MANCHESTER, NH – Below is the 331-page agenda and supporting documents for the April 22 special Board of School Committee meeting, during which there will be a public update from the school board’s negotiation team, which includes Chairman Rich Girard, Sarah Ambrogi, Ross Terrio, Jimmy Lehoux, Kate Desrochers.
The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Aldermanic Chambers at City Hall.
In the request made April 10 by the team to hold a special meeting for the sole purpose of disseminating the BOSC’s side of the negotiations process, the letter mentions the “litany of rumors and false information,” including “outright falsehoods released by the MEA to the media and its membership,” which they say have led the negotiation team to call for the meeting and to release supporting documents to the public. The letter also says the negotiation team is looking for “some sort of reset in our relationship” with the teachers union, while not jeopardizing progress with other bargaining units.
That meeting request is followed by a seven page summary letter dated April 18, which outlines the disputes between the BOSC negotiation team and the MEA representatives, followed by a power point presentation and a couple hundred pages of documentation, Exhibits A-Q.
In the conclusion of the summary letter, the negotiation team writes:
“We are deeply disappointed that we have been unable to reach agreement despite the extensive efforts of our entire district team. We know we can’t give our teachers all they deserve but we hope that they will see and respect the enormous effort we’ve made to better provide for them and want them to know we have done this gladly as we appreciate all they do. We look forward to starting the negotiations again when the opportunity presents itself and we are hopeful that progress can be made. With that, we conclude our presentation and will address questions from members of the board.”
On April 21 MEA President Sue Ellen Hannan submitted a response to the negotiation committee’s presentation, which have been shared with MEA members. Along with her submission to the Manchester Ink Link and the Union Leader, Hannan wrote”
“Since tomorrow’s meeting offers no public comment, here are the comments I have made to my members, and I am hoping for them to be published [for tomorrow.] We cannot stand by and be muzzled by another grandstand show on the part of the Board.”
Read Hannan’s submission here ⇒: “We are aware of what the BOSC will say on Monday night. You should be, too.”
Below is the Negotiation Committee agenda, letters and documentation:
