School committee members accuse Select Board chair of misleading remarks about school budget; formal no-confidence vote not possible

School committee members spent substantial time on April 10 criticizing a Select Board chair statement that she had not seen the school department’s line-item budget, saying the budget had been delivered and published before the Select Board meeting.

"When Mary Ellen Fletcher said she hadn't seen the school committee's line item budget, none of the at least 8 people that were in the room who knew this was not true said anything," a committee member said during comments, adding she had the budget in hand and that it was published in the town’s FY '26 budget book. The member said the statement damaged staff morale and eroded trust: "Lies break down relationships. They break down trust. They prevent us from actually having honest discussions about this budget and that's troublesome." (Speaker identified in transcript by first name only.)

Several committee members who were at the Select Board meeting said they had provided the complete school department line-item budget in advance of the Select Board’s March 5 meeting and had answered follow-up questions in a joint meeting with the finance committee on Jan. 23. Committee members said the chair’s abstention from a Select Board vote — which she said was because she had not seen the line-item budget — left them frustrated because the information was available.

Committee members asked whether the panel could take an official vote of no confidence; they were told the school committee cannot take such a vote or endorse candidates for public office in that forum. Members said they were left to make only personal decisions about the Select Board race. One committee member said, "I would if I could I would have a vote of no confidence," and several members called for greater transparency and clearer interboard communication going forward.

The committee did not take formal action against the Select Board chair at the meeting. Instead members said they will press to keep budget communications clear as the FY26 process continues; the committee planned to meet with the finance committee on Monday to continue budget work.

Committee comments also included broader appeals for civil discourse and transparency; the chair later asked the committee to follow guidance from counsel and the state ethics commission when discussing campaign matters in their official capacity.