We strongly encourage all Pittsfield voters to cast your ballot in favor of our proposed new teacher contract. This important vote will be held from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 19, at Town Hall.
The proposed contract is a one-year agreement that maintains the same salary schedule and benefits offered that were agreed-to in the now-expired agreement in place last school year. No changes to the salary schedule or benefits offered are part of the new agreement.
Because teachers are facing increases in their required contributions to the New Hampshire Retirement System and health insurance, take-home pay is being decreased unless the new agreement is accepted by voters. With a yes vote, experienced teachers will advance a step on the salary schedule, resulting in modest salary increases.
If accepted, the estimated cost of this new contract is $66,486; this represents an increase of $.25/thousand on the tax rate. In other words, a property valued at $100,000 will be assessed an additional $25.00 for the next tax year.
At this point, the district’s fund balance from the 2016-2017 school year is estimated to be about $85,000. However, because bills are still coming in for services provided or authorized prior to July and because the district’s revenues have not been finalized, the tax impact of this estimated fund balance is not yet known.
For more information, please visit the school district website – sau51.org – and see articles printed in the Suncook Valley Sun over the past three issues. Please also feel free to contact our superintendent of schools, John Freeman (435-5526 or sau51super@metrocast.net), with your questions.
Both the Pittsfield School Board and the Pittsfield Budget Committee recommend that you vote yes on this proposed contract. Your vote is important to our students, our schools, and our teachers. Please vote yes on Tuesday, September 19, at Town Hall.
Submitted by the Pittsfield School Board
Mike Wolfe, chair; Bea Douglas, vice-chair; Linda Freese, Ted Mitchell, Ralph Odell