget, the board said.
Other increases in the budget include the first year of a three-year contract for teachers for $421,000; a $138,000 jump in special education out-of-district expenses for the elementary schools; four new teachers at the middle school for a full year of science and social studies; and $147,600 more for transportation because of more drivers and insurance.
School Board member Jason Benware said the out-of-district expense for special education is mostly because no students are going to “age out” this coming year.
Two warrant articles ask voters to establish a school bus repair and replacement capital reserve fund and a building repair and renovation capital reserve fund and put $500,000 in each.
The default budget is $35.5 million, and if the separate warrant articles are approved, it would knock $4.17 per $1,000 off the school tax rate. The default budget does not include the teachers’ contract nor the $1.5 million for capital improvements.
A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Tuesday’s school board meeting and the deliberative session is at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at Stevens High School. The annual school district vote on the budget and warrant is March 10.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
