Beaudry: Administration has it mixed up
Quote: “I think we get things mixed up. You’re the civil servant. We’re the elected body. If we give you a directive to order books, they’re to be ordered.” That’s what Ward Nine School Committeeman Arthur Beaudry said to Superintendent Debra Livingston at last night’s meeting of the Manchester Board of School Committee after Livingston invoked board policy one oh five to complain about board members communicating outside of the so called Chain of Command.
Avard: Won’t be told who he can talk to
Livingston went there after Beaudry discussed calls he’s received from teachers about the now inordinate amount of testing taking place in classrooms since McDonough Second Grade Teacher Kelley Tambouris came forward. Ward Ten School Board Member John Avard defiantly told Livingston that, as an elected official, he represents the taxpayers and parents of his ward and that he will talk to any of them or any employee of the school district at any time and that if they bring items he believes need to be addressed at the board or elsewhere he will raise them.
Dunphy: Practice what you preach
Not long after that, Ward Six Committeewoman Robyn Dunphy echoed their comments, raising an area where Livingston defied the directive of the Student Conduct Committee to schedule a disciplinary hearing for a student. Despite a unanimous vote of the committee to hold a hearing, Livingston readmitted the unnamed student to school following the undisclosed infraction. Dunphy, who read policy one oh five in her out loud school board member voice told Livingston quote: “Before you scold us about chain of command, you ought to practice what you preach.” End quote.
Livingston: Rightly on the hot seat
While much happened at last night’s meeting, the details of which we’ll get to in this morning’s show, we think you should know that the renewal of longtime Assistant Superintendent Karen Burkush’s contract was tabled. Embattled Assistant Superintendent David Ryan saw his contract renewed by just one vote after Mayor Ted Gatsas refused to break the tie on a motion to recommit Ryan to move to the city. We’ve linked to our Live Blog Forum of last night’s meeting from this news read at Girard at Large dot com.
Arthur & Donna Green: Filed formal complaint for Abuse of Office
As we heard yesterday in an interview on Girard at Large, Timberlane Regional School Board Member Donna Green and her Budget Committee Member husband Arthur are done fooling around with the tyrannical tactics of Superintendent Earl Metzler. They’ve filed an official complaint over his antics with the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity.
Metzler: Abuse of Office alleged
In the compliant, which we have uploaded with this newscast and will repost in its entirety on Girard at Large dot com, the Greens detail having to file and pay for Right to Know Requests to obtain basic financial information from district administrators. They also detail what they believe are violations of four separate budget laws. There was so much documentation, they actually uploaded it to Google Drive and linked to it from their complaint.
Grosky: Wife to get district contract?
As discussed yesterday, they also called out the, shall we say, irregularities in the current bid process that will, in all likelihood obtain public relations services from the wife of the district’s budget committee chairman Jason Grosky via educational consulting firm SERESC in Bedford, just like Metzler’s wife was awarded a fifty thousand dollar contract for consulting services through SERESC, which was also raised in the complaint. We’ve linked to Green’s interview from this newscast so you can catch all the details. Green Public Integrity Letter Green Public Integrity Letter
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Bradley: More cuts needed
Well, now that the election’s over, it would appear as if the Governess Margaret Wood Hassan has discovered the state’s yawning budget deficit. Her Excellency yesterday requested the Legislative Fiscal Committee cut state spending to deal with it. Senate President Chuck Morse Republican from Salem and Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley Republican from Wolfeboro issued statements in response with Morse saying quote “Revenues for this year have come in slightly above the budget plan. The real problem is the overspending that has taken place since the Legislature passed a responsible budget in 2 0 1 3.” Bradley said quote: “…I remain concerned that today’s proposed cuts don’t go far enough. The Governor should direct her department heads to spend less. I’m also troubled that the Governor is clearly opening the door to higher business taxes, just as New Hampshire’s economy is starting to move out of neutral.”
Cormier: Will lead NH Right to LIfe
Former State Rep. and District Sixteen State Senate candidate Jane Cormier has been elected President of New Hamsphire Right to Life. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously in electing her at it’s November meeting. Cormier, who narrowly missed unseating State Senator David Boutin in the G O P primary in September, despite being outspent by more than ten to one, has experience with non-profit sector management and will stand unflinchingly for the right to life from conception through natural death. “We look forward to having Jane become part of N H R T L. We know she will bring a new and fresh perspective to engage in robust dialogue regarding life issues here in NH”, said the group’s Political PAC Chair, Darlene Pawlik in a statement released yesterday.
Old Man: T-Shirt contest launched
Rock On Foundation has announced it is holding an Old Man of the Mountain T-Shirt Contest along with New Hampshire-based t-shirt company, The Mountain. Youth throughout the state may submit their own designs of the Old Man of the Mountain. Winners will be selected for three age groups: 2nd-5th grade, 6th-8th grade, and 9th-12th grade and will receive free T-shirts for a class of their choice and 500 bucks toward an item or items that will help them pursue their passion, such as the purchase of an instrument, contribution towards a college fund, payment for sport or art lessons, etc. Additionally, each winner’s design will be added to The Mountain®’s catalog, with sales supporting Rock On’s ongoing initiatives. Rock On will be accepting submissions electronically on its website from now until March 9th. To participate in the contest and for more information, visit rock on foundation dot org slash granite.
Not running the Bow Police Association’s Turkey Trot
Bib’s for the Bow Police Association’s Turkey Trot will be available for pick up on tomorrow at the Bow Police Department between the hours of 7 and 7. Organizers would appreciate it if you could pick up your bib in advance. You may have someone else pick up your bib but they will be required to sign for it.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is next.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/178580832″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
