Amended

Allenstown Schools

Space Needs Committee Minutes

November 9, 2005

Allenstown Elementary School

 

 

Sean Mulholland, Vice Chairman called the meeting to order at 6:31pm in the Allenstown Elementary Library.

 

The following members were in attendance:

 

Capt. Sean Mulholland, Vice Chairman

Karen LaPlume, Secretary

Tom Irzyk

Al Paradise

Dennis Carmichael

Sandra McKenney

Stedman Holton

Ann Viar

Larry Anderson

Donald M. Chaput

Terri Kenny

 

Excused: Ben Fontaine, Chairman

 

Sean Mulholland asked the committee to review the minutes of the last meeting.

Amendments to meeting minutes dated November 2nd:

  • Sandy noted that Primex did NOT conduct Police Department inspection that the local government center did. Sean verified that was correct.
  • Terry Kenny need to be added to attendees of November 2nd meeting.

 

Tom Irzyk made a motion to accept the minutes as amended. Larry Anderson seconded the motion.

 

Sean read the original goals of the Space Needs Committee to the committee as a reminder to what the committee was tasked with.

Tom Irzyk had a chance to review the revised report from New Hampshire School Administrators Association, which was not ready for distribution, and shared some of the information contained with in said report.

Some statistics shared:

Allenstown Population

2000                           4,843

2004                           5,033

Current Demographics of Population

            <age 19                      24%

            age 35 – 54               42%

            age >65                      10.5%

Tax Rate

            2000                           $29.90 ($14.10 School)

2004                           $20.00 ($11.33 School)

 

Student Population K – 4

2000                                                      239

2005                                                      337

 

Student Population 5 – 8

2000                                                      291

2005                                                      254

 

Tom noted that the report projected enrollment will continue to decline through 2015 – 2016 to under 400 students combined between both schools.


Sean commented that surrounding towns are growing and that there is currently a lot of undeveloped land in Allenstown which will become more valuable and create more potential for developments. He questioned the accuracy of the updated info; that NHSAA may not be taking these unknowns into consideration.

 

Tom stated that the revised plan notes that both schools are in need of improvements. The plan offered 5 alternatives:

 

1.      Additions to both schools

2.      Large addition to AES to bring 5th grade over with a small addition to ARD

3.      Build a new middle school and use ARD as a community center

4.      Add more modulars to both schools

5.      Adopt a year round school schedule

 

Tom Irzyk recommended that the committee pursue alternative #2, reintroduce the bond proposal to the voters in 2006 for the addition to AES and add 2 small classrooms to ARD.

 

Sean questioned if NHSAA’s option to add to ARD was a conceptual recommendation or had they researched whether it could actually be done.

 

Sandy noted that the committee had expressed earlier concerns that we did feel that the ARD building was worth investing in. Tom confirmed that an engineering study needs to be conducted of ARD including a structural and HVAC inspection.

 

Tom discussed the projected impact to the tax rate for an estimated the $5.5 million bond needed if we were to bring both 5th & 6th grade over to AES.

 

Year 1             $  .54

Year 2             $1.74

Year 3                         $1.65

Year 4             $1.55

Year 5             $1.46

Year 6             $1.36

Year 7             $1.27

Year 8             $1.17

Year 9             $1.08

Year 10                       $  .98

 

Sean brought forth the possibility of writing the bond for 20 years vs. 10 years to lessen the impact to the tax payer. He noted that the town has several capital projects coming up in the next couple years and the anticipation of increased expenses within all town operating budgets, all of which many of the voters are aware of. Sean felt that the lower tax impact with a longer bond may be a selling point. He recommended that the committee think globally (i.e. all town projects) when approaching our school expansion project and how it interrelates to other projects. Some committee members expressed concern with extending the bond out beyond the 10 years. Larry noted that when reviewing the Police Department project that several bond options were presented; 10, 15, and 25 year bonds.

 

Sandy questioned the justification of the addition if the report projects student enrollment to continue to decline. Sean answered with the need to meet minimum state standards which require more space for added classes. He noted special ed is also a concern and needs to be considered in the schools future needs.


Tom suggested the group make a recommendation on which plan to proceed with then we can decide how long the bond should be written for.


Sandy noted that during an earlier phone conversation with Ben Fontaine that he requested that the committee not vote tonight in his absence. He also asked Sandy to inquire as to who has a vote on this study committee. The remaining committee members were all under the understanding that each member of the committee has a vote.


Dennis expressed his feeling of still wanting to pursue bringing 5th & 6th grade over to AES. A review of the number of rooms actually needed to be utilized in the proposed addition. Tom explained that if 6th grade were to be moved to AES the town would need to go to the state for the ok to bring additional students over onto the AES footprint; parking would also need to be addressed.

 

Dennis questioned why the committee was asked to solve the nine questions presented to them at the onset of the committee meeting when the issues can not be solved due to money, infrastructure, etc.

 

Sean noted that this committee and the school addition would have “center stage” during the next election as there are no other large capital projects on the ballot and the citizens of Allenstown are aware of other pending town projects.


Dennis commented that one of his concerns with plan A is that it would be 4 years before any additional space is freed up at ARD to address the space needs and to meet minimum standards.

 

Larry questioned is the committee wants to build this year or if we are willing to wait at least another 3 -4 years before the project has any chance of being addressed again.

Sean asked if anyone on the committee felt we should NOT make a recommendation for a building addition.


Sandy felt that the committee was to start from scratch, to come up with a recommendation to present to the School Board. She noted that this is going to be a “bad year” to bring a project of this size to citizens and questioned if we should wait another year. Ann did not feel this was a good idea. She noted that we do not want to be up against the other big projects in the next few years.

 

Don Chaput commented that ARD is in need of improvements and would rather wait to support any addition until the committee has enough time to come up with a plan to bring both 5th & 6th over to AES. Sean offered that if we wait to the addition that the costs may increase significantly.

 

Larry made the motion to recommend Plan A, Tom Irzyk seconded. Sean asked for a vote of those in favor of plan A: Tom Irzyk, Al Paradise, Terry Kenny, Ann Viar, Larry Anderson, Sean Mulholland, and Karen LaPlume. Opposed: Steadman Holton, Don Chaput, and Dennis Carmichael. Abstained: Sandra McKenney. Plan A passes.

 

Dennis Carmichael made a motion to support plan A with modifications to add 6th grade to the AES addition.  Don Chaput seconded the motion. The floor was open for discussion.

 

Tom Irzyk pointed out again the need to add a gymnasium, move the kitchen, additional class and resource rooms and that the AES footprint could not support this type of expansion.

Dennis voiced that he would not “rubber stamp” plan A, because we the committee are not answering the 9 issues we were tasked with.

 

Sean asked if there was any further discussion. In favor of Plan A with modifications: Dennis Carmichael, Don Chaput, and Stedman Hoton. Opposed: Tom Irzyk, Ann Viar, Terry Kenney, Sean Mulholland, Karen LaPlume, Al Paradise, and Larry Anderson. Abstained: Sandra McKenney.

 

Sean encouraged the committee to speak positively about the addition to the public if asked. He offered the following response if members of the community inquire: We discussed many options to the school expansion and although we are not going forward with the plan I recommended we need to address the space needs of our schools before we have larger, more serious issues.

 

Sean recommended the committee attend the next School Board meeting to discuss the recommendation and the opposition.

 

A special meeting of the Space Needs Committee and the School Board will be held on Wednesday, November 30th at 6:30pm at AES.

 

The meeting adjourned at 9:12pm.