Claremont
The testy exchanges were a carryover from Monday’s SAU 6 meeting, where Becky Ferland — Brent Ferland’s mother — walked out and accused Rapp and Irish with being verbally abusive toward her. Later that night, Ferland, who acted as chairwoman of the SAU 6 board, resigned from the position via email.
Much of Wednesday’s argument centered on whether Ferland’s resignation from the SAU board also constituted a resignation from the city School Board.
Elected school board members in Claremont, Unity and Cornish automatically become members of the SAU 6 board, which oversees top-level administrative responsibilities.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Irish contended resigning from the SAU board meant Ferland was resigning from her elected position as well.
Prior to the start of the board meeting, Becky Ferland — who had intended to sit at the board table — spoke privately in the hallway with Rapp, the school board chairman.
When they returned, Ferland gathered her things from the board table and left the meeting.
She appeared to have been coaxed to return by her son, who followed her out, and she took a seat in the audience moments later.
“Why can’t she be here (at the board table)?” Brent Ferland asked as the meeting got underway.
“She is not on the board. She resigned,” Rapp replied.
The letter Ferland wrote does not make it clear exactly which role she was quitting. She mentions her role as chairwoman of the SAU 6 board, but in the passage where she resigns, she doesn’t specify a specific role.
“It is very disheartening to be treated in such an unprofessional way,” she wrote. “I have learned that the best way to deal with a bully is to not engage. Therefore I am resigning because the bully tactics of some members of the board are unprofessional and counter productive.”
At the start of Wednesday’s meeting, the board added to the agenda a discussion on Becky Ferland’s resignation and the process the board is required to take to fill out the remainder of the term until it expires in March.
Rapp said the resignation Becky Ferland tendered via email was for her city School Board seat and that the remaining members were going to move on without her.
Brent Ferland argued that his mother only intended to resign as chairwoman of the SAU board. He also contended the Claremont School Board’s resignation policy requires a printed letter of resignation be submitted to the chairman and a copy of that letter be placed on file with the school district clerk.
“Email is not allowed,” Brent Ferland said.
Rapp and Irish, the vice chairman, said it was clear when Becky Ferland left Monday’s SAU meeting that she was resigning and that her email later that evening was further proof she stepped down.
“She did it in front of the entire board,” Irish said.
“As head of the SAU board,” Ferland shot back.
But Irish said participation on the two boards couldn’t be separated and that Ferland’s email, which she sent to the entire SAU board and the news media, is legally binding.
“I have two legal opinions,” Rapp said. “She resigned.”
The back and forth continued for several minutes, with Brent Ferland charging the two men with “circumventing policy” when it is convenient for them, while Rapp and Irish contended Becky Ferland’s email made it clear she had resigned.
“You can wordsmith this to death. It is in writing. It is public,” Irish said. “It is done. If you have an issue, talk to legal counsel.”
Brent Ferland and fellow board member Patrick Adrian then mentioned a possible vote to rescind the resignation, but Rapp refused.
“We are not playing games. You can’t get up and resign and then decide to come back,” Rapp said. “It makes a mockery of the board. There is a vacancy, and we are going to fill it. She can run again in March.”
The two other board members, Frank Sprague and Michelle Pierce, did not weigh in during the discussion. Becky Ferland left the meeting before the end of the argument.
“He is letting us know he is in charge,” Ferland said to Adrian after Rapp finished speaking.
At one point, Irish told Brent Ferland he had a “huge conflict of interest” and should not even be discussing the issue because he is defending his mother.
Toward the end of the exchange, Ferland got up and headed for the door.
“Are you resigning?” Irish asked.
“I don’t know, am I?” Ferland retorted.
“I’m not going to coddle you,” Irish said. “This is the big boys’ table. If you are resigning, resign and be done with it.”
“Why don’t you join me and they can run the board themselves?” Ferland said to Adrian.
Ferland ultimately left the meeting, and the board did not discuss his status. He was unavailable for comment after the meeting.
The discord began at the SAU meeting during a discussion about board members being critical of school district employees, especially on social media, which Becky Ferland admitted to doing in regard to SAU 6 Superintendent Middleton McGoodwin.
At Monday’s meeting, Irish and Rapp had strong words for Ferland, saying her behavior was inappropriate, which is what led to her walking out and writing a resignation email.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
