School Budget: September 2008 Archives

Note form the MCA: A few points to highlight from these draft minutes.

·        Item D of the Chairpersons report references an article on the NH Local Government Center website called "Meeting Minutes 101" a very good reference for all NH public bodies and the board felt that they met those standards ( published on the MCA website July 8th, 2008 by the way).  

Now, as members of the public that read this document ( the minutes) you will easily see how difficult it is to get real information as to what is  really happening. The school district budget is more the 50% of our total tax burden. Doesn't the public at large deserve better?

The school board believes that they meet the requirements for Meeting Minutes 101.  We do not.  From the Meeting Minutes 101 document:

"When considering the “brief summary of the subject matter discussed,” the board may want to recall that the purpose of meeting minutes is to promote openness in government and to inform citizens about what their government is doing. Citizens should be able to read minutes of a meeting and get a good idea about what happened. " 

Read on ..... 

·        Item A on the School Business Administrative report-.."FY09 Budget will come up short in the fuel line, somewhere between $50,000 to $70,000, depending on the steps that will be taken to conserve energy. She ( Kay Perannelli) feels that we can work within the budget" We assume that this means that there will be no budget overruns due to increased fuel costs.

·        Item B on the School Business Administrative report-  "It was noted that $78,516 will be returned to the Town to reduce 2008 taxes. She will report on this again next Board meeting." Is this the total surplus or only a portion of it? Where did it come from? No answers in the minutes

·        Item C on the School Business Administrative report- "Mark Borrin moved, and Fox Smith seconded a motion, to accept Joanne Coppingerʼs bid for the engineering design of the parking lots. All voted in favor". While not implying conflict of interest, it is interesting that Joanne Coppinger is also the wife of the Moultonboro Academy Principal. 

In the public comment session- "Jim Leiterman asked the Board to explain more about the $50,000 fuel deficit and how that is offset, and its relationship to the $50,000 given back to the town"..And the answer is....not in the minutes! Apparently they don't have one.