SAU 90 Article 3: Long-Term Maintenance of School Buildings

Shall the School District 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 2021-23 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, 2023, whichever is earlier?  (Majority vote required.)

What it means: This article is a continuation of an annual program to keep the buildings updated and in good condition.

Those in favor say: Regular maintenance and upkeep helps protect the taxpayer’s investment and helps prevent more costly repairs down the line. Centre School has been in need of an HVAC upgrade for at least 15 years.  The pandemic has focused more attention and more urgency on the air quality.  The school has been using air scrubbers (acquired through a grant) to clean the air, but this is a “band-aid” approach.  The school needs the HVAC work.

It pays to continually invest in the maintenance of the schools.  At Centre School, there are three buildings dating to 1927, 1959 and the “new” addition dates back over 20 years to 1999.   If we needed to replace the square footage of Centre School, it would cost the taxpayers over $13 million dollars ($250 per square feet; 53,000 square feet.)  Similarly, Marston School would cost $18 million to replace 71,000 square feet.

 Those opposed say: No one spoke against this Article at Deliberative Session.

Fiscal Impact: A Hampton home valued at $400,000 would bear a tax cost of $31.89 in 2021, identical to the amount from last year.  Take your property valuation divided by 1000 and multiplied by .079 to get your cost. This decision is for the current year only.