Sunapee
The special meeting was held to accept the resignation of Heather Furlong and to discuss the process for replacing her. After listening to several residents, the board said it wanted to cast a wider net because it is the best way to ensure all voters are represented, not just those who supported Augustine.
After the meeting, Augustine said he would put his name in.
“I look forward to an opportunity to express my interest and reason for running because there is a misperception I will make the public school worse but I think I will make it better,” Augustine said.
Furlong’s husband, Joseph, was charged last week with several misdemeanors related to an email he altered and resent just before the March 2016 election. The email, made to look like it was from Janice Bettencourt, an incumbent, portrayed her in an unfavorable light and may have contributed to her defeat to Furlong by a wide margin. Heather Furlong was not charged in the email incident.
Don Bettencourt, Janice’s husband, said the board needs to fulfill the wishes of the 231 voters who marked the ballot for Augustine.
“I would like to make the case for retaining our government of the people, or more specifically, our government by the voters,” Bettencourt said.
While he respected the March 14 results, he was concerned “about a school board that is considering flexing its muscles and suggesting that the right thing to do is to allow just three school board members to overrule these 231 voters and to hand pick someone else to sit in that seat.
“Please appoint John Augustine to that vacant seat tonight. It is the only option that respects our system of ‘government by the voters.’ And it is the only option that will allow the board to move forward without a continuing cloud of controversy.”
Another resident, Jody Manson, acknowledged that legally, state law allows the board to conduct interviews for the position.
“But why would you? If you decide to use the interview process to fill this seat, it would send a strong message that the 231 voters who voted for John Augustine don’t matter, and your three votes as board members are more important … how can you justify that?” Manson said.
Doing anything other than appointing Augustine will lead people to believe the board has an agenda that is more important than a fair process, Manson said.
A few others of the more than 40 who attended the 45-minute meeting expressed similar views but one was less critical of the board and supported the chosen process.
“I have a problem with the presumption the School Board is not acting in the public’s interest,” said Kevin Cooney, who neither opposed nor supported Augustine. “The discretion lies with those who the voters choose to represent us.”
The School Board said it understood those who supported Augustine but they have to represent all voters.
“It would be a disservice if we didn’t go through the interview process,” board member Brian Garland said. “It would be fair to look at a pool of candidates.”
The board’s two newly elected members, Ed Andersen and Jesse Tyler, said hearing from all candidates will be better for the process and engage more people to understand their vision for the board.
“I would like to talk to multiple people about that vision not just one,” Andersen said.
Board Chairman Paul Skarin said he had heard from a number of people who lobbied “one way or the other” and it would not be right to people who feel differently to appoint Augustine.
“We are listening to you but there are others,” Skarin said. “You voted for us to represent you. You have to trust us to do what our charge is for the entire community.”
Interested resident can apply to SAU 85 by providing name, telephone and email along with a statement about their interest in serving on the board. The deadline is March 31 at noon.
Joseph Furlong is to be arraigned in district court on May 2.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
