| 0:00:08 | Opening | The recording starts on Yes. Yes. Yes. and the chair's Okay. (0:00:16): "The agenda for tonight. Any amendments to that?" (0:00:18). Nothing on the recording reports what happened before it began. | MEDIUM |
| 0:00:24 | Agenda amendments | Superintendent McGoodwin: "I have four brief amendments in front of the board" (the retirees, the Youth and Government delegation, "acceptance of a $500 grant", and the ice hockey co-op); "It should take a total of two minutes to do these four items." (0:00:55). Herzog asks that the moderator be heard early so she need not wait (0:01:04). | OBSERVATION |
| 0:02:53 | Minutes correction | The chair: "I've already talked to Mrs. Woodman about it as far as the public hearing. Minutes on page seven. It's listed as Patty Arison from Ward three. That is actually Patty Harrison of Wethersfield, Vermont that spoke." | |
| 0:15:17 | Moderator's training and the motion question | Pope attended a New Hampshire Municipal Association conference for moderators: "There were approximately 57 of us there" (0:15:17). The practice of a board member moving each article "that not be done" (0:16:27): "Anything that's on the warrant article automatically goes to the ballot unless it's amended. So there's no need for emotion." (0:17:01). Proponents get five minutes (0:17:41). | POSITIVE |
| 0:18:41 | Restricting reconsideration; seating and counting | After each article, the proponent should "make a motion to restrict reconsideration of a warrant article" (0:18:41), so that people cannot leave and an article be amended later (0:19:30). Colored squares for registered voters, nonvoters at the back (0:20:55, 0:21:28); a standing, counted vote on the main budget, because with voice votes "you really can't be sure" (0:21:50); four counters (0:22:10); yes-no slips in two colors in case of secret ballots (0:22:35, 0:23:06); a portable microphone for anyone who is handicapped (0:23:31). | POSITIVE |
| 0:24:34 | Moderator pro tem and the moderator's own conflict | Pope: there should be "a moderator pro tem appointed by the school board clerk"; "I am married to a teacher", so on a teacher-contract article "I would have to recluse myself for that one article" (0:24:34, 0:25:01). On conduct: "Any personal attacks and inappropriate language will not be allowed" (0:26:28); nonresident officials and consultants may speak (0:26:59). | POSITIVE |
| 0:28:52 | Default budget | Pope: "the default budget can be changed right up until the time of the deliberative session" if state figures change, "But the default budget can not be amended." "It cannot be changed in any fashion by the voters." (0:28:59, 0:29:27). | |
| 0:31:46 | Live feed and seating | LeClair: CCTV has "attained the correct equipment to have the live feed", though "you have to be present in order to vote" (0:31:46). Administrators who are not voters ask where to sit (0:34:27); LeClair proposes voters in the center section and nonvoters on the sides (0:37:56); the chair agrees (0:38:26). | |
| 0:38:44 | Superintendent's report | College application day: "42 students participated and 106 applications were submitted" with fees waived (0:40:16). Attendance: "under 90%" in 2014-15, 89% in 2015-16, 91% in 2016-17, and "as of January 2018. The attendance is 94%." against a goal of 93% (0:45:11, 0:45:44). Sprague asks for a public explanation of how average daily membership drives funding (0:46:19). | |
| 0:46:38 | Citizens' comments | "Citizens comments. Anyone here for that?" Then: "Seeing none. Close citizens comments and move on to discussion items." (0:46:44). | |
| 0:51:30 | Student voice moved | The superintendent: the student-voice presentation "was tentatively being planned for the deliberative session", but "It would not be appropriate, according to Tracy, to have it be part of the deliberative session." | |
| 0:52:46 | The reduction summary | The superintendent reads the cover: "Personnel reductions $542,028. Technology reductions $850,660. Transportation $89,918." and other lines, totalling "1,761,503. Excuse me $356." (0:52:46), which "meets with the board's expectation with the budget that was approved by the board on January 3rd". Counting the teachers' agreement of "$307,153", which "was not included in the budget, but that money had to be acquired", the reductions were "over 2 million" (0:53:48); the transcript renders the total as "2 million, $68,000, 568,509", and $1,761,356 plus $307,153 is $2,068,509. "We didn't keep it from them. It was not a finished product until this afternoon." (0:54:57). | POSITIVE |
| 0:55:24 | Line-by-line walk-through | Business Administrator O'Neill: "we sat in office for about 47 hours looking at every single line item" (0:56:17). Items include one Disnard teaching position, $75,000 (0:58:20); the Maple roof-section replacement, $28,000, delayed (0:57:57); the assistant athletic director (0:59:34); asbestos tile replacement, $40,000, pushed out (0:59:59); two Stevens teacher positions replaced by an ELL coordinator (1:00:40); one Stevens administrator, with a $16,000 stipend combining duties (1:02:38); a psychologist position replaced by contracted services (1:05:46); and district-wide technology, of which "223. 340. Out of the million dollars" was put back (1:06:39). "And that's a picture of all the reductions in five minutes." (1:07:33). | POSITIVE |
| 1:07:45 | Staff departures and the "doom and gloom" exchange | The superintendent, of the board's budget decision: "The majority of the board prevailed. That was your right." Staff, "I think, about 5 or 6", have asked for letters of recommendation (1:08:19). Petrin: the cuts first presented, such as the crisis counselor, "they're not here anymore because you were able to go and find other places to cut" (1:11:23); "I wish it could have gone differently" (1:11:53). The superintendent cites community feedback and continuing revisions (1:12:14 to 1:15:20). Rapp: some of those cuts "are still there" (1:18:31). | |
| 1:09:18 | Retirements and supply lines | Pierce asks about twelve retirements; O'Neill: "All those positions will be refilled." (1:09:57), except one elementary position removed by attrition (1:10:27); new hires' family health plans often absorb the salary savings (1:10:49). Pierce questions supply lines budgeted at $1,000 with $200 to $300 spent (1:16:39); O'Neill: costs need charging "to the right line" (1:17:10). | |
| 1:20:11 | Warrant article figures | O'Neill: the operating-budget article totals "$34,613,257" (1:20:52), which is the detailed budget report plus revenue-neutral appropriations such as food service (1:21:16); "the default budget is 35111787" (1:21:45); the teachers' contract is $307,153 in 2018-19 (1:21:59). Tax effects as he states them: the budget article "reduction of $0.47 in the tax rate"; security upgrades, "about $800,000" with matching funds, no tax-rate effect (1:22:19); a five-year lease purchase of two buses, "$190,100", $39,000 a year (1:22:46), adding $0.06 (1:24:18); roofing, "$100,000 for a roof at CMS" (1:24:43). "So the total of the warrants is a reduction of 289, 990 or $0.41 on the tax rate." (1:25:01). | |
| 1:26:24 | Revenue changes | State kindergarten aid of "a minimum of $1,100 per student" for 139 students (1:26:51; the transcript renders the product as "52,150 2900", and 139 times $1,100 is $152,900). O'Neill: "you're gaining $0.07 on the tax rate from an increase in tuition revenue", "$0.22 on the on the kindergarten monies", but "still losing $0.38 on the reduction in adequacy"; with the warrant articles, "you're at a net of about 33 $0.32 on the net proposed rate reduction" (1:27:24, 1:27:47). The superintendent: "a $1.4 million reduction in technology and personnel" (1:28:08). | |
| 1:29:24 | Grants and supplanting | LeClair: the security grant is "for providing cameras and door access", not instructional equipment (1:29:24); "you typically can't find grants to replace things that you already have" (1:30:22); the superintendent: "It's called supplanting. It's not appropriate." (1:30:57). On grants ending, LeClair says she declined grants requiring a succession plan because of "a foreseeable tax burden on the local taxpayer" (1:34:12). | |
| 1:32:55 | Default budget question | Petrin: "If it were to go to the default budget, are there items that you have in mind to add back in or how does that work?" O'Neill: "I don't think we got to that point in the discussion yet." (1:33:10). | |
| 1:36:14 | Senate Bill 193 | The superintendent's memo on "the school. Voucher bill." (1:36:14, 1:36:21): he testified in Concord that "the child's zip code has a major impact on educational opportunity" (1:36:24); the memo's estimate for Claremont in the first year is "a little over $88,000" (1:37:55). He asks for a vote "to oppose Senate Bill 193 tonight" (1:38:32). Petrin asks whether to raise it with the governor during his visit (1:39:31). Motion carried by voice (1:41:51). The project's anchors record that the House sent SB 193 to Finance on January 3, 2018 and it was later sent to interim study and not enacted. | |
| 1:42:02 | Head lice policy forum | The superintendent: "We have a policy that was approved, I believe, in 2013." (1:42:56); a forum will let the community "have a give and take" before the board decides whether to change it (1:43:35). | |
| 1:45:33 | $500 Realtors grant | "the board of Claremont Board of Realtors has offered the Maple Avenue Elementary School, granted $500 to work on replacement and reestablish of emergency backpacks for the classroom" (1:45:33). Accepted by voice vote (1:46:04). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:51:57 | Five policies | The superintendent: River Valley Community College has reminded him that a dual-enrollment policy "needs to be in place" (1:51:57); the emergency-care policy reflects statute changes on bronchodilators and opioid antagonists (1:52:30, 1:52:58); the bus-surveillance policy "incorporates the statutory limitations on viewing and retaining audio recordings created on school busses" (1:53:39). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:55:35 | Audio recording on buses | Rapp: "That's my understanding that it's it's against state law to record audio without permission." (1:55:35). The superintendent: "I am not aware of that, but I'd like to get caught up on that." (1:56:02); "I'll check that." (1:56:46). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:56:55 | Gift threshold | Herzog asks whether the superintendent can accept gifts above $500. The superintendent: "The statute says 500." (1:57:12), and the board can raise it (1:57:15). Herzog suggests $1,000 (1:57:29). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:58:58 | Thanks to the outgoing officers | Herzog: "I wanted to extend a thank you to Chris and Brian and put that on the minutes for their active role as assistant chair and chair of the board for a number of years. Their dedication and passion was evident throughout this really emotional time period." | MEDIUM |
| 1:59:23 | Filing deadline; deliberative session | LeClair: the filing period "closes, I believe the second, which is Friday"; the superintendent: "4 p.m. on Friday the second." (1:59:44). The chair: the deliberative session "which is 37th [the 7th] at. 630 at the Stevens High School auditorium" (1:59:46). Its recording is filed as February 8, 2018 (MAP.md section 59). | |