A special Town Meeting scheduled for Tuesday over whether to rescind an article seeking a feasibility study regarding withdrawal from the ConVal School District was postponed less than an hour before its intended start time Tuesday. 

At Town Meeting in March, residents approved a petition warrant article to move forward with the study, 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 discuss the requirement of having a committee to participate in the feasibility study of Temple's withdrawal from the Contoocook Valley School District.”

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 that would precede the Select Board meeting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

Approximately 20 individuals were gathered in front of the Town Hall before 6:30 p.m., standing before a sign announcing “No meeting tonight.” On Wednesday, Assistant to the Select Board Carole Singelais stated the postponement was “due to the requirement that the Supervisors of the Checklist have to meet five weeks prior. This was just discovered late afternoon yesterday.”

A notice postponing the meeting was posted on the town’s website at 5:51 p.m.

The agenda for the evening called for the Select Board’s regular meeting to follow the special meeting. Individuals outside the Town Hall eventually dispersed, and inside, the Select Board met and adjourned in less than 15 minutes. Select Board member Bill Ezell would not say what happened at the meeting, but said a Zoom recording was available.

Resident Michael Darnell was prepared to address the special Town Meeting, and was disappointed at how the evening transpired.

“They’ll pick a time that works for them,” said the former Select Board member regarding a rescheduled meeting.

Darnell signed the petition warrant article, and said a letter that referenced the special Town Meeting was only sent to those who signed it, not all town residents. He also lamented that the Select Board conducted its meeting inside while a number of residents who appeared for special Town Meeting were gathered at the front of the building.

“It could be more transparent,” said Darnell. 

Darnell had another petition with him that already had over a dozen signatures calling for the town to move forward with a feasibility study. He is planning to present it to the 2026 Town Meeting.