Haigh Parent: 'These Kids Matter, this School Matters'

Over 50 residents filled rows of folding chairs for a community forum Tuesday.

Parents voiced their frustrations Tuesday during a Salem School Board forum that provided sporadic answers and plenty of speculation on the future of Walter F. Haigh Elementary School. Over 50 residents crowded into rows of folding chairs in the Haigh School multipurpose room, and many of them believed that their school has not received a fair shake when stacked up with the town’s five other elementary schools. Haigh School was part of two warrant articles in March. Voters approved one article, which called for modest improvements to the school alongside major renovations to both the Fisk and Soule Schools. A second article called for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) improvements to the facility. Salem residents narrowly …

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Soujourner Truth

8:26 am on Sunday, May 5, 2013

I don't understand how this relates to the issue at hand, which is about facilities, unless you're suggesting a private company would bring Haigh facilities up to par with other Salem public elementary schools. In which case, let's see the proposal from some private entity who wants to sink several million dollars into a school - not sure what the motivation for that would be if not profit. If …   more ›

Salem Town Meeting 2013 Voter's Guide

Updated with everything you need before you head to the polls this March.

Salem NH Patch wants you to be a Power Voter this year, with all of the information you need in one place. Check back here for everything you need to know for your ballot. School District Warrant School District Sample Ballot Town Warrant Town Sample Ballot SAU 57 School Board (2 open seats) – 3 year terms School District Moderator (1 open seat) - 3 year term School District Clerk (1 open seat) – 3 year term School District Treasurer (1 open seat) – 3 year term Town of Salem Selectmen (1 open seat) – 3 year term Budget Committee (2 open seats) – 3 year terms Budget Committee (1 open seat) – 1 year term Planning Board (2 open seats) – 3 year terms Zoning Board of Adjustment (1 open seat) – 3 year term Trustee of the Library (1 open seat) – …

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Reggie

12:20 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013

All the Town Union people do is WHINE, WHINE, WHINE. Gimme more, gimme more. NO, NO, NO.   more ›

BudCom Approves School Improvements Warrant

Voters will see the $16.2 million article on the ballot in March.

The Budget Committee approved a warrant article for the school board’s phase two facility master plan at its meeting on Thursday evening, giving voters the chance to approve the $16.2 million bond in March.  The article would fund renovations and additions to the Soule and Fisk Elementary Schools, as well as mechanical and electrical improvements at Haigh Elementary School.  Improvements at Haigh will include a revamped sprinkler system, ceiling demolition and replacement, a fire alarm system, lighting replacement, security system and roof repair. The article also includes a host of additions at the Fisk School such as a small group instruction space, reconfigured staff room, multipurpose room, two additional classrooms, and an improved …

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You Ask...Patch Answers

How Do I Submit a Citizen Petition For Town Meeting?

The latest installment of "You Ask...Patch Answers."

Welcome to the latest edition of our new weekly feature called "You Ask...Patch Answers." The title is self-explanatory: Salem Patch readers can ask us a question and we'll get you the answer every week. This week we tackle a question that often gets asked this time of year: How do I submit a citizen petition for Salem town meeting? Recently, the town posted the information on the citizen petition procedure on the town website. We are re-printing the information here for your use. Here is a sample citizen petition form. INFORMATION ON SUBMITTING A CITIZEN PETITION  New Hampshire RSA 39:3 requires that petition articles must have at least 25 signatures of registered voters in the Town of Salem in order to be included on the warrant. All …

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School Board Agrees on Renovation Plan

There may be as many as three warrant articles related to the 2013 renovation plans.

The Salem School Board voted Tuesday night for a school renovation plan that would provide extensive renovations for Fisk and Soule Elementary Schools and partial renovation work at Haigh Elementary School. The final wording for the bond articles for the 2013 school warrant will be voted on at a meeting next week, but the general framework of the board's desires was agreed to unanimously Tuesday. An initial article would provide for Fisk and Soule renovations without additional classrooms and a large multi-purpose room. The bonded number mentioned for that renovation would be $15.8 million. Additionally, about $369,000 would be bonded for work at Haigh. A second article would include an additional $805,000 in renovations for Haigh, …

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Over $200K Offered in 2013 Budget Cuts

Salem selectmen also held long discussions about which items should appear as warrant articles.

As the Salem Board of Selectmen prepare for their final votes on the 2013 town budget Monday, they were offered $208,000 in proposed cuts to help them reach their goal of a 1 percent reduction from the present year. They held a meeting Wednesday night to discuss the potential cuts and decide which items would appear on the 2013 warrant as articles outside the operating budget. Much of the proposed cuts came from reductions at the Fire Department, where an officer on long-term sick leave is expected to be separated from the department in December. That will save $114,454 along with about $6,000 in other cuts. Police will also reduce their court pay by $15,000 and the Department of Public Works has agreed to reduce dam repairs by $30,000.  …

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Tom Linehan

9:24 am on Thursday, September 20, 2012

@bruno I was one of the five sponsors of SB2 as well. The vote was not even close. It is the clear choice of the voters in a huge turnout. Your argument is with the will of the people.   more ›

Voting Information for Today's Election

Voting times, places, candidates and a link to our voter's guide.

After many weeks and months, the day has finally arrived. You, the Salem voter, will finally have the chance to voice your choice on the candidates and ballot measures we've been covering here for months. We posted much of this information yesterday, but here once again is the important information you need to know regarding this year's vote: Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Here are the six polling locations: WARD 1: Fisk School, 14 Main St. WARD 2: Soule School, 173 South Policy St. WARD 3: Barron School, 55 Butler St. WARD 4: Town Hall, 33 Geremonty Dr. WARD 5: Lancaster School, 54 Millville St. WARD 6: North Salem School, 140 Zion Hill Road Here is the full list of candidates running for office: BOARD OF SELECTMEN: Three years, …

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See Tomorrow's Ballots Here

We've got samples for you to see before you head to the voting booth, plus links to articles we've written on the warrants.

In PDF files to the right, we have the following information related to tomorrow's ballot election: A sample town ballot, including election of officers and Articles 2 through 20. A sample of the non-binding curbside trash and recycling pickup referendum. The voter's guide for both the Town Election tomorrow and the second deliberative session on Saturday (includes the tax impact of the articles). The warrant for the school election, all articles to be decided by tomorrow's ballot. Below are links to stories that have run on Salem Patch related to the warrant articles on the town and school ballots as well as the curbside pickup referendum. TOWN WARRANT ARTICLES Curbside Pickup Bids Released PD Address on Union Mailer Was an Error Warrant …

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Question of the Week

POLL: How Will You Vote on School Article 2?

The vote to renovate Fisk, Haigh and Soule is a week away.

In January, we asked Salem Patch readers to weigh in on the plan to renovate all three of the Fisk, Haigh and Soule Elementary Schools that would go before voters in March. Of the 567 votes in that poll as of Monday, 55 percent were in favor, 42 percent were opposed and 2 percent were undecided. March has arrived and we are one week away from folks going to the polls next Tuesday to cast votes for or against Article 2 on the school warrant. What follows is the exact wording by which Article 2 will appear on the warrant: Shall the School District raise and appropriate the sum of Twenty-one million five hundred thousand dollars ($21,500,000) for the design, construction and original equipping of additions and renovations (see note below) to …

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JeffD

2:55 pm on Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Ashlyn, no I have not been inside any of Salem's schools. The fact that the SOS group didnt present an alternative to their plans and that is why it failed. Also, be advised that it is not only people with children that pay taxes, childless couples pay too, sometimes more. Concerning the bickering, I was polite, the other individual wasnt. I am not going to roll over and be a door mat for anyone.   more ›