001Thank you very much. Um it's 6:47. The Wom Select Board has returned from its recess to resume its meeting and we're very um pleased and honored to be meeting jointly this evening with the Hamilton Regional School Committee and I know that uh Chair Dana will need to open uh her meeting. >> Thank you, Ben. Uh, at this point I call to order the meeting of the Hamilton Regional School Committee at 6:47 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21st, 2025, and remind everyone that this meeting is um being recorded and livereamed. >> Thank you very much. Um, at this time, we'd like to invite each of the candidates up to the table. And um, you can't see them, but if you look in front of the table, you'll see where your name tagging are. Um, >> and yeah,
002you got it. >> Then if I may, >> what's that? >> I may. I just >> Yes, please. >> Um, >> welcome. Thank you all for joining us. Um, I did just want to say to um the board and to the committee and to the other candidates that I don't anticipate that Ms. Lambert is going to be joining us this evening. Um, so um she had contacted me and let me know that that was a possibility that she wouldn't be able to be here this evening. So what happened to the fourth? >> That's what um that's what I was she's unable to be here absent from the uh inerson interviews. >> Um all right. Well, welcome and um let me just say at the outset before we start um uh how much I've enjoyed working
003with uh Dana as the chair of the select board and we you know have uh coordinated this joint meeting and we're um very glad to have you here and to get as much participation um from everyone as possible and to um have dialogue with you on on some important issues. So, um the way we um have agreed to begin is that each candidate will be um given the opportunity to make a opening statement. Um we'd like you to please try to keep it to um 1 to 2 minutes. We won't be too strict on time, but if you could keep it to under two minutes, that would be great. And uh we're just going to go in alphabetical order, which um means that Mr. Hansen um you can begin. >> Sure. Hello everyone. My name
004is Will Hansen. Uh for those of you who I don't know, it's very nice to meet you and it's very nice to see so many people in town who are willing to take on this role. I humbly ask for your support to become a member of the school committee. I'm not an educator but a corporate attorney. I don't spend my time trying to win cases. Instead, I focus on trying to find solutions and negotiating balanced solutions. I built a career out of working with difficult situations and people that I don't often agree with. Uh and I think my background is well suited to this role. I'm a hard worker and a quick study. I'm passionate about what I do, but also thoughtful and generally pretty calm. Uh it's been clear over the past few years
005that our community has been divided and I think I have the skill, experience, and mindset to help move forward. Service has also always been a large part of my life. I was an Eagle Scout. Uh and as attorney, I've done a pro I've done proono work for for many clients over the years, including doing some finance work for a charter school in Boston. Uh this is a chance to give back to a community that has welcomed us and particularly my kids into the district. And that's the main reason that I volunteered. I'm a proud father of three kids. Uh two at Buer right now, one soon to be at Buer. We are blessed to be able to live in a town uh with such amazing schools and I'd like to do everything I can to
006help maintain that excellence and give all students in the district the best education possible. Thank you all very much for your time. >> Thank you, Mr. Hansen. Uh Miss Hullbrook, you're next. Hi everyone, my name is Julie Hullbrook. Thank you so much for for um entertaining us this evening. Um as I noted in my letter of interest um when I applied for this position, we moved to Hamilton Wenham from a neighboring Northshore town in 2012 um because of the school district. Uh we we focused our search on Hamilton when when we were looking for a home and we happened to find a house that allowed us to put a basketball court in the backyard which was the only way I was going to convince my son to move with us. Our oldest started a buger
007two weeks after we moved um after a wonderful meet and greet with Kathy O'Shea who was her first grade teacher. She, that daughter of mine, is now living her best life on my dime at Syracuse University, thanks in no small part to Hamilton Wenham. And she and her friends and her classmates feel so incredibly well prepared for college. She said that to me at the end of last year. And that is just that's just kudos to the schools for preparing these kids so well to go out into you know the wood big wide world. My family has been active in supporting the schools since we moved here. My husband was a member of the ed fund for many years. My daughter at Syracuse um is a salesperson at the Christmas tree fund and she maybe
008upsold some of you on the larger Christmas trees over the years. Um my son who is a couple years younger um worked on the Flynn's um Ed Fund haunted house haunted woods for many many years both as an actor and as someone who who built the materials. Um, I'm interested in taking this role now because, um, I want to give back to the community as Will mentioned and I now I have the capacity to do it. My kids have their driver's licenses. They're a little bit more independent and it frees up a lot of your time um, turns out in the evenings. Um, as Will mentioned, you know, the town, it seems, has been, you know, divided on a number of issues surrounding the schools. and I think that this is a great opportunity to
009try to bring the town together as we pursue the next path forward for our elementary schools. Um, I worked in education administration for 20 plus years and I know really probably all too well the issues that schools face and while I'm focused on higher education, we are dealing with the same issues um, across the board. Research constraints, capital improvements and planning for infrastructure, negotiating contracts. Um, but of course the most important thing is to figure out how to educate our children and our students so that they are happy and healthy and productive and engaged members of the community. Um, one final confession um that may end my candidacy right here and now, but I root for the Buffalo Bills. >> Thank you. Um, and so while the Pats are a nice sort of secondary team
010for me, um, I am I am a Bills fan through and through. >> Very. Thank you. >> Bold confession there. >> Public confession. >> Miss Non. >> Thank you. My name is Kristen Noon and thank you to the select board and to the school committee for inviting me and my fellow candidates here this evening to meet you all. I have lived in Winnham for most of my life. I'm the parent of two boys who attend Buer. They are in um fourth grade and kindergarten respectively. And I am interested in serving on the school committee at this time because I think the very yes experiences um and values that I have could be really useful in this role at this moment. Um through my you know personal and professional life I've been very committed to education
011and to community. um most recently by serving as the executive director of the Winnham Museum for the last 12 years, which was um a function that had to meld both of those two needs together and educating and engaging the public, but also fostering and and building community. I also have a very long um commitment to public service. I was actually educated through Catholic schools and I think a big benefit to that was always on the emphasis on giving back and helping and serving those who were less fortunate than you and have brought that you know forward into my professional life. Um I did you know attend the college of the holy cross and that's one of its core values there was to be a a man or a woman for others and have really tried
012to bring that um forth into my life and I attended law school um like will I am also an attorney and I attended Suffach law school which has a tremendous commitment to public service in the third sector both through government and nonprofit work. Presently I am back practicing law and I work for a law firm that only serves the nonprofit and philanthropic sector. So I do spend a lot of time in um the same sort of messy trenches that I think our community has found itself in and trying to build consensus across disperate groups and interests um and bringing those sort of experiences that I have to life through service on the school committee. I think you know my temperament and my personal style know the relationships that I've been able to foster in the
013community over many years will be an asset. I tend to approach situations with curiosity um with kindness. You know I'm a seasoned leader. I've always try to be fair, level-headed, willing to listen to everybody. Um I am an optimist which I think you can't you know be in this business if you are not. And I will also, you know, make a decision when the time comes, um, knowing that sometimes that's not easy, um, but necessary. I know that the conversation around building the new consolidated school has been a main focus and I think the facility needs will continue to be really important. Um, but I also want to offer, you know, that I think I could be a candidate for all of the district's goals. You know, at the school committees meeting last week, I
014think four really critical goals were discussed. um one of them being the need for continued facilities improvements and upgrades, but also needed policy around AI, you know, supporting all of our learners through a multi-tered approach and addressing school start times, which I think will have tremendous impact on families and community organizations that are served by our district. So, while I do want to continue to help support the community and moving the facilities questions forward, I want to help with those other issues as well. Um, so, um, I care a lot about the town of Wenham. I'm happy to help and I hope it is as a member of the school committee, but if it is not, I look forward to helping in another way. So, for your consideration. >> Well, thank you. All right. So,
015now we're going to begin a series of questions. The third first three of which will be asked by members of the school committee. And the way uh it will work is that um each of you will be asked to answer question one and then each of you will be asked to answer question two and so on. So um Dana, would you like to >> Sure. So we did not decide who was going to ask which question, but the school committee is going to ask the first three questions here and we'll just see who's anxious to ask one. >> All right, Megan looks like she's jumping in. How do we do the order? >> Um, why don't we stick with alphabetical? So, it'll be just Is that fine with you? >> Yeah. And then after and
016the next question we'll want to mix up. >> Yeah. I think we just switch it around. >> We can do kind of we'll do a loop. So, we'll do >> Hansen Hall Brook noon Brook Hansen. >> We I'm gonna write it down. We got it. >> Keep us honest, Dina. Okay. Will for you, what are your top your three top priorities for the school district and how would you work on the committee to focus on these priorities? >> Uh that's a great question. Um I think start off the district is I think doing a lot of things very well. It's consistently ranked at the top of the state. Um which I think speaks for itself. Uh and I I think I would do everything I can to help maintain that. I think there are a
017couple challenges. Uh I think the schools color and winthrep are both in dire need of upgrades with buger not far behind. Um I think finding a solution to that challenge needs to continue to be prioritized. Uh I think it's clear that the district as I mentioned before has been divided on this point. I think this is a real challenge and there's not many easy answers. Uh I would prioritize community outreach um finding solutions that will be supported by the community including I think uh immediately trying to restart process to seek you know additional state funding for capital improvement projects. Uh, another challenge I think the district is only as good as its contracts, uh, with the superintendent, with teachers, with sports staff. Um, making sure that we ret maintain, you know, be a top school
018district, offering good contracts and top of the market incentives, um, to draw in and retain talent should also continue to be prioritized. And I think this, the third part, I think this extends to the regional agreement itself. Um, in its current form, the original agreement is fairly out ofd. Um, often lacking its substance and in places a little sloppy. Um, amending amending and restating a strong regional agreement um will be a challenge as by its nature it's a triparty agreement. So, you have to get uh both towns and the district to agree. Uh, that's not going to be easy to implement. But uh working towards you know a strong clear and updated agreement will benefit all parties I think by removing uncertainty building trust in the school committee or rebuilding some trust in the school
019committee uh and clearly delineating roles and I think this should also be prioritized. >> Great. So same question for um Brookbrook. So, as Will said, I think maintaining the excellence of the school district is is the thing that we that we absolutely must do. And um in my current role, I have sort of I have begun to take on strategic planning initiatives on behalf of the the dean. And what I have learned from that is that you have to be a you have to be really clear in your mission. And I um I spent about 10 minutes today trying to find the mission on the Hamilton Wenham's school district web page and it's buried in like an about section and then strategic planning section and all of these things. it wasn't um it it didn't
020pop up. And um what I have found through my years of working at missiondriven institutions and being involved with mission institutions is that every decision that you make really needs to lead you back to the mission and everybody needs to be on board with the mission and they needed to know what the mission is. So many years ago, I started to work for a dean who opened every single meaning that he ever had to admission. And at the beginning, I would think, oh, like we're going to hear this again. And then I realized he was just ingraining it in in the staff and in the faculty and in the students. And when it came time to make difficult decisions and this group of people have a lot of difficult decisions to make in the coming
021years, it was okay, how does that get us back to this? What facilities do we need? What policies do we need? What activities do we need? What sort of buyin from the teachers and the students and the and the staff that that work so closely and wonderfully with our students do we need and how do we get them to buy into that mission? So, I found the mission statement and then I found the vision in action and I found all of these things and I see it, you know, it's posted all over the walls and I think that that is great. Um, but in all of the conversations about that were about the um, you know, consolidated school and the and the pros and cons of that, um, I didn't hear a a ton of
022references to the mission. Um, and I and I wonder if that is a way to sort of unify the community. Um, so that we can all agree. I think we all have all agreed on what the mission and the vision and action is and we worked hard on those things and and but maybe we make them front and center again and get past the sort of you know bad will and bad feelings that so many people have right now. >> Thank you. Um for the thi three things that I think that the district should be focusing on. I think you know firstly I think it has to really be education and I do really like the work that was done through a lot of stakeholder engagement um you know under the superintendent's leadership to kind
023of craft that portrait of a learner and I think that could be a a really helpful and useful guiding star and it was a process where there was a lot of consensus and a lot of community input and I think that is a bright spot that we could focus around um and center around. I do also think ensuring that you know consistent consistency and equity and the educational experience across all of the schools is still a concern for everyone. Um you know I think it's ensuring that teachers and specials and special ed have the space and the resources that they need. Um, I think if we're able to support our teachers and our faculty and staff with giving them the resources that they need, um, whatever they may be, it's not always necessarily money, um,
024but to support them that they will support our students and give them the best education that they can. Um, lastly, I think, you know, in general, I think money follows a plan. So I think for the facilities and aligning the needs of the facilities with the need of our programmatic program um you know I do think we do need a plan for that and I think what would be probably helpful in a year one type of situation is really thinking of a process by which that plan could be developed so that all stakeholders feel as though they've been involved and that we go into future requests for change, for money, for doing things a different way are done with as much pre-existing consensus as possible to try to um bring the community together um to
025the best we can. So, thank you. Thank you. Um all right, next question. Oh, you're so anxious, Amy. >> Thank you. >> Um so, I think we're going to be starting with uh Julie. Is that correct? >> Yes. Okay. Um, my question is, what do you see as the role of the school committee? >> That was actually when I was looking over the list of questions, that was the hardest question. Um, you know, I think that the role of the school committee is to be the experts on so many things about our schools and make difficult decisions. In parallel, they should be representing the the views of the community and the concerns of the community, whether or not they agree with those views or those concerns. Um, but I am a big believer that there
026are a lot of people who know a lot more about a lot of things than I am and and I, you know, I want to learn from those people and I want to take their advice. I don't pretend to be an expert in everything. Um, and I think that, you know, I hear a lot of well just this I just know this in my in my gut and I'm a lot more data driven. Um, and it's probably because I work with engineers and applied scientists and hardcore people who um do not let you out of a room unless you have produced a lot of data to back up your perspective. Um, and so I think the role of school committee is to be the ones to look at that data and to analyze that data
027and to make informed decisions and recommendations based on that data. Um, again, whether or not they like what the data is telling them or not. Um, and you know, I also think that um, well, this is it. I I I have a lot of respect for for everybody who sits on these kinds of boards in small towns because especially in recent years it's been, you know, I think it's there's been a lot of um conversation and feedback, negative and positive. Um and so, you know, I do think that it is important for the town to have faith and trust in the people that they choose to sit on the select board and in the school committee. Um, but primarily I I look to you all to to be the ones to make informed recommendations because
028you have a lot more data than just the average person um, you know, sitting in their house having opinions about things. >> Am I next? >> I think so. Kristen, >> I just wanted to make sure. Thank you. Um, I think you know the role of the school committee has a few different purposes. And I think you have to start with what it's authorized to do, you know, by statute where we have to, you know, oversee the district, support the budgeting process, um, manage the contract for the superintendent or superintendent search, you know, set policy for the district, handle all the collective bargaining issues. I mean, I think that is the starting point. I think sometimes things get hard. I think when the community expects the school committee to weigh in on things that are
029actually staff prerogative to weigh in. Um so I think continuing to understand where the lines are between the school committee's oversight function and the operational function of the superintendent and the sort of org chart under him um is a is a guiding role that the school committee needs to play, you know, to really clarify when it is appropriate for the committee to weigh in and when it's not. And then obviously, you know, when the committee is discharging its duties, I'm sure there are moments where it's gray. It can be a little mushy, especially in the area of policy questions. Um, and I think, you know, that's where understanding the needs of the students, you know, the community feedback, the feedback of the faculty and staff, you know, is really important in um, shaping those policies
030and decisions. >> Thank you. So I think looking at five arms of the school committee, I think developing policy, developing the budget, overseeing the superintendent, advocating for public education and community engagement. Um I had a great conversation recently where it was explained to me that the school committee is more like a board of directors and the superintendent is more like a CEO. Um this is analogy that works really well for me. I know how boards operate and and I can implement this. Um community engagement comes easy right now. um active father of three girls. So I am very outnumbered uh but also very engaged in the community right now and in challenges the challenges that they're facing in schools uh and and also in town. Um I think the budget is a very very important
031part right now. I think it obviously takes up a lot of time of what the school committee is doing. I think setting the budget and making sure it meets uh what the what the district needs and um is obviously one a large priority and it's something that I have quite a bit of experience um working with clients budgets and financial statements. Um, I think public education advocacy is also very important. Um, I've been a long supporter of public schools. I attended public schools. Um, my grandfather and my mother-in-law are both middle school teachers their whole career. Um, I've been around public education my whole life. And I think continuing to advocate and push for that, especially in a town where we see a lot of people, you know, leaving the public school system and going
032to private schools. Um, I think getting out there and being the face of, you know, this is good and why it's good and and continuing to be in, you know, an excellent district is is very important. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um and then I think the next question we will start with Kristen. Julia, are you interested in reading questions? I think the three of you have answered this, but feel free to repeat yourself. What do you see as your qualifications and experience that make you a good fit for a position on the school committee? >> Yes. So, um, maybe just to build out a little bit more on some of the things in my introductory statement, um, I really do think I have a lot of experience in trying to build and foster consensus,
033um, through just all of my time, I think, running a nonprofit and also working day-to-day really intensely with nonprofits. um nonprofits are can be a little notoriously messy and I think the sector has been through um a lot of turmoil over the last you know 12 or so months with major changes in the federal funding landscape and a lot of hard decisions that a lot of my clients have had to make. Um, and I have in those kinds of situations, I think, you know, people who serve on a nonprofit board, it's so near and dear and close to their heart that they bring a lot of passion to those conversations. And I think that's really similar with the kind of feelings and moments we've experienced in our town of people advocating really passionately for their
034children or for what they believe is the best for the budget um or the tax rate. I think a lot of th those kinds of feelings and emotions can come through and I think um there is a way through that. I think sometimes it takes time. It requires letting people be heard often hearing the same person multiple times, you know, um as they kind of get their message across. But I would say I do deal with that every single day and are able to I think get to the other side of that. And I think you know the operative word is consensus because it's not unanimity. You know it's sort of a general agreement that everybody can live with. And I think understanding that sometimes when you approach these things you do have to listen
035to everybody. You do have to take their concerns seriously. They are real. And also understanding that there is not a solution that makes everybody happy. Um so it really truly is a consensusbased process. So, thank you. No, I think Will >> Thank you. Um I I I will d you know repeat a little bit of what I said a moment ago, but I think looking at the five arms of the school committee, I think there are several that I I'm well suited to participate in, particularly developing the budget, overseeing the superintendent, advocating for public education and community engagement. I I think the budget one's easy for me. Um, my legal practice focuses on private equity and corporate finance. So, I I very often work with budgets and financial statements and so there's a very solid
036foundation there and would only need to get up to speed on, you know, specifics. Um, I'm I'm a hard and diligent worker and I don't have any concerns on that front. Um, I'm also not a courtroom attorney, so I I negotiate for a living. Uh, my whole job is really finding acceptable consensus for people on different sides of an issue. Um, I had a client once comment that I have a particular skill in in evaluating an issue and finding getting to the core of what is and what isn't important because in looking at a lot of these issues, there are often things that are not important and there are often more things, especially for two different towns that are coming together that are more important. Um, and I think I think I would fill that
037role very well in the school committee. Do >> you want me to repeat the question? >> No. Why I'm well suited why any of us are well suited to the school. So, um I work at a university downtown and I spend my days um interfacing and negotiating with faculty and students. Um and when I tell you that negotiating with faculty at a major university downtown is um that is a that is a challenging role. Um, and as Kristen said, everybody wants to be heard and everybody has incredibly strong opinions and everybody in that room thinks that they are the smartest person in that room. Um, and and we don't do anything without building a lot of consensus, but we also make decisions that people are unhappy with. Um, and so I I that is just
038how I spend my days much of the time. Um and and we are talking about the same kinds of things that people in education are talking about. We are talking about how to plan for capital projects. We are talking about how to deliver education and a world where our kids are better users of technology than we are right. We are trying to plan to figure out a way to engage students and teach them and demonstrate and show them that you can have disagreements and you can have dialogue and it doesn't need to become confrontational and it doesn't need to be hostile. I mean we are you know I am talking about that with students who are in their 20s um and I am talking about that with my kids who are in their teens and
039I am talking about that with younger kids who I see. Um, and so I am I am very much sort of in the trenches of thinking about these the kinds of issues that that I think school committees across the country are facing. >> Thank you. Um, periodically everyone just needs to wave their arms and that will get the lights to stay on. >> I I I chose not to do I chose not to do that while you all were speaking. >> Distracting now. Um, all right. To the select board. >> Yes. Thank you. So, um, the select board is now going to ask three questions and we'll follow the same process. I'm not sure exactly what looping we'll do, but we'll get we'll get to that. Um, so, uh, uh, dear, I think that you
040have the first question. >> Thank you. All right. How would you get up to speed on the governmental aspects of the school committee and also mun municipal budgeting? >> Do you want to maybe direct them like who the order? >> Is it back to me now? >> Alphabetical. >> Yeah, I think it's back to >> um for fear of repeating myself from what I said a moment ago. I I think for the municipal budget part, I think that comes that's an easy one for me. Um I do a lot of corporate finance work. I work with financial statements and budgets all the time. Um, so I think that's a very solid foundation. It would be very The only thing I would need to do is get up to speed on the specifics here and learn
041this particular budget and I don't have any concerns with doing that. Um, on the municipal side, I'm not a municipal attorney. Um but I think you know reading the I mean being extremely familiar with the regional agreement especially as it's in the process of being renegotiated understanding the role of the school committee um and how that fits and um what is required of it under you know mass and mass laws town bylaws everything um I don't have any concern with that it fits very well with with what I do >> um so I have spent a lot more time than I would like to in the last year and a half thinking about um budgets and and the impacts of government decisions, federal government decisions that have dramatically impacted our budgets and coming up with
042contingency planning for funding based on, you know, a lot of unknowns. Um I'll be really honest, like the budget is not the thing that that I love. Um I'm a lot more interested in policy and and sort of strategic planning and those kinds of things. Um, but I have I have I'm you know confident in my ability to look at it, understand it, ask the people who know all of the questions. Um, and I have gotten, you know, a lot more familiar and a lot more comfortable with budgets and thinking about, you know, the way federal guidelines impact budgets and things and then I maybe than I would have liked to in the last year. And so I just, you know, I think a lot of it will be just sitting down and absorbing it
043and reading it and then just asking a ton of questions. Um, thank you. Um, I also feel comfortable that that's something that I could get up to speed on. Um, I also think it could be appropriate to, you know, be the oversight body that's asking the questions of the superintendent and the finance director who has prepared the budget. You know, often times I know like in a nonprofit setting like staff is working really hard on the budget, you know, brings it to an oversight or an overseeing body to really like probe the budget, ask questions. Why is this amount going up? Why has this changed? um and to really kind of learn about the budget process that way. There's also, I know, a lot of resources available online through, you know, the association of school
044committees and other materials that kind of talk about like best practices and developing the budget and reviewing the budget. And I think that would also be something that I would be reviewing in the leadup to to budget season. >> All right, Karen, next question is yours. >> Yes. Uh reflecting on the recent votes from the Cutler school expansion where there were different where there was a differential in voter support between the two towns. Do you have ideas on how to promote a greater unity between the two towns for any future major district projects? >> I think we're starting with Julie. Is that me? Y >> I was looking right at you. I was going but I wasn't sure. Okay. >> I can read it over if you want me to. That's a doozy. >> Yeah,
045it did. It is crazy, right? And I mean I >> So I think it for me it it goes back to something I said earlier, which is I mean I think the two towns there is a lot of common ground, right? I think we can all agree that we want to maintain excellence in our schools. We disagree on maybe the best path to get there. Um, but we we need to continually reiterate to one another and to town town leadership in both towns that we are all looking to do the same thing ultimately and there will be one path forward and some people will like that path more than others. Um, but there will be only one path forward and we can't cut off our nose to spite our faces here, right? We need the
046perfect cannot be the enemy of the good. We we have to, as Kristen alluded to earlier, come up with a process that has buyin, that people feel is fair, that people feel is transparent, where they feel like they have an opportunity to be heard. And then, um, we need to rely on the various experts in the field to tell us how we do the thing it is that we're ultimately decide to do after we've done all of this due diligence. Um, you know, the town is divided, the country is divided. It is just like an incredibly difficult period in our time right now. And you know, I think all we can do is take very small steps collectively as a small town and and you know, try to um convince people that the group that
047makes these decisions, the select board, the school committee, the fincom committee, all of these things are really are operating with the best of intentions, right? and that maybe you don't like a decision that they make, but it doesn't mean that it was um nefarious. Um and and we just have to continually remind ourselves of that. And we really do have to demonstrate it to our kids. Um because that is my fear is that that these kids are hearing all of these things and seeing all of these things on social media and on TV and then they are taking them to school. And I don't that's a really hard thing to combat and I give the teachers and the principles and the superintendent a a lot of credit for trying to think creatively how to deal
048with that. But we it starts with the adults in the room. Um and so we just have to just continually beat the drum and and hope that it starts to resonate and that people have had enough of of what this has been for the last couple months. >> Thank you Christian. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you for the direction. >> I think um in terms of bringing the two towns together, I think we have to look at the places I think where there are bright spots um and build upon them. I mean I think the opening of the high school fields recently is a great example of a time when both towns have come together in a real positive kind of community event. So I think to the extent there are opportunities to have those
049sort of joyful moments, we should expand upon them and capitalize on them. Um, in terms of, you know, the more tactical issues of trying to figure out which school and when and how much and who's first and will pay for Hamilton and will Hamilton pay for Winnham? I mean, I think those are difficult questions. I do think there is going to need to be another round of community feedback. Um, and I think other kinds of solutions are going to have to be floated out there. You know, my my nephews attend school in Newbury Port. There's multiple elementary schools in Newbury Port, but they're divied up by grade. So, all of K and one is in one building. Two and three is in another building. Four and five is in another building. That would undoubtedly not
050be a popular possibility for some people here and for others. it would probably be embraced. So, I think some of those kinds of other ideas that we haven't explored yet are going to have to be brought to the four and trying to talk about a plan B, you know, for the facilities. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> I agree and echo a lot of a lot of what you just said. Uh this is a great question. Um I think one of my strengths is being able to reach consensus when not everyone agrees. And I think that is something that is will come into play here. Um, I think the key to this from my perspective is enhanced community outreach. Um, to both advocate for district policies and priorities, um, but also to understand prevailing opinions,
051prevailing preferences, um, of the constituents in town to find common ground that everyone can get behind. Um, usually in evaluating a problem, I do not assume that I'm right. Uh, sometimes I assume that I'm wrong. Um, and try to understand all points of view, re-evaluate, and find ways to work with people who have opposing viewpoints. um these are skills that I think would be very helpful and put to good use as a member of the school committee at this time. I think this is also you know a tough question. It was clear in speaking to residents over the past you know year um it was clear to me that under the current region agree agreement when citizens are hesitant to approve funding for schools in Hamilton without any promise of reciprocity. Um and I think
052we need to find some solution that addresses that concern and there is no easy answer to that question. No solution can favor just Wam or just Hamilton or just the district. It needs to be a solution that you know broadly the towns can get behind. Um and most important not just the committees and you know the select boards but also the constituents in town. Um I think this is a real challenge. Um and the school committee obviously has has real work ahead to implement these solutions. Uh to find and implement these solutions and and I think I would like to be part of that process. Um community outreach and you know trust building I think is going to be a big part of how we move forward. >> All right. Thank you very much. The
053next question is from Gary and I believe the order will be uh Miss Noune, Mr. Hansen and Miss Hullbrook. >> What is your understanding of the current status of the regional agreement and what are two or three issues that you believe are important that are are or should be covered in the original agreement? >> Thank you. So, as we were moving towards the vote to approve the new school, um I did take a look at the regional agreement at that time and again today um or in preparation for today and I do think that it probably is a document that is ripe for revisiting. I think that it's difficult sometimes in my experience to make large policy changes when people are upset because the concern could be you're changing a policy to generate a certain
054outcome. Um, so I think that changes to the regional agreement will need to proceed thoughtfully um, and in a way that balances the interests between the two towns. I think one of the main points of contention will be the percentage of vote required to incur debt or to incur expenditure. I think there was a lot of confusion around that, a lot of lack of trust, all kinds of issues that were created by, you know, the town meeting vote followed by the ballot vote. And I think clarifying the process through which expenditures are going to be approved going forward in light of the community interest, state law should be a significant part of that agreement. Um, I also know that the balance of enrollment is changing between the two towns. Is the rolling average of 3
055years of enrollment the right number? Should it be more? Should it be less? I don't know. I think some of those important questions are probably something to take a second look at as well. Um, I think also maybe just the basics of the agreement of how often is it reviewed, how how is it amended, trying to revisit some of those things to maybe make some of these things um less fraught as as we move forward. Is that you? >> I mean, it's hard to disagree with any of that. Um, I think in reading the regional agreement, it is a bit sloppy. It's out it's out of date. Um, and it's not very wholesome. So in in going through the the recent um votes, someone asked me to take a look at the agreement and you
056know what happens if the vote fails. What's the next steps? The agreement is completely silent on that. And any strong agreement between two towns that is going to govern going forward should have answers to all of those problems. You should never look at a contract and have there be gaps there where you do not understand what the next steps are or what the what the available options are. So whether or not it's out of date with state law, it needs to be updated or I mean it can be out of date with state law as long as it's a conscious choice. And I very much agree that changing it in the middle of a vote is a very difficult thing to do. Um and so again with what I said before, community outreach on this
057point is is going to be extremely important. Um so finding um not just in the vote vote percentages, but I do 100% agree that that will be a big part of it, but just in generally how the agreement is structured, um how budgeting is structured, all of that needs to be re-evaluated. um and a much more wholesome agreement put in place. >> I don't know that I can improve much on what Christine and Will said, but I I will say that I I do think that the recent sort of conversation around um the school agreement and how it impacted the various votes and kinds of things. Um, I think people in town don't totally understand the regional school agreement or the regional agreement and I think it's, you know, it's kind of boring and dry.
058So, people don't want to take the time to understand it because it's boring and dry, but it turns out it actually really means something, right? And so if there is, you know, if there is a way to elucidate the important points of it and explain to people how it does actually impact them and their families and the way the towns operate. I don't I don't know how you do that. Um but you know, I think people feel slightly suspicious right now. I think people are like, "Oh, well, we didn't people didn't get what they wanted the first time, so we tried for a second time, and then we tried for a third time." and and you know the truth of it it was all above board but as Will said there wasn't a lot of
059guidance about what was allowed or not allowed and so people are just I think confused and maybe slightly um I don't know suspicious is a strong word so um I I think what what as Kristen and Will said we need you know better ways to communicate to the community about what it is what it means what it includes what is possible going forward um and then explain to them how it really does matter to them even though it's, you know, might not be the most exciting reading on a on a Wednesday night. >> All right. Thank you. I think back to the school committee for some additional questions. >> So, yeah, at our um at our meeting, we had approved some additional questions if and I will leave it fully to the committee. You have
060them in front of you if if anyone feels like they want to ask any of those questions. >> I'd like to ask the first one. >> Go ahead. Um, in April, interim appointee will have the option to run for election to continue on the committee. Do you intend to run? >> Back to Will. >> Sure. >> Um, yes, I would intend to run if I was appointed to the position. I'm very aware of the time commitment that this entails. Life is busy. I I have a very demanding job and three very demanding children. Um, and I thought long and hard about applying um because I understand what is required and the sacrifice that it entails. Um, I don't do anything half-heartedly. Um, and I want to help and be of service. Um, and I I
061think I have what it takes to succeed here. So, if if appointed, I am all in. I'll happily give the time and energy and and I would intend to run in April. >> Um, my intention, if selected, would be to run unless things went catastrophically sideways and it turns out that I was like a terrible fit for this or something. So, I I do want to make sure that um if I'm selected that it that I am helpful to the board and that I am the right fit and that I'm helping move things forward. Um but barring again, you know, some kind of disaster, I would I would plan to continue to engage I would say the same. Yes. Like, you know. >> Okay. >> I would actually also like to ask the second question
062even though I think Will kind of addressed it. Um, but I'd also like to ask that one if we can. >> Sure. Um, I've lost track of who's first, but I think it's I think it's Julie. >> It's fine. All right. Julie for you. So, um, there's a substantial time commitment to serving on the school committee. We meet as a whole in person twice monthly, generally on Thursday evenings. Members serve on at least one subcommittee as well. There's a significant time investment in preparing for meetings. Please speak to your ability to commit to this level of participation. So actually um I think I maybe slightly addressed this in my opening remarks but um my kids are now at the age where they are a lot more independent than they used to be. My daughter is
063away in college. My son is in high school and driving. And so I am am finding myself with a lot more free time in the evenings and um on the weekends that I than I used to have um short of basketball season potentially approaching. Um, and so that's one of the reasons why I I sort of submitted a letter of interest now is because I I feel like I I'm at a place where I do have the capacity to um spend the time needed to prepare and review and pour over you know materials and things. >> Thank you. >> So next >> um yes I also feel that I have the time to do this. Um, I am busy, you know, with my family and kids and their obligations and everything. I I do not
064work full-time. I work slightly less than full-time. Um, so I do feel as though, you know, after kind of starting with my current role, you know, last year that I'm at a place where I have some time where I can invest that, you know, back into community or volunteer, you know, commitments that I'm interested in. >> Uh, yes, I would have saved some of what I said in the last response. Um, but yes, I understand the time commitment. Um, life is very busy right now. Um, and I certainly don't have as much free time as as I think Julie is is implying. Um, but I understand what it what is required and and I'll I'll be there. >> Great. Thank you so much. >> All right. Great. So, that brings us to um follow-up questions
065where we want to give any member of uh either board the opportunity to uh ask any follow-up question if they wish. No one has to, but um these would not be new questions, but follow-ups to answers that the candidates have already given. Um and if you do have a follow-up question and it's directed just to one or two of the candidates as opposed to everybody, please u so indicate in your question. Does anybody have any follow-up questions they'd like to ask? >> Um right. >> Nope. >> Did you want to ask the final Did you have a question? >> I can ask the final question. >> Yeah. We we did have another question on there. >> Okay. >> So, do you guys have any questions for us? >> Back to me. I don't I don't
066think so. Uh Dana was super nice to offer, you know, to discuss before today what it means to be on the school committee and it was a very helpful conversation and I don't think I have any other questions at this time. >> Okay. All right. Um, I would just, you know, ask if anyone on the committee has a thought of something you wish you knew before you started the school committee that you know now. >> Having thrown my hat into the ring in February of 2020, >> there are quite a few things I wish I >> Sorry. Um, do you want to go? I can I want to answer that too. Do you want to go? >> Yeah. Um, how much a good superintendent and administrative staff >> That was my answer. >> Is can
067it can either make or break a district and we've had both. We've had ones that have out and out lied to us and we've had really great ones and the experience working with the really great ones versus the really bad one is night and day. >> I would say literal exact same thing. I didn't know the importance of a reliable um superintendent that is willing to stand up for what they believe in and willing to answer questions and willing to you know dedicate the time. I guess I just didn't really understand that. Um I mean I think there's a lot of things I've learned the budgeting process is not I mean it's difficult in the beginning but it's not as intimidating. I think I lost some sleep over it when I first started because I
068was worried to ask the wrong question. Um, but really there's no stupid questions and if you have a question then a member of the public is thinking it or one of us is probably thinking it. So that's really important too is just just come with good intentions and you'll be fine. >> I think Julie you >> Oh. Um, >> so this is specifically for the school committee members. What's the What is the most rewarding part of being on the school committee? I know I can only imagine what the most challenging pieces of this are, but um just to end on a positive note, um so I was involved with the athletic fields project from the beginning of that and seeing that come to fruition and seeing all the community members and the school committee members
069and the parents and the athletes, that was pretty darn amazing. to be honest. Like that was just like I walked away from that day on cloud n. >> That's cool. >> That would have been my answer to that feel the feeling of being there. Not the actual project itself, but the feeling of being there on that night. >> Mhm. >> That would have been my answer to >> I love when we have students like we'll have students come here and talk about the different clubs and the different um things that they've achieved. Um, I go to graduation every year and it's just a really nice reminder of why we're setting policy, reviewing the budget, all that stuff. Like, it's it's all about the students really. So, I I think we do a good job of
070making sure we get to see the students and their work. Um, I have children in the system, but it's also nice to meet kids I don't know and get their input. Do you want to go? >> I would say learning new things that I would never have probably taken the time to go as deep into the weeds. Um, and then really feeling like I can have educated conversations with people about very specific things. I think for me that's helpful because I do come from that place of passion very often. um where my emotions kind of take over, but to be able to be have data to back it or experience to back it or or things that have happened or documentation I think is really helpful for me um to be able to make decisions.
071But just getting in the weeds has really been rewarding and and learning about things even if I wasn't necessarily interested in them and then sort of became interested in them. >> I learned a lot about soil testing this past year. >> Soil testing. Yes. All right. Um, thank you all very much. We're going to ask you to return to the gallery behind you. >> Thank you. >> That's hard. >> All right. So now um we're going to enter a deliberative session as a joint um body and there's certainly no requirement that anyone um comment publicly on their impressions uh before we vote but we did want to have the opportunity for um public comment amongst the members of the board um in a deliberative session if anybody wishes to to uh do that. And if
072no one does, we'll move to the vote. But um why don't we leave it open for anyone who wishes to to speak before a vote. >> I mean, I'll just say as someone who sat there 3 months ago, four months ago, I mean, this is incredibly difficult. We had three amazing candidates tonight, very well prepared, very, very well prepared. Um and so this is going to be a very, very difficult decision. But I very much thank everyone for putting in the time and showing up today. Thank you so much. >> I I just want to I I mean the level of preparation of all three candidates was >> really remarkable. Like that was an impressive work on all three parts. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I would echo that and say that uh certainly the school
073committee is going to be a the beneficiary of uh a very excellent member no matter who ends up being picked here. I hope the public has a chance to see the uh superlative resumes presented and it's nice to see a uh although it's a competition it's nice to see more than one person come out for a particular committee slot and I like to see that spread to the other world as well. I would just echo that. >> Yes. I would like to thank all three candidates for coming forward. I think it has not been easy to be on this school committee particularly over the past year and the fact that you are all willing and brave enough to put yourselves forward is demonstrates the commitment, the interest and the passion that you have for this.
074So I am extremely grateful. I am very proud of Wenom this evening because I think all three of you are exceptionally qualified and have been exceptionally articulate and wellprepared as the others have said. I'm just so proud to be from Wam tonight. So I thank you for that also. And I'm going to make a pitch because unfortunately we can only take one of you and there are three. But I would love to have all of you involved in town. And I'm just going to say we have other vacancies, notably on the Fincom. And if two of you unfortunately cannot be selected tonight, pick something else cuz we'd love to have all of you. So, thank you. Thank you very much. >> Anyone else? >> I'll just uh echo the same thing. I was really impressed
075with all three of you and appreciate um the preparation that you put in, the thought that you put into your decision even to apply, understanding the time commitment and um and the research that a lot of you clearly did on um some of the specific issues that are um front and center right now. And uh similar to what Deardra said, you know, for the two of you who don't get the um appointment, I hope you you'll stay involved, including in in school matters and um you know, there may be other opportunities on the school committee down down the line depending on what you know people do for reelection and so on. So um I hope that the two of you who don't make it won't be discouraged because any one of you would be an
076excellent um appointment to this vacancy. So, I think that will bring us to the vote and the way that that is going to proceed. And again, um Dana and I, uh worked very cooperatively on this and and and I had the benefit of learning from Dana as to how this was done just, you know, a few short months ago when Megan, you were selected. So, um, each member of the school committee and select board will be asked to publicly state his or her top two candidates of the three. And Dana has the unenviable job of tallying um those votes. And so based on um that round, obviously there'll be two candidates or maybe not so obvious cuz I don't know if there could end up being a tie. We'll find out deliberate more I guess.
077>> But there will at the end of that presumably be two finalists and then there'll be a second round of voting where each member of the two uh boards are asked to select um the top choice from amongst the two and that will determine uh the winner. So um >> anybody have any questions on that? Everyone understands? >> That makes sense. >> Yep. going to go around and say your top two in no particular order. >> Great. >> All right. And I think just in in terms of custom um uh each of the chairs probably should vote last um you know after each of their members if that's fine with you Dana that why don't we start um with David and then we'll skip over Dana and we'll go around we'll skip over me and
078then Dana and I will give our votes um at the end. >> All right. So, um, David, if you could, um, tell us your top two candidates, please. >> Sure. Um, I think my top two, uh, Will Hansen and Kristen Zun. >> Okay. >> Non. >> Yep. >> We're going to skip. Okay. And I would just echo the remarks of of all of you that that we are very blessed to have that quality of candidate >> across all of them. >> Christian and Julie. >> All right. >> Kristen and Will. >> Will and Kristen. >> I couldn't hear you. >> Will and Kristen. Uh Kristen and Will. Um, Kristen and Julie, Kristen and Will. Kristen and Julie. >> Kristen, I'm sorry. Kristen and Julie. Okay. Um. Okay. >> Um, Kristen and Will. >> All right.
079And Dana is uh Will and Kristen. Um, so, so the top two are, um, Will with eight and Kristen with 11. Um, so those are our top two. Um, >> can you repeat that, please? >> Sure. That top two are Will with eight and Kristen with 11. one >> correct which is I I mean I'm going to move on the next is to vote but I will note that does actually mean that everyone selected Kristen correct there are 11 of us >> I think that's right yes >> um >> so do it again with you guys go last >> um >> go ahead >> I think might as well just for the process we'll go ahead and um all right so the two finalists are Kristen Non and Will Hansen And now we'll have a
080vote to um uh to uh select the top choice. And then by the way uh just so everyone uh knows once that vote is complete um uh Dana and I will entertain a motion from somebody on the board to uh move to appoint that individual. Uh but that'll come after this round of voting. >> No. And I guess obviously it it could come out either way. I guess that that doesn't mean anything. I guess they were all so. >> Okay. >> Um, do you want to use the same order? >> Sure. Why don't we do that? David, >> I think Kristen >> Kristen Jer >> Kristen >> Will Kristen Will >> Kristen I'm >> Kristen. >> Is that me? I'm sorry. >> Sorry. Um Um Kristen >> um and so 9 to two um with
081Kristen um coming out on the top. So I move to fix to Hamilton one of the regional school committee for the term ending to the date of the next town election in April 2026. >> Gary seconds. >> All right. So we'll take a vote of the uh I think we can since we're meeting in joint session we can get everyone's vote on that same motion. Um >> I think so. Yeah. >> So I'll just do a roll call of the select board Dana and then if you want to do a roll call of school committee. Um, so we have a motion and a second to appoint Kristen Nune uh to the school committee for the term ending through the date of the next town election in April 2026. And um, Peter, what's your vote? >>
082Yes. >> Gary, >> yes. >> Dearra, >> yes. >> Karen, >> yes. >> And Ben is yes. >> Um, and we will do a roll call vote as well, just to be consistent. David, >> yes. >> Amy, >> yes. >> Jen, >> yes. >> Megan, >> yes. Julia, >> yes. Bane is a yes. And that is unanimous of the six members present. >> The motion passes. >> Excellent. Uh congratulations Kristen. Um and thank you very much uh Julie and Will for uh your excellent presentations. Uh I think at this point, uh Dana, it'll be your to adjourn your meeting. I think before I I um I just want to just say I know we said it already but truly it's I think rare that you get an a choice where you really feel like it's
083not going to be a bad outcome no matter what. That's very rare in sort of the world today. So that was really lovely and um thank you and I will ask Kristen if you could stay so I um and now I will take a motion. Oh, do we need to to adjurnn first or do you need to adjurnn? >> No, they're going to stay going. >> Oh, okay. I move that the Hamilton Regional School District um the committee adjourn at 7:55. No, 850. I can't tell time. >> 750. I can't I can't see. Sorry. 750. >> Did I get a second? All those in favor, >> we are adjourned. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right. And as for the select board, um we have no old business to my understanding. Other
084matters that may have not been anticipated by the chair. Does anybody know of any report? Seeing none, uh entertain a motion to adjourn the select board meeting. >> The uh upcoming schedule for >> sure. I was just thinking that, Gary. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Can we do it from now until the end of the or until January if possible? >> Sure. We'll probably want Steve to come to the back to the table. We're talking dates, meeting dates. What are we doing? >> Uh going over the rest of the year's select board meeting dates. >> So we've already got we have the fourth scheduled or >> yeah I think tenatively we talked about the 4th and 18th for November. We didn't talk about November. >> The fourth is election day. Is there any election though?
085>> Well, we have the pri do we have primaries? >> I don't think there's any election state. >> Someone said that in an email, but then Diane looked into it. She said we have no election. >> Oh, well Diane's the guru, so I'd go with whatever she says. >> All right. So, the fourth and >> where is it? Is it close into two and 16? Otherwise, you don't want >> Right. Two and six. Yeah. Two and 16. 4 and 18. Is that November? >> Uh, November 4th, November 18th, December 2nd, and December 16th. As long as those dates are fine for everybody. >> Uh, the 16th doesn't work for me, but >> otherwise, you can't push to the 23rd. >> Yeah. Before Christmas or maybe two days. >> Y. >> Okay. So, I think we
086got to stick with those. >> I just can't go. >> All right. Good. So, I think we've done that. So, a motion to adjurnn. So, >> move second. >> And then we don't have another meeting until the 6th of of January. So, we have three and a half weeks. Goodbye. >> Uh that looks to be the case. Yeah. Yep. Right. With the holidays. So, >> and we got the budget day on 6 December, right? Saturday. >> What's that? >> Budget. >> December 6th. >> Okay. All right. I think we have a motion and a second to adjurnn. Um all those in favor? >> Yes. I we're journed. >> Thank you. >> Um Steve, can we have to do this?