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Selectmen to seek legal opinion and potential audit of SAU 24 after school safety, finance concerns
Summary
After a resident raised safety and transparency concerns about J.F.E.S. and SAU 24, the Stoddard selectmen voted to seek a legal opinion on their authority in school matters and agreed to pursue a financial audit of SAU 24 if advised by counsel.
Robert Fee raised concerns about a recent incident at J.F.E.S. and broader issues with the School Administrative Unit 24’s financial transparency, telling the selectmen he had witnessed disruptive behavior that created safety worries and that the SAU’s use of contracted services had grown substantially. The meeting record cites a $287,000 increase in contracted services as an example of spending the speaker questioned.
The selectmen decided to ask the town attorney for a formal opinion on the board’s authority regarding school‑related matters, including student residency and whether the selectmen can compel action by SAU 24. The board also agreed it would formally request a financial audit of SAU 24 if the attorney determines such a request is within the town’s authority.
The actions were taken after an informal discussion of declining enrollment at J.F.E.S. and concerns about the long‑term viability of the school. No formal vote tally on the direction to seek counsel or to request an audit was recorded in the minutes; the decisions are recorded as board directions to staff.
Next steps recorded by the board include obtaining the legal opinion and, contingent on that advice, preparing a formal audit request or other remedies the attorney recommends. The selectmen did not set a public deadline for when the opinion or request will be completed.
