Jim Kingston, Temple’s representative to the ConVal School Board, said during Tuesday’s Select Board meeting that the stalled process of residents favoring withdrawal organizing their initiative has been a source of embarrassment for the town at the district level.
At Town Meeting in March, residents approved a petition warrant article to move forward with a study to explore the town’s separation from ConVal, and on April 29, the Select Board sent letters to residents who signed the petition to come to a May 13 meeting at Town Hall to move the matter forward. Three signatories showed up, prompting the board to question whether there was genuine interest in moving forward with the proposal.
The board then scheduled a special Town Meeting on whether to reverse the withdrawal request that would precede the May 27 Select Board meeting, but that meeting was canceled due to the Supervisors of the Checklist requiring more notice.
“We have egg on our face right now,” said Kingston. “We should have a special Town Meeting to consider or withdraw the withdrawal warrant article. Otherwise, ConVal will eventually send a report to (the state Department of Education in Concord) that doesn’t reflect well on us.”
Board member Bill Ezell said the Supervisors of the Checklist require 90 days of notice for a special meeting to be scheduled.
“It’ll probably be September before it gets done,” said Ezell
Kingston added that the School Board will likely be considering options to address costs in the district, including the consolidation of the two middle schools and single-tier busing. He also spoke to the New Hampshire Supreme Court decision on the ConVal case about school funding. On July 1, the court upheld a 2023 Superior Court ruling that the state should spend at least $7,356 per student for an adequate education, but did not order the state to immediately begin sending more money to schools.
“The teeth aren’t there (in the decision) and the governor is against it,” said Kingston.
In terms of it having an impact on school funding in the near future, Kingston said, “I wouldn’t get my hopes up.”
In other news, the Select Board approved a request from the Cemetery Trustees to raise fees for interment in Temple’s cemeteries. Single plots will go from $300 to $500, while burials of urns will go from $125 to $250 and a full burial of a casket will cost $650, up from $450. The new fees will become effective Aug. 1.
Cemetery Trustee Secretary Kimberly Petit noted that it has been over a decade since costs have been adjusted, and that they remain lower than in surrounding towns.