Early discussions start for school, town budget work in Gilford

GILFORD — The budget committee met for its first round of discussions last month, which will include a brand new town administrator diving in, and new legislation that requires the school district to assemble a separate school administrative unit budget.

School overview

Business Administrator Amie Leigh gave an overview of last year’s spending at the meeting Aug. 27, starting with the completion of the elementary school cupola repairs and renovations, as well as high school roof replacement and locker room renovations. A roof replacement at the elementary school wasn’t part of the bond.

She said the district replaced one of two aging hot water heaters, with the second in this year’s budget for replacement.

For capital improvement projects, the elementary school stage curtain, rigging, and lighting were completed last year. The fourth round of HVAC repairs was completed at the high school, as well.

The districtwide phone systems were integrated. Leigh said the project began at the end of the spring and rolled through the summer, and is now complete.

Leigh said The Meadows project was paused before a public open house, held Sept. 12. A public hearing on the project will be held at a future date.

For food service, the district ended the year with about $6,000 in negative student debt. Leigh said this is up $1,000 compared to prior years.

The district engaged in a five-year contract with their auditors, who came back again this year. Leigh expects at least $700,000 in a fund balance return, which could grow with final audit figures.

On the downside, the district has the oil bill. Last year, the rate was $2.50. The district has budgeted for $3.50, but it will likely be much higher, as the rate as of the meeting was $4.28 per gallon.

“That would be about a $78,000 overage for us,” Leigh said. “So, we’re just watching it day by day, monitoring how much fuel’s in the tanks, and kind of playing it by ear.”

Last year, the district passed a collective bargaining agreement for teachers, and negotiated a bus contract for another five years.

Superintendent Kirk Beitler said staffing is good, and several paraprofessionals have been hired. The district has 73 kindergarten students, the most in many years.

New legislation, HB 564, requires an SAU budget be presented at a public hearing before Jan. 1. Beitler asked that public hearing to be on the day of a school board meeting, Dec. 7, but the committee also needs to see the budget beforehand.

“Again, so we can put that budget in front of you all, and have you guys give us your input on that budget, before we go to our public hearing,” Beitler said.

Beitler said the SAU budget includes salaries for Leigh and himself, and the people who assist them in the office, as well as legal expenses. That's a separate budget from the rest of the district figures. Leigh said it will be a subsidiary account of 10 accounts, and they will be voted on as a separate warrant article in March.

On the election ballots in 2026, and 2028, there will be a question for voters about a tax cap, after HB 1300 was passed.

“The vote happens Nov. 4, so we’ll know which budget we’re giving you all,” Leigh said.

There was no bottom line budget proposal available yet. Beitler said he will start meeting with department heads in mid-October, before presenting the superintendent’s budget to the school board at the end of the month.

“We have work to do and we are just starting that work.”

Town budget discussions

Town Administrator Kristian Kelley said the budget is in good shape, as a whole, and some big projects took place this year. Notably, the public works building is nearing completion. It was an $11.2 million bond, and as of the meeting, just over $8.3 million was expended, or 74%.

“That project has been on budget, I’d say even under budget,” Kelley said.

The pickleball courts are 99% completed, and he said they are a “nice asset to the community,” and a “well-done project overall by Administrator [Scott] Dunn.” He said invoicing will now begin to get reimbursed for work done through the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant.

Upcoming capital improvement projects include the potential Summit Avenue Bridge project. Kelley said if this doesn’t happen this year, it will likely be in 2028. This is a “major project,” and somewhere in the area of $1.5 million, and there could be maintenance this year if not a complete restructuring. The selectboard has also been discussing improvements at the Glendale docks, with a price range of $1.5 to $2 million. That is currently scheduled for 2030.

The only union negotiation is the police contract this year.

Kelley said budget meetings start the first week of October, and by the second week, he expects to have beginning numbers available for a proposed budget.

Upcoming dates

Beitler said the school board will be working on their budgets on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 28 and 29, with a vote taking place to have a budget to present to the committee. The SAU subcommittee will meet with Beitler and Leigh at 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, at the district office.

Budget committee meetings are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Nov. 5, 19, Dec. 3, and 10, at Town Hall.