Participants
Everyone heard on the recording. No minutes or sign-in sheet exist to check against, so names follow the round of self-introductions at the start, the November 20, 2024 agenda masthead for central-office titles, and the project's 2024 roster notes; ASR garbles of those introductions are noted. Unidentified voices stay unidentified.
| Name | Role | Participation |
|---|
| Frank Sprague | Committee chair; board vice chair | Opens with introductions "because this is for the folks in TV land" (0:00:00). Asks presenters to explain their requests because "I want the public to hear" (0:43:46). Has the student-services director explain catastrophic special-education aid for viewers (1:09:08). Raises out-of-district placement quality from his juvenile-court experience (1:38:26) and district-wide positions hidden in building budgets (1:46:33). Tells building leaders that unused lines "drives the board crazy" (1:44:10). |
| Heather Whitney | Committee member; board chair | Asks the ESSER share of summer school (0:34:09); cites the state covering "only 67.5%" of special-education aid (1:09:03) and "87% last year" (1:09:27); asks whether the district is net positive (1:19:09) and about investing interest (1:19:56); asks what blocks hiring (1:28:17). Tells the administrators the board's top-tier priority is "really elevating the paraprofessionals to be able to fully staff, schools." (1:06:36). |
| Candace Crawford | Committee member | Presses the tech center on its med tech second year and a criminal-justice program (0:04:55, 0:10:00); notes the Capital Improvements Committee has not met yet (0:33:50); asks whether the state pays 67% instead of 100% above the thresholds (1:12:27); warns against counting interest income "more than once" (1:20:35). |
| Michelle Herrington | Assistant director, Sugar River Valley Regional Technical Center | Self-introduced as "the assistant director at the Tech center" (0:00:36). Small supply-line increases program by program (0:02:32); a second year of med tech; a possible criminal-justice program at about 65,000 base salary (0:10:06); a part-time teacher to embed ELA or math credits (0:10:22). |
| Michael Herrington | Principal, Stevens High School | Self-introduced as Michael Harrington (0:00:40). Summer school must return to the budget at about $30,000 (0:13:26); a classroom-behavior training company quoted at $15,000 to $38,000, mid-range about $25,000 (0:19:09, 0:19:41); out-of-district tuition budgeted at 2.3 million (0:20:54). |
| Frank Romeo | Principal, Claremont Middle School | Self-introduction transcribed as Frank Miller (0:00:43). Four unfilled teaching positions and a team schedule he doubts is sustainable (0:27:42, 0:28:55); a shared athletic-director role with Stevens (0:30:48); GEAR UP summer funding and a $7,000 to $10,000 kiln ventilation need (0:33:02, 0:33:21); a late bus (1:00:30). |
| Melissa Lewis | Principal, Disnard Elementary School | Joins after the introductions (0:01:02). A second permanent substitute, "That is a gift." (0:36:06); a building PD line (0:36:52); library book lines cut from $7,000 to $1,000 (0:37:50, 0:38:15); "a social worker in every elementary school" (0:40:22). |
| Mark Blount | Principal, Maple Avenue Elementary School | Self-introduction transcribed as But once a principal at Maple (0:00:45). Two permanent full-time substitutes (0:46:54); still seeking a school counselor after his moved to the tech center; gym mats; a $15,900 quote for sound insulation of one wall (0:49:28). |
| Christine Baker | Principal, Bluff Elementary School | An early voice says "Miss Baker couldn't attend" (0:01:18), but she presents later (0:54:25): two teachers per grade, an unfilled fifth-grade position, a permanent substitute, a half-time secretary (0:56:34), playground needs. |
| Mary Henry | Business Administrator | FY26 adequacy estimate "now getting 1.8 million more" (1:08:02); special-education aid "supposed to fund up to 90%" (1:09:08); revenue estimate kept low: "I would rather underestimate revenues" (1:21:08); "I made $300,000 in interest this year" (1:19:41); health insurance up 15% with higher deductibles (1:21:21); a full draft budget hoped for by the end of the week (1:43:59). |
| Mike McCosker | Director of Student Services | High school out-of-district placements: 30 students "at the tune of 3.35 million" (0:20:43). Explains the aid thresholds (1:10:20, 1:10:34); "They're not they're not paying what they're obligated to pay." (1:12:54). A Medicaid audit leaving the district owing $70,000 (1:14:36, 1:15:44). Contracted services budgeted about 514,000 but heading to about 750 (1:25:16, 1:25:46). Mental-health and special-education vacancies (1:26:06); ESL staffing (1:34:18). |
| Patrick O'Hearn | Director of Human Resources | His self-introduction is transcribed Baxter Hearn, director of human resources and the row is left Unidentified in the dialogue file (0:00:52). Brokers are being asked about SchoolCare and HealthTrust rates or an alternative (1:24:18, 1:24:36). On recruiting basics, "none of that's being done right now" (1:28:33). |
| Mike Koski | Assistant Superintendent | ELA and math curriculum purchases done, science "in two years"; instructional software moving from tech into curriculum, "overdrawn or overspent this year" (1:41:46, 1:42:20). |
| Chelsea Weatherford | Executive assistant to the superintendent | Introduces herself (0:00:59); no other words. |
| Unidentified | Various | 30 of 849 rows (3.5%), mostly short assents. The superintendent is referred to (Chris) but is not heard. No member of the public is heard and there was no public-comment period. |
Order of business (reconstructed)
No agenda was located for this meeting. The order below is reconstructed from the chair's transitions on the recording.
| Taken up | Item | What happened |
|---|
| 0:00:00 | Introductions | "Okay. We're on the air." Committee and administrators introduce themselves. No call to order, roll call or agenda approval is heard. |
| 0:01:24 | Tech center (SRVRTC) | Line-item increases; med tech year two; possible criminal-justice program and part-time academic teacher. |
| 0:12:21 | Stevens High School | Summer school back into the budget; curriculum work; behavior-training consultant; out-of-district tuition. |
| 0:27:40 | Claremont Middle School | Vacancies and scheduling; shared athletic director; summer programs; kiln ventilation. |
| 0:35:41 | Disnard Elementary | Permanent substitute; building PD; library books; social worker. |
| 0:45:16 | Maple Avenue Elementary | Permanent substitutes; counselor; mats; sound insulation; instrument repair. |
| 0:54:22 | Bluff Elementary | Staffing per grade; permanent substitute; half-time secretary; playground. |
| 1:07:46 | Business administrator: revenue and insurance | Adequacy, special-education aid, interest income, health insurance. |
| 1:25:06 | Student services; human resources | Contracted services, vacancies, recruiting, out-of-district placements, ESL. |
| 1:41:43 | Curriculum | Assistant superintendent's curriculum lines. |
| 1:43:48 | Next steps | Full draft budget to follow; next session December 4 (1:48:30). No motion, vote or adjournment is heard. |
Discussion timeline
Times are taken from the dialogue transcript (Dialogue/16155 SchoolBoardFinance111924.mp4.CSV) and link into the recording.
| Time | Topic | What was said | Flags |
|---|
| 0:00:00 | A televised session | Sprague: "Okay. We're on the air." Introductions "because this is for the folks in TV land." Then: "we're going to hear from the principals and directors as to, preliminarily about their budget." (0:01:02). | HIGH POSITIVE |
| 0:02:32 | Tech center lines | Building repair "at 500 now. I was looking to increase it to 1000"; construction supplies 8,500 to 9,000; equipment repair 1,200 to 1,500; "20 kids a day are using the Sanders" (0:02:59). | |
| 0:10:06 | New tech-center programs | A criminal-justice teacher at "like, 65 is a normal" salary; Crawford: "That's, that's the base. And so you have to add on, bennies." (0:10:18). A part-time ELA or math teacher to embed credits (0:10:22). | |
| 0:13:26 | Summer school after ESSER | "So, summer school, as you know, just coming out of SR [ESSER], it has to come back in the budget. That's about $30,000." Middle school: "normally I ran my summer program with about $12,000" (0:34:15). | |
| 0:19:09 | Behavior-training consultant | Three quotes ranging "from $38,000 to, I think $15,000"; "I'm looking at that mid range, which is about $25,000." (0:19:41). | |
| 0:20:05 | Out-of-district placements | Whitney: "I heard it was 4 million, roughly." (0:20:20). McCosker: high school "30 students. And out of district placement, at the tune of 3.35 million." (0:20:43). Herrington: tuition "that was budgeted is 2.3 million", after 1.5 and 1.4 in earlier years (0:20:54). | OBSERVATION |
| 0:27:42 | Middle school vacancies | "we have for unfilled positions" (four, one per core subject); "I don't think it's sustainable for what we're asking some of the teachers." (0:28:55). | |
| 0:33:21 | Kiln ventilation | "we price it out somewhere between 7 to 10,000." Was Capital Improvements aware? Crawford: No. (0:33:44); "the Capital Improvements Committee is looking to have a meeting ASAP. So we haven't had one yet" (0:33:50). | |
| 0:36:00 | Permanent substitutes | Lewis: a second permanent substitute; "today I have three classroom teachers out" (0:36:06). Blount asks for two (0:46:54); Baker for one at Bluff (0:55:24). | |
| 0:37:50 | Library books | The book line "was $7,000 a year" and "was cut back to $1,000" (0:38:15). | |
| 0:40:22 | Social workers | "a social worker in every elementary school. It is not in my budget, but it's just a plea I'm going to make all the time." | |
| 0:43:46 | Explaining requests to the public | Sprague: "I want the public to hear. When we when we bring things forward, what, what some of the underlying reasons are for that. And I think it's important for people to when we refer people back to the tapes as to why we." | HIGH |
| 0:49:28 | Sound insulation | "I have a quote for 15,900. That's a lot." | |
| 1:00:11 | Late bus | Romeo: a late bus "will enhance the experience for kids" (1:00:30); Whitney asks how many seats are needed now that the district has a van that needs no CDL (1:00:45). | |
| 1:08:02 | Adequacy aid | Henry: "you're up at, now getting 1.8 million more"; "That's our estimate for 26." (1:08:44). | |
| 1:09:03 | Catastrophic special-education aid | Whitney: "So the shortfall makes the state can cover only 67.5% of the funding." Henry: "they're supposed to fund up to 90%" (1:09:08). Whitney: "87% last year." (1:09:27). McCosker: "We we would have to spend $75,319.18. And then the state is supposed to kick in everything." (1:10:20); "They're not they're not paying what they're obligated to pay." (1:12:54). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:14:36 | Medicaid audit | "we have to pay Medicaid back $70,000" after the clerk "was able to fight it and whittle it down to 70,000" (1:15:44); Henry: other districts are "in this boat" (1:16:20). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:18:52 | Revenue and interest | Henry: "about 200,000" of the adequacy gain goes to cover the aid loss (1:19:27); "I made $300,000 in interest this year", against "usually around 30, maybe 40,000" (1:19:41). Crawford: "when we're doing budgets, we can't count it more than once." (1:20:35). Henry will "still estimate 250,000" (1:21:08). | POSITIVE |
| 1:21:21 | Health insurance | "In Claremont, the cost of insurance has gone up by 15%." Deductibles rise on both plans. O'Hearn: brokers asked to press SchoolCare and HealthTrust or "explore a different option" (1:24:36). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:25:16 | Student services contracted services | The contracted service line "was budgeted at 500,000 514,000 this year. But we're probably in the neighborhood of 750 for the. Year." (1:25:46); "Because I, we people aren't applying." (1:25:52). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:28:17 | Barriers to hiring | O'Hearn: refreshing postings, better language, contacting applicants within two days, "and none of that's being done right now. So from an HR perspective, we have a staff starting December 2nd." (1:28:33). | |
| 1:32:00 | Out-of-district capacity | McCosker: "I can't hire mental health, so, you know, can't bring that person back if I don't have the staff to work with them." Sprague on placement quality (1:39:03); McCosker: someone "focuses on that work" and visits programs (1:40:13). | |
| 1:41:46 | Curriculum lines | Koski: the instructional software line: "It's overdrawn or overspent this year" because of which budget it is drawn from (1:42:20). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:44:10 | Unused lines | Sprague: unused lines are what "drives the board crazy"; "Move it or remove." (1:44:51). Henry: "I've put a little more ownership into the principals" (1:45:09). | POSITIVE |
| 1:46:33 | District-wide positions | Sprague recalls almost five pre-K FTEs "embedded" in district-wide lines and people budgeted in both places (1:47:55); Henry: "I'm confident that is not happening." (1:48:08). | |
| 1:48:24 | Next meeting | Crawford: "Like our next meeting schedule?" Henry: "Number four. December 4th." (1:48:30). The recording ends without an adjournment (1:49:01). | |
Items flagged for review
These flags are a reviewer's aid, not findings of violation and not legal advice. Each one names the rule it rests on, as that rule read on November 19, 2024, or is labeled an observation where no verified rule applies.
HIGH A noticed public subcommittee met for nearly two hours, and no agenda, packet or minutes have been found
RSA 91-A:1-a, VI(d) makes a public body of any school district board "or any committee, subcommittee, or subordinate body thereof, or advisory committee thereto", and RSA 91-A:2, II requires minutes of every meeting, open to inspection within five business days. The Finance Committee is three of the board's seven members meeting on district business at a scheduled time, and this session ran 1:49:02 on camera. Its date appears in a list printed in the board's October 16, 2024 minutes, so the meeting was announced; no stand-alone notice, agenda, packet or minutes has been found. MAP.md records searches of the 2024 Meeting Documents archive, the Meeting Minutes share and the next board packet (2026-08-28); on October 3, 2026 a title search for the date found no district file, and the Finance subcommittee folder linked from the SAU 6 website (created February 2026) holds only Purpose Statement and 2025-2026. The only written trace is a four-sentence summary in the board's approved November 20 minutes. The board's own by-laws, adopted June 5, 2024, make it the clerk's duty to "Perform the duty of clerk at all committee meetings" and to keep "a complete, accurate record of all CSB proceedings" (4.03(a) and (c)). The chair's own words describe the practice: "when we refer people back to the tapes" (0:43:46). This is graded HIGH under the project's severity rule because the absence is unmitigated: no one on the record says minutes exist or are coming, the committee had all three members present, and the meeting was not packeted. That it was televised helps the public but does not substitute for minutes. The same date list also noticed a November 12 session; no recording, minutes or later mention of it has been found, and this session's presenters treat it as their first pass.
Sources: RSA 91-A:1-a, VI(d) (committees and subcommittees are public bodies); RSA 91-A:2, II (2024 codification; notice and minutes within 5 business days); 10.16.24 board minutes, item VI(d) (date list); Approved 11.20.24 board minutes, item IV.6(b); Claremont School Board By-Laws, 4.03 (adopted June 5, 2024)
OBSERVATION Three different descriptions of catastrophic special-education aid, none matching the statute in force
In the 2024 codification, RSA 186-C:18, III has the state pay 80 percent of a child's special-education costs above 3½ times the estimated state average expenditure per pupil and all costs above 10 times, with reimbursement prorated when the appropriation falls short; it contains no minimum funding floor and no 90 percent figure (the floor was added in 2025). On tape the business administrator said the state is "supposed to fund up to 90%" (1:09:08), the student-services director said that above the threshold "the state is supposed to kick in everything" (1:10:20), and a member summarized it as 100% above the thresholds (1:12:27). So "They're not they're not paying what they're obligated to pay." (1:12:54) is a characterization: proration at 67.5% in FY2025 is what the 2024 text provides for. The 67.5% and 87% figures Whitney cited match reporting by the New Hampshire Bulletin four days earlier. The practical point stands: the district absorbs the difference.
Sources: RSA 186-C:18, III, 2024 codification (source note ends 2023, 79:141, 142); New Hampshire Bulletin, November 15, 2024 (reporting, not law)
OBSERVATION Current-year spending running well ahead of FY25 lines surfaced only in passing
Three FY2025 lines were described as over budget while the committee was building FY2026: high school out-of-district placements "at the tune of 3.35 million" (0:20:43) against tuition "that was budgeted is 2.3 million" (0:20:54); student-services contracted services "budgeted at 500,000 514,000" and heading to "the neighborhood of 750" (1:25:46); and an instructional software line "overdrawn or overspent this year" (1:42:20). The district also owes Medicaid $70,000 after an audit (1:15:44). Taken at face value, the first two alone point to roughly $1.3 million of FY2025 pressure. No one asked how the current year would absorb it, and there is no packet or minutes in which a reader could check the figures. No statute is cited because the speakers' figures are estimates of year-end spending, not a recorded overexpenditure; the next financial report to the board is the document that would settle them.
Sources: the recording at the times shown; no written record of this meeting exists to cite
OBSERVATION Health insurance up 15% while HR explores leaving SchoolCare, the day before the board ratified a contract that names it
The business administrator reported "the cost of insurance has gone up by 15%" with higher deductibles on both plans (1:21:21), and the HR director said brokers were exploring lower rates or "a different option outside of school care and health trust" (1:24:36). The next evening the board ratified the teachers' (SREA) contract; its approved minutes record the business administrator noting that the contract "does specifically say SchoolCare" and the superintendent saying an amendment would be usual if carriers changed. Nothing here is unlawful; it is a cost and a constraint the FY26 budget would have to carry, recorded nowhere but on these two tapes.
Sources: Approved 11.20.24 board minutes, item IV.2; Claremont School Board, November 20, 2024
POSITIVE Building-level budget requests made in public, on camera, with the reasons stated
Every principal and central-office director presented preliminary requests in open session, with self-introductions "for the folks in TV land" (0:00:00) and the chair asking for explanations because "I want the public to hear" (0:43:46). The chair had the student-services director explain catastrophic aid for viewers (1:09:08), the committee told administrators to "Move it or remove" unused lines (1:44:51), and the business administrator said she would budget interest income below her expectation, "I would rather underestimate revenues" (1:21:08). The approved November 20 minutes record that administrators stayed to hear one another. No statute requires a subcommittee to televise budget building; this went beyond the minimum, and it is the only reason the public can know what was said (flag 1).
Sources: the recording at the times shown; Approved 11.20.24 board minutes, item IV.6(b)
Appendix: source files
Official and public sources
- Cablecast: Finance Committee School Board 11/19/24 (show 16155)
- No agenda, packet or minutes located. Checked per MAP.md (2026-08-28): the 2024 Meeting Documents archive, the Meeting Minutes share and the next board packet. Re-checked 2026-10-03: Drive title search for the date; the Finance subcommittee folder (two subfolders, neither for 2024). Drive searches can under-report; this is "not found", not "does not exist".
- Notice:
10.16.24 DRAFT CSB meeting minutes (1).pdf, item VI(d), lists "November 19, 2024" among Finance Subcommittee dates, 1-3 PM at SRVRTC.
- Later summary:
9. Approved CSB meeting minutes 11.20.24, item IV.6(b).
- Related page: Claremont School Board, November 20, 2024.
Project files
Working files this page was built from. The dialogue file is linked; the others are not published with the page.
Dialogue/16155 SchoolBoardFinance111924.mp4.CSV (849 attributed rows; the basis of this page)Input/Videos/16155 SchoolBoardFinance111924.mp4Input/Transcripts/16155 SchoolBoardFinance111924.mp4.jsonInput/SupportingDocuments/MAP.md, section 242
Laws and rules cited on this page
- RSA 91-A:1-a, VI(d): public bodies include committees and subcommittees of a school board
- RSA 91-A:2, II, 2024 codification: notice; minutes within 5 business days
- RSA 186-C:18, III, 2024 codification (2023, 79:141, 142, eff. July 1, 2023): catastrophic special-education aid, 80% above 3½ times, 100% above 10 times, prorated; no floor before 2025
- Board rules: Claremont School Board By-Laws (adopted June 5, 2024), 4.03(a) and (c): the clerk keeps the record and clerks all committee meetings
- Press: New Hampshire Bulletin, November 15, 2024