Here’s a look at some of the items that Manchester’s municipal governing boards will look at during the week of May 17, 2021.
Will Manchester join the ConVal lawsuit?
On Monday, the Manchester Board of School Committee (BOSC) will enter non-public session on whether the Manchester School District (MSD) should join the ConVal School District’s pending lawsuit with the State of New Hampshire over education funding.
ConVal has joined with the Fall Mountain, Claremont, Newport, Hillsboro-Deering, Monadnock, Mascenic and Winchester School Districts in arguing that the state’s base adequacy formula does not meet its constitutional obligation to provide adequate funding for all students.
The New Hampshire Supreme Court returned the lawsuit to Superior Court Judge David Ruoff, dismissing the state’s requests to dismiss the case. Evidentiary hearings will likely not be held until Summer 2022, other school districts have until May 21 to join as co-plaintiffs with ConVal.
MSD facilities study presentation
On Wednesday, the BOSC will hear a presentation looking at a comprehensive facilities plan for the MSD from MSD Superintendent Dr. John Goldhardt.
Some of the topics to be discussed include the possibility of magnet schools as well as five separate recommendations for the city’s high schools, six separate recommendations for the city’s middle schools, 11 separate recommendations on the city’s elementary schools and a timeline stretching out to 2031 and beyond.
New solid waste contract
On Monday, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s (BMA) Special Committee on Solid Waste Activities will inspect three proposed solid waste disposal contract extensions offered by Waste Management.
The city can either agree to one of the three proposals (see below) or be forced to enter dispute resolution and eventual binding arbitration, as specified under the current contract.
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Several housing and property related items
On Tuesday, the BMA Committee on Administration and Information Systems will hear a request from Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig asking for a recommendation on an ordinance creating a Manchester Housing Commission.
The creation of a Housing Commission was one of the recommendations submitted by the report of the Mayor’s Affordable Housing Taskforce in April.
The BMA Committee on Lands and Buildings will also hear a proposal from the Mayor that would eventually transform two downtown parking lots into affordable housing developments as well as actions on four city-owned properties, highlighted by a parcel near the intersection of Queen City Avenue and South Willow Street involved in the creation of a new digital billboard.
