Claremont School Board — September 5, 2018

Regular meeting of the Claremont School Board, summarized from the Claremont Community Television recording and its speaker-attributed transcript; no agenda, packet or minutes for this meeting are posted in the district's online shares. The board received the long-delayed fiscal 2014 audit and the auditor's board questionnaire, approved by a 5-2 roll call a syringe service program at Valley Regional Hospital inside the school zone (an exception the legislature had allowed school boards to grant 25 days earlier), adopted the head lice policy, sent the cell phone policy to second read, deadlocked 3-3 with one abstention on joining the opioid class action, and accepted a $500 donation. Timestamps link to the same moment in the Cablecast recording.

Body
Claremont School Board (Claremont School District, SAU 6)
Date
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
Start time
Scheduled time not stated in any available record. The recording begins in the middle of the student representatives' report at 0:00:00, so the call to order, pledge and roll call are not on it. A recess runs from 1:26:30 to 1:32:50; the adjournment motion is at 2:41:18, and the dialogue file ends at 2:41:36. No nonpublic session on the recording.
Location
Not stated in any available notice or agenda, or on the recording.
Recording
Cablecast: SCHOOL BOARD MEETING of 9-5 (dialogue file runs 2:41:36; opens mid-report, runs through adjournment)
Minutes
None located in the district's public shares: neither Drive share holds a year folder older than 2022 (MAP.md section 80, checked 9/26/26).
Board composition
Seven members, all of whom speak on the recording: Frank Sprague (chair), Rebecca Zullo (vice chair), Michael Petrin, Michelle Pierce, Steven Horsky, Carolyn Towle and Jason Benware. The needle exchange roll call at 1:23:07 records seven votes, five yes and two no. Because the roll call at the start is missing, attendance rests on who speaks, not on a clerk's roll.

Participants

Everyone the recording shows taking part or being named. Names follow the project's dialogue file and the 2015 to 2023 roster; no minutes exist online to check spellings against. Where the dialogue file says Unidentified, this page does too.
NameRoleParticipation
Frank SpragueChairPresided; seconded the needle exchange motion from the chair ("Can the chair a second? Yes, I'll second that."); asked Chief Chase whether a program would bring a criminal element into the school zone; called the roll-call vote; read the opioid vote as 3-3 with one abstention and treated the matter as tabled.
Rebecca ZulloVice chairReported for the policy committee on the head lice policy; raised the IEP and 504 exceptions in the cell phone policy; said she was uncomfortable with a program so close to a school; abstained on the opioid motion; proposed welcome-back flowers for each school. The attribution of the dialogue file's Speaker 6 to her rests on one credited second and is rated medium.
Michael PetrinBoard memberRead a citizen's message during citizens' comments; asked that any needle exchange run after school hours or on weekends; questioned the opioid engagement. Many of his rows are overrides out of mixed clusters (medium confidence).
Michelle PierceBoard memberMoved the nominations, the needle exchange approval, the head lice policy, the cell phone policy to second read (first form) and joining the opioid suit; voted yes on the needle exchange roll call; asked about Narcan and a hard schedule.
Steven HorskyBoard memberMoved that the assistant superintendent draft the audit questionnaire answers; moved to revisit a public ballot for the superintendent search committee; opposed the needle exchange site as "right next to an elementary school"; explained the head lice and cell phone policies for the policy committee; moved to revisit the opioid suit with more information; questioned the legal notice requirement.
Carolyn TowleBoard memberSeconded the audit-questionnaire motion; asked for reporting back from the syringe program and said she would accept the motion only with conditions on hours and reporting; seconded the donation; asked about the flowers and the business cards.
Jason BenwareBoard memberDescribed the NHSBA search consultant's method; asked why only about one needle in five came back; said he voted yes "Taking you at your word"; moved the cell phone policy to second read with amendments; moved adjournment.
Keith PfeiferInterim Superintendent, SAU 6Superintendent's report (back-to-school event, 141 vacancies filled across the three entities, special education hiring); read the staff nominations with Cory LeClair; spoke after the needle exchange vote; described emergency-management planning.
Cory LeClairAssistant Superintendent, SAU 6Presented the audit update and read the auditor's board questionnaire; introduced the needle exchange guests; presented the opioid engagement letter, the donation and the notice-cost item.
Michael O'NeillBusiness Administrator, SAU 6Explained the 2014 audit's general fund surplus and its return to taxpayers; described the audit backlog he inherited in 2015. Surname from the roster.
Mary WoodmanClerk / recording secretaryCalled the needle exchange roll call; said she could not hear which motions and seconds had been made during the cell phone and opioid items. Surname from the roster.
Patricia BarryPrincipal, Stevens High SchoolExplained how the handbook's one-word change (can to can't) had been read as a classroom ban on phones; described classroom use of Kahoot.
Melissa LewisPrincipal, Disnard ElementaryTold the board an after-school program runs at the school until 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Josh MalloyDirector of Instructional Technology, SAU 6Explained that personal devices are filtered only on the district network. Surname and title from the roster.
JesseStudent representative, Stevens High SchoolGave the student report (the recording starts mid-report); spoke about classroom phone bins and Kahoot. Surname not on the record; the opening rows are assigned by elimination.
Prescott HerzogStudent representativePresented a petition signed by 352 Stevens students on the cell phone policy; took part in the policy discussion.
Peter WrightPresident and CEO, Valley Regional HealthcareAsked the board for permission to run the syringe service program at the hospital; answered questions on hours, reporting and the location. Transcribed Pete, right.
Laura ByrneSyringe service program (her organization transcribed HIV HB Research Center)Explained the program's exchange practice and client services. Spelling as heard.
Ashley GreenfieldGreater Sullivan County Public Health NetworkDescribed state reporting requirements and parallel talks with Newport.
Marc ChaseClaremont Police ChiefSupported the program as harm reduction.
Susan MasonCitizens' comments (Claremont; ward not intelligible)Asked about the parent handbook's lead-testing waiver and the head lice screening and training; invited back to the microphone during the head lice item; told the board the audience could barely hear it.
Kate RoyceCitizen, Ward 2 (not present)Her written message on the loss of funding for the We Are Hope program was read by Michael Petrin during citizens' comments.
UnidentifiedBoard members and others133 of 1,009 rows (13.2%) are Unidentified, including the seconds on the nominations, the needle exchange trial-period request, the donation motion, and the primary-election reminder near the end.

Order of business (reconstructed)

No agenda for this meeting is posted in any district share, so this list is reconstructed from the chair's transitions on the recording (the chair refers to lettered discussion items, so a written agenda existed). Hover over (or Tab to) a clipped entry for the full text.

Taken upItemAgenda text / disposition
0:00:00Student representatives' reportRecording begins mid-report; call to order and roll call not recorded.
0:03:38Superintendent's reportInformational.
0:07:35Citizens' commentsPrescott Herzog (petition), Susan Mason, and a message from Kate Royce read by Michael Petrin; closed at 0:14:32.
0:14:40Discussion A: audit update and fiscal year 2014 statementHorsky moved that the assistant superintendent draft the questionnaire answers for review at the next meeting (0:27:59); Towle seconded (0:28:29); voice vote at 0:28:42.
0:31:38Update on superintendent search processHorsky moved to bring back, after the SAU 6 board's decisions, whether to use a public ballot for search committee members (0:40:20); Benware seconded (0:40:52); voice vote at 0:42:06.
0:42:28Action: nominations and resignationsStaff nominations read by the interim superintendent; moved by Pierce (0:44:33), seconded by an unidentified member; voice vote at 0:45:43.
0:45:49Needle exchange program and safe school zonesMoved by Pierce (1:11:17), seconded by the chair (1:11:25); roll call at 1:23:07: five yes, two no (1:24:09). No amendment adding conditions was made (1:23:28).
1:26:22RecessShort break by consent; resumed at 1:32:50.
1:32:54Policy: head lice policy, third and final readMoved by Pierce (1:34:12), seconded by Benware; voice vote at 1:46:31.
1:46:39Policy: 21st century electronic communication devices (cell phone policy, JICJ), first readFirst moved by Pierce and seconded by Benware (1:47:02); after amendment talk the motions were withdrawn and Benware moved the policy to second read with the proposed amendments (2:10:00), Zullo seconding; voice vote at 2:10:09.
2:10:50Discussion D: opioid class action suitPierce moved to participate (2:16:51); vote 3 yes, 3 no, 1 abstention, not carried (2:19:02). Horsky moved to take it up again with more information at the next meeting, seconded by the chair; voice vote at 2:20:58.
2:21:36Receive a donation from Claremont Savings Bank for the Back to School festival$500. Moved by an unidentified member (2:22:10), seconded by Towle; voice vote at 2:22:15.
2:22:49Cost and process of dissemination of school board packets, warning meetingsNo motion; no action (2:28:24).
2:28:35Good of the order; future agenda itemsTime limits on presentations, school security, school performance presentations, flowers for schools.
2:38:56SAU 6 meetings; other business: business cardsNext SAU 6 meeting Thursday, September 13; members to pay for their own cards.
2:41:18AdjournmentMoved by Benware, seconded by Zullo; voice vote.

Discussion timeline

Chronological, from the dialogue CSV. Times are the start of the cited exchange, taken from the CSV's own second count. Hover over (or Tab to) a clipped cell for the full entry.

TimeTopicWhat was saidFlags
0:00:00Student report (joined in progress)"Stevens had a great opening to the school year so far, and we've already had one fire drill". At 0:01:41: "Students from Student Voice will be asking to be on the next school board agenda to make a presentation on the proposed electronic device policy." At 0:03:05 Prescott Herzog mentions "352 signatures from students on a petition", held over to citizens' comments.OBSERVATION
0:03:38Superintendent's report"Over 600 backpacks were given out in about 42 minutes." At 0:04:34: "It looks like our enrollment is down a little bit again". At 0:06:06: "we've been involved with 141 vacancies challenging, we are still looking for some things like special ed teachers, paraprofessionals".
0:07:53Student petition on phonesHerzog: "So I have a petition here of 352 students from Stevens High School." The statement: "Modern electronic communication devices should be used only for instructional purposes with permission of the teacher." (0:08:31)
0:09:02Citizen: handbook and head liceSusan Mason: "we had you guys put a waiver system in for the policy on lead testing. There is no mention of that in here." At 0:10:23: "who's going to do the training for these screeners?" Assistant superintendent at 0:12:17: "typically we're not supposed to, comment or engage with citizens comments". Chair: "It's it's on the agenda."
0:13:06A citizen's message read aloudPetrin reads a message from Kate Royce, Ward 2, about "the funding being pulled for the amazing We our Hope program". He adds: "we don't do this often, but we will I will entertain comments that I get and put them out in the citizens comments."
0:15:02Audit backlogLeClair: "We had had 14 outstanding audits last December, and I think we have finished seven of those total and are optimistic that the remainder of the remaining audits will be fully completed by December 31st, 2018". At 0:16:02: "So the Claremont 2014 audit was given to you." Auditing firm transcribed Plastic and Sanderson (Plodzik & Sanderson is the roster's reading, a hypothesis).MEDIUM
0:17:42Auditor's board questionnaire read aloud"Are you aware of any allegations of fraud or suspected fraud affecting your entity?" At 0:18:05: "Does the board formally authorize all disbursements, both vendor and payroll, prior to the release of funds?" At 0:20:10: "this is in the context of the 2020 14 audit. 14 is done. So this would be the next one for 2015." and "that's part of the issue with audits not being completed in a more timely manner."MEDIUM POSITIVE
0:21:23Who can answer for 2015?An unidentified member: "asking us to answer a question about 2015, when none of us actually were?" Horsky at 0:25:16: "I have a problem with the chair signing off on anything that says that any of us were present at that time". At 0:25:43: "just put no board member president this audit period." Sprague at 0:26:35: "we really can't communicate with each other. We can't share things on Google."POSITIVE
0:27:59Motion: draft answersHorsky: "I'm going to make a motion that Corey prepares, a draft document for us to review at the next board meeting". Towle seconds; carried by voice at 0:28:42.
0:28:52The 2014 surplusO'Neill at 0:29:29: "there was $1,639,460 of a surplus. That surplus came from two places, savings of savings of a couple hundred thousand. But mainly most of that came from the return of premiums from the health insurance, health trust settlement." At 0:30:09: "1 million. 631 we return to the tax base that year."
0:31:38Superintendent searchSprague at 0:32:03: "We did agree. We're going to contract with after school board." [the New Hampshire School Boards Association]. Horsky at 0:34:36: "the public is well aware that they vote who they want on the search committee". Benware at 0:36:32: "I think having 100 people in a room and looking for common themes and what people are looking for, certainly is much more effective". Pierce at 0:38:04: "listen to the people that we just paid $12,000 to."
0:40:20Motion: revisit a public ballotHorsky: "after the results of the SA six board meeting on the next agenda, we bring this back up to discussion as to whether we do a ballot or not." Benware seconds; the chair notes at 0:41:40 that the SAU 6 agenda is worked out with Doctor Erickson; carried at 0:42:06.
0:42:28Staff nominationsThe interim superintendent reads each nominee's name, position and school. LeClair at 0:45:06: "Five of the folks moved to different spots, and the remaining folks, either retired or chose to leave the district." Approved by voice at 0:45:43.
0:45:49Needle exchange: the requestWright at 0:46:17: "I'm the president and CEO of Valley Regional Healthcare." Benware at 0:49:04: "If only 20% of them are getting taken in, where are the rest going?" Byrne at 0:51:03: "Some syringe service programs do have a one for one exchange policy". Horsky at 0:52:30: "1700 needles went back out on the street, 330 were taken back".OBSERVATION
0:59:13Why the board is askedWright: "yes, we're asking permission until the law was passed, until the to the amendment to the law was passed. This was banned in school districts, period." At 0:59:35: "don't make this a statewide decision. Allow us to make local decisions". Chief Chase at 1:02:29: "this is all about harm reduction."OBSERVATION
1:00:36Members' concernsZullo: "I still feel extremely uncomfortable with that." Petrin asked for hours after school; Wright at 1:05:18: "The proposed hours right now are 330 to 5, 32 days a week, approximately." [probably 3:30 to 5:30, two days a week]. Horsky at 1:13:55: "I kind of find this whole request disrespectful to the students and the children of Claremont". Lewis: the Disnard after-school program runs until 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.OBSERVATION
1:11:17Motion and conditionsPierce: "So I'd like to make a motion to accept this." Chair: "Can the chair a second? Yes, I'll second that." Towle at 1:13:27: "I am acceptable to the motion with conditions." and "I would be acceptable for that motion as long as it carried the conditions." At 1:23:20 Towle asks for the conditions to be read; the answer: "Not amended."OBSERVATION
1:23:07Roll call: 5-2Chair: "Mrs. Woodman, I'd like to do a roll call." After the votes Horsky at 1:24:00: "To clarify, that motion was never amended to have scheduling stuff." Clerk at 1:24:09: "So that's five yes and two nos." Benware at 1:24:14: "I made that vote. Taking you at your word for right doing what you said you were going to do." Individual votes are not all separable in the transcript.OBSERVATION
1:32:54Head lice policy adoptedZullo at 1:33:29: "we were all unanimous on our decision to bring this policy forward to you guys." Horsky at 1:34:27 on the four consecutive school days and active infestation. Mason, invited back to the microphone, on Medicaid coverage of treatment; carried at 1:46:31.
1:46:39Cell phone policy, first readZullo at 1:47:34 on exemptions for students with an IEP or 504 plan. Horsky at 1:49:26: the old policy "was literally a one liner that says consistent with the student handbook of each building." Barry at 1:54:37: "It was to turn can to can't." and "that is a radical change from the past four years at Stevens High." Chair at 1:51:00: "We want to amend the exceptions to include 504 IEP."OBSERVATION
2:10:00Motions redoneBenware moves the policy "to a second breed" [read] with the proposed amendments. Clerk at 2:10:20: "Somebody makes a motion, but I don't get any hearing of a few seconds." Zullo: "I second it, but Frank went very fast, so I'm going to blame it on Frank."OBSERVATION
2:10:54Opioid class actionLeClair: the city of Claremont shared "an engagement to represent". At 2:12:18: "if there is a recovery, meaning an award, it's a 25% fee of that award to the attorneys." Horsky at 2:13:19: "I don't think we really have a right to be a plaintiff." LeClair at 2:13:34 on "$8 million for special education in a $32 million budget".
2:16:51Opioid vote deadlocksPierce: "I'd like to make a motion to go forward and participate." Zullo at 2:17:16 abstains: "because I feel like I would just want more information." Clerk at 2:17:48: "All I got was the eyes. Because you were raising your hands somewhere along the way." Chair at 2:19:02: "It was 3 to 3. Yes. No. One abstention". Horsky's motion to revisit carried at 2:20:58.OBSERVATION
2:21:36$500 donation acceptedLeClair at 2:21:42: "our policy states that I believe any a donation amount of 500 or more requires board approval". Motion: "I move that we accept that $500 donation"; Towle seconds; carried.POSITIVE
2:22:49Cost of notices and packetsLeClair at 2:23:54: "And you're spending roughly $25 a meeting now to post the proper warnings." Horsky at 2:24:05: his request had been to email the press the packet, not to print it. An unidentified member at 2:26:58: "No, it says published it. Yeah. You can choose the medium." Horsky at 2:27:56: "we have to double check the legality". No action (2:28:24).OBSERVATION
2:28:35Future agenda: time limits, securityA member asks to revisit time limits on presentations. An unidentified member at 2:30:59: "in view of what happened last spring with parkland school shootings" the board wanted a security analysis of the schools.
2:33:02Primary reminderAn unidentified member: "the primary vote is next Tuesday. Ask those tough questions of people who are running for state office and our local representatives around school funding."
2:37:07Flowers for schoolsZullo: "I was just wondering how the school board felt about maybe sending flowers to each school for a welcome back." Treated as not an action item.
2:38:56SAU 6 meeting; business cardsLeClair: "The next meeting is next Thursday, September 13th." (the SAU 6 board). Members said they would pay for their own business cards.
2:41:18AdjournmentBenware moves; Zullo seconds; voice vote.

Items flagged for review

Flags are a reviewer's aid generated by comparing the meeting against the law in force on September 5, 2018, cited as it then read. They are not findings of violation, and nothing here is legal advice. Where no verified rule applies, the flag says so and is recorded as an observation. Seven flags follow, ordered by severity.

MEDIUM The board formally received the fiscal 2014 audit more than four years after that year ended, with seven audits still outstanding

The assistant superintendent reported "14 outstanding audits last December" (the entities are not specified; SAU 6 audits were separately reported caught up through fiscal 2017 at the September 13 SAU meeting) and had finished seven, with the rest expected by December 31, 2018 (0:15:02). The fiscal 2014 audit (the year ended June 30, 2014) reached the board at this meeting (0:16:02), and the questionnaire for the fiscal 2015 audit was next (0:20:10). Staff described it candidly: "that's part of the issue with audits not being completed in a more timely manner." The business administrator said the backlog predated his 2015 arrival and that "a lot of the 2014 paperwork was very difficult to locate" (0:24:17).

Where a district spends federal awards above the threshold set under the Single Audit Act, the audit reporting package is due nine months after the end of the period audited (31 U.S.C. 7502(h)); an audit delivered four years after year end cannot meet that. The recording does not state the district's federal expenditures for fiscal 2014, so this page does not assert that a single audit was required; that is why the flag is MEDIUM rather than HIGH. The mitigation is on the record: a catch-up plan with a date, and the audit presented in open session.

Sources: 31 U.S.C. 7502(h) (single-audit reporting package due within 9 months after the end of the period audited).

OBSERVATION The board used a power it had held for 25 days to allow a syringe service program in the school zone, and the conditions members discussed were not in the motion

New Hampshire law barred any syringe service program from a drug-free school zone (school property plus 1,000 feet). An amendment effective August 11, 2018 added: "Exceptions to this prohibition may be granted by the applicable district school board when a request is initiated by a syringe service program administrator." Valley Regional's chief executive described exactly that change (0:59:13). This meeting was the board's exercise of the new power, so the request and the vote are properly the board's business.

Three points for a reviewer. First, members tied their support to hours after school and quarterly reporting (Towle, 1:13:27; Petrin; Zullo), but no amendment was made; when Towle asked for the conditions to be read before the vote, the answer was "Not amended." (1:23:28), and Horsky confirmed after voting that the motion "was never amended to have scheduling stuff" (1:24:00). The approval as voted is unconditional; the hours and reporting rest on the applicant's statements, which Benware said he was taking "at your word" (1:24:14). Second, the roll call is only partly audible: the clerk's tally is five yes and two no (1:24:09), but the transcript does not let a reader assign every vote. Third, the statute does not say what an exception must contain or how long it lasts, and the board did not set a term or a review date.

Sources: RSA 318-B:45 (2017, 117:7; exception sentence added by 2018, 254:2, eff. Aug. 11, 2018); RSA 193-B:1, II (drug-free school zone: school property and within 1,000 feet).

OBSERVATION The clerk could not follow the motions on two items, and the opioid vote was counted by hands the recording cannot see

On the cell phone policy two motions were made and withdrawn before Benware's motion carried, and the clerk said: "Somebody makes a motion, but I don't get any hearing of a few seconds." (2:10:20). On the opioid class action she said: "All I got was the eyes. Because you were raising your hands somewhere along the way." (2:17:48); the chair then read the result as 3 to 3 with one abstention and "essentially tabling it" (2:19:02). A tie means the motion did not carry, so the outcome is clear; how each member voted is not audible. RSA 91-A:2, II, as it read in 2018, required minutes to record the names of members, persons appearing, the subject matter and "final decisions"; the requirement to name each mover and seconder was not added until January 1, 2019. With no minutes online, the recording is the only public account, and on these two items it is incomplete.

Sources: RSA 91-A:2, II (2017 codification, in force Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2018): minutes content; five business days.

OBSERVATION The board left open what the law requires for meeting notices; in 2018 it did not require newspaper printing

The board was told it spent about $25 a meeting "to post the proper warnings" (2:23:54) and discussed switching papers; Horsky believed a statute required print (2:27:56), and the item ended with no action (2:28:24). As it read in 2018, RSA 91-A:2, II required notice of the time and place of a meeting to be "posted in 2 appropriate places one of which may be the public body's Internet website, if such exists, or shall be printed in a newspaper of general circulation" at least 24 hours ahead, excluding Sundays and legal holidays. Posting in two places satisfied the statute without a newspaper. Other notices (budget hearings, for example) have their own rules not reviewed here. Recorded as an observation because the board asked the question and did not get the answer on the record.

Sources: RSA 91-A:2, II (2017 codification): notice posted in 2 appropriate places or printed in a newspaper, 24 hours.

OBSERVATION No agenda, packet or minutes for this meeting are posted online, and the recording starts after the roll call

MAP.md section 80 records that neither district Drive share holds anything older than 2022 (checked 9/26/26), so this page rests on the recording alone. That is a limit of what the district posts online, not by itself evidence that records were never made: the chair works from lettered agenda items, members refer to a board packet (0:20:32), and the business administrator refers to "page five of the packets I distributed" (0:29:00). The recording opens in the middle of the student report (0:00:00), so the call to order and roll call are missing and attendance is inferred from who speaks. The project's missing-records rule is applied on its online-availability limb.

Sources: RSA 91-A:2, II (2017 codification): minutes open to public inspection within 5 business days; Input/SupportingDocuments/MAP.md section 80.

POSITIVE The auditor's governance questionnaire was read into the public record, and members declined to vouch for years they did not serve

The assistant superintendent read the auditor's board questionnaire aloud, including its questions on fraud, conflicts, and whether the board "formally authorize[s] all disbursements" (0:17:42 to 0:19:11). Members objected to certifying facts from 2015 (0:21:23, 0:25:16), and the board voted to have staff draft answers limited to what documents show, for review at the next meeting (0:27:59). No statute requires this questionnaire to be handled in public; doing so lets the public see what the auditors ask and how the board answers.

Sources: the recording at 0:17:42 to 0:28:42.

POSITIVE A $500 private donation was placed on the agenda and accepted by vote in public session

The Claremont Savings Bank gift appeared as its own agenda item and was accepted by motion and vote (2:21:36 to 2:22:15). For unanticipated money under $5,000, RSA 198:20-b, III(b) required the board to "post notice of the funds in the agenda and shall include notice in the minutes", with acceptance "made in public session of any regular school board meeting". The agenda notice and public acceptance are on the record; the minutes cannot be checked online. The section applies where the district has adopted its enabling article (paragraph I), which this recording does not establish.

Sources: RSA 198:20-b, I and III(b) (2019 codification; source note ends 2005, 188:1, so the same text governed in 2018).

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.

Laws and rules cited on this page