September 10, 2008
Eagle Tribune
Windham voters reject secondary school access road
WINDHAM, N.H. — Voters soundly defeated a $1.25 million bond for a secondary access road to the new Windham High School yesterday, 794-986.
Article 1 on the special Town Meeting Ballot needed a 60 percent majority — 1,058 votes — to pass.
Voters were clearly dissatisfied with the town bringing forward a proposal similar to the one voters defeated in March.
“We said no and they wouldn’t take no for answer,” Linda Connors said after casting her ballot against the article.
Connors said spending in town is out of control, especially given the tough economic times. Her husband, John, agreed. He said the proposed secondary access road was an example of runaway spending.
Selectman Bruce Breton said the town may end up paying a hefty price for defeating the proposal.
“The town may lose their (school building) aid if the access road doesn’t go in,” he said.
Breton said he was disappointed the School Board had not done more to rally votes for the proposal.
But School Board Vice Chairman Bruce Anderson said he doesn’t think the defeat will influence the $17 million in school building aid the district is due to receive from the state.
“We have all of our state approvals,” he said.
Selectman Roger Hohenberger said it’s clear voters don’t want a paved secondary access road and he, for one, will not bring forward a similar proposal in March.
But he said it is crucial school officials, town officials and the fire chief brainstorm to find a solution to the problem.
“Everybody agrees the school has to open by 2009,” Hohenberger said.
Fire Chief Tom McPherson has said he will not sign a permit to allow the school to open without a secondary access road.
Voters did approve, 1,170-571, having 83 acres of town land near Goodhue Road managed as a conservation easement by the Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire.
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Note: Once again, a special election for a supposed ’emergency’ was held in hopes that something that had been defeated in the past could be forced on the voters.