Duarte: Hammers unconstitutional conflict of interest
District Sixteen G O P State Senate candidate Joe Duarte issued a statement reacting to a Union Leader story reporting that his Democratic rival Scott McGilvray, intends to continue in his job as president and lobbyist for the state’s largest teachers union, the New Hampshire Chapter of the National Education Association, if he’s elected this November. McGilvray reportedly makes over two hundred thousand dollars annually for the work.
Duarte, who is retired and serving his third term as a state representative in Candia, said McGilvray’s insistence on continuing to lead and lobby for a special interest group that works relentlessly to impact legislation, is quote:
not only a disturbing display of conflict of interest and complete disregard for the New Hampshire State Constitution, but also a serious disservice to the constituents he hopes to represent.
McGilvray: Needs a day job
At best, Duarte said McGilvray would have to recuse himself from all legislation relating to education, including funding. Said Duarte quote:
This would leave residents in New Hampshire Senate District 16 unrepresented on very serious issues facing our state, such as the state budget and legislation that would expand educational opportunity for our children. Voters in Manchester, Hooksett, Bow, Candia and Dunbarton deserve a senator who will be able to vote on these crucial issues, and my opponent’s deep conflicts of interest as a paid lobbyist will render him unable to serve his constituents and constitutionally unfit to serve as state senator.
Duarte will be our guest tomorrow in the eight o’clock hour. Be sure to tune in! (Publisher’s note: See Part II Article 7 of the NH constitution.)
Derry: Supervisors of the Checklist to meet
The Supervisors of the Checklist in Derry will meet on Saturday, Oct. 29th from 11 to 11:30 at the Derry Municipal Center to register new voters, to receive name, address, and party changes from voters, approve applications for voter registration and approve changes to the checklist. This session is the last opportunity to register to vote before the November 8 general election, where you can register at the polls. Applications to register to vote or make name or address changes to voter registrations may be completed with the Town Clerk at the Derry Municipal Center during the Clerk’s regular window hours through October 28th.
Most towns will hold similar meetings regardless of whether or not they notify the press, so be sure to check your town Web site for details to avoid what everybody believes will be horrendously long lines for registrations at the polls on Election Day.
Auburn: Meetings announced
Pursuant to state law and Article 4 of the 2006 Town Meeting, the Auburn Board of Selectmen will hold a public hearing on Monday, October 31st beginning at 7:00 at the Auburn Town Hall for the purpose of receiving public comment concerning the withdrawal and expenditure of eleven thousand nine hundred dollars from the Town Building Rehabilitation Capital Reserve Fund for the replacement of the roof and addition of a gutter at the Griffin Free Public Library and seven thousand three hundred dollars from the Town Building Rehabilitation Capital Reserve Fund for the repair of the roof at the Highway Department garage.
The Auburn Board of Selectmen will continue to receive budget proposals from town entities at its meeting tonight. They’ll review expenditures for legal services, solid waste, health, patriotic purposes and a town operations study tonight at Town Hall starting at seven.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Vargas: Raising discussions
The Manchester Board of School Committee will meet tonight at seven o’clock in the Aldermanic Chambers at City Hall. Among the items on the agenda is a discussion item from Superintendent Dr. Bolgen Vargas regarding transgendered healthcare services. Vargas is also looking to reopen discussion about portable classrooms currently used by the district.
On the agenda as well is the contract with City Year which will formalize its arrangements with the district for this school year and the finalized reports that will be filed with the state. The reports detail the district’s expenditures and revenues and will be used to set the tax rate. Thanks to a loss of state adequacy aid and overstated tuition revenues, about nine hundred thousand dollars in unrealized revenue will have to be made up by the taxpayers.
Contract up for approval
There is also an update from the administration regarding the dependent eligibility audit of the district’s health insurance plan. Coverage for over two hundred and twenty dependents was questioned. Coverage for one hundred seventy have been verified or terminated.
Committees to meet
Tomorrow night, the board’s Committee on Curriculum and Instruction will take up a discussion of leveling in the middle schools and address the district’s elementary school health curriculum. Also tomorrow night, the Committee on Buildings and Sites will begin a review of the district’s pending capital improvement needs on the C I P list.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is next!
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