WINCHESTER — Articles up for consideration on this year’s school district warrant include a $12.7 million school budget and a collective bargaining agreement with support staff.
Here’s a look at Winchester School District’s warrant:
Budget proposal: $12,764,453, down about $325,488, or 2.49 percent, from the $13,089,941 voters approved last year. If it fails to pass, the default budget will be $13,028,870. In a Feb. 1 email to The Sentinel, school board Chair Lindseigh Picard wrote that the budget decrease was driven by “a reduction of para professional positions at the school.”
“These are all vacant positions that we have been trying to fill for a year,” she wrote. “The Administration worked to streamline our existing staff and the Board (and budget committee) recommended the reduction as part of the overall budget.”
Other warrant articles:
To see if voters will approve a collective bargaining agreement between the school board and Winchester Support Staff Association, which would increase salaries and benefits by an estimated total of $34,472 for the 2024-25 fiscal year, $18,161 for the 2025-26 year and $18,161 for the 2026-27 year. It also asks the town to raise and appropriate $34,472 for the 2024-25 year.
To see if the district will vote to raise and appropriate $125,000 for the building improvements capital reserve fund.
To see if the district will vote to raise and appropriate $25,000 to be placed in the special education expendable trust fund, with money coming from the unreserved fund balance.
Contested races: Three candidates — Kristin Durkee-Landry, Russell Kanning and Amanda Winchester — are running for two three-year spots on the school board.
Elections: Tuesday, March 12, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., in the Winchester School gym. Since the Winchester School District follows an official-ballot format for its annual meeting, voters consider all warrant articles at the polls.
Christopher Cartwright can be reached at ccartwright@keenesentinel.com or 603-352-1234, extension 1405.
