Finance Committee hears tech school building proposal
Finance Committee · Meeting of January 26, 2026
NEW SALEM — Finance Committee hears proposal to replace Franklin County Technical School with $246M facility. Superintendent Rick Martin presented the plan to pursue new construction due to $75 million in structural repair needs that make renovation infeasible. The combined municipal assessment is projected at $117 million to $140 million, with New Salem's preliminary FY27 assessment at approximately $180,000.
The technical school is managing a $141,000 group health insurance budget shortfall for FY27; Library Director Linda Chatfield also requested a position increase from 19 to 25 hours weekly with a salary raise estimated at $17,000.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 278 words
Source: the Finance Committee meeting of January 26, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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