Tea party activist to give Gilford BudCom 'expert' advice on going without school super

GILFORD — The Budget Committee, which is considering eliminating funding for the position of school superintendent for at least a year, last night agreed to invite Jorge Mesa-Tejada of Hampstead, a Tea Party activist, to proffer advice on the state laws bearing on the structure of school administrative units (SAUs).

Troubled by the 3.5-percent increase in the school district budget, a week ago Terry Stewart suggested the committee take the retirement of Superintendent Paul DeMinico as an opportunity to spare the cost of the position for one year while exploring alternative management systems.

Scott Isabelle, business administrator of the School District, last week cautioned that eliminating the position of superintendent raised legal issues and Sue Allen, a longtime member of the school board, told the committee that some years ago the school board considered the prospect only to dismiss it.

Stewart, last week, said that one of the committee members knew an "expert," who could inform the committee the legal aspects of the management of the School District.

When the committee turned to the question last night, Skip Murphy proposed inviting Mesa-Tejada, describing him as a member of the budget committee and vice-chair of the school board in Hampstead. Moreover, Murphy said that Mesa-Tejada took part in drafting legislation that provides alternatives to a management structure headed by a superintendent. The legislation was adopted in 1996 at the initiative of Ovide Lamontagne, then chairman of the N.H. Board of Education, who that same year lost the governor's race to Jeanne Shaheen and this year ran Kelly Ayotte a close race for the Republican nomination to the United States Senate.

Paul Blandford, representing the School Board on the Budget Committee, said that although the Budget Committee could reduce the School District budget, it was inappropriate to invite an outsider to discuss eliminating the position of school superintendent.

"We're not saying eliminate the position," replied David Horvath. "We're saying let's explore the alternatives. What's the harm?"

"If that is what you are doing," Blandford countered, "this is the wrong forum."

Dale Dormody said that if the committee wanted to explore alternatives to employing a superintendent, then it would have to invite lots more experts, schedule many more meetings and and do a great deal of research.

Blandford stressed that the Budget Committee was not elected to reorganize the School District, which is the preserve of the School Board.

"This board is not doing the School Board's work," Chairman Dick Hickok insisted.

DeMinico told the committee that since this issue first arose he had spoken with Judy Fillion of the New Hampshire Department of Education, who advised him that there are no school districts in the state without superintendents. He said that she indicated the agency would entertain a petition to operate without a superintendent, but only if it had fewer than 400 students and no more than two buildings.

"It can't happen in Gilford," DeMinico said. "Too large. Too many buildings."

Since the district requires a superintendent, DeMinico said that if the committee removed the $172,302 allocated for the superintendent from the budget, an equal amount would have to be eliminated from instructional programs, which would have an adverse impact on students.

With Blandford and Dormody dissenting, the committee voted seven to two to invite Mesa-Tejada to its meeting next week.

Mesa-Tejada is not only an "expert" on education law. He is also a director of the Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers and was a sometime guest on "Meet the New Press," the talk radio program hosted by Murphy and Doug Lambert, before WEMJ-AM dropped the show in November 2008, after Lambert made derogatory remarks that carried over the air. He has also contributed to GraniteGrok, the blog hosted by Murphy.

Last year Mesa-Tejada was among those protesting the federal health care reform bill outside Hampstead Town Hall, where representatives of Senator Jeanne Shaheen were meeting with constituents. The Tri-Town News reported that "Mesa-Tejada, proudly wearing his yellow New Hampshire Tea Party Coalition shirt, said 'Our goal is to obey the constitution and to prevent the socialist/Marxist president from taking over our country.'"