This story was originally produced by the Valley News. NHPR is republishing it in partnership with the Granite State News Collaborative.
Voters in Claremont Tuesday defeated a petitioned article to cap annual budget increases, elected Don Lavalette and Brian Rapp to the School Board and easily approved a $42.9 million budget.
Authorizations to sell the shuttered Bluff Elementary School and the former Masonic Temple and an open enrollment article that restricts Claremont students from attending another open enrollment school also passed during all-day balloting.
The budget cap, which needed a 60% majority, lost in all three wards and fell far short of even a simple majority, 1,345-560.
School Board member Candy Crawford said the results showed voters realized the financial constraints a cap would create for the district and did not want to impose those cuts.
“Once they were made aware of the impact, they did not want to support that kind of devastating effect it would have on the schools,” Crawford said at the middle school Tuesday evening, after tallies from Wards I and III had been posted.
Under the article’s wording, the budget for the 2027-28 fiscal year could not exceed an amount based on per pupil spending times daily enrollment for the current school year and future increase would be capped by the region’s inflation rate.
SAU 6 interim Business Administrator Matt Angell told the School Board that $9 million in spending would have to be cut if the cap went into effect.
Ward I voter Lindsay Moore, 46, a commercial loan officer, opposed the cap.
“I have an interest in keeping sports (which likely would be cut with a cap) and I want to keep the scholastic offerings,” Moore said after voting at the middle school. “These are important to the community.”
Denise Alexander, a state worker and Ward I voter, also opposed the cap.
“It would be catastrophic,” Alexander said after voting. “I know it is about taxes and I am nearing retirement so I am worried too. But I want the kids to have a fair shake and a good education.”
But other voters were disappointed with Tuesday’s outcome.
“I think the opponents were more effective in getting their message out,” Emily Sandblade, one of the leaders of the spending cap article, said by phone on Tuesday evening. “They managed to scare people into believing what the School Board told them. It was scare tactics.”
Richard Rennie, 55, a material manager, also supported the cap.
Rennie said, he “just can’t afford to live in Claremont,” after voting in Ward II.
In the race for two three-year seats on the seven-member School Board, Lavalette won in all three in wards with a total of 1,120 votes, followed by Rapp, a former School Board member, who was second in each ward and received 926 votes.
Incumbent Frank Sprague finished with 626 votes, followed by City Councilor Andrew O’Hearne with 604.
Lavalette, a little hoarse after a day campaigning outside Ward II, said he was grateful for voters’ support.
“Stability, trust and transparency,” Lavalette said by phone Tuesday evening when asked what he will bring to the board.
While waiting for full results at the middle school, Rapp agreed that the board needs to be more transparent with the public.
“I think there is a lot more that we need to deal with in open meetings.” Rapp said. “I want regular financial updates and monthly reports. I think that is a simple ask.”
The budget, which is $200,000 less than this year, passed 1,537 to 310.
Voters also approved a two-year administrators’ contract, 1,092 to 757.
Voters supported authorizing the district to sell Bluff School, which closed in September, 1,675 to 201, and the former Masonic Temple on Maple Avenue, 1,731 to 149.
They also approved an open enrollment article, 1,255 to 622.
Turnout Tuesday was 28%, or 1,916, out of 6,726 registered voters.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
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