Voters Say 'No' To Budgets, Land Purchase

Voters in Amherst had a clear message for the town on Tuesday: cut spending.

No proposed budget was safe this year, with voters rejecting the budgets from the town and both school districts. They also took down many spending proposals, including school building repairs and a new rescue pumper.

Amherst's proposed operating budget of $11,095,396 lost in a 1,240-1,022 vote. This will kick in the default budget, which is set at $10,853,361.

A proposal to to purchase land for recreation space was rejected in a 1,321-943 vote. The 6.5 acre plot of land near Route 101 would have been used for recreation space after Cemetery Fields is returned to the cemetery trustees in 2014.

The town will lose its recreation space on Cemetery Fields in 2014, and the Board of Selectmen are asking voters to support buying a 6.5 acre plot of land near Route 101 for $180,000.

An article asking for $154,223 towards a new rescue pumper for the Amherst Fire Department also failed to gain enough votes, losing with a 1,154-1,050 vote.

Although residents did not approve of the town budget and most spending articles, they did support an article to on additional road maintenance. The article passed by a 1,226-997 vote.

They also voted to spend $80,000 for two emergency generators for town departments.

$18,550,794 budget rejected, and will have to utilize the $18,378,827 default budget. It was defeated in a 1,238-1,035 vote.

Voters shot down $2,930,701 in bonds for renovation, repair and replacement of the roof, HVAC system, paving and interior locking of Souhegan High School. It fell short of gaining 3/5 of the vote needed to pass with a final total of 1,225-1,048.

The Amherst School District's budget of $24,493,507 was taken down and will be replaced with the default budget of $24,245,571. It lost with a vote of 1,165-1,067.

Amherst residents did approve  between the Amherst School Board and the Amherst Support Staff Association. The three-year agreement would increase salaries and benefits by $14,173 in the next fiscal year. There would be an increase of $41,729 in the next fiscal year, and $45,770 the following year.

Support was given to an article putting $80,000 from the year-end undesignated fund balance to be added to the Capital Facilities Repair, Maintenance, and Improvement Expendable Trust fund if there is a surplus. It passed with a vote of 1,327-919.