MANCHESTER, N.H. – At their Feb. 3, 2026 meeting, the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a memorandum of understanding with the Manchester School District that would approve an independent audit of the Manchester School District, a key part of Mayor Jay Ruais’ STARS (Streamlining Taxpayer Accountability and Reform System) initiative.
“I want to thank the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for their thoughtful consideration and approval of these audits,” said Ruais in a statement following the decision. “This work is central to the STARS initiative and reflects our shared commitment to transparency, taxpayer accountability and meaningful oversight of city government and the Manchester School District.”
One the initiatives mentioned during Ruais’ inaugural address earlier this month, the independent audit is separate from required annual audits and is intended to find efficiencies. Four city departments (Central Fleet, Manchester Fire Department, Manchester Department of Public Works, Human Resources: Benefits and Payroll) will also be part of the audit.
“Our City and School District undergo required annual audits which essentially confirm whether the financial reporting is accurate and compliant after the fact. They are periodic and limited in scope,” said Ruais in a letter to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s Committee on Accounts, Enrollment and Revenue Administration. “By contrast, an Independent City Auditor helps ensure that we are operationally efficient and performing before problems arise. These audits are more in-depth, looking in greater detail at financial management and can take considerable time.”
The memorandum of understanding gained recommendation from the Manchester Board of School Committee’s Finance Committee in January and moved to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s Committee on Accounts Enrollment and Revenue Administration, where it also eventually received a recommendation as well. The Manchester Board of School Committee approved the recommendation last week.
Ward 8 Alderman Ed Sapienza asked if the audit could also be extended into an analysis of the district’s facilities plan, expressing frustration about what he saw as a lack of clarity regarding the initiative, which has looked to either renovate or rebuild almost all of Manchester’s public schools. In particular, he asked about the efficacy of continuing the policy of three public high schools and a school of technology. Ruais responded to Sapienza by noting that Manchester School District Superintendent Jennifer Chmiel recently reported that the closure of a high school would cost the district money than it would save in the long run given new expenditures such as transportation of students from the closing school to their new school. Sapienza replied that the short-term cost would be offset by the long-term financial benefits, but the short-term cost will always be used to obstruct any eventual benefits. Ruais replied that he believe an analysis of facility needs should have happened several years before it was initiated in 2021.
The motion to approve the memorandum of understanding and by extension the separate audits of the city departments passed on a voice vote. The process is expected to take approximately 90 days to complete.