UPDATE: 7/2 – 5:25 p.m. – Representatives of the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office indicate that they officially received the proposed recommendations by the Charter Commission on May 27, 2020 and thus must provide a response by July 17 under NH RSA 49B:4-a(d).
If the Attorney General’s Office gives legal approval, the recommendations can go to Manchester voters this fall under NH RSA 49B:5-I(a).
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Earlier this week, the Manchester Board of School Committee (BOSC) approved a letter requesting that the Manchester School Charter Commission resume its work and draft a new recommendation for voters regarding parts of the city charter impacting the Manchester School District.
Ward 9 BOSC Member Arthur Beaudry made the motion after he was informed that voters would not be able to vote on the recommendations until city elections in November 2021 barring a special election, precluding the need to rush the matter.
Additionally, Beaudry voiced his frustration with the recommendations keeping the Board of Aldermen as the final arbiters regarding overrides of the school district’s expenditure and appropriations caps, better known as the “tax cap.”
At-Large BOSC Member Joseph Lachance, also a member of the Charter Commission, said the proposals were a compromise and that the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office is currently looking at the changes proposed by the Commission. He also stated his understanding that the changes will be on the ballot during the November 2020 State and Federal election if approved by the Attorney General’s Office.
Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig said she did not agree with all of the recommendations, but also noted that the citizens of Manchester elected them last year and that had to be respected.
The motion passed 11-4, with Craig joining Karen Soule of Ward 3, Leslie Want of Ward 4 and Jeremy Dobson of Ward 5.
More information on the recommendations can be seen here.