Page 12 — THE LACONIA DAILY SUN, Saturday, June 4, 2011
GILFORD from page one last winter that he would retire at the end of this school year. At a meeting of the Budget Committee a motion to reduce the amount of money budgeted for a new superintendent from the 2011 annual budget narrowly failed although some members of the Budget Committee estimated it could save the district between $35,000 and $70,000 to do without a superintendent and have the district run by a business manager. At a well-attended Budget Committee public hearing the next week many, including teachers, parents, and educators, spoke against continuing without a superintendent but the issue was later resurrected in the form of a petitioned warrant article that appeared on the annual SB-2 ballot. During the SB-2 deliberative session, some say protocol was violated when one of the lead petitioners, Budget Committee member Terry Stewart, rose to speak to the petition but was told to sit down by the moderator who allowed the School District’s Attorney Barbara Lohmann to speak before the actual petitioners. “She could have rebutted anything I said but the petitioner of an article speaks to it first,” said Stewart who added that a lot of the momentum went out of the discussion after Lohmann told the meeting the ballot question was “advisory only” but before he got to speak to its merits. Despite the conversation at the deliberative session, the ballot question passed when 492 people of the nearly 700 who voted said they supported going back to the 1998 model that was approved by voters at that time.
In a move worthy of Machiavelli, the day before the 2011 SB-2 vote, the School Board announced it offered a new superintendent’s contract to Kent Hemingway, virtually rendering the vote meaningless and putting the district directly in the bulls eye for a breach of contract suit should the board vote to not hire a superintendent. In response to the vote, School Board Chair Kurt Webber said it was decision of the both the Gilford and the Gilmanton School Boards to continue with a superintendent-style management platform and that it was their choice to make. “We are not going to change our position,” he said at the time. He also said the structure of the School District is determined by a state law which gives the authority to the School Board. Hence the petition. The law cited by those who think the school board is ignoring them by not convening the requested special meeting is RSA 197:2 that states: “A special meeting of a school district shall be held whenever, in the opinion of the school board, there is occasion therefor, or whenever 50 or more voters, or 1/4 of the voters of the district, whichever is less, shall have made written application to the school board therefor, setting forth the subject matter upon which action is desired. No special school district meeting shall be held in conjunction with the biennial election, except when a special school district meeting has been approved by the court and a school district has adopted the official ballot referendum form of meeting pursuant to RSA 40:14.” However, the actual “action” requested by the recent petitioners is not defined. When asked what action he thought the School
ST. JAMES CHURCH
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876 North Main St. (Rt. 106) Opp. Opechee Park “The Episcopal Church Welcomes You”
524-5800 Be a Witness.
Holy Eucharist: Saturday: 5PM - Informal Service Sunday: 9AM - Family Service Rite II Nursery Nook in Sanctuary
LifeQuest Church
Sunday School, 9:30am • Worship Service, 10:30am
St. James Preschool 528-2111
The Rev. Tobias Nyatsambo, Pastor
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Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
(Traditional Catholic Latin Rite) The Traditional Latin Rite Mass has been celebrated and revered by the Popes of the Church from time immemorial to POPE JOHN PAUL II who requested that it have “a wide and generous application.” 500 Morrill Street, Gilford 524-9499 Sunday Mass: 7:00 a.m. & 9:00 a.m. Daily Mass: 8:00 a.m. Mass on Holy Days of Obligation: 7:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Confessions: One Hour Before Each Mass Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and Rosary each Wednesday: 7:00 p.m. Marriages & Baptisms by Appointment
A Christian & Missionary Alliance Church 115 Court Street – Laconia Pastor Bob Smith A/C
524-6860
THE BIBLE SPEAKS’ CHURCH 40 Belvidere St. Lakeport, NH
Tel: 528-1549
(United Church of Christ) 4 Highland Street, off Main Street, Meredith www.fccmeredith.org Email: fccmeredith@metrocast.net • 279-6271
Head Pastor: Robert N. Horne
Join us Sunday at 10 a.m. for Worship, Sunday School and Fellowship
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“Stay in the City” Scripture Readings:
Acts 1: 6-11 • Luke 24: 44-52
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The Reverend Dr. Russell Rowland Colette Fand, Music Director Phil Breton, Organist Toni Brown, Sunday School Superintendent
First United Methodist Church
19 Potter Hill Road “In the Village”
18 Wesley Way (Rt. 11A), Gilford 524-3289 Rev. Dr. Victoria Wood Parrish, Pastor
524-6057
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Managers Wanted Psalm 24
www.gilfordcommunitychurch.org Childcare in Amyʼs Room The Reverend Michael C. Graham
Sermon: “How Well Does God Know You” “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors”
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Roman Catholic Faith Community of St. André Bessette Parish, Laconia 291 Union Ave. Laconia, NH 524-9609 MASS SCHEDULE Saturday............................4:00pm Sunday. . . .8:00am, 9:30am & 5:00pm Confession Tuesday...........................5:30pm Saturday..........................3:00pm
First Congregational Church
Dial-A-Devotional: 528-5054
Gilford Community Church
Sacred Heart Church
District should take in a special meeting, Stewart said yesterday he wants an open and free discussion with the community and the members of the School Board, possibly conducted by a moderator. He went on to say the format of School Board meetings, which are all open to the public, is typically very formal and doesn’t allow for the back and forth discussion about the administrative future of the district he believes the voters chose when they voted twice — in 1998 and again this year — to change the management platform. Doug Lambert, one of the original authors of the study that recommended the business manager concpet change back in 1998, agreed. He said he is fine with the idea that the School Board has included the recent petition on Monday’s agenda but fears the public won’t be given a full opportunity to participate in the discussion. The posted agenda specifies that the time for public comment is before the discussion of new business — which includes the newest petition for a speicial meeting. In addition, the board agenda iterates in bold letters that the public comment period “is intended to give citizens a voice and the (School Board) an opportunity to hear directly from citizens.” “This time is not intended for Q & A,” the agenda continues. “Questions about programs and practices may be directed to respective administrators during the school day.” Neither DeMinico nor Assistant Superintendent Scott Isabelle were available to comment on this story yesterday. The School Board meetings begins at 6 p.m. and will be in the library at the Gilford Elementary School.
St. Joseph Church
30 Church St. Laconia, NH 524-9609 MASS SCHEDULE Saturday..............................5:00pm Sunday..............7:00am & 10:30am Confession Saturday..............................4:00pm
Rev. Marc Drouin, Pastor
Music Ministry: Wesley Choir Professional Nursery Available
The Lakes Region Vineyard Church St. Helena Church
Rte. 11B Weirs Beach, NH 524-9609 MASS SCHEDULE Saturday.............................5:30pm Sunday...............................9:00am
Rev. Matthew Mason, Associate Pastor
175 Mechanic St. Lakeport, NH • 603-527-2662
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