KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) – Voters in Keene turned out at the polls Tuesday to vote on the Keene School District’s proposed operating budget and other warrant articles, and on one contested race for the Keene Board of Education.

Paige Walker and Jason Washer were vying for a two-year seat on the KBE, the only contested race for the board this year, with Walker coming out on top, according to the final results Tuesday evening.

KBE incumbents Rebecca Lancaster, Randy Filiault, and Kris Robers all ran unopposed for their three-year terms. Filiault and Roberts also serve as Keene City Councilors.

The warrant included the proposed $79.1 million operating budget, which was overwhelmingly approved at the polls. At February’s deliberative session discussion centered around staffing and funding for special education. Although money can’t be added to the budget for a specific reason at the deliberative session, one voter moved to add $250,000 to the budget that she hoped would be used to hire more special educators. That motion failed as Board Chair George Downing and SAU 29 Chief Financial Officer Tim Ruehr said that none of the schools expressed such a need and noted that if the need arose at any of the schools throughout the year, it would be addressed using surplus funding.

Downing and Ruehr joined WKBK’s Open Mic program last week and discussed the matter, you can hear the full discussion here.

At last year’s deliberative session voters added $500,000 to the proposed operating budget for the same reason. Downing and Ruehr said most of that wound up in the surplus fund.

All other warrant articles passed, including funds for the collective bargaining agreements between the Board and the Keene Association of Principals and Supervisors, an agreement between the Board and the Keene Paraprofessionals Association, the addition of $300,000 from the unexpended fund balance to the “School Buildings Maintenance Fund” for repairing and maintaining the school buildings, and agreements with the surrounding towns that send their students to Keene schools for grades 6-12. The agreements must be revisited every 20 years and approved by the State. The modifications include some updated language to align with state law.