Participants
Everyone heard or recorded as present. Spellings follow the agenda and the draft minutes; where the dialogue file's label differs, the difference is noted. Unidentified voices stay unidentified.
| Name | Role | Participation |
|---|
| Heather Whitney | Chair | Absent (roll call, 0:00:59; draft minutes). Named by Madden as having directed him and the former HR director to work on a superintendent search (2:10:17). |
| Michael Petrin | Vice chair, presiding; chair, Capital Improvement subcommittee | Presides. Adds items 6 (NHSBA resolutions) and 7 (secretary coverage) to the agenda (0:01:31). Seconds the O'Neil, policy, DAF motions per the draft minutes. Says the earlier tax rate "was improperly calculated" (1:43:55) and asks how health insurance came to be paid for people no longer employed (1:45:50). Reopens citizens' comments after the finance items (1:48:21). The dialogue file and the ASR render his name patron throughout the roll calls. |
| Arlene Hawkins | Member; chair, Policy subcommittee | Moves the nonpublic session (0:27:42), the O'Neil appointment (1:17:25), the Rogers appointment (1:22:00) and the release of compensation data (1:27:02). Questions the intern pay ("The part that I'm not familiar with is being paid a full salary. Benefits also.", 0:50:11). Presents eight policies (1:57:27) and reports about two dozen missing priority policies (2:04:10). Moves to adjourn (2:14:20); she also writes the nonpublic minutes. |
| Candace Crawford | Member; chair, Finance and SRVRTC subcommittees | Moves out of nonpublic (0:29:04), the policy adoptions (2:01:21), the DAF revision (2:03:34) and support of the NHSBA recommendations (2:07:04). Asks Kennedy to confirm the former HR director left with "no buyout" (1:19:03). Says of the DOE-25 that it is "very important. To state that there was no positive balance going forward." (1:41:04). |
| William "Bill" Madden | Member; Policy and Curriculum | Presses on who hired the interns and at what cost (0:48:34, 0:49:45). Says the whistleblower law was never posted (1:19:38). Raises an audit report "that was hidden from us with 39 pages and 59 points" (1:31:26). Warns the superintendent search is behind (2:10:17, 2:13:45). Seconds leaving nonpublic and adjournment per the draft minutes. |
| Loren Howard | Member, attending by Zoom; NHSBA delegate | Affirms no one is with him (0:01:13). Asks the board to back the NHSBA's recommendations on the resolutions before the delegate assembly, which he says he will attend on October 25 (2:06:09, 2:06:34). Votes yes on each roll call. Rendered Lauren by the ASR and the roll call. |
| Noelle Kronberg | Board clerk | Absent, on maternity leave (2:08:44); expected back "next month" (2:09:50). |
| Kerry Kennedy | Interim Superintendent, SAU 6 | Superintendent's report (0:29:28): reports on the Bluff school move, the revolving-loan hearing before the Senate Education Committee (1:10:44), the unpaid disciplinary suspension of former business administrator Mary Henry (1:13:21), the resignations of HR director Patrick O'Hearn and Samantha Miller (1:14:35), nominates Jennifer O'Neil as interim CMS principal (1:15:57), brings Ms. Rogers forward as eighth-grade social studies teacher (1:20:21), and asks for approval to publish compensation data (1:24:04). |
| Matt Angell | Senior Comptroller / Interim Business Administrator, SAU 6 | Calls every roll call. Gives the intern costs ($96,940 and $109,437 fully loaded, 0:58:40). Reports a projected FY2026 deficit of "almost $1.9 million" (1:34:04), a ten-cent-per-meal agreement signed by the former business administrator (1:34:54), a Positive Pay agreement with Claremont Savings Bank (1:38:01), the DOE-25 and MS-25 for signature (1:39:50) and two tax-rate estimates (1:42:52). |
| Jessica McCleod | Assistant Director for Student Support Services, SAU 6 | Presents the school-psychology intern report (0:29:57 to 0:46:02): one licensed school psychologist on staff, about 1,500 students, "zero qualified applicants" in a year of posting (0:36:14), contract psychologists at $130 to $175 an hour (0:36:47), and Medicaid billing limits. Spelling: the draft minutes print McCleod; she introduces herself as "Jessica McLeod" in the transcript (0:29:57) and the dialogue file labels her "Jessica McCloud". The spelling is not settled. |
| Jeff Small | Director of Technology, SAU 6 | Present; not heard. Kennedy notes "Mr. Small is here" when announcing a technology-subscription audit (1:22:44). |
| Dr. Michael Herrington | Stevens High School principal | Listed in the nonpublic minutes as present in the nonpublic session, with Kennedy and a parent. Not heard on the recording. |
| Molly Tremblay | Citizens' comments, Ward 1; early childhood educator | Thanks Angell; describes families without food; urges that every option "other than raising the tax rate" be exhausted (0:02:56, 0:05:01). |
| Sherry Williams | Citizens' comments, Ward 3 | Asks for clarity on any tax increase (0:05:24); later summarizes what she heard as "a 9.8% increase" (1:55:41). |
| Courtney Porter | Citizens' comments, Ward 1; school social worker | Invites families in need to contact the district's social workers (0:07:23). |
| Chris Cogswell | Citizens' comments, Ward 3 | Thanks the board; asks that money be invested in training local people for district roles (0:08:23). |
| Kathy Savage | Citizens' comments (ward not stated) | Asks whether anyone pursued fiduciary responsibility for the missing audits and whether insurance can be tapped (0:11:24, 0:12:44). |
| Wayne Hemingway | Citizens' comments, Ward 1; state representative and city councilor | Reports on the October 14 Senate hearing on the HB 292 revolving-loan amendment (0:14:51); "This was misuse of of monies within this district." (0:17:13). |
| Anthony Emanuel | Citizens' comments, Ward 3 | Asks Angell whether he found unexplained withdrawals; demands open books (0:18:00, 0:19:27). The dialogue segment at 0:18:07 also absorbs Angell's reply. |
| Unidentified | Citizens' comments; state representative (name not captured by the ASR) | Reports that the loan amendment vote was postponed and will not reach the full Senate this calendar year (0:21:33, 0:22:08); returns with a question on the meal agreement (1:49:40). |
| Unidentified | Citizens' comments, Ward 3 (name garbled by the ASR) | Supports the current board (0:24:38); in the reopened period, questions why the district's psychologists are not Medicaid-billable (1:51:35). |
| Dave Larson | Citizens' comments, Ward 2; retired engineer | Asks the board to make raw budget data public (0:26:14, 0:26:54). |
| Stephen (surname not stated) | Citizens' comments, Ward 2 | Recomputes the meal agreement at about $13,500 a year (1:48:42, 1:49:11). |
| Unidentified | Various | Sixty short crosstalk rows the dialogue file could not assign; none carries a motion or a vote. |
Agenda
The posted agenda (folder and agenda created October 9, 2025) with the point at which each item is taken up and its disposition. Agenda wording is quoted from the agenda; motions and votes follow the draft minutes and the recording.
| Taken up | Item | Agenda text / disposition |
|---|
| 0:00:02 | I. Call to order, Pledge | Agenda: "6:30 PM Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance". Petrin presides. |
| 0:00:59 | II. Roll call | Angell calls the roll: Petrin, Hawkins, Crawford, Madden present; Howard by Zoom; Whitney absent. |
| 0:01:31 | II.a.1 Amendments to the agenda | Petrin adds item 6, the NHSBA resolutions, and item 7, secretary coverage. No objection (0:02:32); draft minutes: "Seeing none, Mike Petrin moved forward with agenda as amended". No vote taken. |
| 0:02:08 | II.a.2 Approval of minutes | "We don't have any meeting minutes tonight." Draft minutes: "No minutes to approve". |
| 0:02:18 | II.a.3 Approval of manifest | Petrin mentions the manifest and moves on. Draft minutes: "Approval of Manifest: Not addressed at this time". See flag 6. |
| 0:02:32 | II.b Citizens' comments | Ten speakers from 0:02:56 to 0:26:14; closed at 0:27:26. |
| 0:27:26 | III.1 Nonpublic session | Agenda: "Non- Public Session: RSA 91-A:3,II (3)", followed by the text of exemption II(c). Hawkins moves under "RSA 91. Dash a colon three comma two. Parentheses three." (0:27:42); seconded (Crawford per both sets of minutes); roll call 5–0 (0:28:12 to 0:28:22). Return to public session moved by Crawford, seconded by Madden ("Second by Bill"), roll call 5–0 (0:28:50 to 0:29:23); the nonpublic minutes name Petrin and Hawkins instead. See flag 3. |
| 0:29:23 | III.2 Superintendent's report | Agenda lists a psychology-intern update covering college affiliation, "Who approved the positions and determined salary/ benefits", and Medicaid billing. Three motions, each by roll call: O'Neil as interim CMS principal (Hawkins, second Petrin; 5–0, 1:18:20); Ms. Rogers as eighth-grade social studies teacher (Hawkins, second Crawford per the minutes; 5–0, 1:22:33); release of the staff salary and benefits compensation letter (Hawkins, second Crawford; 5–0, 1:28:50). |
| 1:32:00 | III.3 Executive summary financial update | September revenue $1.7 million; available appropriation $5.9 million on the October 7 run; projected deficit "almost $1.9 million". Positive Pay agreement approved by "consensus", no motion or roll call (1:39:48). See flag 5 and flag 12. |
| 1:39:50 | III.4 MS-24, DOE-25 EOY balance, estimated tax rate | Agenda: "(Discussion and Board Signatures)". Angell passes the DOE-25 and MS-25 for signature; no fund balance to report, "In this case, there's a deficit." (1:41:01). Tax-rate estimates of 9.18% and 6.08% (1:42:52). No vote recorded; signatures collected at the table. See flag 1. |
| 1:48:21 | (not on agenda) Citizens' comments reopened | Petrin reopens comments under board policy; four speakers to 1:55:41. |
| 1:57:01 | III.5 Subcommittee reports | Capital Improvement: nothing. Finance: one meeting held, budget work beginning (1:57:12). Policy: seven policies listed on the agenda as "First Read" (BGAA, JICC, JICC-R(1), JICDD, JICI, JI, JLDBA) adopted on Crawford's motion, Petrin second, roll call 5–0 (2:01:21 to 2:02:10); revision of DAF adopted, Crawford, Petrin second, 5–0 (2:03:34 to 2:04:09). Curriculum: not met. SRVRTC: open house announced (2:04:56). See flag 11. |
| 2:05:43 | 6 (added) NHSBA resolutions | Motion to support the NHSBA's resolution recommendations, Crawford, second Hawkins; roll call 5–0 (2:08:18). |
| 2:08:44 | 7 (added) Secretary coverage | Agenda (Other Business): "Seeking individual to transcribe minutes for CSB while clerk in unavailable pay per meeting is $300." Applicants under review (2:09:17). No vote. |
| 2:10:13 | IV. Other business | Madden raises the superintendent search; Petrin suggests it go on the November 5 agenda (2:13:50). No vote. |
| 2:14:01 | V. Future dates | Board meetings November 5 and November 19, 2025. |
| 2:14:20 | VI. Adjournment | Hawkins moves, Madden seconds (draft minutes). An unidentified voice says "You don't need a roll call. Vote on that one." (2:14:28); no roll call is taken. See flag 5. |
Discussion timeline
Times are taken from the dialogue transcript (Dialogue/16896 SchoolBoard101525.mp4.CSV) and link into the recording. Quotations are as transcribed.
Topics in the order taken up, with the most concrete material first.
| Time | Topic | What was said | Flags |
|---|
| 0:00:02 | Opening and roll | Petrin calls the meeting to order. Angell: "So, Heather Whitney's not here." Howard attends by Zoom and affirms "No one is looking in the room, and I'm in my house." (0:01:13). The minutes do not state why he attended remotely. | MEDIUM |
| 0:02:18 | Manifest | "And to move the approval of the manifest. So any objections to those changes to the." The chair then takes objections to the agenda changes only; no manifest vote follows. | MEDIUM |
| 0:02:56 | Citizens' comments: taxes and families | Tremblay: "I urge the board to confirm that every single possible option, other than raising the tax rate, has been fully explored and exhausted before it was raised by even 1%." (0:05:01). Williams asks the board to explain how any refund "related to erroneous tax rates" relates to an increase (0:06:01). Porter points families to the district's social workers (0:07:23). Cogswell asks that money be invested in training local people (0:10:17). | |
| 0:11:24 | Citizens' comments: audits and accountability | Savage asks whether anyone looked at "fiduciary responsibility to the people who didn't have the annual audits?" and says "it hasn't been, what, eight years since an audit was done here?" (0:12:44). Petrin: "Mr. Angel's been digging into the numbers" (0:12:37). Emanuel: "When can we get a handle on $5 million that just walked away and get some real responsibility in some transparency here?" (0:20:58). In the segment at 0:18:07 Angell answers "I haven't found any instances of large instances of fraud" and describes record keeping "kind of in shambles". | |
| 0:14:51 | Revolving-loan bill | Hemingway reports the October 14 Senate hearing on a revolving-loan amendment to HB 292, to cover April to June with repayment when funds arrive (0:16:23): "This was misuse of of monies within this district." (0:17:13). An unidentified state representative says the vote "has been postponed" and "it will not be voted on by the full Senate in this calendar year." (0:22:08). | |
| 0:26:14 | Citizens' comments: budget data | Larson: "I request that the board makes raw data available to the general public." (0:26:54). | POSITIVE |
| 0:27:42 | Nonpublic session | "I'll move that. We move into nonpublic session under RSA 91. Dash a colon three comma two. Parentheses three." Roll call 5–0. The nonpublic minutes tick exemption II(c) and record a parent raising a Stevens High School discipline matter; no action. Return at 0:28:50. | MEDIUM |
| 0:29:57 | School-psychology interns: presentation | McCleod: one licensed school psychologist working; about 1,500 students; guidance of one psychologist per 500 to 700 (0:31:24); "In the last year that we've had this position posted, we've had zero qualified applicants apply." (0:36:14); contract psychologists cost $130 to $175 an hour (0:36:47). Interns are in a 1,200-hour Plymouth State internship (0:47:39). Risks if evaluations lapse include "doughy [DOE] complaints" (0:43:05) and, as explained to her, loss of federal funds for failing maintenance of effort (0:43:37). A packet letter from the Plymouth State program coordinator says both interns hold Statements of Eligibility from the NH Department of Education. | OBSERVATION |
| 0:47:59 | Interns: who hired them, at what cost | Madden: "I have a question about who hired them. You said you didn't hire them." (0:48:34); "the numbers we're hearing are very high, like 120." (0:49:45). McCleod: "I know that there's salary is $80,000. I didn't set that salary." (0:49:18). Hawkins: "we knew nothing about what was happening." (0:54:18). Angell: "One intern with all their benefits is costing the district $96,940, and the other one is costing the district $109,437." (0:58:40); "The base salary is 80,000." (0:59:39). Kennedy: "we're still uncovering" the hiring process (1:02:11). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:00:42 | Interns: Medicaid billing | Only one district psychologist can bill Medicaid now; the interns are expected to be credentialed in the spring (0:41:38, 1:00:29). Crawford: credentialing "is only one factor" in reimbursement (1:05:26). In the reopened comment period a Ward 3 resident asks why the district has not required billable credentials (1:53:08). | |
| 1:06:59 | Superintendent's report: staff and schools | Heidi Sprague returns as Medicaid billing specialist; the Bluff school's move into Disnard and Maple Avenue, with an apology for bus confusion (1:08:15); McKinney-Vento and food-insecurity resources (1:09:44); a 2,000-board-foot lumber donation for the middle school (1:12:25). | |
| 1:10:44 | Revolving loan: Senate hearing | Kennedy, Angell and Mr. O'Shaughnessy presented to the Senate Education Committee on October 14. "So again, it's not an extra loan. It's just accessing the money that we would already be getting." (1:11:42). | |
| 1:13:21 | Former business administrator suspended | Kennedy reads a prepared statement: Mary Henry "has been on paid administrative leave since August 22nd, 2025"; she and the SAU "are parties to a two year employment contract" with a for-cause termination provision; "Last week, the Sioux [SAU] delivered a formal disciplinary letter to Miss Henry, placing on unpaid disciplinary suspension." She has requested a hearing before the SAU 6 board (1:14:01). | |
| 1:14:35 | HR departures | HR director Patrick O'Hearn and Samantha Miller have resigned; Chelsea Weatherford is acting interim HR manager; an HR audit is planned. Crawford confirms there was "no buyout" (1:19:03); Kennedy: "Yes, yes." (1:19:35). | |
| 1:15:57 | Interim CMS principal | Jennifer O'Neil, career counselor at the Tech Center, recommended as interim Claremont Middle School principal; $110,000 base plus $2,500 for a master's, prorated (1:17:05). Hawkins moves "with the salary and benefits to align with the collective bargaining agreement of the CAA" (1:17:25); the draft minutes write SREA. Roll call 5–0 (1:18:20). Crawford: the Tech Center career-counselor position "still needs. To be filled." (1:18:37). | |
| 1:19:38 | Whistleblower notice | Madden: the former HR director "was supposed to make sure that the RSA whistleblower law was distributed to all the administrators and put up in the common rooms for the various schools. It was I know it hasn't been done." Kennedy: "I know I saw it at CMS" (1:20:02). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:20:21 | Eighth-grade social studies teacher | Ms. Rogers, a restorative teacher who has been substituting since a vacancy, is brought forward; joining the SREA contract is "actually a reduction in pay" from her letter of agreement (1:20:39). The transcript renders her first name Kaylee and Katie; the draft minutes print both Kaley and Haley. Roll call 5–0 (1:22:33). | |
| 1:22:44 | Technology-subscription audit | Kennedy announces an internal review of all technology subscriptions and fees, to report in about two weeks. | |
| 1:24:04 | Publishing staff compensation | Kennedy: the list gives each staff member's position, wages and benefits; "This is public record. Miss Weatherford has been getting for a lot of right to know requests." (1:24:42). Motion to make the salary and benefits package public, roll call 5–0 (1:28:50). | POSITIVE |
| 1:31:26 | An undisclosed audit report | Madden: "Heather has been trying to get the report, that audit report that we never saw, that was hidden from us with 39 pages and 59 points". Kennedy: "It doesn't." ring a bell; she will follow up with the chair. | OBSERVATION |
| 1:32:00 | Financial update | September receipts $1.7 million, $1.6 million of it the city's district assessment. The October 7 run shows "a surplus surplus available appropriation of $5.9 million", up $82,214, including a $70,000 encumbrance "for additional legal fees" (1:33:12). "Now I'm still estimating a deficit at the end of this fiscal year of almost $1.9 million." (1:34:04). Two walk-in refrigerators failed health inspection; Angell's past purchases ran "about $45,000 apiece" (1:34:54). | |
| 1:34:54 | Ten-cent meal agreement | Angell received "an agreement that was signed by the former business administrator nine days before I was brought on" to "contribute $0.10 to every meal that served at school lunch, and it's going to come out of our appropriations." Hawkins asks whether the board approved it (1:35:43). "I don't have an appropriation to pay for this." (1:36:15). Angell estimates $1,000. (1:36:29); a Ward 2 resident later computes $13,500 (1:49:11). | MEDIUM |
| 1:37:12 | Signatories and Positive Pay | Under policy DGA the authorized signers are Angell, Lori Mowrey, Jane Hunter, Chelsea Weatherford and Chair Whitney (1:37:45; the minutes print "Laurie Maurie"). Angell wants Positive Pay, "submitting a file of all of our checks" (1:38:01), and dual approval: "One is one enters a transaction. The second person, well releases it." (1:38:33). Hawkins: "Which we have not had till this point." Approved by consensus (1:39:48). | MEDIUM POSITIVE |
| 1:39:50 | DOE-25 and MS-25 signed six weeks late | "I, I emailed copies of them to you this this morning. Unfortunately, I've been working on it for like the last week, and I finished it this morning. So I'm sorry about normally I get this done in August, so that the board has time to review it." (1:40:18). Crawford: no positive balance going forward (1:41:04). The MS-25 in the packet is headed "Not Later Than September 1, 2025" and carries a print stamp of 10/15/2025 11:00 AM; its OCR text shows a general-fund unassigned fund balance of about negative $4.68 million. | HIGH |
| 1:41:14 | Tax-rate estimate | The DRA lets the district estimate up to 80% of special-education aid, which is shown as $1.1 million against 479,000 last year: "why did it double." (1:41:46). City assessed values not yet filed. With $500,000: "a, $1.48 increase over last year or 9.18%"; with $1.1 million: "a 98 cent increase or a 6.08% increase." (1:42:52). Petrin: "the previous tax rate was improperly calculated" (1:43:55); Angell: "last year they were using a fund balance number that I don't believe that they had." (1:44:28). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:45:50 | Health insurance for former employees | Angell: "I've been asking to have health insurance reconciled for over a month now." (1:46:31); "we were finding, people that were on the health insurance that had been on for a couple of years that shouldn't have been there." (1:46:57). Kennedy describes a department-by-department staff check (1:47:24). | |
| 1:48:21 | Citizens' comments reopened | Petrin: "we do have a board policy of allowing citizens comments if we choose after agenda items." Stephen (Ward 2) on the meal agreement: "It's nowhere near a $1,000 issue." (1:49:11). Angell explains the money moves from the general fund to the school lunch fund (1:49:55); Crawford: "So it's moving the debt from one area to the other." (1:51:17). Williams: "I can roughly anticipate a 10% increase in the school district taxes." (1:56:14). | POSITIVE |
| 1:57:27 | Policies adopted | Hawkins presents BGAA (policy development, adoption and review, which "includes 30 minutes of public comment requirement", 1:57:57), JICC and JICC-R(1) (school buses), JICDD (out-of-school conduct), JICI (weapons), JI and JLDBA. Crawford asks the committee's recommendation; Madden: "Go with it." (2:01:11). Adopted 5–0. DAF revised for whistleblower notification (DAF 12 and 13) and adopted 5–0 (2:02:11). About "two dozen" priority policies are missing (2:04:10). | OBSERVATION |
| 2:05:43 | NHSBA resolutions | Howard: "we are supporting the NHS, a [NHSBA] recommendations for the resolution. It's not support of every resolution itself" (2:06:09). Adopted 5–0 (2:08:18). | |
| 2:08:44 | Minutes coverage | "As we know, our, secretary is on maternity leave, so we need to find someone to cover and transcribe the minutes." Kennedy on the new transcriber: "They'll be able to go back and look at the video footage from the ones we had" (2:09:50). | MEDIUM |
| 2:10:17 | Superintendent search | Madden says he and the former HR director began a search at the chair's request, then received "a very stern email from Miss Hawkins. Cease and desist." (2:10:45). Kennedy outlines a fall-to-March timetable for a July 1 appointment (2:11:46). Petrin: "Unity is leaving the SA6 [SAU 6]" (2:12:33). Hawkins: a search committee "would need to be formed and approved by the board" (2:13:05). Madden: "Time is going on and nothing is happening." (2:13:45). | |
| 2:14:20 | Adjournment | "I moved to adjourn second." No roll call (2:14:28). | MEDIUM |
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 October 15, 2025, or is labeled an observation where no verified rule applies.
HIGH The FY2025 DOE-25, MS-25 and revised revenue estimate, due September 1, were completed the morning of October 15 and signed that night
Angell at 1:40:18: "I, I emailed copies of them to you this this morning. Unfortunately, I've been working on it for like the last week, and I finished it this morning. So I'm sorry about normally I get this done in August". At 1:02:31 he says his focus "up until today was to make sure the end of year report was, finished, estimated revenues is finished". The MS-25 in the packet prints its own deadline, "DUE TO THE NH DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE Not Later Than September 1, 2025", and each page carries the print stamp "10/15/2025 11:00 AM"; the DOE-25 file was placed in the packet folder at 17:08 UTC on October 15 (Drive metadata). RSA 198:4-d, as in force from July 1, 2025, requires the district's financial report "on or before September 1 of each year" and contains no extension provision; RSA 21-J:34, V requires school districts to "submit financial reports on or before September 1 of each year", and ¶III requires the revised estimate of revenues "by September 1 of each year". On the record these filings were 44 days past due when the board signed them. Mitigation stated on the record: the business administrator had been on leave since August 22 (1:13:21) and Angell had been brought in after the crisis; the filings were completed before the tax rate was set, and Angell planned to "file everything tomorrow" (1:45:30). The deadline still passed, and the board received the documents, which carry a chair's certification under penalty of perjury, the morning it was asked to sign them.
Sources: RSA 198:4-d (2025 codification; financial report on or before September 1); RSA 21-J:34, III and V (revised revenues and financial report by September 1); FY 25 MS-25.pdf; FY 25 DOE-25.pdf
MEDIUM The public minutes reached the district's minutes folder about six weeks after the meeting
RSA 91-A:2, II requires minutes to be "promptly recorded and open to public inspection not more than 5 business days after the meeting", which for this meeting was Wednesday, October 22, 2025. The draft public minutes were created in the 2025 Meeting Minutes folder at 03:24 UTC on November 26, 2025 (Drive metadata), the evening of November 25 in Claremont and about 28 business days after the meeting, counting Veterans Day as a holiday. Drive creation dates show when a document became visible in the public folder, not when it was written. Graded MEDIUM rather than HIGH under the project's severity rule because the record mitigates the gap: the clerk's maternity leave is stated on tape (2:08:44), the agenda itself advertised for a transcriber at $300 a meeting, and Kennedy said the transcriber would work from "the video footage" (2:09:50). The recording was available throughout. The gap is still well beyond the statutory period.
Sources: RSA 91-A:2, II (minutes open to inspection within 5 business days); 10.15.25 DRAFT CSB Meeting Minutes.docx.pdf
MEDIUM The nonpublic session was entered under a paragraph that does not exist, and its minutes are misdated, disagree with the public minutes, and were not disclosed within 72 hours
The agenda reads "Non- Public Session: RSA 91-A:3,II (3)" and then quotes the text of exemption II(c); the motion at 0:27:42 says "RSA 91. Dash a colon three comma two. Parentheses three."; the draft public minutes repeat "RSA 91-A:3,II (3)". RSA 91-A:3, II is lettered (a) through (m) and has no subparagraph (3). RSA 91-A:3, I(b) requires a motion to "state on its face the specific exemption under paragraph II". The agenda's quotation and the nonpublic minutes' tick against II(c) make the intended ground clear, so the defect is in the citation, not the ground. The nonpublic minutes then (1) are dated "October 16, 2025"; (2) record the motion to leave nonpublic as Petrin's, seconded by Hawkins, where the public minutes and the recording ("Second by Bill", 0:29:07) have Crawford moving and Madden seconding; and (3) record no motion to seal. Without a sealing vote, RSA 91-A:3, III requires that "Minutes and decisions reached in nonpublic session shall be publicly disclosed within 72 hours of the meeting". The unsealed PDF was created on Drive on October 30, 2025, fifteen days later, and sits in a "2025 Non-Public" folder created January 11, 2026 (Drive metadata). Graded MEDIUM: the 72-hour finding rests on Drive dates alone, and the clerk's absence is on the record.
Sources: RSA 91-A:3, I(b), II(c) and III (motion states the exemption; disclosure within 72 hours); CSB Agenda 10.15.25 (1).pdf; 10.16.25 CSB Nonpublic Meeting session minutes Unsealed
MEDIUM The public minutes omit the start time, the end time, the author, and the reason for a member's remote attendance
Since August 22, 2025 (2025, 112:1), RSA 91-A:2, II has required minutes to include "the start time and end time of the meeting, and name of the person who produced the minutes." The draft public minutes give only the agenda's scheduled times (6:30, 6:35, 6:55, 8:20, 8:25, 8:30 p.m.); they state no actual start or end time and name no author. The nonpublic minutes do better: they give 7:00 and 8:30 p.m. and name Arlene Hawkins as recorder. Separately, Howard attended by Zoom (0:01:13). RSA 91-A:2, III(a) allows remote attendance when attending in person "is not reasonably practical" and requires that "Any reason that such attendance is not reasonably practical shall be stated in the minutes of the meeting." The draft minutes record only that he was "present virtually" and alone. The other conditions of ¶III were met on the record: four of seven members were physically present (III(b)) and each recorded motion was decided by roll call (but see flag 5). Graded MEDIUM as documentation gaps in a draft written by a stand-in during the clerk's leave; the approved version may differ and was not read for this page.
Sources: RSA 91-A:2, II (minutes contents, as amended by 2025, 112:1) and III(a)–(b), (e) (remote participation); 10.15.25 DRAFT CSB Meeting Minutes.docx.pdf
MEDIUM Two decisions were taken without a roll call while a member attended remotely
RSA 91-A:2, III(e) provides that when a member participates remotely, "All votes taken during such a meeting shall be by roll call vote." The board used roll calls for seven motions. Two decisions were not: the Positive Pay customer-service agreement with Claremont Savings Bank, which Angell asked the board to approve ("It would be nice if I could get an approval from the school board", 1:38:01) and which was settled by "As you consensus" (1:39:48); and adjournment, where an unidentified voice says "You don't need a roll call. Vote on that one." (2:14:28). The agenda amendments were taken by "Any any objection" (0:02:32), which is not recorded as a vote at all. Howard's position on the bank agreement is therefore not on the record. Graded MEDIUM: the agreement itself is a control improvement (flag 12), but a decision the administration asked for should have a recorded vote.
Sources: RSA 91-A:2, III(e) (roll-call votes when a member participates remotely)
MEDIUM The manifest was on the consent agenda and was not approved
The agenda lists "Approval of Manifest" under the consent agenda. Petrin says "And to move the approval of the manifest" at 0:02:18 and then takes objections to the agenda amendments only; the draft minutes record "Approval of Manifest: Not addressed at this time". RSA 197:23-a provides that the treasurer "shall pay out the same only upon orders of the school board or upon orders of 2 or more members of the school board empowered by the school board as a whole to authorize payments." Whether payments were held until a later meeting or made on another authorization is not stated in this record. The same meeting heard that an agreement committing district funds had been signed without board approval (flag 7), which is the risk a manifest review exists to catch. Graded MEDIUM as a control gap. On November 5 the board accepted its consent agenda, including that night's manifest, without a vote, and the October 15 manifest was not mentioned (November 5 page, flag 6).
Sources: RSA 197:23-a (treasurer pays only on orders of the school board); 10.15.25 DRAFT CSB Meeting Minutes.docx.pdf
MEDIUM A ten-cent-per-meal commitment signed by the former business administrator has no board approval and, in Angell's words, no appropriation
Angell at 1:34:54: an agreement "signed by the former business administrator nine days before I was brought on" commits the district "to contribute $0.10 to every meal that served at school lunch, and it's going to come out of our appropriations." Asked whether the board approved it, he says he will "have to go through it in more detail" (1:36:08), and adds "I don't have an appropriation to pay for this." (1:36:15). RSA 32:8 bars a school board from paying or agreeing to pay money "for any purpose for which no appropriation has been made, except as provided in RSA 32:9-11." Whether this agreement created a liability, and what federal school-meal pricing rule it may have been meant to satisfy, is not established on the record: Angell only said the agreement was "with, the state of New Hampshire" (1:35:47). The cost is disputed on tape: Angell's $1,000. assumed 10,000 meals (1:36:31); a Ward 2 resident's arithmetic gives $13,500 a year (1:49:11). Graded MEDIUM as a control weakness; the agreement is not in the packet.
Sources: RSA 32:8 (no payment or liability without an appropriation)
OBSERVATION Board members said they did not know two paid psychology interns had been hired, or at what cost
The agenda itself asks "Who approved the positions and determined salary/ benefits." Madden (0:48:34), Hawkins ("we knew nothing about what was happening", 0:54:18) and Kennedy ("we're still uncovering", 1:02:11) left that question open. The record establishes an $80,000 base salary and fully loaded costs of $96,940 and $109,437 (0:58:40), against a median salary of "about 84,000" that McCleod cited from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (0:34:45). No board vote hiring the interns is in this record. RSA 189:39 requires the board to elect "all teachers" on the superintendent's nomination; whether an intern school psychologist holding a Statement of Eligibility is a teacher for that purpose was not verified, so this is an observation. On November 5 the superintendent said the former Director of Student Services had hired them, which Madden disputed (November 5 page). The hiring records would settle it.
Sources: RSA 189:39 (board elects teachers on nomination); Claremont Letter (1).docx (Plymouth State program coordinator, October 13, 2025)
OBSERVATION A member said the whistleblower-law notice was never posted in the schools
Madden at 1:19:38 says the former HR director was to distribute "the RSA whistleblower law" and post it in the schools, and "I know it hasn't been done"; Kennedy says she saw it at the middle school and will check the other schools (1:20:02). RSA 275-E:7 requires "Every employer" to "post such notices as are prescribed by the commissioner of labor", and RSA 275-E:1 defines employer to include a "governmental entity". The same evening the board adopted revisions to policy DAF adding whistleblower-notification duties for federal grant work (2:02:11). Whether the notices were posted is not established on this record; on November 5 Kennedy reported that the state labor-law poster in each staff area carries the whistleblower notice and that only maintenance had not confirmed (November 5 page).
Sources: RSA 275-E:7 (employer posting of whistleblower notices); RSA 275-E:1 (employer includes a governmental entity)
OBSERVATION Statements about earlier tax rates and a withheld audit report are characterizations this record does not document
Petrin at 1:43:55: "the previous tax rate was improperly calculated. So the tax rate was artificially set too low"; Angell at 1:44:28: "last year they were using a fund balance number that I don't believe that they had"; Hawkins at 1:44:38 adds anticipated grant income. Madden at 1:31:26 refers to an audit report "that was hidden from us with 39 pages and 59 points". None of these is supported by a document in this packet. The current estimate itself rests on one uncertain input: special-education aid shown at $1.1 million against $479,000 last year, which Angell has asked the Department of Education to confirm, moving the combined rate between a 6.08% and a 9.18% increase (1:42:52). The FY2024 tax-rate worksheet and the audit report Madden describes would settle the first two points.
Sources: FY 25 MS-25.pdf (catastrophic aid line, FY2025: $479,723.41)
OBSERVATION Seven policies posted as first reads were adopted the same night
The agenda lists BGAA, JICC, JICC-R(1), JICDD, JICI, JI and JLDBA under "First Read". Hawkins offered them "as a first read or however you the board wishes to proceed" (1:59:56); on Madden's recommendation the board adopted all seven at once (2:01:21). No statute cited here requires two readings, and the board's own reading procedure was not checked for this page; BGAA, one of the policies adopted, is the board's policy on policy adoption. The practical effect is that the public had notice of the texts as drafts, not as items to be adopted.
Sources: CSB Agenda 10.15.25 (1).pdf; Missing Policy BGAA_ Policy Development_ Adoption_ and Review.docx.pdf
POSITIVE Positive Pay and a two-person release added to the district's disbursement controls
Angell proposed that the district send the bank a file of every check it issues, so presented checks are matched against it, and that every electronic transaction be entered by one person and released by a second (1:38:01, 1:38:33). Hawkins: "Which we have not had till this point." Kennedy adds that business-office protocols are being rebuilt "from ground zero" (1:39:25). RSA 197:23-a sets only who may order payments; these are controls beyond that minimum. The approval itself should have been a recorded vote (flag 5).
Sources: RSA 197:23-a (payment orders)
POSITIVE The board voted to publish staff compensation, and reopened public comment after the finance items
On Kennedy's recommendation the board voted 5–0 to publish each staff member's position, wages and benefits (1:28:50), rather than answering individual Right-to-Know requests one at a time (1:24:42). RSA 91-A:4, I gives citizens a right to inspect such records; publishing them unasked goes beyond it, and answers in part Larson's request for raw data (0:26:54). Petrin also reopened citizens' comments after the financial items (1:48:21), which drew four speakers and corrected the meal-agreement estimate. Counting both periods, public comment ran about 33 minutes against the 30 minutes RSA 189:74 requires, and no speaker was turned away.
Sources: RSA 91-A:4, I (right to inspect governmental records); RSA 189:74 (public comment of no less than 30 minutes)
Appendix: source files
Official and public sources
Project files
Working files this page was built from. The dialogue file is linked; the others are not published with the page.
Dialogue/16896 SchoolBoard101525.mp4.CSV (832 attributed rows; the basis of this page)Input/Videos/16896 SchoolBoard101525.mp4Input/Transcripts/16896 SchoolBoard101525.mp4.jsonInput/SupportingDocuments/MAP.md, section 281
Laws and rules cited on this page
- RSA 91-A:2, II and III (source note ends 2025, 112:1, eff. Aug. 22, 2025): minutes contents, five business days, remote participation, roll-call votes
- RSA 91-A:3, I(b), II(c), III (2023, 189:1, eff. Oct. 3, 2023): nonpublic motion, reputation exemption, 72-hour disclosure
- RSA 91-A:4, I: right to inspect governmental records
- RSA 198:4-d, 2025 codification (2025, 141:401, eff. July 1, 2025): financial report on or before September 1, chair's certification
- RSA 21-J:34, III and V (2007, 182:2): revised estimated revenues and school financial reports by September 1
- RSA 197:23-a: treasurer pays only on board orders
- RSA 32:8 (1993, 332:1): no payment or liability without an appropriation
- RSA 189:39: board elects teachers on the superintendent's nomination
- RSA 189:74 (2022, 333:1): public comment of no less than 30 minutes
- RSA 275-E:7 (1987, 386:1) and RSA 275-E:1 (last amended 2012, 139:3): whistleblower notice posting; employer includes a governmental entity