MANCHESTER, N.H. – Earlier this week, the Manchester Joint School Building Committee held its first meeting without Ward 1 Alderman Chris Morgan, who announced his resignation several days earlier.
During the Sept. 9, 2024 Board of School Committee meeting, Vice Chair and Joint School Building Committee Chair Jim O’Connell voiced concern over potential conflicts of interest between Morgan and the Manchester School District due to his role as an Alderman and pre-existing financial connections with the school district.
In the Joint School Building Committee meeting, O’Connell thanked Morgan for serving on the board, which is responsible for the construction of school buildings in the city and is made up of members of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen and the Board of School Committee. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen finalizes the school district budget each year and in the past, Aldermen with a perceived financial connection to the district have abstained from voting on the budget, such as with former Ward 9 Alderman Barbara Shaw, whose relatives worked in the district.
Following the meeting, O’Connell confirmed to Manchester Ink Link that Morgan had missed the last two meetings of the committee and his comments were focused on transparency, not Morgan.
“My primary purpose here is that there be clarity and openness about the expenditure of city funds, taxpayer funds, and school funds. As for those funds flowing to an Alderman or any other elected official, I think it should be clearly understood,” he said. “I’m just saying that at the very minimum, we need the bright light of scrutiny so everyone knows what’s going on.
On Sept. 10, one day after O’Connell’s initial comments, Morgan sought guidance from the City Clerk’s office and at that time amended his financial disclosure form to note Manchester Youth Sports, a non-profit organization where he is the executive director and Manchester Flag Football League LLC. Manchester Youth Sports also has two “doing business as” or dba names: Manchester Basketball League and Manchester Soccer League. Prior to that there were no disclosures listed. (see below).
Morgan disagreed with O’Connell’s belief regarding government transparency and felt that it was a partisan attack given that Morgan is a Republican and O’Connell is currently the Democratic Nominee for the District 4 New Hampshire Executive Council seat.
Morgan provided the following statement to Manchester Ink Link.
I have decided to leave the Joint School Committee due to personal and unprofessional comments made by the Vice Chairman of the school board Jim O’Connell during a school board meeting, attacking my character and the many years of work I’ve done providing hundreds of underprivileged kids the opportunity to play sports thru our youth sports leagues, therefore I feel it’s better to take the high road and avoid any future conflict as my continuation on the committee would be awkward and uncomfortable .It is clear that Vice Chairman O’Connell is attacking me for the sole reason that I support his opponent in the Executive Council Race. He is using his position on the school board to make this a political issue, which it shouldn’t be, but that clearly shows what kind of person he is, he is only out for himself and not for the people of Manchester and most importantly he is not supporting our kids who need more opportunities to play sports.
Information provided by the Manchester School District indicated that Morgan’s organizations have been paid $5,233.70 for middle school flag football in 2017, and $17,000 for an elementary school basketball league in 2021, and a middle school intramural soccer program at no cost to the district in 2017.
The district went to an in-house approach for elementary school basketball in 2022, and that approach was continued in 2023 after concern from parents over possible changes.
Following a request from Manchester Ink Link, the Manchester School District provided the following list of invoices related to Morgan’s organizations
- $9,999 for league management on April 8, 2021 (Manchester Soccer League)
- $17,500 for league management on Nov. 9, 2021 (Manchester Basketball League)
- $13,100 for assignment of game officials for entire 2022 season on Oct. 21, 2022 (Manchester Basketball League)
- $3,000 for additional referee for all games during the season on Oct. 21, 2022 (Manchester Basketball League)
- $11,110 for referees, uniforms, equipment, awards and administration fees on Feb. 7, 2023 (Manchester Soccer League)
- $13,100 for game officials for entire 2023 season on Nov. 15, 2023 (Manchester Basketball League)
- $15,000 for administration and all expenses on Jan. 26, 2024 (Manchester Elementary Soccer League)
- $15,000 for administration and all expenses on Feb. 15, 2024 (Manchester Elementary Spring Soccer League)
NOTE: The author of this article refereed a soccer game with Morgan in 2023 for no pay and in a league not connected to the Manchester School District.