Update from Plainfield School Board
 

For further information, call 469-3250

www.plainfieldschool.org, with links to email addresses

 
District Meeting Recap & Parking Lot Hearing         School House

 

The Plainfield School Board thanks everyone who came out to the 2008 School District Meeting.  We are grateful for the passage of our main budget, tractor purchase and additions to two reserve funds.  Now we are looking forward to hiring a new school superintendent in the weeks ahead and making safety and design improvements to the school parking lot this summer.  A public hearing will be held at the school on Tuesday, April 8, at 7:00 pm, for those who wish to review plans for the parking lot.

 

Outcome of 2008

Warrant Articles

Net $ increase over 2007/08 budget total

Local tax increase per $1,000 of assessed value

Property tax increase on $200,000 home

ü  II.     Main budget

$206,802

$0.72

$144

û  III.    Assistant principal

(30,000)

($0.00)

(0)

ü  IV.   Tractor purchase

21,304

$0.095

19

ü  V.    Building reserve fund

30,000

 $0.135

 27

ü  VI.   Benefits payable fund

20,000

 $0.09

18

TOTAL

       $278,106

            $1.04*

            $208*

The current local school property tax rate is $15.93 per $1,000 of assessed property value.  Voter approval of the main budget and Warrant Articles IV, V and VI is projected to raise the local tax rate by 6.5% in 2008-09.

* The final tax rate will be set after determining the level of state funding support and year-end fund balance.

 

Parking Lot Hearing

 

When:  April 8, 7:00 pm, at the Plainfield Elementary School.

Why:  To receive community input on the merits of a plan to make the school parking lot safer and larger.

 

The Plan:  The School Board and Facility Committee of the Plainfield School have reviewed a parking lot redesign by the landscape architecture firm of Saucier & Flynn.  Key elements of the plan include:

·         Safety improvements so that all children will be dropped off at a sidewalk or curb that leads directly to the school, so that no child has to cross against traffic.

·         Expanded parking capacity from approximately 60 spots to 100 spots in the main parking lot to reduce overflow during major school and community events.

·         Improved traffic flow to allow parents to drop off and pick up their children in front of the school and for buses to cue up at the side of the school (next to the gymnasium).  A new spur road to the main parking lot would avoid congestion and safety issues in front of the school.

 

The cost:  The Building Maintenance Reserve Fund is projected to have an available fund balance of approximately $102,000, as of July 1, 2008.  The School Board expects to authorize up to $50,000 in expenditures from this fund to complete the main elements of the school parking lot this summer.  

·         Free gravel would be provided from the town gravel pit.

·         Free grading would be provided by donated labor and equipment time.

·         Main estimated expenses are trucking the gravel ($18,000), paving of high traffic areas ($18,000), bollards and chain link along the sidewalk in the main parking lot ($6,300), underground utilities and lighting ($5,800), and new signage ($1,500).

—     Doug Cogan, on behalf of the Plainfield School Board