Wording of Gilmanton School bond will require corrective action if it passes

GILMANTON — To ensure the legality of the upcoming vote on a vestibule bond after the discovery of a wording deficiency in the posting of the bond hearing that already took place, the Gilmanton School Board and the administration of School Administrative Unit 79 are planning to hold a "legalization meeting" if the article passes.

According to the school district, the posting of the public hearing on Article 3 of the 2019 Gilmanton School District warrant identified its purpose as “For a Proposed Bond.”

"The purpose of the meeting should [have] provided detail as to the use of the proposed bond," Superintendent John Fauci said. "This wording deficiency of the public posting was reported to the SAU office and the Gilmanton School Board days after the Budget Committee’s public hearing for the school budget and Super Saturday were completed."

He said legal research found that a state law provides for a legalization meeting to correct such issues, and the Gilmanton School Board will follow the steps outlined by legal counsel if Article 3 passes during voting on Tuesday, March 12. Balloting will be by official ballot from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Gilmanton Academy, 503 Province Road.

A public forum on the proposed bond issue is scheduled for this Saturday, March 9, in the multi-purpose room of the Gilmanton School.

The $1.3 million project would address safety and security concerns identified in 2018 by reconfiguring the vestibule and office, along with relocating a classroom that would be displaced by the work.

The School Board last year encumbered $40,000 in unexpended funds to begin addressing the issues, and the school district received a $67,680 Safety and Security grant for equipment such as extending the camera system, installing a key fob system for all exterior doors, extending the communications system, and architectural fees for the reconfiguring of the vestibule and office space.

Fauci will be available to answer questions from Gilmanton voters at 603-267-9097 or jfauci@sau79.org.