RAYMOND - Superintendent James Turbeville presented the proposed school district warrant articles, including a bond for $13.8 million to replace the middle school, to the Budget Committee on Tuesday night.

Turbeville said the warrant articles were well received by the Raymond Budget Committee and will be the subject of discussion at a public hearing set for Jan. 11. A public hearing is also scheduled for Jan. 13 to discuss town and school bonds. The school district is proposing nine warrant articles.

"The School Board has done a good job of trying to keep things as level-funded as possible," budget committee member Gail Columbus said. "They are doing the best they can right now, even though there is an increase in the budget over last year."

Budget Committee members expressed concern for the decrease in state funding the school district will receive next year and how that would affect the budget.

Turbeville presented the proposed warrant article to the committee Tuesday night but he could not present the proposed additional tax impact associated with each article.

The proposed warrant articles include:

Bond for a new middle school - The total cost of replacing Iber Holmes Gove Middle School is about $13.8 million, but with 55 percent state aid the amount that would be raised by the town is about $6.2 million. The type of bond has not been chosen as of yet, but the Finance Committee has recommended a 20-year capital appreciation bond that at its highest point would cost taxpayers an extra $1.23 per $1,000 valuation.

The operating budget - The proposed budget is about $17.6 million. The current default budget is about $8,000 less than the proposed budget.

Teacher union contract - currently in negotiations.

Non-teacher union contract - currently in negotiations.

Sprinkler system for Lamprey River Elementary School portable classrooms ($16,000) - When portable classrooms were added to the elementary school three years ago, the Fire Department gave the district a waiver on installing a sprinkler system that ends next year. Turbeville said the installation has to be done next year. He is researching whether the portable classroom company the district is leasing from would help pay for the costs of the sprinkler systems.

Roof repair at the elementary school ($136,000) - One-third of the roof repair at Lamprey River is complete, this amount would cover the remaining two-thirds.

Create a capital reserve fund for special education ($0) - Approval of the article would allow the School Board to put up to $50,000 of leftover money in the general fund balance into a "rainy-day" fund for unanticipated special education costs. The article would not have a tax impact.

Piloting a new math program for first- and second-grade for two years, which would cost up to $25,000.

The district wants to purchase a maintenance vehicle. The district uses the maintenance director’s truck.

Although the School Board has not come to an agreement, School Board chairman Jim Levesque remains optimistic about finalizing a contract with the teachers’ union by the Jan. 11 deadline to pass it on to the Budget Committee. Levesque is not as optimistic about reaching an agreement with the non-teachers’ union. A sticking point has been health insurance.

All warrant articles must be reviewed and can be changed by the Budget Committee before going to voters in March.