Posted June 11, 2012 @ 11:59 PM. The Manchester Board of School Committee did not take a vote on using “one time money” from it’s Expendable Trust accounts to help fill the coming year’s budget gap. Instead, the board voted to establish a committee to look at developing a long range strategic plan for the district.
In conversations with members of the board both before and after the meeting, it was clear that the votes to use one time dollars weren’t there. Prior to the meeting, Ward 7’s Dave Gelinas, the board’s vice-chair, said he’d expected a vote on the use of the funds, but didn’t expect it to pass. “I think someone’s going to try and put the board members on the record,” he said. It didn’t happen.
Instead, the board acted on a proposal by at-Large member Kathy Staub to establish what amounted to a study committee to investigate the development of a strategic plan. The motion empowered Gelinas to appoint the committee and he named Staub the chair along with Ward 3’s Christopher Stewart, Ward 5’s Ted Rokas, Ward 8’s Erika Connors, and Ward 10’s Dr. John Avard. Gelinas told Girard at Large he wanted to have the committee filled with newer members who’ll probably be on the board, not “old guys” like himself that might not be around to see the implementation of a 5 year plan.
Not taking a vote on the use of expendable trust funds cost the school board some political support on the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. “If they won’t vote to use their own money to save the kids,” Said Alderman at-Large Joe Kelly Levasseur, “then I’m not voting to use any city money. Period!”
