PROJECT OVERVIEW
Project Costs
Total Cost: $37,000,000 (Gross Budget), funded through bonds or notes via new taxation.
Construction Overview
The plan adds 47,500 square feet of new space in a single addition as well as fixing critical systems and provides updates and renovations in the existing building.
Project Details
This proposal offers a pragmatic, efficient solution to the Wilkins Elementary School constraints. By focusing on a Design/Build approach, this plan addresses the school’s critical needs while capping the total cost under $37 million lower than the $50M+ alternatives.
47,500+ SF Addition
The core of this plan involves a single, cohesive addition that expands the building footprint without the chaos of a sprawling construction site.
Encapsulated Grade Level: Fully houses the 4th Grade (moving them out of portable trailers).
Dedicated Specialist Spaces: New, permanent homes for Art, Music, Library/Media, and OT/PT services.
Program & Support: Includes spaces for STARS, My Time, PE offices, and a Teachers’ Lounge.
Community Gymnasium: A high-quality gymnasium designed to meet student physical education needs and serve as an active community hub, particularly during winter months.
Re-Imagining Existing Space
Rather than demolishing concrete walls, this plan treats the existing building like an efficient “office tenant fit-out,” utilizing partitions to reshape space with minimal waste.
Classroom Shift: Existing 2nd Grade spaces will move into the vacated 4th Grade rooms.
Enhanced Security: The front administration and entry will relocate to the former library, creating a secure, monitored vestibule.
Support Services: Vacated 2nd Grade classrooms will be partitioned to create 2,200 SF of new space for Case Workers, Guidance, Math, and Reading intervention.
Critical Infrastructure & Safety Upgrades
This budget incorporates a comprehensive maintenance list (sourced from Facilities forecasting) to ensure the building’s longevity. These items are scheduled for completion in Summer 2026/2027.
Safety & Compliance: Full asbestos abatement (encapsulation) and glycol replacement in sprinkler lines as well as electrical panel replacement.
Accessibility: ADA bathroom upgrades.
Site Work: Allowance for a new loop/drop-off road to the east to improve traffic flow.
Deferred Maintenance: Includes essential updates such as exterior caulking and code compliance measures.
Minimal Disruption & Timeline
Unlike other options, which require 24–30 months of construction and the use of temporary trailers, this plan prioritizes educational continuity.
No Temporary Classrooms: No students will be moved into new trailers during construction.
Accelerated Schedule: Targeted completion by September 2027 (assuming Spring/Summer 2026 start).
Future Proofing: The design allows for future expansion (Kindergarten/5th Grade) to the east without disrupting this new footprint.
Please note these details may change as we engage in the design build process. What will not change is the $37 million total maximum bond value being requested.
CONCEPTUAL DOCUMENTS
Please note these documents are conceptual and not the final design. During the design build process plans would be finalized. These conceptual plans and costs are not inclusive of everything that will be done. These documents are shared for a historical context of where we have been and what is possible with a design build process.
HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS
Please note these documents are provided to share the historical context of the original $19.3 million plan.
WHAT YOU’RE VOTING ON
Authorization of up to $37 million in bonds to expand and renovate Wilkins Elementary School to address overcrowding, eliminate trailers, and bring the existing building up to modern safety and code standards.
This is a budget ceiling—not a blank check. The design must fit within this amount.
THE PROBLEM IS REAL
RIGHT NOW AT WILKINS:
- Majority of 4th graders taught in aging trailers (18 years!)
- Lost instructional time—tech and music teacher teach from carts; specialists share desks
- Insufficient space for 600+ students in grades 1-4
- 40-year-old HVAC, electrical, plumbing systems failing
- Building doesn’t meet current safety & accessibility codes
COST OF WAITING:
- $770k spent this year for 1 trailer alone
- Need 2+ more trailers within 2 years ($1.5M+)
- Construction costs rose $2M between 2023-2024
- Every delay = more students in inadequate facilities
WHY THIS WON’T FAIL LIKE PAST ATTEMPTS
OLD WAY (Failed 10+ Years):
Design first → Bid → Discover $50-54M cost → Voters reject → Repeat
NEW WAY (Design/Build):
Set $37M budget first → Select qualified team → Team designs to budget → If they can’t deliver for $37M, no contract
Now we say “here’s our budget—design what fits.” Design/Build team adjusts design if needed—budget stays fixed.
SAFEGUARDS PREVENT OVERRUNS
IS THERE RISK?
Not to taxpayers. If no qualified firm can deliver a school that meets public school educational specifications for $37M, Amherst doesn’t take out the bond. There is no tax impact.
Some risk to residents who want to settle the Wilkins issue this year. If a qualified firm can’t meet the budget, we won’t get school renovations and the addition. The issue will go back to voters in March 2027 with a new plan and budget.
Why we believe this works:
- Multiple construction pros/educators reviewed numbers
- Includes substantial contingencies
- Based on real cost data from vetted proposals
- Design/build allows real-time adjustments
- Alternative—waiting and paying more—is a guaranteed loss
If $37M proves insufficient during design, we’ll know the real number. But current evidence strongly suggests it’s achievable.
YOUR TAX IMPACT
(20-year bond, 3.43%)
| Your Home’s Assessed Value | Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| $482,000 | $506 | $42 |
| $600,000 | $630 | $53 |
| $800,000 | $840 | $70 |
The following estimator will give you an estimate on how much your taxes will be impacted if this article passes, including first year impact, year two through twenty impacts, a monthly breakdown, and total cost.
- Go to Amherst Assessor’s Online Database.
- Enter your address and select it from the suggestions.
- Find the “Assessed Value” at the top of the next page.
- Return here and enter that number below.
Please note your home's assessed value is what is shown on the property tax cards that can be found here. Not the value that is shown on websites like Realtor or Zillow.
WHO REVIEWED THESE NUMBERS?
Over 200 Amherst residents engaged:
- Licensed Contractors with NH School Experience
- Current/Former Educators and Administrators
- SAU39 staff
- Policy Experts
- Budget Committee Members
- Civil Engineers
- Parents
- Tax Payers
Key contributors:
Obadiah Dart (resident Engineer/Construction Manager)
Construction Professionals
Members of Buildings & Grounds
Leaders of Local Engaged Citizens Groups
Educators and Parents
TIMELINE IF APPROVED
Students remain at Wilkins throughout. Addition built first, interior work during summers.
Spring-Summer 2026
Vet and select design/build partner, develop design
Summer 2026
Emergency repairs begin
Fall 2026
Construction of addition begins
Summer 2027 + 2028
Interior renovation of existing building
Fall 2027
Students move to addition
Fall 2028
Complete—all students in permanent, compliant facilities
IF THIS FAILS
Near-term (1-2 years)
- Additional trailers ($770k+ each)
- Mounting emergency repairs
- Worsening overcrowding
- Continued makeshift teaching arrangements
- Construction costs keep rising
Long-term
- Start over with new design/vote (at likely higher cost)
- OR accept deteriorating status quo
- OR pursue new-build ($54M+)
| Option | Cost | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Vote Yes Now | $37M | 2028 |
| Wait 2 Years | >$40M + $2M trailers | 2030 |
| New Design Process | $49M+ | 2032+ |
| Build New School | $54-$60M | 2033+ |
Construction costs don't decrease—they continually increase.
COST OF WAITING
PARENT & TEACHER VOICES
"My daughter loses 10 minutes of learning time just bundling up and walking to/from her trailer, plus bathroom breaks when more than one child needs to go. When the wind blows, it sounds like a hurricane. It’s not an ideal learning environment."
Wilkins Parent
"There is no technology space… The tech teacher rolls a cart in for instruction. A large amount of instruction is lost because the teacher has to hand out and set up laptops. She has to stop class early to help kids log off and put them away."
Wilkins Educator
"The music teacher has a wagon that she puts her supplies in and moves from class to class. They use a small space in the regular classroom for instruction. There is little room for movement and use of music equipment"
Wilkins Teacher
“Teachers are displaced from their classrooms during specials that are in their classrooms. It is difficult to plan and collaborate when another class is in session in the same space.”
Wilkins Teacher
“Each classroom has heating issues. Some are hot and some lack sufficient heat. It is not a comfortable learning environment. Most classrooms have windows that do not open. There is a limited ability for airflow. It is also a safety issue because some windows won’t open and some won’t stay open.”
Wilkins Teacher
“Most interventionists and related service providers share a space. There are 3-4 teachers providing instruction at the same time. This is not best for providing small group instruction to our struggling learners.”
Wilkins Educator
Frequently Asked Questions
Overcrowding requires space—renovation doesn't add classrooms.
A new school costs $54M+. Voters rejected Wilkins proposals from $50-54M over the last 4 years. This balances needs with reality.
Then there will be no bond and no tax impact. The budget is firm.
No. This is a standalone project. However the design and infrastructure allows for future expansion, when warranted by enrollment increases.
State aid could offset some, but we're not counting on it, especially given current state-level impacts on funding for education. Passing this improves eligibility for State Aid, but the budget stands alone.
Building is still valuable. Facilities that we can be proud of protect property values. Current overcrowding is real TODAY. We have 7 Kindergarten classrooms with 20 students each. Enrollment increases at first grade as schooling becomes mandatory. And this large kindergarten class is following a 1st grade class of 8 classrooms.
Obadiah Dart Q&A
As people may or may not know, I began this exercise as a backup to the ‘process’, the system that had failed to garner support for 10 years running for the expansion/renovation needs at Wilkins. I wasn’t inherently familiar with the $50M+ options along the way, even though I had voted for them. I started in September with a box addition to the back of Wilkins as a simple concept – get more space for the school. Though I had discussed my concerns with another $50M plan at the beginning of the design process with the SAU/OPM/architect, time did not allow for them to adjust course, and we ended up with $49 & $54M options, both of which were designs with inherent fiscal and logistical concerns, the least of which included $4M worth of temporary trailers while concrete walls were either torn down to build new walls, or 90% of the school was to be torn down while school was somehow in session. They simply weren’t great designs, nor good value for the money.
I had started with the intent for a $10M budget, which I believed all residents could get behind. Stop paying for $1M trailers, and get the kids out of the rotting trailers that will soon need to be replaced for $1M as well. However, this would not have met the education specifications desired/required for the necessary learning environment, specifically children occasionally requiring 1 on 1 assistance for improving math, reading etc, or children with special needs in designed spaces. Upon expanding the building to meet those needs the budget grew. With regards to the existing building, I had asked the SAU Facility Manager for a ‘wish list’ spanning 3 to 5 years, which became the emergency warrant article that you see on the ballot for $325k (developed with his scope and budget $ values I had provided). This would take care of immediate needs in the future, though not a substantially long horizon, while also providing for a rejuvenated facelift that the building is due for.
Upon meeting with other residents that have been desperately desiring an upgrade to the Wilkins campus, there was hesitation with the $19.3M budget primarily due to the concern of the existing systems and deferred maintenance of the building, which they have been more intimately involved than I, and also having a larger buffer on the new construction side in the event of unforeseen conditions that could be encountered in the building (ie bedrock, poor fill conditions from the original construction). There is a legitimate fear that starting a project and exceeding the budget, requiring a return to the taxpayers with cap in hand to finish, would be worse than not starting a project at all. I get it. With a 15 year projection from the facility manager, the costs became understandably higher (roof replacement, possible window replacement, MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) system upgrades, as well as fire-safing each classroom per code), which was not part of the $19.3M budget. With the original plan for interior renovations to take place during one summer, the additional existing building work would require putting kids in trailers while construction took place in their wings, which would be the antithesis of the value I am looking to provide in this approach.
What to do? Prepare the 4th and final iteration of the expansion plan, including additional square footage to provide for 8 classrooms on the campus, from which students can be shifted while interior work safely takes place. Revamp the design to eliminate ‘flat’ EPDM roofs, and listen to my father (and Harold Wilkins), providing pitched roofs with overhangs and metal roofs, so we’ll all be dead before they have to be replaced! Provide a widened corridor including over 15 10x10 or 10x20 individualized case management, interventionist, guidance offices that can provide the space needed to assist students in their learning, followed by improved test scores. Exceed the education specifications now, and for the next 20 years+. Build the exterior walls with ICF construction (insulated concrete form), essentially turning the new addition into a YETI cooler which will likely be one of the most energy efficient school facilities in New England once complete (costing all of us less in operating costs, which can be substantial with conventional exterior wall systems). Continue to include radiant heat and heat pump systems for redundancy and the ability to cool the building in the hot transition months (not included in the $49 & $54M options).
Though we’ve increased the budget to potentially have to address the critical items, we’ve engaged Eversource through their Municipal building incentive program to start with a full building energy audit to create a ‘baseline’ evaluation of the building’s exterior envelope and review of the MEP systems. This is a free program, with generous additional time being provided by a local resident Matthew Siska, who is a managing partner at GDS associates, a renowned nationwide firm assisting homeowners and commercial property owners pay less on their utility bills. We’ll be crawling in the attic this Monday accordingly, along with MEP professionals & contractors. Through this program they will assist Wilkins with potentially tens of thousands of dollars for new LED lighting, insulation etc, which can be deducted from this proposed renovation budget. The results of this study will be collated into the final design requirements of the renovation plan for the building. A study like this has never been performed for this property.
We now have in hand an updated design/build proposal from Seppala Construction, ready to be executed into a full design/build agreement, protecting the town with a full payment and performance bond for the work to be performed if we decided to move forward on March 11th. This is not a simple thing for a company like Seppala to provide. This is hours, days, weeks, and months worth of work to achieve a comfort level like this. Though the SAU would still solicit three bids for the work to be performed, it shows the level of comfort and ‘vettedness’ that this design has gone through from a cost perspective. If someone qualified comes in below Seppala’s budget so be it, though it is doubtful that would take place.
All I can say, is read through what has been prepared. Compare it to any plan you’ve seen available in the past 10 years. Ask yourself if it makes sense. Is it logical? Does design/build make sense? Though the school board is full of hard working people that volunteer their time endlessly, there are myriad tasks they’re responsible for. Unfortunately when it comes to building new schools, there is little guidance, and little actual involvement in the development of a new facility in this role in the pre-construction phase. The folks on the Ways and Means committee are even more on the periphery of these decisions.
Ask the SAU to get a design and bids for a new school, spend tens of thousands of dollars with conceptual plans, devised in a bubble from a spreadsheet of ed specs, throw it out to the world to get 3 bids and hope for the best. Wait 3 months and come back with disjointed plans that exceed voter’s willingness to pay. Watch the architect create circular atriums with skylights that have to be replaced in 25 years for $1.8M (currently underway at Souhegan). Does that sound like a good plan to you? Is it any wonder that budgets come in sky high and continuously fail? This is not a situation specific to Amherst; ask residents in Lowell at $400M and Lexington at $660M, or Concord NH at $170M how they’re feeling right now. Not great. This design is straightforward, and simple. That’s why it costs less, and why it deserves your support.
With sixteen extra classrooms, all I can say is it rhymes with Noah’s Ark. Two birds one stone with this $37M plan. If you review the plans you can see the extra space presented, and the value you receive when you spend money on permanent space, vs temporary trailers. We are in the process of reviewing what can be done with this space with SAU administration currently. The previous options taking care of this issue exceeded $54M, and at one point $80M. This design has the opportunity to substantially lower operating costs for education in the village for good.
I understand this concern and am sympathetic to this situation. Though I’m fortunate to be in a more comfortable state than when/where I grew up, I know what its like to have a father out of a job, in a town devastated by the loss of a factory that employed pretty much everyone. It was not fun and everyone hurt. I am friends with retired senior citizens living on a fixed income and watching gyrations in the stock market with fright. What I can tell you is that this plan has been designed on your behalf as well as for the educators and children that this project will benefit from it. I hope that you can enjoy participating in adult recreation activities in the new gymnasium once its complete, or watch one of the students participating in a game just for the heck of it. I don’t want to see my money wasted, nor yours. When I tell you that it will be my part/full time job to ensure that this project gets completed for less than $37M, with leftover $ going back to you, that is my sincere pledge. Its also why I’m running for school board, to have the leverage/position to ensure it takes place, vs my current role as a concerned citizen.
I understand this position. It would make more people feel better to see the School Board unanimously support it, along with Ways and Means. Unfortunately both groups supported all of these school plans over the past 10 years, all of which failed to pass the vote. (does that bump up my odds here? )
What I can tell you is that at some point soon after this, a plan will pass, and I don’t have endless resources or time to devote to this cause to put forth the effort I’ve done this year, and it may come from the ‘process’. It could be $70M, $80M, at interest rates of 8%. With each new home being built for $1M+ in this town, demographics may shift in excess of 60% regardless of how people feel currently. Is it worth dropping this bird in the hand for two in the bush? I really don’t believe so. There hasn’t been an option like this available to the Amherst public; I’m not sure if it will come again. 3.43% for an interest rate isn’t quite what we had in COVID, but pretty darn close. Though I’m not an expert in finance or public debt, when the national debt exceeds a certain amount ($40T, $50T who knows), the interest rate will have to be higher on that debt to get people to buy it (think Greece, Argentina). It might be more than 3.43%.
THE CHOICE
VOTE YES IF:
You want to put an end to the use of trailers (18 years is enough!)
You want a new approach (design/build) after 10 years of failures
You want students in safe, permanent facilities
You'll invest ~$42-70/month in Amherst's children and educators
You appreciate that this year the dialogue on Wilkins is different and collaborative
VOTE NO IF:
You prefer to wait despite rising costs
You can't afford additional property taxes
You would prefer to pay for more trailers and emergency fixes as the need arises
IF UNDECIDED: We encourage you to reach out, ask questions, and visit the current Wilkins building.
HOW TO VOTE
REGISTER IN ADVANCE!: NH Voting laws have changed and more documentation will be required for some voters, e.g., women who changed their name when getting married. See Jeanne Ludt’s article in the February Amherst Bear for more information.
IN PERSON: March 10, 2026 | 6 AM - 8 PM | Souhegan High School
ABSENTEE: Visit the New Hampshire Secretary of State's website for more information | Town Clerk: (603) 673-6041; 2 Main Street, Amherst, NH
BRING: Valid photo ID.
VOTE: Tuesday, March 10, 2026 | 6 AM - 8 PM | Souhegan High School
WHY THIS MATTERS
After 10+ years of failures and rising costs, this budget-first approach offers fiscal discipline, bringing creative problem-solving and responsibility.
Every delay costs more and affects more students. In a market where materials and labor only trend upward, 'someday' is the most expensive day to build. Let’s invest now to secure the most cost-efficient foundation possible.
QUESTIONS?
Article 12:
Citizen’s Petition for a Wilkins Elementary School Project ($37,000,000)
Warrant Article Language
To see if the District will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Thirty Seven Million Dollars ($37,000,000) (gross budget) to finance the major addition and renovation project for the Wilkins Elementary School building, located at 80 Boston Post Road, Amherst, NH and to authorize the issuance of not more than Thirty Seven Million Dollars ($37,000,000) of bonds or notes under and in compliance with the Municipal Finance Act, RSA 33:1 et seq., as amended; to authorize the School Board to apply for, obtain, accept and expend federal, state or other aid, if any, which may be available for said project and to comply with all laws applicable to said project; to authorize the School Board to issue, negotiate, sell and deliver said bonds and notes and to determine the rate of interest thereon and the maturity and other terms thereof, and to authorize the School Board to take any action or to pass any other vote relative thereto, and further to raise and appropriate an additional sum of Nine Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($925,000) for the first year’s interest payment on the bond. (3/5 ballot vote required)
TAX IMPACT
Year #1 $925,000 - $0.38/$1,000
Year #2 $2,561,547.75 - $1.05/$1,000
Year #3 $2,560,671.50 - $1.05/$1,000
Year #4 $2,563,166.00 - $1.05/$1,000
Year #5 $2,563,945.50 - $1.05/$1,000
Not Recommended by the Amherst School Board (0-5)
Not Recommended by the Amherst School District Ways & Means (advisory budget committee)(0-5-1)
BOARD EXPLANATION
No written comment or opinion has been provided by the Amherst School Board.
AMHERST WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE COMMENTS
The members of the Ways and Means Committee voted not to support Warrant Article 12, with one abstention, due to several significant concerns regarding process and feasibility. Chief among these was the lack of appropriate vetting of project costs. Committee members felt that the financial estimates presented were not supported by sufficiently detailed or competitive quotes, limiting the ability to confidently assess the fiscal impact on the town and its taxpayers. In addition, the project plans were not finalized at the time of review. Key elements of the design and scope remained unresolved, creating uncertainty around both total cost and longterm operational implications. Without finalized plans, the committee determined it was difficult to responsibly endorse a project of this magnitude. Finally, the proposed timeline was viewed as unrealistic. Members expressed concern that the schedule did not adequately account for the remaining planning, design refinement, regulatory approvals, and potential unforeseen delays. Rushing the process risked cost overruns, change orders, and implementation challenges. Taken together, these concerns led the Ways and Means Committee to conclude that while investment in school infrastructure is important, this particular proposal was not sufficiently developed to warrant support at this time. While the majority of the group did vote not to support the warrant article, one member did abstain due to their involvement with this citizen’s petition.
DISCLAIMER
This content is regarding a citizen petition warrant article and has been provided by the petitioner or third parties. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the site administrators, governing bodies, or committees. For questions regarding this article, please direct inquiries to the content providers via the contact form.