At the Keene School District first session, voters approved Articles 2 through 9. The items ranged from ratifying collective bargaining cost items to approving regional enrollment (AREA) agreement renewals and adding up to $300,000 to the school buildings maintenance fund.

Votes and key details
- Article 2 (Principals and supervisors contract): Voted to place on the March warrant. The warrant materials list cost increases across the contract term and an additional appropriation of $74,277 for the current fiscal year as the district’s share of the agreement. The board recommended a yes vote; the article passed by voice/raise of hands (numeric tally not recorded in the transcript).

- Article 3 (If Article 2 fails, authorize board to call a special meeting): Passed. The article authorizes the board to call one special meeting, if needed, to address renegotiated cost items for Article 2 only.

- Article 4 (Paraprofessionals contract): Approved as written and will appear on the March ballot. Warrant materials estimate a $220,554 appropriation for the current fiscal year attributable to the new agreement; three‑year total estimated in materials was approximately $1,095,452. The board reported the agreement would add about $0.10 ($0.0976 rounded) to the tax rate per $100,000 of assessed value.

- Article 5 (If Article 4 fails, authorize board to call a special meeting): Passed. Similar to Article 3, this article permits the board to call a special meeting to consider renegotiated cost items if Article 4 were defeated.

- Article 6 (Transfer to school building maintenance fund): Approved. Voters authorized raising and appropriating up to $300,000 to add to the district’s school building maintenance fund; the warrant states the money will come from the 6/30/2025 unexpended fund balance and will not be raised by taxation for 2025–26. The board recommended the funding to cover emergency capital repairs and to move toward a target fund balance (presentation noted a goal near $2.5 million, current balance reported as about $1.3 million).

- Article 7 (Grade 6 AREA agreement renewal): Approved. The warrant explains the amendment aligns language and renewal dates with other AREA agreements and extends the term by 20 years. The amended agreement was approved by the New Hampshire State Board of Education on 11/14/2024.

- Article 8 (Grades 7–8 AREA agreement renewal): Approved and will be renewed for 20 years; approved by the State Board on 11/14/2024.

- Article 9 (Grades 9–12 AREA agreement renewal): Approved and will be renewed for 20 years; approved by the State Board on 11/14/2024.

Meeting notes and procedure
Most of these articles were moved, briefly explained from the warrant materials and carried by voice vote or show of hands. Several motions to restrict reconsideration were made and passed after each article’s adoption, preventing immediate reconsideration at the same session. Where a numeric tally was not recorded in the transcript, the moderator noted the voice vote was clearly in the affirmative.

Why it matters
Collective bargaining approvals set multi‑year compensation and benefits terms for district employees and affect appropriations put before voters. The maintenance‑fund transfer is intended to provide an immediate reserve for building repairs without increasing taxes in 2025–26, and the AREA agreement renewals maintain regional enrollment arrangements with sending towns for the next 20 years.

Ending
All approved Articles 2–9 will appear as described in the district’s warrant materials or enable future action by the board if a bargaining article is defeated. Voters were again reminded the second session ballot is March 11 at the Keene Recreation Center.