10-16-2025 SAU Board Meeting Minutes
The SAU 19 Board unanimously approved April through September 2025 manifests. Brian informed the Board the Guaranteed Maximum Rate increased to 12.4%. Regarding the proposed 2026-27 budget, Brian noted a healthy fund balance with approximately $320,000 for projects, leaving the FY27 budget unchanged. The Board requested Randy Loring present a list of SAU Central Office maintenance projects at the December meeting. Policy ACAC, Title IX Sexual Harassment, was adopted on an emergency basis and will return for approval in December. The Board set the Budget Hearing for December 10, 2025. Approvals included retirements for Denise Morin and Jill Parenteau, and a 3.5% salary increase for Sherri Gardner. Janet Collins was hired as Administrative Assistant. Source: https://www.sau19.org/index.php/en/?option=com_dropfiles&format=&task=frontfile.download&catid=1188&id=6574&Itemid=1000000000000
Page 1 of 15 Approved minutes SAU19 BOARD MEETING MINUTES GOFFSTOWN * NEW BOSTON SCHOOL DISTRICTS October 16, 2025– 6:00PM SAU 19 Central Office - 11 School Street – Goffstown, NH 03045 New Boston School Board Members Present: Julie Kirklin, Kate Merva, Kelly Socia, Nicole Treat, Bill Schmidt (excused absence) Goffstown School Board Members Present: Heather Trzepacz, Shane Rozamus (arrived at 7:00pm), Jack Carbonneau, Jared Talbot, Caroline Racine, Reta Chaffee, Laura Fleming (Ginny McKinnon and Vanessa Hayes, excused absence) SAU 19 Administrators: Brian Balke, Superintendent, Wendy Kohler, Assistant Superintendent, Doug Totten, Business Administrator Jared Talbot called the meeting to order at 6:33pm Pledge of Allegiance Approval of April 10, 2025 Meeting Minutes: Heather Trzepacz motioned the approval of the April 10, 2025 meeting minutes as presented, seconded by Nicole Treat Vote: 10-0-0 – All in Favor – Motion Passed. Public Comment: None Correspondence HealthTrust Update: Both Boards were made aware of the HealthTrust Update on Recent Events Impacting NH Health Risk Pools at their October School Board meetings. Brain wanted to ensure the same information would be noted in the SAU minutes. There are two models of coverage: “Assessable coverage, when losses cause reserves to fall below the level needed for financial stability, the entity providing coverage (i.e., risk pool) can go back to the policy holders (towns, cities, schools, etc.) and require policy holders to pay additional funds to cover losses that occurred during the current or prior year. The additional funds would be owed even if the policyholder decided to non-renew coverage.” HealthTrust memo dated October 1, 2025 Non-assessable coverage: “Your contributions (premiums) are the limit of your exposure and offering non-assessable coverage would typically hold higher reserve levels, as there is no immediate source of additional revenue if claims exceed reserves. The risk pool would rebuild reserves through a prospective capital risk charge added to future premiums.” HealthTrust memo dated October 1, 2025. Noted: SAU 19, New Boston and Goffstown School Districts are not in an assessable pool coverage. Brian informed the Board that our Guaranteed Maximum Rate (GMR) has increased to 12.4%. Manifests and Vouchers: April 2025, May 2025, June 2025, July 2025, August 2025, September 2025 Manifests Page 2 of 15 Approved minutes Caroline Racine motioned to accept the April 2025 manifest as presented, seconded by Julie Kirklin. Vote: 10-0-0 - All in Favor – Motion Passed. Page 3 of 15 Approved minutes Caroline Racine motioned to accept the May 2025 manifest as presented, seconded by Julie Kirklin. Vote: 10-0-0 - All in Favor – Motion Passed. Page 4 of 15 Approved minutes Caroline Racine motioned to accept the June 2025 manifest as presented, seconded by Julie Kirklin. Vote: 10-0-0 - All in Favor – Motion Passed. Page 5 of 15 Approved minutes Caroline Racine motioned to accept the July 2025 manifest as presented, seconded by Julie Kirklin. Vote: 10-0-0 - All in Favor – Motion Passed. Page 6 of 15 Approved minutes Caroline Racine motioned to accept the August 2025 manifest as presented, seconded by Julie Kirklin. Vote: 10-0-0 - All in Favor – Motion Passed. Page 7 of 15 Approved minutes Caroline Racine motioned to accept the September 2025 manifest as presented, seconded by Julie Kirklin. Vote: 10-0-0 - All in Favor – Motion Passed. Expenditure Report: Page 8 of 15 Approved minutes Page 9 of 15 Approved minutes Page 10 of 15 Approved minutes Revenue Status Report Budget Transfers: None FY25-26 Commodity Pricing Update: Paper: WB Mason $3.28/ream (same prices as last year); #2 Heating Oil: Dead River blended rate of $2.59/gallon Superintendent Report • Thomas Reuter subscription: This will be a good tool to help identify nonresident families/students. • SAU Basement Maintenance: A new secured section of the SAU Basement was built for Human Resources and Board information. • EFA Guidance: No state guidance has been given regarding EFAs. Brian believes that the guidance should be in form of a policy. He has drafted a model policy for the Boards’s consideration. Boards will have decisions to make regarding allowing academic and nonacademic resident students to the schools. Reta Chaffee congratulated Brian for creating something out of nothing and was appreciative of the energy and action taken at this point. This was not a knee jerk reaction. Page 11 of 15 Approved minutes Jared inquired if the resident families are paying taxes and a portion of those taxes are for the school districts, what money are we not receiving that would otherwise go to the school? Brian responded that if anyone is getting EFA funding, they get the money we don’t. We receive no adequacy money for EFAs. We receive a small amount of adequacy (.16%/per student) for traditional home school students. EFA is perhaps costing us money and at this point. SAU19 Proposed 2026-2027 Budget Presentation – Proposed Budget Overview – Fund 10: We have a healthy fund balance which is why we did not increase the FY27 budget. There is approximately $320K for projects. Preliminary Estimate Apportionment of Assessment – Fiscal Year 2027 Page 12 of 15 Approved minutes SAU 19 Fund Balance (Based on FY25 Audited Financials) Page 13 of 15 Approved minutes SAU Central Office Maintenance Needs: • Video camera for the back hallway. • Re-building the cement stairs entering the SAU Building. • Supply room ceiling is pealing and falling on stored items. • Building soffits are needed. • Re-finishing wood floors. • Asbestos in attic. The Board requested Randy Loring make a list of needed projects for the SAU Central Office and present at the December SAU Board meeting. Re-Visiting April SAU Board Meeting Discussions • Ability to Retain Funds for Anticipated Retirement Stipends. Sheryl Pratt of Plodzik and Sanderson was not comfortable with retaining funds for Anticipated Retirement Stipends and is not a recommendation she would make. Policy ACAC – Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy – All Boards adopted Policy ACAC on an emergency basis. The SAU Board requested the policy return for Board review at their next Board meeting (October). As this is a 21-page policy, Board members requested additional time for review. The policy will return at the December meeting for approval. Board Authorization Request Per Policy BFD – SAU19 Board Authorization: Authorizing the Business Administrator to continue to conduct SAU Business until the next Board meeting. Reta Chaffee motioned to authorize all items listed on Policy BFD until the next meeting, Kate Merva 11-0-0 – All in Favor – Motion Passed (Change in vote is because Shane Rozamus joined the Board meeting). Re-Affirmation of Policy DFA – Investment: The investment policy shall be reviewed annually, and re-affirmed by the SAU Board. Julie Kirklin motioned to re-affirm Policy DFA as presented, seconded by Shane Rozamus. Vote: 11-0-0 – All in Favor – Motion Passed. Page 14 of 15 Approved minutes Board Review of Policy CBI and Policy Regulation CBI-R Superintendent Evaluation The Board requested all Boards follow the same policy and regulation. Noted: • Difficult to give an evaluation in April as new Board members joined the Boards in March. • There is no continuity with individual chairing as it changes each year. • There is no history of previous evaluation to review as the evaluation is worked on. SAU19 AREA Agreement Review/Discussion – Any Questions or Concerns? A date will be targeted to discuss a possible MOU for intra-transfer of students between school districts. Committee members are Ginny McKinnon, Jack Carbonneau, Julie Kirklin, Jared Talbot, and Bill Schmidt. Annual Superintendent Designee Authorization: Kelly Socia motioned to allow the Superintendent to name a designee to sign and certify NHDOE reports in his absence, seconded by Nicole Treat. Vote: 11-0-0- All in Favor – Motion Passed. SAU 19 Board Treasurer Request: Julie Kirklin motioned to authorize the SAU Board Treasurer to continue to pay the invoices and sign checks until the next SAU Board meeting, seconded by Jack Carbonneau. Vote: 10-0-1- Motion Passed (Kelly Socia abstained). December SAU 19 Budget Hearing Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2025 @ 6:00pm @ SAU. Approvals: Professional Staff Retirements (effective 6/30/26): Denise Morin .......................................................... Executive Assistant Jill Parenteau .......................................................... Home School Family Liaison Kelly Socia motioned to accept the Professional Staff Retirements as presented, seconded by Kate Merva. Vote: 11-0-0 – All in Favor – Motion Passed. Jared Talbot added, with mixed emotions. Support Staff Change in FTE (effective 9/02/25): Karen Campbell ..................................................... Sec. of Finance and Transportation-100% FTE to 60% FTE Caroline Racine motioned to accept the Support Staff Change in FTE as presented, seconded by Reta Chaffee. Vote: 11-0-0 – All in Favor – Motion Passed. Support Staff Resignation (effective 10/29/25): Karen Campbell ......................... Sec. of Finance and Transportation Shane Rozamus motioned to accept the Support Staff Resignation as presented, seconded by Kate Merva. Vote: 11-0-0 – All in Favor – Motion Passed. Support Staff Hire (effective 10/14/25): Janet Collins ........................................................... Administrative Assistant Reta Chaffee motioned to accept the Support Staff Hire as presented, seconded by Shane Rozamus. Vote: 11-0-0- All in Favor – Motion Passed. Support Staff Salary Increase Amendment (effective 7/1/25): Sherri Gardner ........................................................ Staff Accountant I Page 15 of 15 Approved minutes The Board did approve in April of .12 Julie Kirklin motioned to affirm the salary raise percentage increase of 3.5% for Sheri Gardner, seconded by Kelly Socia. Vote: 11-0-0 – All in Favor – Motion Passed. Other: Administrator Contracts – Non-Public Discussion under RSA 91-A:3II(a) Public Comment(s) None Other Business That May Legally Come Before the Board: 7:58pm back in - None Non-Public Session – RSA 91-A:3II(a) The dismissal, promotion, or compensation of any public employee or the disciplining of such employee, or the investigation of any charges against him or her, unless the employee affected (1) has a right to a meeting and (2) requests that the meeting be open, in which case the request shall be granted. Shane Rozamus motioned to enter nonpublic session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3II(a) at 7:59pm seconded by Reta Chaffee. An individual voice vote was called. Julie Kirklin (yes), Kate Merva (yes), Kelly Socia (yes), Nicole Treat (yes), Heather Trzepacz (yes), Shane Rozamus (yes), Jack Carbonneau (yes), Jared Talbot (yes), Caroline Racine (yes), Reta Chaffee (yes), Laura Fleming (yes). Vote: 11-0-0 – All in Favor – Motion Passed. Reta Chaffee motioned to leave nonpublic session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3II(a) at 8:24pm seconded by Shane Rozamus. An individual voice vote was called. Julie Kirklin (yes), Kate Merva (yes), Kelly Socia (yes), Nicole Treat (yes), Heather Trzepacz (yes), Shane Rozamus (yes), Jack Carbonneau (yes), Jared Talbot (yes), Caroline Racine (yes), Reta Chaffee (yes), Laura Fleming (yes). Vote: 11-0-0 – All in Favor – Motion Passed. Caroline Racine motioned to seal the nonpublic session minutes pursuant to RSA 91-A:3II(a) until the execution of the contract, seconded by Kelly Socia. An individual voice vote was called. Julie Kirklin (yes), Kate Merva (yes), Kelly Socia (yes), Nicole Treat (yes), Heather Trzepacz (yes), Shane Rozamus (yes), Jack Carbonneau (yes), Jared Talbot (yes), Caroline Racine (yes), Reta Chaffee (yes), Laura Fleming (yes). Reta Chaffee motioned to adjourn at 8:26pm, seconded by Shane Rozamus. Vote: 11-0-0 – All in Favor – Motion Passed. Respectfully submitted by, Denise F. Morin Recording Clerk