Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge selectmen to press school-board representatives for accountability and answers
Summary
During public comment at the Jan. 21 Loudon selectmen meeting residents asked the Board of Selectmen to engage the town’s school-board representatives and seek answers about school finances, communication and proficiency reporting; selectmen said they will consult the town attorney and seek appropriate avenues for follow-up.
Loudon — During the public-comment portion of the Jan. 21 Board of Selectmen meeting several residents asked selectmen to press the town’s school-board representatives for greater responsiveness on spending, proficiency scores and other local concerns.
Sean Kitson, a Memory Lane resident, told the board that residents had asked the selectmen at a prior meeting to reach out to two school-board members who “didn’t say anything,” and that attempts to get answers from the representatives had not produced a response. “I was like, hey, could you guys engage them?” Kitson said at the meeting, adding that he wanted the selectmen to ask the school-board reps to appear at a selectmen meeting or otherwise respond to constituent questions.
Kitson and other residents said they have tried contacting the school board without success and urged selectmen to use whatever avenues are available to obtain information or action. The board said it can request engagement, that it had previously contacted the superintendent on related matters, and that if legal action becomes appropriate the town attorney could pursue remedies such as court orders.
Selectmen acknowledged the limits of their authority over an independent school board but agreed they could seek to open channels of communication. The board said it will consult with legal staff about next steps and confirmed it had received written requests and letters related to the matter in the consent agenda.
Why it matters
Residents framed the request as one of accountability and transparency: they want school-board representatives to respond to written inquiries and meet with constituents. Selectmen said they will pursue legally permissible options to encourage engagement, including direct requests and, if warranted, involvement of the town attorney.
No formal action was recorded to compel the school-board members to appear; selectmen instead described next steps as outreach and consultation with the town’s legal counsel.
