Rindge residents amend article on school withdrawal study
Published: 02-04-2025 12:03 PM
Modified: 02-04-2025 1:02 PM |
Residents made several amendments to warrant articles during Saturday’s nearly five-hour long deliberative session, including shortening and softening an article calling for a feasibility study for the withdrawal of Rindge from the local cooperative school district.
Several articles, including the withdrawal study, drew lengthy discussion from the crowd, with multiple amendments put forth, though several failed to be passed. The article originally proposed that the School Board initiate a study of the feasibility and suitability of a plan to withdraw from the district, and that the Rindge Select Board form an independent committee to analyze the cost of the process for ongoing education in Rindge.
The withdrawal article, which was submitted by petition by resident Roberta Oeser, had several potential amendments discussed, and one that the crowd accepted. Oeser said that though the issue of withdrawing from the district had been studied five years ago, there were some potential avenues that had not been investigated thoroughly, and that “timing was critical,” as the district was closing in on the end of a bond, and depending on voting in March, could be poised to enter another for a new addition for a career and technical educational center at the Conant Middle High School. She said exiting the district before taking on more debt would be the best timing for Rindge.
Some residents expressed fear that the article would “muddy the waters” for the addition, which relies on receiving up to 75% funding from the state. Resident Jed Brummer said he didn’t want to see the funding die due to Rindge studying withdrawal. Resident Suanne Yglesias said the grant funding would “probably disappear.”
Resident Judy Unger-Clark proposed an amendment that would have deleted the original language of the article, and replace it with an advisory view that the district continue in its present form. Moderator Kirk Stenersen disallowed the amendment, as it removed the subject of the article. Unger-Clark then proposed new language that eliminated the language that called for the Select Board to appoint an independent committee, and to add the language that the article was “advisory only.” This change passed in a show of hands vote.
Resident Justin Charles initially proposed an amendment that would add the language “seek to” to the beginning of the article, with the goal of making it optional for the School Board to follow through on the study, but ultimately withdrew his motion without a vote after learning that the language making the article advisory already accomplished that goal.
Another article that drew lengthy discussion from the crowd was an article to change the purpose of the building maintenance capital reserve. The intent is to allow the fund to be used for new construction, additions, renovations, or other capital improvement programs, and also asks for $100,000, and to authorize the Select Board to expend from the fund without a vote of the legislative body.
Several members of the crowd said that the article was asking for too much lumped together, and others pointed to the town’s Electric Light Trust Fund, which is already slated for capital projects, and has just over $1 million, currently.
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Budget Committee member Phil Motta, one of four Budget Committee members who voted not to recommend the article, said it was “too many things bundled together,” and that $100,000 without a precise goal was too much to ask in a warrant that already was seeking increases. He said he might support it in the future if it were a request for more specific needs.
Several possible ways to amend the article were discussed, and one amendment, to make clear that the new purposes would be added to the existing purpose of maintenance, was approved by the crowd.
The voters made one other change, to an article requesting $25,000 for the revaluation capital reserve fund, to make clear that the revaluation is required “at least” every five years, but the addition did not change the substance of the article.
Residents had little input on the proposed budget for the coming year, which is set at $5.6 million, and a default budget of $5.4 million. The budget is a 5% increase from last year, which Selectman Karl Pruter said was the goal set for the Select Board by the Budget committee. He said most of the increases were attributed to the full year’s salary for two new police officer positions, a 53rd pay week in 2025, and increases in ambulance and prosecutorial services.
The warrant calls for several additions to expendable trust or capital reserve accounts, some for specific purchases expected this year. There is an article asking for $145,000 to be added to the Fire Department equipment reserve, which Selectman Bob Hamilton said will be used to replace the department’s 26-year-old forestry truck.
The Highway Department is requesting $150,000 for its capital reserve to move up the replacement of one of the department’s plow trucks, originally scheduled to be replaced next year.
“It’s broken down five of the last eight storms. This is a safety hazard and expensive beyond the repairs in terms of labor,” Selectman Karl Pruter said. “This is really a must, not a want.”
Other articles request $50,000 for the police equipment fund, $20,000 for the Ingalls Memorial Library trust, $25,000 for the recreation facilities fund for new tennis court surfaces, $25,000 for the Meetinghouse maintenance fund, and to create an ambulance trust fund.
For a full list of warrant articles, visit the town of Rindge website.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.