School board members vote to keep benefits

New Hampshire Union Leader

Sept. 29--MANCHESTER -- School board members voted down a motion Monday night to eliminate the health and dental insurance subsidy for elected school board members.

The motion, rejected with 11 nay votes and four yea votes, stated that any funds saved by eliminating the benefits would be used to fund an algebra teacher at Hillside Middle School.The motion was made by school board member Debra Gagnon Langton, and seconded by Art Beaudry. It would have applied to school board members in office as of July 1, 2016.

Voting against the motion were Kathy Staub, Erika Connors, John Avard, Connie Van Houten, Sarah Ambrogi, Theo Groh, Dan Bergeron, Amy Bradley, Ted Rokas, Nancy Tessier and Katie Desrochers.Voting for the motion were Langton, Beaudry, Mayor Ted Gatsas and Ross Terrio.

Members of the Board of School Committee voted two weeks ago to table a motion by Gatsas to have all school board members pick up 100 percent of the cost of health insurance offered by the district."We are in a financial crisis," Gatsas said while making the motion. "I would think we would want to save money any way we can," said Gatsas.

"I think it sets a bad precedent," said board member Dan Bergeron."Students should be our number-one priority," said Langton. "People sitting here are putting their wants and need for health care ahead of them."

The district's share for health and dental costs comes in at roughly $77,440 for school board members.On the city side, all of the aldermen get a $5,000 yearly stipend, while a majority -- eight of the 14 -- also have health and dental insurance through the city. Several have family coverage, the costliest of the health plans available. The city picks up 80 percent of the cost, the alderman 20 percent.Gatsas has sent a letter to Alderman Bill Shea, chairman of the Human Resources and Insurance Committee, requesting that the committee review and make a recommendation regarding three options for the continuance of these benefits for elected city officials: have elected officials buy into the city plan and pick up the full cost of the premiums; discontinue the practice of offering the benefits; or keep the benefit offerings.If the benefits are discontinued -- or aldermen pick up the full tab themselves -- the city could see nearly $160,000 a year in savings, according to figures provided by City Human Resources Director Jane Gile.School officials had asked attorney Matt Upton to look into whether it would be a conflict of interest for school board members to eliminate benefits for elected members. Upton said he believes they can -- if they are voting to take the benefits away effective at the start of the next term."We have inquired, but have been unable to determine, the circumstances under which district health insurance benefits were first made available to BOSC members and their immediate families," writes Upton. "A vote that does not take effect until the next term ensures that no person voting now would be assured of benefiting from, or being harmed by, that vote. In our opinion, structuring the vote such that it does not take effect until the next term renders any potential conflict of interest sufficiently contingent to pass legal muster."As of July 1, school board members John Avard of Ward 10, Erika Connors of Ward 8, Katie Desrochers of Ward 11, At-large member Kathy Staub, and Connie Van Houten of Ward 12 receive both health and dental benefits through the district.pfeely@unionleader.com