June. 19—SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS have voted to eradicate their district-provided medical insurance efficient July 1 and can formally ask aldermen to extend the stipend for Board of College Committee members from $2,000 to $4,000 per 12 months beginning in 2024.
The vote got here after a request that the Manchester College District return to an 80-20 break up on the price of medical insurance for varsity board members — with the district selecting up 80% — was despatched again to committee for extra dialogue weeks in the past.
Members of the Coverage Committee — Leslie Need, Nicole Leapley, Peter Perich, Sean Parr and Jason Bonilla — voted unanimously in April to rescind a movement made in 2019 to approve a 5% annual improve in the price of medical insurance for varsity members starting in 2019.
At the moment, Coverage Committee members voted to suggest going again to the earlier association, the place board members paid 20% of the associated fee. in January 2022the break up was 60% for board members and 40% for the district.
Committee members final week accredited eliminating medical insurance altogether for varsity board members.
College board members advisable that as an alternative of receiving medical insurance advantages, future college board members ought to as an alternative get a $4,000-a-year stipend, the identical quantity the Board of Mayor and Aldermen obtain.
Ward 11’s Leapley first raised the difficulty in July 2021 in a letter to board members, detailing how earlier than she was elected she had protection via the Inexpensive Care Act Market.
As soon as elected, she was now not eligible for that plan as a result of she obtained well being care protection via the Manchester College District as an elected official with worker standing.
“In different phrases, I found that to serve on the college board, I needed to pay for the privilege.”
College District Chief Monetary Officer Karen DeFrancis stated three college board members at present have medical insurance via the district and 4 obtain dental advantages.
Amended metropolis, colleges price range accredited
Final month, aldermen voted to override town’s tax cap to approve a $378 million price range for fiscal 12 months 2023. Rising property valuations may in the end hold the tax fee beneath the cap.
The price range, authored by Board of Mayor and Aldermen Chairman Pat Lengthygives $187 million for colleges and $169 million for metropolis companies.
In a tax-cap price range offered this spring, Mayor Joyce Craig proposed spending $376 million — together with $167 million on town facet and $189 million for the college district.
Lengthy’s price range gives $2 million much less for colleges than the key proposed, citing hundreds of thousands in emergency federal funding obtainable to metropolis colleges and passage of HB 420, which might deliver $5.2 million from the state to the Manchester College District in FY23.
Final week college board members accredited an amended price range, which achieves the brand new, decrease quantity via reductions in worker advantages, out-of-district tuition ($500,000) and a delay in paying principal on bond funds this 12 months ($965,000).
About $1,150,000 was lower from worker advantages as a result of the state can be masking the price of these advantages for one 12 months, college officers stated.
One other $709,000 in reductions to transportation prices was made as a result of these prices will now be coated by grants.
The $2 million in cuts doesn’t embody any layoffs or impression scholar companies, college officers stated.
Grants for neighborhood tasks
If Senate Invoice 420 turns into legislation, an estimated $3.9 million will come to Manchester, making the accredited cuts a moot level. SB 420 establishes “extraordinary want grants,” which is able to present $25 million to varsities with decrease proportionate property values compared to the variety of college students they serve.
Final week, Main Craig and officers with the Planning and Neighborhood Improvement Division launched a full checklist of first-round recipients, together with info on the beginning of a second spherical of funding, from Manchester’s Neighborhood Occasion and Activation Grant program, which was launched in February.
Through the first spherical of funding, 29 completely different neighborhood teams and nonprofits obtained funds totaling $253,862.98. Recipients had been chosen by a committee made up of representatives from the Division of Planning and Neighborhood Improvement, Division of Public Works, Workplace of Financial Improvement, Well being Division and the Workplace of the Metropolis Clerk.
A full breakdown of the grant recipients could be discovered at bit.ly/3b8i3T4.
This system was accredited by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in 2021 as a part of the American Rescue Plan Act suggestions. The Neighborhood Occasion and Activation Grant (CEAG) program allotted $1 million to help and improve the variety of community-based tasks and occasions in an effort to assist Manchester recuperate from the destructive results of COVID-19.
“The primary spherical of recipients used their grant cash for dozens of thrilling neighborhood packages and initiatives corresponding to neighborhood extensive celebrations with dwell music, meals and dancing; athletic alternatives with soccer, basketball and disc golf; and neighborhood enhancements together with neighborhood gardens, murals and bike racks,” Craig stated in an announcement.
“I am excited to see what else our neighborhood brings ahead with this subsequent spherical of funding.”
Manchester Strikes is working with public works and Revision Power to put in photo voltaic lighting in two of town’s rail tunnels.
“This lighting will vastly improve the protection and value of our trails for all customers,” stated Don Waldron of Manchester Strikes, a volunteer path group that obtained a grant via the primary spherical of funding. “This venture wouldn’t have been doable right now with out the assistance of the CEAG program.”
The second spherical of funding opened on June 15and purposes are due by Aug. 15. Candidates are strongly inspired to submit their software as quickly as doable to expedite the appliance evaluate course of.
Candidates can apply for as much as $10,000 per grant for community-based tasks and occasions that contribute to financial improvement and tourism and help a vibrant and wholesome neighborhood. All candidates are required to offer a minimal 25% match for every venture or occasion, which may embody direct funding, in-kind donations or volunteer hours.
The applying for Manchester’s Neighborhood Occasion and Activation Grant program could be discovered at https://bit.ly/3QqSWLl.
Accomplished purposes could be emailed to [email protected] with the topic line “CEAG Utility”, or mailed to Metropolis of Manchester, Planning and Neighborhood ImprovementAttn: CEAG Utility, 1 Metropolis Corridor Plaza, Manchester, NH 03101.
E-mail [email protected] or name (603) 792-6725 with any questions.
Paul Feely is the Metropolis Corridor reporter for the New Hampshire Union Chief and Sunday Information. Attain him at [email protected].
___
(c) 2022 The New Hampshire Union Chief (Manchester, NH)
Go to The New Hampshire Union Chief (Manchester, NH) at www.unionleader.com
Distributed by Tribune Content material Company, LLC.
