On Air News Read for March 23, 2017

The Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen held a special meeting last night to discuss the impact of Mayor Ted Gatsas’ budget proposal with several department heads.  As we’ve previously reported, those heard from, especially the Big Three, Police, Fire and Public Works, expressed concern at having to absorb the cost of retirement severance payouts in their budgets.  The upshot of it all was that everything from leaving vacancies open to the rolling shutdown of fire stations was threatened if funding wasn’t increased.

Of particular interest was the Board of School Committee’s vote to reduce what it paid the city for services rendered by five percent.  Public Health Director Tim Soucy said it would lead to multiple layoffs and threaten his department’s ability to ensure there was a nurse in every school. 

Public Works Director Kevin Sheppard warned of relatively steep service cuts that would affect building and ground maintenance, saying it was unlikely the school district would ultimately be pleased with its decision.

The decision to cover the city’s four middle schools with two police officers, known as school resource officers, rather than the current four was frowned upon.

While no alderman expressed support for the school board’s decision, their reasoning was split into two camps; one led by former Lord Emperor, at-Large Aldermen Dan O’Neil and the other by Board Chair, Ward Three Alderman Patrick Long. 

O’Neil criticized the school board for not recognizing the value of the services the city provides, faulting it for always complaining it’s getting screwed by the city. 

Long’s take on it was not that the school board was thinking it was getting screwed by the city, but that it was looking for places in the budget to cut without reducing academic services.  He did say, however, that the school board clearly didn’t think this decision through.

Mayor Ted Gatsas couldn’t answer the “what were they thinking” question posed by aldermen, but did note the notice of reconsideration given by Ward Twelve Committee Member Connie Van Houten, which the aldermen thought was a good thing. 

Ward Nine Alderman Barbara Shaw took the opportunity to suggest that the whole system of charge backs, which several aldermen questioned, be revisited given the tension it’s causing between the city and the district. 

At-Large Alderman Joe Kelly Levasseur said the whole thing was ridiculous and was a reason why the district should be restored as a department in the city so the money that gets charged back could be put directly into the service providing departments’ budgets and the schools could just worry about the academic stuff.

Meanwhile, across town, School Superintendent Dr. Bolgen Vargas presented a proposed realignment of the middle school feeder system at Bakersville Elementary School last night.  The plan would assign students from specific elementary schools to go to a specific middle school.  Bakersville would be the most impacted school as, instead of sending its kids to Southside and Memorial, they would go to Parkside and West. 

That raised concerns from a mother present who said she bought her house in that neighborhood ten years ago, before she had children, because she wanted her kids to go to Memorial.  Another said her fifth grade child had been to Southside multiple times to play with the string orchestra and was already familiar with the school she expected him to attend.  She questioned how he’d adapt to having to go to Parkside, with which he was unfamiliar.

News from our own backyard continues after this.

District Sixteen State Senator Scott McGilvray, Democrat from Hooksett, has passed away.  He was fifty one.  McGilvary, who was also President of the New Hampshire Chapter of the National Education Association, taught for twenty years at Memorial High School, where he was also a football coach.  He’d taken ill over the past month and died in a Boston hospital Tuesday evening.

Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas expressed sadness at McGilvray’s passing in a statement issued yesterday.  He said McGilvary worked to expand educational opportunities in the city and would quote: 

…be remembered for his profound impact on our students both in the classroom and on the football field.

Megan Tuttle, who became acting N E A-New Hampshire President after McGilvary took a leave of absence to tend to his deteriorating health, issued a statement expressing condolences.  Quote:

Scott made the lives of countless others better as a teacher, coach, mentor, friend and leader and he will be greatly missed.

Governor Chris Sununu ordered flags across the state to half mast until McGilvary’s interment, saying he and his wife were quote: 

deeply saddened by the news of Senator McGilvray’s passing. He was a dedicated public servant.

Senate President Chuck Morse Republican from Salem expressing his regrets and saying quote:

Senator McGilvrary was well respected within in his community and has touched countless young lives through his dedication to education as well as coaching youth sports.

Senate Minority Leader Jeff Woodburn, Democrat from Whitefield, said, quote: 

Scott’s time in the NH Senate, just as his life, was too brief. He devoted his life to teaching, coaching, and advocating for our children and he left an indelible impression with all he worked with.

On behalf of the House of Representatives, Speaker Shawn Japser, Republican from Hudson, issued a statement saying, quote:

It is clear from those who knew him well that he was extremely dedicated to the youth of our state in so many ways.  His passing reminds of us of how important health and family are and puts our business here at the State House into perspective.

McGilvary is survived by his wife Patti and two adult daughters, Meaghan and Molly.  Arrangements are pending.

That’s NEWS from our own backyard!  Girard at Large hour ___ is next!

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