ALLENSTOWN – A large turnout of over 100 residents attended Allenstown’s deliberative sessions of Town Meeting and School District Meeting on Feb. 1 at the new Allenstown Community School. Officials from various town departments, including the Select Board, School Board, and Budget Committee, gathered to discuss the proposed 2025 budgets for the town and school district, as well as warrant articles.
The proposed town budget for 2025 stands at $6,164,887, a 10.5 percent increase from the previous year’s approved budget. This increase is mainly attributed to rising health insurance premiums, an additional firefighter, and employee plan changes. The proposed budget includes a $648,512 hike, with an estimated tax impact of $1.69 per $1,000 of property value.
The sewer budget, funded solely by users of the system, saw a proposed increase of $79,952 to $2,787,177. No tax impact is expected from this change.
Health insurance: A 14.8 percent increase ($145,380) due to rising premiums and plan adjustments.
Highway Department: Road Agent Chad Pelissier highlighted a 24.7 percent rise in trash disposal costs due to a new contract with Casella. He warned that a default budget could reduce town services, and the increased asphalt costs might affect paving projects.
Fire Department: Fire Chief Eric Lambert reported an 8.37 percent increase in the fire department’s budget to $871,521. He emphasized that a default budget could lead to reduced emergency coverage.
The proposed 2025-26 school budget totals $13,950,191, reflecting a 2.1 percent increase from the previous year. School Board member Keith Klawes said they tried to keep the budget as level-funded as possible, despite rising costs, particularly in special education. The increase will have an estimated tax impact of 9 cents per $1,000 of property value.
Notably, a proposal to spend $77,580 on an additional school bus was discussed, with Principal Shannon Kruger citing overcrowding as the primary reason.
Several town warrant articles were debated, including proposals to update the zoning ordinance and a vote on eliminating SB2, which would return final voting on the budget to the in-person meeting. Residents also expressed concerns about the sale of the old school buildings, with some questioning whether the proceeds would benefit the school district.
Residents are urged to review the full budget information available on the town website and attend the March election to cast their votes on the proposed budgets and warrant articles.
For more information on the town budget, school budget, and warrant articles, visit the Allenstown town website.
