By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

At the upcoming deliberative sessions of Town Meeting and School District Meeting, Allenstown residents can weigh in on a handful of money articles – including a new fire truck and a $3.5 million school construction and renovation plan – that have caused some contention over the past few years.

School District Meeting
School officials are again pushing for a multimillion-dollar plan to renovate and add space to Allenstown Elementary School and renovate portions of the Armand R. Dupont School.

School board Chairman Thomas Irzyk said the $3.42 million plan differs little from the plans presented to voters the past two years. Last year, the bond proposal came up just seven votes shy of the required two-thirds majority.

�gI think the last two votes showed some optimism,�h said Irzyk. �gThe majority of this town wants this done.�h

The plan, said Irzyk, would push the elementary school into compliance with state standards by increasing the amount of educational instruction space and eliminating undersized classrooms.

Classroom additions to the elementary school would also allow for fifth-grade students, currently being taught at Armand R. Dupont, to be moved back into the building.

The plan would also increase space for state-mandated programs, like Title I, and add space to both schools. kitchen areas.

Irzyk said a facilities committee, differing in composition from the committee in years past, was formed in September to re-evaluate the needs of the schools after last year.s vote.

�gSome of the townspeople have voiced concerns that the project was too big,�h he said. �gBut as we restudied it, we found that - if anything - it wasn.t big enough.�h

The only other money warrant article currently slated for the 2006 ballot is the district.s proposed operating budget of $8,763,422.

The deliberative session of School District Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m., at the elementary school.

Town Meeting
The fire department is requesting voter approval for a fiveyear lease/purchase agreement for a new fire truck. If approved, the first year.s payment on the $320,000 engine would be about $70,100.

Fire Chief Everett Chaput said the new truck would replace a 1976 LaFrance engine.

Chaput said he sees the deliberative session as a chance to lay to rest some recent claims made by Allenstown resident Art Houle, who resigned from his post as selectmen chairman last year.

Houle, who submitted two warrant articles by petition that would limit the fire department.s authority, has said the 1976 truck was replaced last year.

Chaput, however, said the 2004 truck was always intended to replace a 1974 engine.

�gI want voters to hear the facts, so they can make informed decisions,�h Chaput said of the deliberative session.

Both the board of selectmen and the budget committee have recommended the new truck purchase.

Town officials are also asking for voter approval in establishing two new capital reserve funds - one for the replacement of the town hall interior rafters, and one for purchasing conservation easements.

Both the selectmen and budget committee recommend $35,000 for the roof fund and $10,000 for the easements fund. The deliberative session of Town Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 4, at 10 a.m., at Allenstown Elementary School.