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.