Hanover Select Board Reorganizes, Approves School Funding
$750,000 Access Approved for Special Education, O'Connor named Chair
HANOVER, MA - May 20 - The Hanover Select Board convened for a meeting to reorganize officers and address crucial town matters following the Town Election. The meeting covered a range of topics from board reorganization to school funding authorization and a review of recent Town Meeting outcomes.
In a key development, the board underwent its annual reorganization. Vanessa O'Connor was elected as the new Chair, with Rhonda Nyman taking on the role of Vice Chair and Steven Louko serving as Clerk. The board maintained its meeting schedule of the first and third Mondays at 6:30 PM, with minor adjustments made to the September dates to accommodate holidays.
A major item on the agenda was the authorization for the Hanover School Department to access up to $750,000 from the special education reserve account. Mike Oates from the school department explained that these funds were necessary to cover fiscal year 2024 obligations, including outer district tuitions, transportation, and in-district contracted services. After a thorough discussion, the board granted the authorization.
The meeting also served as a platform to review the outcomes of the recent special and annual town meetings, as well as the town elections. Town Manager Joe Colangelo provided a comprehensive update on various articles and their statuses. Notably, due to the failure of the override vote at the ballot, several contingent articles were affected. The general fund base operating budget approved at the town meeting will be effective as of July 1, while some capital purchases and projects, such as basketball court renovations, will not proceed as initially planned.
The board also addressed the MBTA Communities Act zoning articles, which were referred back to the planning board for further study. A Special Town Meeting is anticipated in the fall of 2024 to reconsider these articles.
In other business, the board ratified the appointment of Bonnie Clark to the Community Preservation Committee until June 30, 2026. The meeting also saw the introduction of three summer interns who will be working in the town manager's office.
Looking ahead, the board plans to set its goals for the upcoming year at the next meeting on June 3. Members were asked to review current liaison assignments and express their interests in various roles before the next meeting.
The Town Manager's update highlighted the need for a more robust use policy for town and school buildings, particularly in light of the increased demand for spaces like the Sylvester Field. This issue is expected to be a priority in the board's upcoming goal-setting session.
The meeting concluded with board members expressing gratitude to the town clerk, staff, and volunteers for managing a record-breaking voter turnout in the recent election. They also acknowledged the challenging times ahead for some town employees affected by recent budget decisions.