Amherst School District budget proposal moves forward

Thursday, February 9, 2012

AMHERST – Neither the school district’s proposed $24.5 million operating budget for fiscal 2012-13 nor the request for roughly $14,000 to fund the first year of a three-year, $100,000 support staff labor contract drew any comments or questions from the roughly 30 residents present at Tuesday’s Deliberative Session at Souhegan High.

The budget, which represents a roughly $530,000, or 2.2 percent, increase over the current budget, and the other four warrant articles now go to voters for consideration at the March 13 election.

The budget’s increase, School Board members told the group, is driven largely by regular and special education costs and a significant jump in health and dental insurance premiums for teachers and other employees.

The Amherst School District, which governs Clark and Wilkins elementary schools and Amherst Middle School, is one of three districts that come under SAU 39.

If the budget passes, the school portion of Amherst property tax bills would rise 13 cents per $1,000 assessed property valuation, meaning a home assessed at $400,000 would see an increase of $52 per year.

Should the budget be voted down, a default budget of just over $24.2 million – roughly $248,000 less than the proposed budget – would take effect.

Voters will also choose whether to approve cost items contained in the recently-reached contract agreement between the district and the Amherst Support Staff Association, which covers teaching assistants, paraprofessionals, food service workers and other support staff.

The three-year agreement calls for roughly $14,000 this fiscal year and about $87,500 over the next two years. Member concessions included step increases only – no cost of living raises – and higher deductible insurance and increased premiums the first year.

The agreement calls for step raises in years two and three, along with a 1 percent cost of living raise in year two and 1.5 percent in year three.

The only other monetary article on the warrant is Article 15, which asks for up to $80,000 from the year-end undesignated fund balance to be added to the capital facilities repair, maintenance and improvement fund if the undesignated fund shows a surplus on July 1.

Dean Shalhoup can be reached at 673-3100, ext. 303, or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.