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Sullivan_School_Board_July_8_2026

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Sullivan School Board  
Public Meeting Minutes 
July 8th, 2026 
 
Present: Board Members: Mike Brooks, Stephanie Milotte, Barb Arguin 
 District Superintendent: Kim Caron 
 District Treasurer: Brad Smith  
 Absent: Malinda Scherpa & Colleen Mathews 
 Public: None 
 
1. Call to Order: Mike Brooks called the meeting to order 6:32PM. 
 
2. Secretary’s Report –  
Public MINUTES APPROVAL FOR June 10th, 2026 
Motion: Barbara motioned to approve the public minutes from June 10th, 2026, Board's meeting. 
Seconded by: Stephanie 
 
Discussion: None 
Voice Vote: Unanimous 
Motion so passes and the June 10th, 2026 Public Minutes are approved. 
 
Non-Public MINUTES APPROVAL FOR June 10th, 2026 
Motion: Stephanie motioned to approve the non-public minutes from June 10th, 2026, Board's 
meeting. 
Second by: Barbara 
 
Discussion: None 
Voice Vote: Unanimous 
Motion so passes and the June 10th, 2026, Non-Public Minutes are approved. 
 
3. Treasurer's Report – Brad Smith the District reviewed the manifest with the board. 
a. Expendable Trust Contribution. Motion. *Document provide as part of the Superintendent 
report. The superintendent recommends that the Sullivan School Board authorize a payment of 
$50,000 to add to the Special Education and Tuition Expendable Trust Fund from the year end 
unassigned fund balance (surplus) available for transfer on June 30, 2026.  
Motion: Stephanie motioned to approve the contribution to the Expendable Trust in the 
amount of $50,000 per the year end unassigned fund balance (surplus). 
Seconded by Barbara 
Discussion: none 
Voice Vote: Unanimous  
Motion so passes and the $50,000 per the year end unassigned fund balance (surplus) 
has been approved and so accepted. 
  
b. Manifest: 
The starting bank balance is $348,835.89 
 
Total Deposits: $133,476.95 
▪ 
Town of Sullivan       $127,342.92 (Deposited 7/2/26 Monthly Payment) 
▪ 
State of NH                $5,653.67 (Deposited 6/22/26 project reimbursement/grant) 
▪ 
Mascoma Checking Acct    $480.36 (Interest earned 6/30/26) 
Payments: 
▪ 
Mascoma Bank 
 
 
 
$20.00 (Stop Payment Check) 
▪ 
Melio 
 
 
 
 
 $ 1.50 (3Electronic Bill Fees) 

 
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▪ 
Educational and Behavioral Consulting LLC $21,024.95 (May/June 2026 services) 
▪ 
Interim Healthcare                                          $8,960.00 (Sept, Feb May June Elementary 
Nurse)  
▪ 
Lionheart Classical Academy                         $3,958.75 (May&June Tuition) 
▪ 
MSB School Services                                     $508.83 (NH Medicaid Billing Services) 
▪ 
Perfect Balance 
 
 
             $231.00 (June 2026 Bookkeeping) 
▪ 
Simplified Speech Solutions                           $825.00 (June 2026) 
▪ 
Tucker Transportation                                    $3,857.50 (June 2026) 
▪ 
Wadleigh, Starr & Peters 
 
 
$29.50 (June 2026 Legal work) 
▪ 
Town of Sullivan Trustees of Trust  
$50.000(Warrant Article 3 Expendable 
Trust/Surplus) 
 
TOTAL PAYMENTS: $89,417.03 
Ending Bank Balance $392,895.81 
 
Brad and Kim reviewed the manifest, and both recommend the approval of the current manifest. 
 
Motion: Stephanie motioned to approve the amended manifest of 6/11/26-7/8/26 
Seconded by Barbara 
Discussion: none 
Voice Vote: Unanimous  
Motion so passes and the June/July Manifest is approved and so accepted 
 
Brad suggested to have the bookkeeper initiate a line item for summary of additional information to 
support any outstanding checks, invoices that are out of sequence when reviewing the monthly 
manifest.  This will help to support the review of any gaps that may arise. 
 
Motion: Stephanie motioned to approve the request to the bookkeeper to add invoice and check 
tracking to fill in any gaps within the outstanding checks or out of sequence invoices. 
Seconded by: Barbara 
Voice Vote: Unanimous 
Motion so passes and the request to have the tracking added to the bookkeeper responsibilities is 
approved and so accepted. 
 
**School Tuition Expendable Trust: $361,926.27K as of December 2025 meeting. 
Kim/Mike are going to follow up for an updated amount. 
 
c. Budget Status Report – Kim to revise and track invoices what are in this fiscal year vs. next 
fiscal year.  We did receive 5,600 from Medicaid reimbursement. The process will change 
in the next fiscal year to require more documentation which may result in increased 
Medicaid reimbursement.  This may hold up Medicaid reimbursements received next year.  
We may be a little over 10% with a surplus, which indicates a solid financial planning, 
especially when we created the budget 18 months prior. 
d. Other – None 
 
4. Public Comment – None 
 
5. Old Business –  
a. SAU Services. Discussion. The school board is following up on the possibility of Sullivan 
obtaining SAU services through an arrangement with SAU29.  
o Mike to reach out to Nelson School Board chair Rich P to inquire about some 
additional questions related to SAU services, technology assistance, policies that they 
follow, attendance of SAU support staff at monthly meetings, etc. for insight as to 
how other towns within the SAU are operating.  

 
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Mike reported the following after his discussion with the Nelson School Board Chair – 
Support of the SAU29 services. 
• 
Superintendent attends some meetings.  Personal attention of the superintendent or 
shared support staff may not be less than the board receives now.  
• 
By contracting with SAU29 for support services, Sullivan could have built in SAU 
services vs. having to search for a support staff to be contracted going forward.  The 
demand outweighs the volume part-time school support services. 
• 
Explore an Intermunicipal agreement – where SAU96 potentially contracts with 
SAU29 if this is available. Can we review cherry picking the services vs. the full kit 
and kaboodle?  
• 
Preschool Services – Nelson School board does not have a current concern about this.  
Sullivan continues to support the search for how we can place our students in need of 
preschool services. 
• 
Accounting services differ from Sullivan in that the treasurer signs the check whereas 
we have a contracted bookkeeper with multiple eyes, superintendent, business admin 
and treasurer watching our finances. 
• 
Lawyer Legal & IT Support services – an example of how these services are possible 
to assist with time management and workflow for solution vs. our own resources or 
contracted work. 
• 
Email accounts are SAU.org accounts to handle the school board work 
• 
Policy work, posting of minutes and updates to School Board website, IT Services, 
ISO, all fall under SAU Services.   
 
Takeaways –  
❖ Potentially ask the school board attorney to lay out different options that are available 
to us depending on thoughts for next steps. 
❖ Approach the SAU29 Superintendent with options to see if any are even a possibility 
for future business opportunities. 
❖ More to follow 
 
6. New Business –  
a. Review District Goals. Discussion.  
*** We are tabling this section until the next school board meeting to review with all 
members. *** 
Policy AD: School Philosophy states the mission of the district. Attached for your review. 
The evaluation of the superintendent from the previous year stated that he should continue 
the policy work. In addition to remaining policy work, the school board may consider 
additional goals such as special education preschool work, SAU services, and district 
bookkeeping services.    
b. District Bookkeeper. Non-Public.   
c. Superintendent Evaluation. Non-Public.  
**We are tabling this section until the next school board meeting to review with all 
members.** 
The superintendent’s evaluation document for 2025-26 (Document provide as part of the 
Superintendent report) attached for school board review, discussion, and completion in 
non-public session. 
d. Other- None 
 
7. Superintendent’s Report. Since the June school board meeting – 
Parking Lot. The superintendent is working on the following items. To be presented at a future school 
board meeting. 
 

 
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▪ 
Synopsis of the 2025-2026 School Year- 
▪ 
District Bookkeeper and Financial Records- District Bookkeeper and Financial 
Records. The superintendent discussed the nature of the business relationship with the 
contracted bookkeeper and district financial records with the general counsel of Primex, 
the district’s insurance carrier. The general counsel reviewed the bookkeeper’s contract 
and made several recommendations to strengthen safeguards in this business 
relationship. The superintendent revised the bookkeeper agreement based upon the 
advice of Primex and the school board attorney addressing ownership of financial 
information, liability insurance coverage and surety bond, and confidentiality and data 
security. The superintendent is discussing web-based QuickBooks with the district 
bookkeeper to provide access to financial data by district users. More to follow.   
 
▪ 
Computer Systems, Electronic Communications, Information Management. 
A summary was provided in the June 2026 superintendent’s report. The school 
board is considering the establishment of a computer-based information system 
to support electronic communication, information management, and operational 
activities of the school board. Issues include the storage and security of district 
information and statutory requirements. The migration to a dedicated electronic 
platform for district operations, the development of related policies and 
procedures, and financial factors require careful consideration. This is especially 
important due of our unique status as a small sending district, part-time SAU 
services, and current electronic communication and remote practices. The school 
board needs to address policy development, the development of an electronic 
filing system, consider the use of district-owned computers v personal computers 
to conduct business, and address the requirement for an information security 
officer.   
▪ 
Preschool. A summary was provided in the June 2026 superintendent’s report. 
Preschool special education presents challenges for the district not found in our 
k-12 agreements with the Nelson and Keene School Districts. Our k-12 tuition 
agreements include access to the school personnel needed for special education 
referral, evaluation, and placement. However, there is no such provision in our 
contracts for federally mandated preschool services. In addition, our small size, 
small number of preschool referrals, and the unpredictable nature of those 
referrals make planning for the necessary resources problematic. More to follow.  
▪ 
SAU Services. A summary was provided in the June 2026 superintendent’s 
report. The superintendent had a June 2026 conversation with SAU29 
Superintendent Malay, who raised the possibility of Sullivan obtaining SAU 
services through an arrangement with SAU29. Initial research suggests several 
options, including dissolving SAU96 to join SAU29, entering into an intermunicipal 
agreement, or establishing a joint maintenance agreement to purchase SAU 
services. The school board may consider consulting the district’s attorney about 
the process and formally approving a motion to explore an agreement with 
SAU29.  
 
Non-public. The superintendent will provide the school board with confidential updates, as allowed 
under RSA 91. 
 
8. Public Comment: None 
 
9. Meeting date: School Board Monthly meeting Wednesday 8/12/26 at 6:30PM 
 
10. Setting the Next Meeting Agenda- 

 
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The school board was asked if they had any specific agenda items to add to the August meeting.  
a. Develop Budget Status Report for 2026-2027 
b. MS25/DOE25: Year-End Expenditures (BA) 
c. DRA calendar (BA) 
d. 6a District Goals 
e. 6c Superintendent evaluation 
 
11. Non-Public Session RSA 91-A:3 if necessary **See Items 6b & 6c** 
Non-public session requested as allowed by RSA 91-A:3  
▪ 
Student Services (Extended School Year) RSA 91-A:3 II(C).  
▪ 
Contracts (Student Services, BA, BK) RSA 91-A:3 II(A) 
Motion to move the meeting into Non-Public session at 7:35PM by Barbara under the Student 
Support Services and Contracts RSA 91-A:3 
Seconded by Stephanie 
Discussion: None 
Voice Vote Unanimous 
Motion approved Meeting moved into Non-Public at 7:35PM  
**Discussed - Special Education and student updates for budget updates and support 
services updates. ** 
Meeting moved back to Public at 7:50PM 
 
12. Adjournment 
Motion: Mike made a motion to adjourn.  
Seconded by: Barbara 
Voice Vote: Unanimous 
Motion passes and the Meeting closed at 7:51PM 
 
Signed By: