NASHUA – In a lengthy meeting Monday night, the Nashua Board of Education passed a new policy that would limit regular board meetings to two hours.

Five minutes before the allotted time is up, the board may make the decision to “lengthen the meeting by 30-minute increments with a majority vote to conclude a specific topic being discussed,” the policy reads.

Any additional 30 minute periods will require an additional two-thirds vote.

“No new business shall be introduced during a meeting extension, including agenda items not yet discussed,” the policy reads.

This policy has come before the board, only to be sent back to the policy committee or not voted on several times, with several board members, including former board member Robert Hallowell, expressing concern over the proposed time limit.

Ultimately, the vote was passed with four in favor and two, Howard Coffman and Doris Hohensee, against. Elizabeth Van Twuyver and Heather Raymond were not present at the meeting.

“We have an obligation to be prepared, to be succinct,” board clerk Raymond Guarino said.

Raymond, who had Guarino read a prepared statement she sent in, said it is important to “be cognizant of time” and noted that while the meetings are public, they are not for the public, and they should not be making lengthy statements for the public’s benefit. She also noted that many members, including herself, tend to speak for so long that they repeat themselves.

Donna Fitzpatrick, assistant superintendent, said meetings tend to run so long that it is difficult for board members to stay “engaged in a positive way.”

The policy also will help with board’s goal to move toward more efficient meetings, she added.

Coffman, however, called the policy “ill advised and self-destructive,” and said he did not believe it served the public’s best interest.

Hohensee agreed and said the change is “not well thought out,” and said she could not support it. She noted that the presentation at the beginning of the evening took an hour, and that the time restriction also does not allow for the public comment period. It also does not address non-public meetings, which are often lengthy.

Hallowell, who addressed the board during public comment at a prior meeting and then again in an email, said, “I understand the desire to limit the overall length of board meetings. But, the board should be careful not to interfere with the normal business that the board needs to get accomplished for the district.”

He provided some alternative language that he suggested would be less confusing than some of that in the proposed policy. He also said he would address some of what the current policy did not, such as the public comment and non-public portions of the meeting.

Hohensee suggested they send it back to the policy committee, but the board elected to pass it instead.

A similar policy, restricting time limits to 90 minutes for committee meetings was sent back to the policy committee. The suggested changes will exempt budget meetings and interviews from the time restrictions, if passed.

Hannah LaClaire can be reached at 594-1243 or hlaclaire@nashuatelegraph.com