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Loudon residents and selectmen scrutinize school board appointment process after single applicant fills seat
Summary
Select Board members and residents questioned the process used to appoint a Loudon resident to a Mount Vernon–area school board seat after only one applicant was presented; Select Board members discussed sending a formal notice and consulting town counsel.
Selectmen and residents raised concerns about the process used by the regional school board to fill a vacant seat after that board voted to appoint a single applicant, Amanda York, following an application period that produced one candidate. Selectman Griffin proposed preparing a letter to the school board pointing out procedural shortcomings and said the Select Board should consider notifying the Department of Education or Secretary of State and consult town counsel before sending any formal communication.
The matter drew public comment at the Select Board meeting. Sean Kitson, a resident, urged the board to press the school administrative unit to reinstate regular Selectmen–SAU meetings so towns get advance notice about budget and policy decisions. Kitson said, “You owe this to us with everything with that's been going on this year, last year. We need to reinstate that so we can inform our town what's going on here.”
Resident Alicia Kingsbury criticized the conduct of the school board during the candidate review, saying the candidate “was treated like she was on trial and personally scrutinized for her personal beliefs, religious beliefs. It was disgusting.” Kingsbury urged the Select Board to note the treatment in any communication they send.
Selectmen discussed practical steps: drafting a letter to the school board, sharing a draft among themselves, and running the language by the town attorney to avoid misstatements. Griffin said a notice “letting them know we're watching” could prompt broader participation in future application periods. Board members acknowledged that challenging the appointment after only one applicant might lead to a re-opening of the application process, but they also noted the risk of procedural repetition if the school board did not change its outreach.
During audience remarks, multiple residents asked whether the school board had adequately publicized the vacancy and whether the board followed the language in statute that governs appointments; one Selectman referenced RSA (the state statutes) as the authority that would apply if the local appointment procedure were challenged. Board members agreed to draft a letter and consult counsel before deciding on next steps.
The Select Board did not take a formal vote directing staff to send a letter at the meeting; members described this as preliminary discussion and said any final decision would follow attorney review and an agreed draft.
