The 2017 Town Meeting is fast approaching.  You will be asked to vote on 44 questions. It is imperative that folks understand what they are saying “yes” or “no” to, and that they consider how the outcome of the vote will affect the community, as well as how it will affect them individually.

 

Here is a link to the main ballot results.

Here is a link to voting related to Town Candidates.

Here is a copy of the sample ballot.

Here is a copy of a pdf with all the Warrant Articles and what they mean.

And here is a blank worksheet where you can record your choices prior to heading out to vote.

In the Know Hampton is a free public service that tries to bring all the information together to give voters as much information as possible so that you can make informed decisions.  We do not take a position or recommend how you should vote.

You can access a discussion of the Warrant Articles on the menu tabs above.  We provide what each Article means, what people are saying for and against each one, and what the tax impact (if any) will be if the Article is approved by voters.

Here is a summary of the total tax impact if all Warrant Articles pass, if there are no offsets, and including the cost impact of Articles 10 and 11 in 2017 even though the additional cost would not appear on tax bills until 2018.  This is for the main ballot only.

If you wish to see what others are saying about the Warrant, or if you wish to comment yourself, please go to our Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/InTheKnowHampton/

Thank you for caring.  Remember to mark your calendar to VOTE on Tuesday, March 14.

Here is a link to voting results for the School Articles.

Here is a printable document with all the SAU 90 questions.

Here is a printable document with all the SAU 21 questions.

There is only one position open – a 3-year term for School Board Member.  There are two candidates:

 

Shall the Hampton School District vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $25,950,000 for reconstructing and equipping the Hampton Academy middle school; and authorize the issuance of not more than $25,950,000 of bonds or notes in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Finance Act (RSA Chapter 33); and authorize the School Board to issue, negotiate, sell and deliver such bonds or notes and to determine the rate of interest thereon and the maturity and other terms thereof; and further to raise and appropriate the additional sum of $570,360 for the payment of the first year’s interest on the bonds or notes authorized by this article; and authorize the School Board to apply for, accept and expend any grants or other aid for this purpose and take any other action necessary to carry out this vote? (Three-fifths vote required.)

What it means: This is a comprehensive reconstruction of the Hampton Academy middle school facility, including:

• Vital upgrades to the mechanical, electrical, safety, air quality and accessibility systems throughout the building
• Core subject classrooms sized and equipped for contemporary education
• A full-size gymnasium with bleacher seating for 500
• Contemporary science and STEM classrooms with real laboratory facilities
• Improved classroom space for unified arts – band, chorus, fine art
• A school and community auditorium with fixed seating for 550
• Upgraded kitchen/cafeteria with storage space for all building needs
• A community room and meeting space with video recording for Cable
• Improved traffic flow with on-site bus and parent drop off and pick up

This article authorizes long-term bonding for the $25,950,000 project and appropriates the amount of the first interest payment of $570,360.

Those in favor say: This is a long over-due renovation. The team that worked on it has tried very hard to include community requirements and to respect the impact on the taxpayers. The project has been reviewed for ways to reduce the cost, but the amount that would be saved versus what would need to be sacrificed did not seem to be a reasonable tradeoff. The project must be done at some point, and chances are the cost to taxpayers will grow as time goes on.

Those against say: No one seems to question the need for the renovation. Some have expressed concern over the total cost, and question why various aspects need to be included in the plan.

Fiscal Impact: The financial impact in 2017 is expected to be $59.17 for the average-value Hampton home of $404,000. For the following years of the bond, the cost will be $198 per year for the average-value home.

Shall the School District raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant, or as amended by vote of the first session, for the purposes set forth therein, totaling $20,635,850?   Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $20,679,275, which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the District or by law; or the governing body may hold one special meeting, in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only. (Majority vote required.)

 What it means: The proposed operating budget for FY 2017-18 is $20,635,850.  That figure is higher than the 2016-17 budget by $212,510, an increase of 1.04%.  If the proposed budget fails, the default budget will be $20,679,275, which is $43,425 higher than the proposed. Voting FOR the proposed budget will REDUCE the tax impact.

Those in favor say: The budget was developed using a zero-based approach. Every effort was made to keep the budget as low as possible in deference to the taxpayers who will also be asked to approve Article 1.

Those against say: Given that the proposed operating budget for SAU 90 is less than the Default Budget, there have been mostly comments in favor.

Fiscal Impact: The proposed 2017 budget for SAU 90 will cause an increase in total property taxes of $21.89 for an average-valued home.

To see if the School District will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $300,000 to continue long term maintenance, repair and modernization work to include technical and/or engineering services at Hampton’s Marston and Centre school buildings and grounds? This article is a continuation of an annual program planned to keep the buildings updated and in good condition, thereby protecting the taxpayer’s investment. Projects planned for 2017-18 are listed below. This will be a non-lapsing appropriation per RSA 32:7 VI and will not lapse until these projects are completed or June 30, 2019, whichever is earlier.

Marston School
Replace roof over original building, annex and kitchen (phased)	$ 230,000
Replace original classroom sinks and counter tops (phased)	15,000
Implement security improvements (phased)	15,000
	$ 260,000

Centre School
Replace original classroom sinks and counter tops (phased)	$   15,000
ADA improvements (district-wide)	5,000
Roof repairs (ongoing)	5,000
Implement security improvements (phased)	15,000
	$  40,000

What it means: The school district has voted for a number of years to appropriate $300,000 for ongoing long term maintenance projects in the Hampton school buildings.  Major projects recently completed or in can be seen here.  The School Board is again requesting $300,000 to continue the projects listed above. It is the same cost amount that was included last year, so there is no increased tax impact.

Those in favor say: It is easier on the taxpayer to accommodate regular maintenance projects than to have an emergency project that needs immediate funding.

Those against say: No one spoke against this article at the public meetings.

Fiscal Impact: No tax impact (same cost as prior year).

To see if the School District will vote to raise and appropriate funds in the amount of $39,729 to provide child benefit services, in accordance with RSA 189:49, for students who are residents of the Hampton School District and attend Sacred Heart School located in Hampton, New Hampshire. BY PETITION. (Majority vote required).

What it means: NH state law, specifically RSA 189:49, permits a local school district to provide child benefit services for resident students attending other schools.  Hampton voters have for a number of years provided funding to Sacred Heart School in Hampton to benefit students there with school nurse services, instructional materials, etc.  The $39,729 requested this year is $5,871 less than last year due to changing enrollment in that school.

Those in favor say: It saves money for the Town that some parents choose to send their children to a private school. These funds support services that the children would otherwise be receiving if they attended public school.

Those against say: No one spoke against this article at the public meetings.

Fiscal Impact: At the proposed cost level, there will be a reduction in taxes versus last year of about 80 cents for a home valued at $404,000.

 

Shall the Town of Hampton vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $4,242,000 for the purpose of constructing the necessary replacement of the two (2) wastewater force mains between the Church Street Sewer Pumping Station and the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The first force main is made of ductile iron and was installed in 1987. This ductile iron force main ruptured, as discovered in February 2016, due to a penetration in the pipe made by an errant rock presumably left near the pipe during its initial construction, and was repaired out of necessity. The second force main is made of asbestos concrete and was installed in 1969. It is necessary to have two force mains operating during the summer to transport the normal sewerage flow to the Wastewater Treatment Plant during six (6) months of the year to prevent backup and overtopping of the sewer system at Hampton Beach. The complete and reliable functionality of these force mains is essential to ensure the structural integrity of the sewer system serving Hampton Beach, which is critical to the environmental and financial well-being of the Town of Hampton. Unless these force mains are replaced, there remains the potential for a similar rupture to occur in the future, which would cripple, if not entirely shut down, the Hampton Beach area. The proposed replacement force mains are to be constructed along State Highway 101 from the Church Street Sewer Pumping Station to the Wastewater Treatment Plant, therefore ceasing use of the pipes that are located in the Marsh; and

Such sum to be raised by the issuance of municipal bonds or notes for a period not to exceed thirty (30) years under and in accordance with the Municipal Finance Act (RSA 33); and

To authorize the Board of Selectmen and the Town Treasurer to issue and negotiate such bonds or notes and to determine the rate of interest thereon in accordance with the Municipal Finance Act (RSA 33); and

To authorize the Board of Selectmen to apply for, contract for, accept and expend any Federal, State or other available funds towards the project in accordance with the terms and conditions under which they are received and to borrow in anticipation of the receipt of such funds and or the issuance of such bonds or notes as provided in the Municipal Finance Act (RSA 33); and

To authorize participation in the State Revolving Fund (SRF) (RSA 486:14) established for the purpose, and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to apply for, accept, and expend such monies as they become available from the Federal and State Governments; and

To authorize the Board of Selectmen to implement such cost effective solutions as are presented in the future that they deem to be in the best interests of the Town that may result in a lesser amount of expenditure than is authorized by this warrant article; and

To authorize the Board of Selectmen to take any and all actions necessary to carry out the project in the best interests of the Town of Hampton? (3/5ths vote required)

 

Fiscal Impact Note (Finance Dept.) Since the above bond would not be issued until later in 2017, the first, estimated, principal/interest payment of $342,809.54 will not occur until 2018. The total of the bond’s principal and interest payments over the 30-year period are estimated to be $7,032,009.54.

What it means: This will relocate both sewer force mains that serve Hampton Beach so that, instead of being buried in the salt marsh, they would run from the Church Street Pumping Station along Rt. 101 and across Tide Mill Rd. to the Waste Water Treatment Plant.

Those in favor say: This relocation would allow DPW to monitor and maintain both force mains more efficiently and regularly. With the current force mains in the salt marsh, inspection and maintenance is difficult and expensive and makes the timing of work very tricky because it is dependent upon the tides.

We have been mandated by the State to repair these force mains by the end of this year. Upgrades to the current force mains in the salt marsh would not solve the issue of inaccessibility for inspection and maintenance, nor would it solve the issue with the tides interfering with work. The Hampton Beach Village District voted unanimously to support this warrant article. There is a concern that another leak could have a negative impact on the stellar ratings Hampton Beach has earned for clean waters. There is also concern about the impact on Hampton Beach residences and businesses if there were to be another leak in peak season when both force mains are in constant use.

Those against say: The current force mains have not been inspected to determine the risks, and whether this was a one-time problem. So is this expense really necessary?

Fiscal Impact: The average Hampton home valued at $404,000 would bear an increased tax cost of $42.02 per year starting in 2018 without consideration for possible offsets. The funding for this Article will impact future budgets, as a 30-year bond is planned.