Pearl: No exceptions to lottery
The Hooksett School Board met on Tuesday night and it made some interesting decisions. Among them was a change in how eligibility to attend a school governed by a Memorandum of Understanding is determined if that school’s capacity is maxed out. The school board has so called M O U agreements with Pembroke Academy, Bow High and Londonderry High and the number of freshmen that can enter the school is determined by the school on an annual basis. Under the old policy, if more kids wanted to go to a school than there were spaces available, preference would have been given to those with siblings already attending the school and to those who lived close to it. The board stripped those preferences away Tuesday night on a four to three, with board members David Pearl, John Lyscars, Todd Lizotte, and James Sullivan voting in favor. As a result, any and all students who want to go to the oversubscribed school will be forced into a lottery for the available spaces. So, families in Hooksett could be split with children having to attend multiple schools or seriously inconvenienced by having to attend a school that’s far, far away. In response to questions posed by Girard at Large, Pearl, who made the motion, wrote that attending an M O U school is quote “outside of the choice of the schools maintained by Hooksett and therefore all students should have the same chance to take advantage of it if they choose.” End quote. In other business, the board voted to invite Manchester Superintendent of Schools Debra Livingston to meet with them and voted to authorize its negotiations committee, or whatever it is they finally named it, to meet with the Manchester School District over the tuition agreement. PUBLISHER’S NOTE: After the broadcast, we were informed the vote was five in favor and two opposed, with Board Vice Chair Amy Boilard’s vote having improperly reported. She was in favor of the changes.
Manchester completes voter purge
The voter purge in Manchester is complete and it was a big one. A total of eight thousand one hundred sixty five notices were mailed to voters who had not voted in the last four years. Of that number, four thousand four hundred fifty eight, or fifty five percent, were returned by the post office as undeliverable. Only one hundred three replied to the mailer saying they wanted to remain on the checklist. Therefore, between the returned mail and the non responses, Manchester’s Board of Registrars removed eight thousand sixty two names from the checklist. Fifteen hundred ten Republicans were removed, as were twenty nine hundred sixty five Democrats and thirty five hundred eighty seven undeclared voters. We asked for a copy of the list and were told we could take a look at it in City Hall for free or pay a hundred seventy eight dollars and fifty cents for a paper copy. And they said the Right to Know policy wasn’t about money, right, ‘cuz it cost the city a hundred eight bucks to turn over information it already has, gimmie a break. Anyway, we’re still awaiting an answer to our request to obtain the list in electronic format, because that’s creating the paper document . PUBLISHER”s NOTE: Following the broadcast, we were advised that for the same $178.50, we could get a PDF document of the list on a disc.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Infantine: Stepping down
The filing period for state and federal offices opened yesterday and candidates were eager to file. Former Bay State Senator Scott Brown made his candidacy for New Hampshire’s G O P U S senate nomination official with his filing at the State House. Former State Senator Jim Rubens, Republican from Etna, will file his senate candidacy today. Former Senator Bob Smith delayed his filing until sometime next week when his wife can be present to file with him. Locally, former Highland Goffe’s Falls School P T A President Victoria Sullivan filed for state rep. in Ward Nine. In a message to Girard at Large, she said her issues are taxes, guns, free speech, and common core. Quote “I have been watching this mess and I cannot stand idly by,” end quote said Sullivan. Shire Sharing Foundress Amanda Bouldin declared her candidacy for state rep. as a Democrat in Ward 5. Her volunteer organization, which has been featured here on Girard at Large, has fed thousands of families at Thanksgiving in recent years. Long time Republican State Rep. Will Infantine made official the tease he gave our audience on Friday, announcing on the House Floor yesterday he will not seek reelection to the Ward Six seat he’s held for six terms.
Hassan: Turkey trip hypocrite
Governor Margaret Wood Hassan remains unapologetic for violating her own executive order banning out of state travel and it’s causing her some trouble. Hassan’s been defending her decision to continue with a trade mission to Turkey ever since ordering the travel ban. Thanks to a Right to Know request filed by Citizens for a Strong New Hampshire, we know it will cost taxpayers fifteen thousand dollars. They’ve filed a second Right to Know Request asking to know, among other things, what trips have been canceled as a result of the ban and what other exemptions have been granted to it. Personally, I think it’s simply a ruse to distract from yesterday’s decision by the Governor and Council to spend eighty thousand dollars on a new door in a State House meeting room. Did you hear about that one?
Hemingway: Launched petition to oppose Turkey trip.
Anyway, G O P gubernatorial candidate Andrew Hemingway launched an online petition opposing the trip. In a statement released to the press, he wrote quote “If we want to actually improve the economy and grow jobs here in New Hampshire, we don’t need to go Turkey. Instead, let’s address the real reason we are losing jobs over our southern border and why companies aren’t coming here. We don’t need to go half way around the world to reduce our corporate tax rates, lower electricity costs, roll-back regulations and lower insurance costs.” End quote. We’ve linked to the petition if you agree so you can sign it if you’d like.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is straight ahead!
