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School board director raises disclosure concern after prorated stipend payment; officials explain appointment policy
Summary
A newly appointed school board director said a $500 shortfall on a stipend check was not disclosed and raised a Freedom of Information concern; officials explained the district policy pays appointed members a prorated stipend based on time served and said the practice had been discussed in a board meeting the new director missed.
A school board director attending the meeting raised concerns that, after appointment, she received $1,000 instead of the full $1,500 annual stipend and said the reduction was not disclosed during orientation.
"None of us knew... that that was going to happen," the director said, arguing the practice lacked transparency and should have been clearly disclosed. School officials responded that the district’s policy pays appointed directors only for the portion of the year they serve; the example cited at the meeting was that a director appointed in June receives two-thirds of the annual stipend, not the full amount.
Officials said the stipend practice was discussed in a board meeting the appointee had not attended and that the issue pertains to school board policy rather than the selectboard’s responsibility. The selectboard accepted the explanation and noted the matter will remain under school board purview.
