Stratham board hears FAC support for $12M bond, rejects original budget then approves smaller amended budget; bond and trust-fund measures pass

The Stratham School District Board met and voted on a package of capital and operating items, including a recommended $12 million school-improvement bond, two trust-fund transfers and the operating budget. The Facilities/Finance Advisory Committee (FAC) presented its unanimous recommendation to support the bond; the board approved the bond as presented. The board initially failed to pass the operating budget as proposed and then approved a revised, smaller budget later in the meeting. The board also approved a set of policy updates and authorized modest trust-fund additions.

The FAC presentation and bond recommendation

Kathleen Peck, a member of the FAC, told the board the FAC had reviewed the construction proposal and unanimously recommended supporting the bond for school improvements, identified in the package as a not-to-exceed $12,000,000 bond. "My name is Kathleen Peck. I am one of the members of the FAC ... All of us voted unanimously to approve that bond," Peck said during the FAC report. The FAC described discussions about whether to accelerate window replacement and whether to include a generator now or later; the FAC and board discussed contingency and value-engineering steps taken during design and contracting.

The board approved a bond authorization for the project in the amount shown in the warrant: $11,961,745 (presented as a not-to-exceed $12,000,000 figure that includes a 15% contingency). The warrant also includes a first-year interest payment amount of $299,044 to be raised for FY 2026. The board recorded the motion and approved the bond (recorded vote: 5 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain).

Why the schedule and contingencies matter

Board members and FAC presenters emphasized that the cost estimate includes a 15% contingency (about $1,500,000) and $250,000 for an…