Facing the voters
Here is a quick look at some top ballot items in local towns and school districts:
Amherst Town
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: Two three-year seats on the Board of Selectmen. Incumbent Bruce Bowler faces Joe Esposito, Jim O’Mara Jr. and Linda Siwik. Reed Panasiti isn’t seeking re-election.
BUDGET: $9.86 million, up about 3 percent.
OTHER ITEMS: A $1.29 million bond would preserve the town’s portion of the Martin land, roughly 90 acres that straddles the border with Bedford.
A 15-year, $6 million bond would pay to repair roads throughout town.
$5,500 to support the regional “Big Blue” van for non-emergency medical appointments.
Amherst School District
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: None.
BUDGET: $23.2 million, up 2 percent.
OTHER ITEMS: A new 10-year agreement between Amherst and Mont Vernon, which sends its seventh- and eighth-grade students to Amherst Middle School on a tuition basis.
Brookline Town
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: One three-year seat for selectman. Incumbent Tad Putney is facing William Batte and John Carr.
BUDGET, OTHER ITEMS: Handled at traditional annual meeting on Wednesday, March 11.
Brookline School
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: One three-year seat is open on the School Board. Incumbent Wanda Meagher is facing Benjamin Cargill, Patricia Lynch and Forrest Milkowski.
One two-year seat is open on the School Board. Incumbent Beth Lukovits is facing newcomer Ernie Pistor.
BUDGET, OTHER ITEMS: Handled at traditional annual meeting last week.
Hollis Town
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: A one-year seat on the Board of Selectmen, filling out the remainder of Mark Johnson’s term. Peter Band was appointed to fill the seat. He is facing Dennis Johnson and Tom Stawasz.
BUDGET, OTHER ITEMS: Handled at traditional annual meeting on Wednesday, March 11.
Hollis School
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: Thee-year seat representing Hollis on the Hollis/Brookline Cooperative School Board. Incumbent Thomas Enright is facing newcomer Robert Mann.
BUDGET, OTHER ITEMS: Handled at traditional annual meeting on Wednesday, March 18. Cooperative school district meeting was last week.
Litchfield Town
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: A three-year seat on the Board of Selectmen. Incumbent Alfred Raccio faces Steven Perry.
BUDGET: $4.18 million, down about 2 percent from last year.
OTHER ITEMS: Proposal would change form of government to town manager system.
Warrant would spend roughly $1 million for a variety of road projects throughout town.
Litchfield School
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: A pair of three-years seats on the School Board. Incumbent Dennis Miller is facing Jason Guerrette, Kerri Hagerty and Andrew Santom. Dot Beauregard isn’t running for re-election.
BUDGET: $20.7 million, up 3.8 percent, including money to establish kindergarten.
OTHER ITEMS: Warrant for $451,354 to cover the cost for the first year of a new teachers contract.
Merrimack
Merrimack is the only town in the region that takes advantage of state law that allows annual meetings to be pushed back a month. Town and school elections will be held April 14.
Milford Schools
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: None.
BUDGET: $33.8 million operating budget, including new staff for kindergarten.
OTHER ITEMS: Warrant would decide how the town will establish public kindergarten – with a new building or with leased portables.
Milford Town
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: A pair of three-year seats on the Board of Selectmen. Incumbent Gary Daniels is facing three newcomers: Nathaniel Carmen, John Cass and Frank Corey. Jim Dannis isn’t running for re-election.
BUDGET: $11.6 million, virtually unchanged from last year.
OTHER ITEMS: Voters will see 27 warrant articles, including:
$20,000 to help support the regional “Big Blue” van for non-emergency medical appointments.
$155,000 for federal matching funds to improve Route 101A, Route 13 and the Oval.
$14,000 extra for a new contract for town employees in the Teamsters Union.
Mont Vernon Town/School
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: No races are contested on either the town or school ballot.
BUDGET, OTHER ITEMS: Handled at traditional annual meetings; town held on Tuesday, March 10, school district on Friday, March 13.
Lyndeborough Town
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: One three-year seat on the Board of Selectmen. Incumbent Andrew Roeper is facing Laurent “Larry” Boisvert II and Arnold Byam III. Four people are running for a pair of three-year seats on the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Incumbents Gary LeBlanc and David Roemer are being challenged by Sharon Boisvert and Karen Grybko.
BUDGET, OTHER ITEMS: Handled at traditional town meeting on Saturday, March 14.
Lyndeborough Schools
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: None.
BUDGET: $1.44 million, up 4.78, largely because of costs rising as a result of the withdrawal of Mascenic Regional from SAU 63.
OTHER ITEMS: Warrant about adding two rooms and a new kindergarten to the east end of Central School. The price tag is $990,000, but after state aid, the amount to be paid by Lyndeborough would be $665,00.
Souhegan School District
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: Three-year seat representing Amherst on the Souhegan School Board. Incumbent Jeanne Ludt is facing newcomer Lawrence Ierardi.
BUDGET: $17.73 million, up 2 percent.
OTHER ITEMS: Add $40,000 to School Maintenance Expendable Trust.
Create an Artificial Turf Expendable Trust to be funded by private donations.
Wilton Town
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: The only contested race is for a three-year seat on the Water Commission. Incumbent Charles McGettigan is facing newcomer Steve Elliott.
BUDGET, OTHER ITEMS: Handled at traditional annual meeting on Friday, March 13.
Wilton Schools
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: One three-year seat for the School Board. Ingrid Howard is facing Alexander LoVerme.
BUDGET, OTHER ITEMS: Handled at traditional annual meeting on Thursday, March 12.
Wilton-Lyndeborough Schools
MAJOR CONTESTED RACES: A three-year seat representing Wilton on the Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School Board. Richard Griffin is facing Kimberly Jean Reynolds.
BUDGET, OTHER ITEMS: Handled at traditional annual meeting on Friday, March 6.
