http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/feeds/topics/merrimack_tm2010 Daily news from The Telegraph of Nashua en-us dkiesow@nashuatelegraph.com onlineeditor@nh.com http://www.nashuatelegraph.com//www.cabinet.com/merrimackjournalmerrimacknews/667182-308/election-ballot-has-been-set.html MERRIMACK – The filing period closed Friday in Merrimack, with plenty of contested races on tap for school and town positions. Dan Dwyer, Jacqueline Flood, Thomas Lynam and Raymond A. Whipple will vie for two open seats on the Merrimack Town Council. (Incumbents Nancy Harrington and Tim Tenhave announced recently they would not seek re-election.) Dwyer has been a frequent candidate in municipal races during recent years, running for council in 2006, 2008 and 2009. Dwyer, who also ran for school board in 2007, has been unsuccessful in those bids. Flood is the chairwoman of the town’s Watson Park Committee, and Lynam, a former military man, also ran for council last year. Five candidates are seeking two open seats on the school board, places being vacated by Emily Coburn and Rose Robertson-Smith. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:03:53 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com//www.cabinet.com/merrimackjournalmerrimacknews/667183-308/candidates-night-forum-scheduled.html The Exchange Club of Merrimack has announced that a candidate’s night for the School Board and Town Council will be at the Merrimack High School Little Theater on March 29 at 7 p.m. The program will begin with a short statement by each candidate. This will be followed by their answers to questions submitted by the audience. A short closing statement by each candidate will close the meeting. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:03:53 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/665602-196/marriage-article-stays-on-town-ballot.html MERRIMACK – It took two secret ballots and two failed amendments, but voters at Tuesday’s Deliberative Session ultimately left a petition article unchanged asking residents to define marriage on next month’s town ballot. The failed changes to the article mean voters will weigh in on Election Day to decide whether to amend the state constitution to define marriage. The non- binding resolution will be forwarded to the Legislature. The move was spearheaded by opponents to the state law allowing gay marriage, which took effect Jan. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:03:52 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/654952-196/petitions-pass-to-restore-teachers.html MERRIMACK – Two resident-driven petitions to restore teaching positions in the Merrimack School District passed untouched at Deliberative Session on Tuesday night. That means the last word on a high school math position and a four-member middle school team will belong to the voters, who head to the polls April 13. The teaching positions and the overall School District budget were most talked about at the Deliberative Session, attended by about 140 residents. They represented less than 1 percent of the town’s 18,000 registered voters. The controversy over the teachers began in December, when the School Board cut 17.5 positions, including four middle school teachers and a high school math teacher on a close 3-2 vote. A majority of the budget committee also supported those cuts, with declining enrollment and the economy as main factors. Residents petitioned the math and middle school positions back onto the warrant last month, with lots of folks expressing concern about what would happen to targeted instruction and the potential effect on standardized test scores. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:03:41 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com//www.cabinet.com/merrimackjournalmerrimacknews/646552-308/file-for-office-before-march-5.html The filing period for candidates in Merrimack opened Wednesday, Feb. 24, and closes Friday, March 5, at 5 p.m.. Here is the list of open positions for the town and school district: Town: Two town council members, three-year terms Two ethics committee members, three-year terms One library trustee, three-year term One trustee of trust funds, three-year term One supervisor of the checklist, six-year term One moderator, two-year term One treasurer, two-year term Candidates must file with the town clerk at Town Hall on Baboosic Lake Road to have their name placed on the ballot and must be a registered voter. Candidates for town council must have lived in Merrimack for at least a year. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:03:36 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com//www.cabinet.com/merrimackjournalmerrimacknews/646553-308/voters-get-sayon-town-budget.html MERRIMACK – Residents at the town deliberative session on March 9 will consider a town budget that has so far moved pretty quietly through the pipeline. Although some folks spoke in support of youth programs during one budget work session, relatively few people have approached the town council with concerns ahead of deliberative session this year. At that meeting, residents will consider a $29.34 million budget, of which, $23.41 is the operating budget for day-to-day expenses. That represents a 6.7 percent increase over this year’s spending, primarily due to contracted wages, health insurance and inflation related to energy. These figures translate into a proposed tax rate of $4.35, 12 cents more than the current rate. On a house valued at $300,000, the town’s portion of the tax bill would be $1,305 – up $36. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:03:36 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com//www.cabinet.com/merrimackjournalmerrimacknews/646554-308/petitionersforce-vote-on-positions.html MERRIMACK – The school deliberative session on March 2 is likely to center on five teaching positions that were initially cut from the budget but now have a second chance thanks to resident-generated petitions. The school board cut four middle school positions and a high school math position in December in a close 3-2 vote. Those supporting the cuts point to declining enrollment and the difficult economy. The board’s move, however, sparked outcry from some residents, who packed subsequent budget committee hearings in large part to sway support for restoring the positions. Many voiced their concerns about individualized instruction, the potential effect on test scores and fairness to students. With the high school math position, there was particular concern about the fate of the “math lab,” where students go for extra help on concepts and skills. Ahead of the committee’s last meeting Feb. 9, residents collected enough signatures to petition two articles on the warrant: one restoring a high school math teacher position, and another the four middle school teaching positions. Taken together, the restored articles add up to about $300,000 in expense. Neither petitioned article gained a majority recommendation from the budget committee, so both head to the voters without support from that group or the school board – a fact that will be reflected on the ballot. A majority of the budget committee did approve the district’s overall operating budget, which stands at $64.17 million. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:03:37 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/645835-196/3-of-4-incumbents-on-2-boards.html MERRIMACK – Two major governing bodies in town are bound to have some new faces. Three of four incumbents on the Town Council and School Board confirmed they will not seek re-election this spring, with Town Councilor Tim Tenhave and School Board members Rose Robertson-Smith and Emily Coburn stepping down from their posts. The fourth, Town Councilor Nancy Harrington, said she would decide whether to run again by Thursday’s council meeting. The filing period for these seats and all others opens today and closes March 5. Tenhave said when he initially ran for office three years ago, he and his family planned that he’d stay one term. At a council meeting Feb. 11, Tenhave made his official announcement and encouraged people considering a run to “please consider the fact that there is a little bit of homework required to do this job.” “Make sure that you’re a person who’s willing to look at all sides of the issues, because when you sit in this seat, you’ll find out that often there’s one side of an issue you haven’t encountered, or even thought of, that will come forward to you that may actually change or sway your way of thinking,” Tenhave said. He added that he hopes those seeking a spot on the council wouldn’t come “with a particular objective,” because voters “expect a person of honesty and integrity” to serve. On the school side of things, Coburn has served two terms, including two years as chairwoman. “I feel like I’ve done six years of fine work and saw some great programs be initiated and come on board, particularly kindergarten and the new middle school,” Coburn said, of her reasons for stepping down. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:03:36 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com//www.cabinet.com/merrimackjournalmerrimacknews/637155-308/hearing-schedule-open-positions.html MERRIMACK – Budget season is in full swing in Merrimack. Here is information about budget hearings and open positions for the town and school district. Calendar Feb. 24-March 5: Filing period for town and school positions. March 2: School district Deliberative Session, 7 p.m., James Mastricola Upper Elementary School all-purpose room. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:03:31 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/605681-196/voters-to-discuss-29.34m-budget.html MERRIMACK – Next year’s town spending proposal went through with hardly a peep from residents at the official budget hearing Thursday night. Just two residents stood to request that the council reconsider parts of the budget, which will move forward to Deliberative Session at $29.34 million. Of that, $23.41 is the operating budget, a 6.7 percent increase over this year’s spending. The increase is primarily due to contracted wages, health insurance and inflation related to energy costs. During the council’s meeting, John Trythal, a 10-year veteran of the town’s highway division, spoke to a new reduction in hours of a full-time highway maintainer, saving $25,000. Trythal asked the council to weigh the cost savings against the value of keeping the position full time, because reducing hours would cut back on road services to residents. Resident Mike Malzone then asked the council to consider the warrant article calling for a tax exemption for disabled couples with a combined income of $67,500. Malzone told the council that many non-disabled couples have a similar income level, and “to ask us to supplement another part of the town is getting very difficult,”” he said. Malzone told the council he hoped there would be opportunity to extend the tax break discussion at the Deliberative Session, scheduled for March 9. In addition to the budget and the exemption, voters will also have a chance to discuss a new contract with the union representing supervisors and clerks in the public works and wastewater departments. The union’s last contract expired in 2009. In the newly negotiated contract, spending would actually decrease by $23,000 and members would contribute 10 percent toward their health and dental insurance premiums. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:59:53 EST http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/604492-196/youth-activities-funding-on-deck-again.html MERRIMACK – Funding for youth activities in Merrimack has been a popular topic during recent budget discussions. Those talks may heat up again tonight at the Town Council’s budget hearing. In late January, when councilors cut $116,000 from the bottom line, much attention was focused on council cuts to the Merrimack Youth Association and the funding of a skate park attendant. Councilors were considering cutting funding to the MYA by half, but the youth athletic organization’s leadership asked them to change their minds because fees have already been raised and some sports programs wouldn’t last. Some councilors, however, have expressed concerns about the association holding funds in reserve, a conclusion the MYA contested. A few residents have also lobbied councilors to keep an attendant at the skate park on O’Gara Drive. Juni Pierce, the park attendant, said leaving the area unsupervised or closing it would be a “colossal” error. Some park users said they’d be willing to volunteer as attendants part time, so the council cut the attendant hours in half. With that, the proposed spending plan for 2010-11 stands at $29.34 million. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:59:52 EST