Aldermen approve allocation of incoming state education aid

Alderman Ed Sapienza during the Oct. 30 special aldermanic meeting. Photo/Andrew Sylvia

MANCHESTER, N.H. – On a 7-3 vote, the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen allowed the Manchester School District to accept a supplemental appropriation of $6,517,315 toward their Fiscal Year 2025 budget on Wednesday night.

This funding came from unexpectedly higher totals from the district’s Free and Reduced Lunch adequacy aid, with the updated formula for that amount coming in September following updated district enrollment figures.

Wednesday’s special meeting was scheduled largely due to time constraints with forms that must be provided by the district to the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration in early November, forms that impact local school district tax rates.

Only one person spoke during public comment regarding the appropriation, Rich Girard of Orange Street. Girard asked the board not to allow the district to put the money towards its FY’ 25 budget, saying that claims of underfunding in the district are unfounded due to state and federal aid amounts, particularly regarding COVID-related aid such as the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding.

Ward 6 Alderman Crissy Kantor asked Manchester School District Superintendent Dr. Jenn Chmiel and Manchester School District Chief Financial Officer Karen DeFrancis how ESSER money had been used, confusing it with American Relief Plan Act (ARPA) funding, another COVID-related federal assistance fund. Chmiel told Kantor that funding was used for unexpected expenditures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as new HVAC systems to help mitigate the spread of the virus.

Ward 3 Alderman Pat Long also confirmed confusion stated by Ward 8 Alderman Ed Sapienza during the Oct. 15 Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting, noting that the only two options for the Board of Mayor and Aldermen were either to allow this funding to be used within the FY’ 25 school district budget or use the money to lower the local school tax rate for Manchester residents and that it could not be allocated into the FY’ 25 city budget.

Following approval of a phone poll taken by the Aldermen last week allowing the special meeting to take place on Wednesday and not Nov. 19 as originally planned, the board recessed to allow the board’s Committee on Finance to meet, which quickly recommended that the appropriation request ought to pass and be enrolled, finalizing acceptance of the money.

The Committee on Finance adjourned and the reconstituted Board of Mayor and Aldermen, made of the same members as the Committee on Finance, voted to accept the Committee on Finance’s recommendation, concluding the process.

Long was joined by Ward 2 Alderman Dan Goonan, Ward 4 Alderwoman Christine Fajardo, Ward 5 Alderman Anthony Sapienza, Ward 9 Alderman Jim Burkush, Ward 10 Alderman Bill Barry and Alderman At-Large Dan O’Neil. Kantor was joined in opposition to the motion by Sapienza and Alderman At-Large Joseph Kelly Levasseur.

“Taxpayers deserve a break, they’re suffering from inflation just like anyone else,” said Ed Sapienza, who added he was disappointed in the vote’s outcome.

Ward 1 Alderman Chris Morgan, Ward 7 Alderman Ross Terrio, Ward 11 Alderman Norm Vincent and Ward 12 Alderwoman Kelly Thomas were absent.

During the Oct. 28 Board of School Committee meeting, Chmiel expected that $1 million of the funding would be used for staff and other wages, $500,000 would be put toward the Athletics Department and fine arts, $2 million would be reserved for transportation contingency funding and $3 million would be put toward professional and contracted services.

“I want to thank the Aldermen for their support of moving the monies over to the school district,” said Chmiel. “The school district remains committed to efficiently using all of those funds to continue our work toward lifting student outcomes.”