| 0:05:05 | Rules | The moderator: proponents get five minutes, others two, "I will be using a timer" (0:05:05); "Amendments must be in writing, presented to the moderator, signed by the person making the motion" (0:05:25); "Personal attacks and inappropriate language will not be permitted." (0:05:51). | |
| 0:10:13 | Superintendent: state downshifting and SB 193 | "Real estate taxes in our state have more than doubled" over 19 years (0:09:06); "the downshifting of $43 million" nine years ago (0:09:14). On SB 193 the transcript reads "the Claremont School Board unanimously approved this bill" (0:10:13); the board's January 31 vote was to oppose it, so either he misspoke or the transcript lost the word. He adds: "I very much support the parents and their right to choose", but not funding drawn "from public education funds" (0:10:43). | |
| 0:11:09 | The budget and the reductions | "The budget on January 3rd, 2018, was approved by the majority of the school board, $31,148,257." Reductions of "$1.7 million" (0:11:45); the board "did not want to do the 307 000 collective bargaining agreement with the teachers in the budget", so "we have to withdraw an additional $307,000" (0:12:00): "So the budget really was reduced more than $2 million." (0:12:25). Personnel "$542,000" (0:13:10); technology "$850,000" against a recommended budget "over $1 million" (0:15:12, 0:15:38). | OBSERVATION |
| 0:17:16 | Article 2 versus the default | "article two is not $31 million is $34,600,000", because food service and "$2.8 million in grants" are added (0:17:16); "Normally in the fall budget is lower" [the default budget], but this year the default, $35.1 million, is higher (0:18:17). | OBSERVATION |
| 0:20:35 | Security and the infrastructure fund | "our district will acquire $700,000 worth of security at a cost of $141,000" through the new public school infrastructure fund (0:20:35). Bus lease: "$39,000. We will be able to lease two busses and we'll save about 19,000 a year." (0:22:03). | |
| 0:23:11 | Tax effects and revenue | "So the main budget, $0.47 per 1000 reduction" (0:23:11); "as of today, $0.41 per 1000 reduction" for all articles. Kindergarten aid "$159,000, impacting the tax rate $0.23 per 1000 negative" (0:23:49); tuition about $50,000, $0.07 (0:24:17); stabilization aid cut "a reduction of $264,000", "$0.08 per 1000 increase" (0:24:46); net "as of today it's $0.33 per thousand" reduction (0:25:46). Budget growth over seven years "has been 1.34%" (0:26:57). | |
| 0:31:22 | Article 2 read | Chair Sprague reads the article: "totaling $34,613,257. Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $35,111,787" (0:31:22), and adds "With the highest property tax rate in the state of New Hampshire" (0:33:05) and that the board is confident the administration "will have sufficient resources" (0:33:32). | OBSERVATION |
| 0:34:12 | Secret-ballot request | The moderator reads a request: "Registered voters of the city of Claremont request a secret ballot for article one and all related amendments." The names read include "Rebecca Zullo" and, as transcribed, "Jason. Then we're" (0:34:12). "So we will be having secret ballots for any amendments" (0:34:12). The request names "article one", but the moderator applies it to the budget article. | POSITIVE |
| 0:35:14 | Amendment: add $307,153 | "I move to amend article to the main budget by creasing the total dollar amount by three 307,150 300 from $34,613,257 to $34,920,410." The mover: "way to solve the tax problem in this town is to attract new taxpayers" (0:36:00). For: Lois Cahill (0:37:52); George (0:49:12); a speaker who echoes George (0:51:39); a staff member (0:59:17); Patrick, Ward 3: "this amendment is doing is adding that 300,000 back in" (1:01:03). Against: a speaker who asks for enrollment (the superintendent: "Was 1787, this year 1804." 0:40:53); a speaker who calls the district "the largest. Employer" (0:54:13, 0:54:43); the chair (0:56:31); Pierce (1:11:38). | |
| 0:42:13 | The positions in question | LeClair: with the curriculum position "we can demonstrate that we've actually had increased in performance and proficiency" (0:42:13); "when we have 20 to 25% new teachers every year, they need a lot of support" (0:43:34); one elementary position follows enrollment, and of the high-school positions "one of them is currently vacant" (0:45:19). | |
| 1:07:46 | "There is no $1.7 million cut" | Chris Irish: "There is no $1.7 million cut. What we what we ask for was a budget that was 1.2 million less." (1:07:46); "We didn't cut anything from last year's budget" (1:08:08); "There is sure as heck is not a $2 million cut." (1:08:30); the amendment's $307,150 "That's not going to give you positions. That's going to pay for the collective bargaining agreement." (1:08:58). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:09:41 | Tax effect of the amendment | Benware: "it makes us, increase our tax rate by about $0.11. Am I close?" (1:09:41). O'Neill: "You are correct." (1:10:22). | |
| 1:14:14 | Vote on the $307,153 amendment | Previous question by voice: "I have it." (1:14:31). The secret ballot is put as "to amend article two to the amount of $34,613,257 would would be adding $307,153 to the budget" (1:15:21). Result: "The result of the secret ballot to amend article two the main budget two $34,613,257 passes 99 in favor, 43 against." (1:16:10). The figure read is the original amount, not the amended one. | OBSERVATION |
| 1:16:35 | Restricting reconsideration, first attempt | Chair Sprague: "Make a motion to restrict reconsideration of article two." (1:16:35). Amid questions, the moderator explains that it "simply means that voters will not be allowed to go back to further discuss or amend this article" and turns to Article 3 (1:16:59). An unidentified voice: "you cannot reconsider that vote, right?" but "you can keep amending it in sequence", "I'm not the moderator" (1:17:28). The moderator reopens Article 2 for amendment (1:18:40). No vote on the restriction motion is heard here. | OBSERVATION |
| 1:19:45 | Amendment: add $175,000 for technology | A Ward 3 former board member: "I propose an amendment to increase the budget by $175,000 to increase technology investments." (1:19:45); "I was on the board five, six years ago when the technology was drawn in, just broke" (1:20:38). The moderator: it "brings the total budget to $35,095,410" (1:21:23). Against: Benware (1:21:55); George (1:27:47). For: the superintendent, "Your answer to the question regarding tax rate is $0.25." (1:25:14); a Claremont Middle School technology staff member, computers that "do take not ten minutes but 20 minutes to load up" (1:30:01). | |
| 1:31:43 | Irish on technology and the default budget | "There's over $700,000 in this budget in front of you for technology" (1:31:43); with Article 3's grant, "you're going to have $1.2 million for technology" (1:32:16). "If you approve this budget and put this $175,000 in it, you have now surpassed the default budget." (1:32:43); if the budget then fails, "That teachers contract is null and void." (1:33:03). A staff member answers that the $141,000 is for security, "different than the technology we need for our students to learn" (1:34:49). | POSITIVE |
| 1:35:23 | Default-budget clarification | A voter: "I not sure I agree with what the statement was as it relates to the default budget. Can we get clarification from Mike" (1:35:23). O'Neill: "The current default is 35,111,077. So that the 16,000 377 higher." (1:36:01). The moderator: "We would still be slightly less than the default" (1:36:38). With the default as read in Article 2, $35,111,787 less $35,095,410 is $16,377: the amended budget would have stayed below the default, contrary to Irish's statement. | POSITIVE |
| 1:38:49 | Vote on the $175,000 amendment | The moderator: "For counting. Several times. Not just twice, but several. There was a one vote difference." (1:38:49); "6066 in favor, 67 against." (1:39:05): 66 to 67, failed. "I declare a warrant adequate to move to the ballot, with the bottom line being $34,920,410." (1:39:17). Reconsideration of Article 2 is then restricted by voice (1:39:42 to 1:40:04). | POSITIVE |
| 1:40:19 | Article 3: security upgrades | Irish reads the technology director's account: the plan rests on a Homeland Security assessment about four years old (1:40:41); the state grant covers "80% of planned upgrades" (1:41:33); "the one article is not passed. We would not be able to access the $561,980. So for $141,000, we get 561,000." (1:42:01). Malloy: "recommendations and" ... "I'm not sure if they'll ever become regulations" (1:44:06, 1:44:09). Howard asks about privacy and cloud storage (1:47:57, 1:48:21); Malloy: "That's not our intent. But this would go through an open bidding process." (1:48:30). A staff member: "if someone who spent three hours in a lockdown at our school last week, the cameras are the only thing that kept me sane" (1:50:53). Passed by voice (1:54:55). | |
| 1:55:24 | Article 4: bus lease-purchase | Pierce: "$190,000 bail over the five year" at $39,000 a year; repairs average "$20,000 a year", with "overall savings of up to $30,000" (1:55:24, 1:55:59). A speaker supports cleaner buses (1:56:44). | |
| 1:58:19 | Article 5: roofing; a capital plan | Rapp: $100,000 for the Claremont Middle School roof (1:58:19). A former board member asks the board "to produce for our Community Capital plan, which lays out 5 to 10 year increments" (1:59:22). O'Neill: "We haven't put it out to bid yet." (2:02:38); unspent money "gets returned to the taxpayers" (2:03:11). | |