THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012
VOL. 12 NO. 179
LACONIA, N.H.
527-9299
Budget hearing exposes crack on Inter-Lakes School Board
THURSDAY
Shaker board agrees to extend voting time by 1/2 hour
FREE
‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ opens Friday night
Transparency of process surrounding a new contract for teacher’s union questioned by voters & by board member
BELMONT — The Shaker Regional School Board last night voted to extend the time alloted for ballot voting at the annual school district meeting by a half hour. Voters will now have from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to vote on the first three warrant articles on this year’s ballot, the election of a moderator, school officials and a petitioned warrant article calling for adoption of the official ballot law (SB-2). For years ballot see SHAKER page 11
BY ADAM DRAPCHO THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
“Scout” (Jaydie Becket Halperin) and her father Atticus Finch (Steven Raymond) have the stage to themselves during dress rehearsal for the Winnipesaukee Playhouse production of Harper Lee’s timeless classic, “To Kill a Mockingbird” Performances are Feb. 10-12 and Feb. 15-19. Ticket information at www.winniplayhouse.org. (Karen Bobotas/for the Laconia Daily Sun)
MEREDITH - If the members of the Inter-Lakes School Board thought a nearly flat budget and a re-negotiated teachers contract including health care savings would allow them to escape last night’s budget hearing without pointed criticism, they were mistaken. Voters took the board to task on transparency of the re-negotiation process, the effect of the new contract and one voter criticized the reduction of a special education position to half-time. Board Chair Richard Hanson opened the hearing by outlining the three-year contract the board had recently reached with the Inter-Lakes Education Association, a contract which included modest pay raises each year and a revised scheme of health care options which the district estimated would save about $97,178 in the first year and nearly $300,000 in each of the subsequent two years. “This accomplishment is going to save us money in the first year and in perpetuity,” Hanson said. Mark Billings of Meredith was unimpressed, both with the see I-L page 8
Fish & Game urging ice fishermen to be ultra cautious for derby
CONCORD — New Hampshire Fish and Game Department officials warn that this winter’s above-normal temperatures and high winds have affected ice formation, particularly on the large lakes. People are being strongly urged to Fuel Oil OIL & PROPANE CO., INC. 10 day cash price* use caution before venturLaconia 524-1421 subject to change ing onto the ice, especially
3.79 99**
with the start of the Great Rotary Ice Fishing Derby (February 11-12) just days away. A recent aerial survey of Lake Winnipesaukee by the N.H. Civil Air Patrol revealed treacherous ice conditions, including some areas of open water, over much of New Hampshire’s largest lake. Photos of Lake Winnipesaukee taken by the N.H. Civil Air Patrol on February 4 show large
river-like strips of open water running from the south tip of Rattlesnake Island both east and west completely across the lake. Open water could be observed both northeast of and southwest of Rattlesnake Island. In the area known as the “Broads,” numerous cracks appear to have separated, revealing open water. Another long opening see ICE page 12