Inter-Lakes board doesn't recommend funding school meals, split on field lights

MEREDITH — A small but vocal group of residents attended the Inter-Lakes School Board meeting about warrant articles on Tuesday. While each were moved on to the warrant as presented, the board was split on articles about providing free breakfast and lunch, and about permanent lights at the athletic field.

Articles 1 and 2, about reports of agents, committees or officers, and their salaries, were unanimously recommended.

The board also unanimously recommended Article 3, which asks voters to approve the collective bargaining agreement between the district and the Inter-Lakes Education Association. It calls for an estimated increase of $458,794 for staff salaries and benefits for the 2026-27 school year, a 1.3% increase.

The board also recommended Article 4 with a 6-0 vote, authorizing a special meeting if Article 3 is defeated.

The proposed operating budget of $37.3 million is in Article 5, which is an increase of $2 million, or 5.7%. Cindy Creteau spoke from the audience, pointing out Inter-Lakes has one of the highest per pupil costs in the state. She said paying around $39,000 per pupil for 896 students is “bleeding a lot of people.”

Creteau added district test scores aren’t matching up with what is being paid.

Board Chair Charley Hanson, of Center Harbor, said while he understands those points, he recommended Creteau voice these comments at the district meeting when voters will decide.

The discussion moved to Article 6, regarding the cost of field lights. The article asks the district to raise $359,000 for field lighting, with $181,920 coming from donated funds already received.

The donation amount was already updated from last week, where the article listed the total donated at $175,000. Leaders expect the number to continue to increase as donations pour in, and Hanson said it will likely need to be amended on the floor at the district meeting.

Creteau asked the school board to vote against this, saying it is great that parents, coaches, and students have been raising money, but the original intent was to raise all funds privately.

“The school budget should be about needs, and not necessarily wants,” Creteau said.

“The lights are not a need.”

Hanson again said this should be discussed at the district meeting, but Creteau reiterated she was asking the board to not support the article.

Board member Edward Twaddell, of Meredith, said it was his understanding the board was there to approve the wording of the article, not pass them into existence, and the public would vote on them at the meeting.

However, Creteau said many voters look at the recommendation of the school board, and follow suit.

Some board members thought their vote just approved it being on the ballot, but that is not the case. Board member Duncan Porter-Zuckerman, of Sandwich, clarified their vote is about how they feel about the article, and not just to move it along.

“I think we absolutely owe the community to express our support, or lack of support, for each of these, whether they go forward or not,” Porter-Zuckerman said.

Porter-Zuckerman said he supports the article to move forward to the district meeting, and has for months. However, that doesn’t mean he supports it as a voter.

“I will not be voting to support this,” he said.

Brian Harris, who was watching remotely, agreed the vote by the board is whether they recommend voters approve an article, or not.

The board voted a 3-3 split, as Abe Garon, of Meredith, was absent. Porter-Zuckerman, Nancy Starmer (Sandwich) and Siobhán Connelly (At Large) were against the article, while Hanson, Twaddell, and Jim Locke (Center Harbor) voted in favor.

Article 7 asks the district to adopt provisions of state law to become an open enrollment school district, admit one student from outside the district, and establish that “0%” of the student population are eligible to seek open enrollment outside the district.

Twaddell said the article doesn’t affect a parent’s ability to send a student to another district and pay tuition, they would just need to assume the responsibility financially. It also does not affect provisions under the union agreement to allow faculty and staff to bring their own children in, or affect a memorandum of understanding the district has with Moultonborough.

“Yes, this is specific to open enrollment,” Superintendent Mary Moriarty said.

She said through open enrollment, if one student comes in, the home district receives a bill for 80% of what the home district tuition is. Moriarty said this limits the financial impact on surrounding towns in the area.

Harris asked why it was limited to one incoming student, saying it could be a revenue source if more students are accepted, and could offset some increased costs for Inter-Lakes. He asked the board to consider amending the article to a higher number.

Hanson said it was up to the board to make that kind of change if done before the district meeting, but added it is being done as a “defensive maneuver” this year, because there is so much litigation surrounding the topic.

“There are some big changes on the horizon,” Hanson said.

The board voted 6-0 to recommend passing the article.

In Article 8, the district is being asked by petition to provide breakfast and lunch at no cost to students, to the tune of $727,250.

Porter-Zuckerman said while food insecurity is an issue, as a school board member, he has “grave concerns” about the article. He said providing food every day to address a problem some members in the community faces seems inappropriate, and it could be a path to a budget crisis.

“We can’t afford to do this, and I can’t support it,” Porter-Zuckerman said.

Twaddell echoed Porter-Zuckerman’s comments. He said it could tie the hands of the board, especially asking to direct the school board to include funding in subsequent budgets.

Locke felt the same way, and said he had spoken to people in the community who feel the same.

“I am not in support of this article,” Locke said.

Starmer said she had a “deep concern” about the issue, and wishes that schools could go back to a couple years ago, when the federal government was covering the cost.

“That said, I think there are other ways to respond to this that cover the most vulnerable,” Starmer said.

Connelly said she knows personally what it is like to face food insecurity, and would vote in the positive as a “symbolic gesture,” but also wants to hear more practical solutions. She added having a community that would show its values of providing free access to food excites her, but on a practical level, she doesn’t support the way the article is written.

The board did not recommend its passage, with a 2-4 vote.

Article 9 asks the district to call on legislators to protect taxpayers by requiring the Education Freedom Account program to provide fiscal and education performance reports. The state program directs public funds to private education, without reducing expenses public schools are required to cover by law.

Inter-Lakes serves the communities of Center Harbor, Meredith and Sandwich.

Voters will decide on the warrant articles at the district meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, at the Interlakes Community Auditorium.