City Hall: School board eliminates health insurance for members [The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester]

Jun. 19—SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS have voted to eliminate their district-provided health insurance effective July 1 and will formally ask aldermen to increase the stipend for Board of School Committee members from $2,000 to $4,000 per year starting in 2024.

The vote came after a request that the Manchester School District return to an 80-20 split on the cost of health insurance for school board members — with the district picking up 80% — was sent back to committee for more discussion weeks ago.

Members of the Policy Committee — Leslie Want, Nicole Leapley, Peter Perich, Sean Parr and Jason Bonilla — voted unanimously in April to rescind a motion made in 2019 to approve a 5% annual increase in the cost of health insurance for school members beginning in 2019.

At that time, Policy Committee members voted to recommend going back to the previous arrangement, where board members paid 20% of the cost. In January 2022, the split was 60% for board members and 40% for the district.

Committee members last week approved eliminating health insurance altogether for school board members.

School board members recommended that instead of receiving health insurance benefits, future school board members should instead get a $4,000-a-year stipend, the same amount the Board of Mayor and Aldermen receive.

Ward 11's Leapley first raised the issue in July 2021 in a letter to board members, detailing how before she was elected she had coverage through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.

Once elected, she was no longer eligible for that plan because she receives health care coverage through the Manchester School District as an elected official with employee status.

"In other words, I discovered that to serve on the school board, I had to pay for the privilege."

School District Chief Financial Officer Karen DeFrancis said three school board members currently have health insurance through the district and four receive dental benefits.

Amended city, schools budget approved

Last month, aldermen voted to override the city's tax cap to approve a $378 million budget for fiscal year 2023. Rising property valuations ultimately might keep the tax rate below the cap.

The budget, authored by Board of Mayor and Aldermen Chairman Pat Long, provides $187 million for schools and $169 million for city services.

In a tax-cap budget presented this spring, Mayor Joyce Craig proposed spending $376 million — including $167 million on the city side and $189 million for the school district.

Long's budget provides $2 million less for schools than the mayor proposed, citing millions in emergency federal funding available to city schools and passage of HB 420, which would bring $5.2 million from the state to the Manchester School District in FY23.

Last week school board members approved an amended budget, which achieves the new, lower amount through reductions in employee benefits, out-of-district tuition ($500,000) and a delay in paying principal on bond payments this year ($965,000).

About $1,150,000 was cut from employee benefits because the state will be covering the cost of these benefits for one year, school officials said.

Another $709,000 in reductions to transportation costs was made because these costs will now be covered by grants.

The $2 million in cuts does not include any layoffs or impact student services, school officials said.

Grants for community projects

If Senate Bill 420 becomes law, an estimated $3.9 million will come to Manchester, making the approved cuts a moot point. SB 420 establishes "extraordinary need grants," which will provide $25 million to schools with lower proportionate property values in comparison to the number of students they serve.

Last week, Mayor Craig and officials with the Planning and Community Development Department released a full list of first-round recipients, along with information on the start of a second round of funding, from Manchester's Community Event and Activation Grant program, which launched in February.

During the first round of funding, 29 different community groups and nonprofits received funds totaling $253,862.98. Recipients were selected by a committee made up of representatives from the Department of Planning and Community Development, Department of Public Works, Office of Economic Development, Health Department and the Office of the City Clerk.

A full breakdown of the grant recipients can be found at bit.ly/3b8i3T4.

The program was approved by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in 2021 as part of the American Rescue Plan Act recommendations. The Community Event and Activation Grant (CEAG) program allocated $1 million to support and increase the number of community-based projects and events in an effort to help Manchester recover from the negative effects of COVID-19.

"The first round of recipients used their grant money for dozens of exciting community programs and initiatives such as community wide celebrations with live music, food and dancing; athletic opportunities with soccer, basketball and disc golf; and neighborhood improvements including community gardens, murals and bike racks," Craig said in a statement.

"I'm excited to see what else our community brings forward with this next round of funding."

Manchester Moves is working with public works and Revision Energy to install solar lighting in two of the city's rail tunnels.

"This lighting will greatly enhance the safety and usability of our trails for all users," said Don Waldron of Manchester Moves, a volunteer trail organization that received a grant through the first round of funding. "This project would not have been possible at this time without the help of the CEAG program."

The second round of funding opened on June 15, and applications are due by Aug. 15. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their application as soon as possible to expedite the application review process.

Applicants can apply for up to $10,000 per grant for community-based projects and events that contribute to economic development and tourism and support a vibrant and healthy community. All applicants are required to provide a minimum 25% match for each project or event, which can include direct funding, in-kind donations or volunteer hours.

The application for Manchester's Community Event and Activation Grant program can be found at https://bit.ly/3QqSWLl.

Completed applications can be emailed to [email protected] with the subject line "CEAG Application", or mailed to City of Manchester, Planning and Community Development, Attn: CEAG Application, 1 City Hall Plaza, Manchester, NH 03101.

Email [email protected] or call (603) 792-6725 with any questions.

Paul Feely is the City Hall reporter for the New Hampshire Union Leader and Sunday News. Reach him at [email protected].

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