Newfound board votes to apply for state aid in consolidation study

BRISTOL — The Newfound Area School Board agreed to spend up to $50,000 to prepare to apply for state building aid to potentially renovate the middle and high schools in a consolidation effort which would close three outlying elementary schools.

Alexandria member Dennis Fitton, during the meeting Feb. 9, voted against the motion, because of the uncertainty about the Legislature appropriating the necessary funds.

“How many times in the past has the Legislature left this unfunded?” he asked. “Because in 2625-26, they put zero money into this. Who’s to say that there’s a guarantee, when the state is calling for budget cuts across the board, like every division, every department, every area, the state’s refusing to fund?”

At-large member Michele Lang, of New Hampton, questioned making a decision before the voters weigh in on the school budget in March.

“My concern is that we’ve pushed the operating budget that was raised above the tax cap, but then we’re going to sit here and vote about spending another $50,000 that we may or may not have, and that if we do make that vote tonight, it’s going to turn people down toward the budget,” she said.

Superintendent Paul Hoiriis said the cost of the making the building aid application likely would be split between the current-year budget and next year’s budget.

Tim Carney, a 1985 Newfound graduate who now works in the state Bureau of School Facilities, provided an overview of the building aid program, explaining current rules would preserve projects approved but not yet funded. Currently, there are seven approved projects in the pipeline.

“There’s no way to bump up the list, unless schools decide they don’t want to continue,” Carney said.

Each application for building aid is ranked according to a number of factors, which also determine the amount of eligible aid, from 30% to 80%. Newfound, with its newest building approaching 40 years old, would qualify for 80% funding, if other conditions are met.

The application requires extensive documentation, which can take eight to 12 months to compile. That's what the $50,000 expenditure would cover.

“We do a calculation based on number of students, special ed, free and reduced [meals] ... and there’s a per-student baseline space,” Carney said. “Preschool and SAU spaces are not eligible. So, if you have SAU spaces you’re trying to get in there, we would just carve those out, based on the square footage basis, and local permit fees aren’t eligible.”

The extra studies necessary for the application could be avoided by foregoing building aid, Carney noted.

“Some of the required analysis mentioned the education specifications, needs assessment, feasibility study. Again, that’s what your design professionals would assist you with. And those are items that, again, if you’re going to do this on your own without building aid, those would not be required, but they’re good to have. So, again, that would just be solely a local decision if you’re going to apply for building aid.”

Francine Wendelboe, of New Hampton, summed up the question: “Do we spend $50,000 to start this process in the hopes that there will be eventual funding?

"That’s a hard thing for us to justify.” She then offered her opinion: “It’s worth taking the chance to spend $50,000, because it could bring us millions if funding’s available.”