Anne Segal moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the regular meeting of January 14, and the Public Hearing and budget adoption of January 21, as submitted. The minutes of January 21 were amended to read 5.02% (paragraph 3, next to last sentence). The amended motion passed with one abstention (Grant, January 21).

3. Public Hearing on Petitioned Article

Chair Cassidy opened the Public Hearing saying, "I open this second Budget Hearing for the Hanover School District in accordance with NH RSA 32:5. Included in the public packets is a petitioned warrant article, which asks the voters to raise and appropriate $27,660 in addition to the amount heard by the public at the January 21 hearing. A notice for tonight's Public Hearing was published in the Valley News on Tuesday, January 13, 2004." Chair Cassidy went on to say that at the January 21 hearing, the total amount to be raised and appropriated if all articles pass was $9,054,597. With this petitioned article, the new total amount would be $9,082,257. Although Assistant Superintendent for Business John Aubin was not present at the meeting, he did provide written information which outlined the current bus service/ridership to the Blueberry Hill area. After discussion, the Board voted the following motion:

Anne Segal moved and Steve Grant seconded a motion that the Warrant state that the School Board does not recommend this appropriation. The motion passed unanimously.

Chair Cassidy closed the Public Hearing at 7:48 p.m.

4. Communications and reports:

a) Report of Chair - Chair Cassidy reported that the next Board meeting will be Wednesday, March 3, 7:30 p.m., in the Ray School Multi. This is one week earlier than normal because of the Annual District Meeting.

Mr. Cassidy announced that the Annual Hanover School District Meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 10, 7:30 p.m. in the Bernice A. Ray School Music Room. Hanover voters must be present in order to vote on the Warrant articles. Included in the Warrant, is the budget article. Voting for the Hanover District Officers will take place on Tuesday, March 2, 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. in the Richmond School Gym.

Mr. Cassidy also reminded the Board and members of the public that the Dresden Annual School District Meeting will take place on Thursday, February 26, 7:30 p.m. in the Hanover High School Gym for the discussion phase, and Tuesday, March 2, 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. in the Richmond School Gym for the voting phase.

Assignment of Warrant Articles - Chair Cassidy made the following Warrant Article assignments: Article 1 - Nancy Carter; Article 2 - Anne Segal; Article 3 - Larry Pilchman; Article 4 - Kari Asmus; Article 5 - Steve Grant; Articles 6 and 7 - John Chamberlin; and Article 9 - John Cassidy. Article 8 is the petitioned article which may or may not be addressed by the petitioner.

Ed Planning Committee representative - Mr. Cassidy asked members of the Board to consider whether one of them would like to be the Board representative to the Ed Planning Committee when Mr. Grant's term expires in March. Currently Nancy Carter and Steve Grant are the representatives.

b) Reports of administrators

Report of the Principal: Assistant Principal Janice Lavoie distributed the Principal's Report and reviewed the document. She said that current enrollment is 511 students, a decrease of six students from the first of the school year.

c) Reports of committees

Ed Planning Committee - Steve Grant reported that the Committee met on February 5 and discussed programs and parameters, specifically the adaptation of program with respect to increasing enrollment. He also announced that the March agenda will be a discussion with the French Club regarding foreign language in the early grades, and the April agenda will be a discussion of science curriculum adequacy.

5. Public comments

A member of the public suggested that the Board meeting notices be published in the Ray School's weekly Pink Sheet.

6. Business requiring discussion:

a) Revised Hanover Finance Committee Constitution - Hanover Finance Committee Chair Nick Harvey opened his presentation saying that the Finance Committee has been reviewing the old charter for the past few years and now has a draft of the revised Constitution ready for presentation to the School Board and Town Select Board. He detailed the significant changes saying that this draft reflects the reality of the duties and responsibilities as the Committee performs them today. This draft will be presented to the Hanover Selectboard at its February 23 meeting, and will be on the Town's Warrant in May. Discussion followed with the focus on the function and responsibilities of the Committee. The Board agreed to continue the discussion at the March 3 meeting.

7. Non public session in accordance with RSA 91-A:3 (II.a ) for discussion of personnel matters

John Cassidy moved and Nancy Carter seconded a motion to enter nonpublic session in accordance with SA 91-A:3 (II.a.) for discussion of personnel matters. The motion passed unanimously by roll call vote (8:53 p.m.).

8. Return to public session

The Board returned to public session at 9:00 p.m.

9. Adjournment

Nancy Carter moved and Anne Segal seconded a motion to adjourn at 9:00 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.

The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary B. Davis
Recording Secretary