School board narrowly rejects considering legal services policy

LACONIA — At its final meeting before summer recess, the Laconia School Board honored a slate of retiring employees with the district for decades, including four teachers with 120 years in Laconia between them. In a narrow vote, the board also declined to take a legal services policy under consideration on Tuesday night.

Legal services policy dismissed

In a 3–4 vote, the board declined to send a legal services policy to committee. Laconia currently does not have a legal services policy; a sample, categorized as “optional” by the New Hampshire School Boards Association, would have required the superintendent to seek board approval for “unusual types or amounts of professional legal service.”

Before workshopping potential language, the policy committee — disagreeing about whether such a policy is necessary — opted for the board to vote on whether the policy should be considered in committee.

Board member Dawn Johnson (Ward 4) raised the possibility of the board taking on the policy in April, the day after a superior court hearing for the district’s appeal of a Department of Labor decision involving a former administrator. The appeal was filed without a vote of the board, and some members, including Johnson, felt they should have been consulted.

Superintendent Steve Tucker weighed in on the policy during board discussion.

“I think that it's important that the board remembers that we don't go out seeking to spend legal expenses because we feel like doing it. This is something that we do to protect the interests of the district,” Tucker said. Whether because of personnel issues, student issues or more common matters like fulfillment of right-to-know requests, he continued, consulting with attorneys is part of responsible district operations and, though the district has exceeded its intended budget for legal expenses this year, it represents only “a fraction” of the total budget.

“If we were to adopt the policy, it doesn't hinder or state anywhere in here that we would not appropriately seek counsel when needed,” board member Laura Dunn (Ward 2) said in response.

Similarly, Johnson noted the policy would not require board approval of “routine” issues involving counsel, only for other matters such as the filing of an appeal.

“That should have been brought to the board ahead of time before the decision was made,” Johnson said. “I was trying to be, you know, more even-keeled, but let's just get to the point.”

Vice Chair Nick Grenon (Ward 5) joined Dunn and Johnson in voting in favor of sending the policy to committee, though he described the sample language as too vague.

Without a legal services policy, decisions about seeking counsel fall under a board policy labeled BFE, which states in part that “in the absence of established Board policy or Board direction, the Superintendent shall assume responsibility for whatever decision or action is taken.”

According to records obtained in a right-to-know request, the district budgeted $60,000 for legal expenses since 2019, when it was upped from $50,000. In the three fiscal years preceding Tucker’s appointment as superintendent in July 2019, the district spent about $76,000, $40,000 and $65,000 on legal expenses, respectively. When he was hired at the start of fiscal year 2020, the district spent approximately $42,000, and $27,500 the following year.

In the fiscal year ending June 2022, the district spent $178,359 on attorney fees, and to date this fiscal year has spent $69,541.

Retiring staff celebrated

Donna Marie Gamlin, a teacher retiring after 24 years at Elm Street School, was described by Principal Eric Johnson as the dictionary definition of "kind."

“That’s the part we’re going to miss the most,” Johnson said. He highlighted her dedication to student academic support and her leadership of the Essence of Giving program, where students buy gifts for their parents. 

Tina Woodbury has been a special education teacher at Pleasant Street School for the past six years and previously spent 16 years at the high school. PSS Principal Elisa Guerriero commended her involvement in clubs, groups and committees. She “will go above and beyond what is asked of her. She'll stay late for students, she'll come in early for students,” Guerriero said. “She is an ultimate team player.”

High school special education teacher Patty Colby has been with the district for 40 years. To honor her, student services administrator Jen Sottak recited nicknames from students.

“She's the kindest, warmest, the most lovely person to work with. She's very kind and generous, [someone] whose quiet voice and calm presence does not prepare you for the mischievous hooligan she truly is,” Sottak said.

LHS Principal Lisa Hinds described social studies teacher Rick Crawford as not only a mentor to herself and others but as a “keeper of knowledge” and the “voice” of the school. Hinds commended Crawford’s enthusiasm for traditions and dedicated relationship with the student body. “The White Mountains have the Old Man of the Mountain ... the oceans have King Neptune,” Hinds said. “Sachem Nation has Rick Crawford.”

The superintendent also recognized five paraprofessionals leaving this year — each with more than 10, and an average of 20, years of service to the district — as well as retiring elementary school academic coordinator Gail Bourn. With former middle and high school academic coordinator Hinds now serving as principal, the coordinator position will move to district-wide next year.

Bourn, who worked as a teacher 1987-2011, has been with the district for 36 years. Tucker commended her role in curriculum and professional development. “Gail has been sort of the historical memory and that steady force in the elementary schools for a lot of time,” he said. 

“It’s been a true, true honor,” Bourn said. “I’m going to miss coming in every day. It’s been a great journey.”

Other business

During board member commentary, two exchanges from the previous meeting were revisited.

At the May 16 meeting, Johnson noted her youngest child is set to graduate and, reiterating concerns about administrative structure, said she is “so glad my daughters are out of this school district,” and then recommended district parents pursue other educational paths, including home schooling.

Board Chair Jennifer Anderson (At Large) said Tuesday that board members and residents had reached out to her with concerns.

“I agree with those concerns,” Anderson said. “As a reminder to all of us, per policy BCA, Board Member Ethics, members are committed to present personal criticisms concerning the district operations and staff to the superintendent, not to district staff or the public, or unnecessarily in a board meeting.”

Dunn also corrected a remark she made at the previous meeting about fellow board member Jennifer Ulrich (Ward 1) having a conflict of interest. Dunn said Ulrich received a $500 campaign donation in 2021 from a parent of the nominee for middle school principal, who was approved at that meeting. Correcting the figure to $100, Dunn apologized for the incorrect figure, but said she stood by the sentiment of her previous remark.

Ulrich said Dunn’s accusation was rooted in a personal grudge, and it was in poor judgment to base a claim on an inaccuracy. She emphasized she did not serve on the principal hiring committee. Karin Salome (Ward 3), elected in November, received a similar donation, and said she felt she was able to vote impartially.

Entering summer, the board’s calendar will shift slightly: meetings will occur Tuesdays, June 20, July 11, Aug. 8 and 22, before a regular schedule resumes in the fall.

Editor's note: The date of the previous school board meeting referenced in this story was corrected; it took place May 16.