All towns · sau-1

06-25-2026 - Selectmen's Advisory Committee - Minutes.pdf

Document

OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 
106 Hancock Road 
Peterborough, New Hampshire 
 
CONTOOCOOK VALLEY SCHOOL BOARD 
 
Selectmen’s Advisory Committee 
 
Thursday, June 25, 2026 
 
SAU Office Board Room 
6:00 p.m. 
 
Minutes   
 
​
Present: Betsy Villaume, Charlie Pyle, Blake Minckler, John Robertson, Michael  
               Borden, George Willard, Bill Kennedy, Curtis Hamilton, Michael Hoyt,  
               Neal Cass 
 
1.​ Call to Order 
Betsy Villaume called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.  
 
2.​ Approve Minutes of April 23, 2026 meeting 
John Robertson motioned to approve the minutes of April 23, 2026. George 
Willard seconded.  Unanimous.  
 
3.​ Review notes from May 28, 2026 meeting 
​
The notes from May 28, 2026 were reviewed.   
 
4.​ District Financial Updates 
a.​ YTD Financial Review 
Neal Cass reported that purchase orders are being closed and final payments made.  Regular 
salaries are under budget due to unfilled positions.  
Line 610 is over due to the new Literacy Curriculum purchased.  
Expenses are where expected.  Revenues are good.  Medicaid reimbursement is running higher 
than budgeted.  We may receive additional reimbursement in Medicaid funding.   
Fund balance shows where expected.  It may be affected by legislation on the Governor’s desk 
that may eliminate any retainage.  The Board will look at encumbering more if this passes to 
keep a level tax rate.   
Changes are coming with the district restructure in the coming year.   
$3,195,501 is the estimated amount to be returned.  It will be finalized once the auditors review 
this summer.  
Neal Cass anticipates that going into the new year, that the surpluses will not be in the same 
range.   
 
5.​ School Board Updates 
a.​ Francestown Withdrawal Update 
Charlie Pyle said that Francestown has been meeting every other week and is moving forward.  
They will be asking the State Board of Education for a date on their agenda regarding 
withdrawing from the SAU and elections.  
Mike Hoyt shared that as far as ConVal is concerned, next Tuesday will be the first combined 
Board meeting which will be an organizational meeting.  Scheduling meetings will be looked at 
 

 
as well as electing as Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary.  An SAU budget will be discussed.  
Positions can either be maintained in Francestown and in ConVal or an SAU position where 
they work in both districts.   
In terms of withdrawal, meetings with Francestown will continue.  Decisions on a withdrawal 
agreement would include a tuition agreement if Francestown students will be sent to ConVal. 
The school building negotiations to turn the building over to the Francestown Independent 
School District will be needed.  
 
b.​ Legislative Update 
Curtis Hamilton reported that there were 53 education related bills sent to the Governor’s desk 
in the past several weeks.  Sixteen included unfunded mandates.  Many added regulations to 
public schools and Bills that ask schools to limit school spending and administrative spending.   
HB155 seeks to decrease the business enterprise tax passed and signed into law.  Surpluses 
would trigger additional decreases in this tax.  
HB1563 relates to special education aid reimbursement.  There is bipartisan support that 
recognizes that special education is unfairly burdened by taxpayers.  This would reduce the low 
end of the reimbursement threshold.  
The reporting will need to be detailed.  There will also be a requirement to bill Medicaid which 
will be difficult for some districts who do not have the manpower.   
Increased aid comes with additional scrutiny about administration.   
HB1610 relates to fund balance.  Voters would need to authorize annually the ability for a district 
to retain funds.  It was amended to rescind prior authorization to retain funds.  Everything would 
have to be returned and a vote would not be possible until the coming years.  It disenfranchised 
voters who voted to retain funds in prior years.   
HB1300 is a tax cap bill.  This would be voted on whether or not to impose a tax cap.  If you 
have to return your entire fund balance and a tax cap was instituted, it would create a difficult 
situation.   
Retained funds earn interest and are an important safety net.   
Bill Kennedy asked if there are any bills in place that offer accountability for EFA accounts. 
Curtis said that you can get State money and take a CTE course with no cost. 
   
c.​ Enrollment Update 
Enrollment numbers will be better known mid to late September as summer enrollments are 
finalized into the month.  
Mike Hoyt shared that the Superintendent has been going over enrollment with administrators to 
look at class sizes.  The make up of each of the classes is also discussed.  
Curtis Hamilton said that there were three staffing justifications approved in June that included a 
new teacher at Greenfield and at Temple.   
The new math and literacy curriculum, coupled with a three grade classroom, would prove 
difficult to deliver daily.   
The third justification moved the part-time administrative assistant at FES to full-time given 
staffing changes and the additional support needed  
 
d.​ Other Committees 
i.​
Education 
Mike Hoyt reported that this committee has been looking at district wide assessments and what 
else needs to be done to make sure that student skills are brought up.   
Looking at carrying this over into the middle schools is underway.   
 
ii.​
Communications 
Curtis Hamilton reported that a School Board Facebook page will be launched late July.  It will 
be a place to post Board communications, agendas etc.  It should integrate and get information 
to where people are.   
 

 
The Board packet system has been revised.  There is now a Google Drive that will have a public 
facing folder that will include information related to meetings for the public view.   
A communication was approved on the withdrawal process focused on the SAU Board.  It was 
more to describe the process and what an SAU Board is in statute, who can come, how voting 
works.  
Letters to the Governor advocating against HB1300 and HB1610.  
 
iii.​
Facilities 
Curtis Hamilton reported that the goal is to start in the fall and winter by getting into communities 
to explain the long term capital improvement plan around the two middle schools and to share 
the costs needed to keep them going.   
Modernization costs for both schools are available.  People will be asked what they value in 
middle school education.  
Budget & Property will be figuring out the 10-15 year capital improvement plan to learn more 
about costs over an extended period of time.  
An Antrim rep has been added to the Facilities Committee.  
 
iv.​
Negotiations 
 
v.​
Budget & Property 
The Budget & Property Committee will meet next on July 21st.   
A telephone RFP was approved recently for all schools.  Work is underway.   
 
6.​ Summer Meeting Schedule (July, August) 
Bill Kennedy moved for SAC not to meet in July but to meet in August.   Seconded. 
Unanimous.  
 
7.​ Other Business 
Curtis reported that Laura Mafera resigned from the ConVal School Board.  Kevin Pobst was 
appointed as Laura’s replacement.   
  
8.​ Adjourn 
Mike Borden motioned to adjourn at 6:49 p.m. George Willard seconded. Unanimous.  
 
Respectfully submitted, 
 
Brenda Marschok