Newmarket School District’s Outrageous Legal Fees

The incompetence and fraud committed by Newmarket school district officials Susan Givens, Mike Kenison, and Attorney Loughman can easily be seen in the legal bills paid by the district (Newmarket Taxpayers) from September 1, 2019, through the end of May 2020.

During this time period, Newmarket taxpayers have paid out more than one hundred thousand dollars in legal fees. This is unconscionable.

November and December 2019 were especially costly months for Newmarket taxpayers, with legal fees paid out in excess of thirty-five thousand dollars. These legal fees coincide with the November 1, 2019 removal of Newmarket Principal Chris Mazzone by Superintendent Susan Givens.

This removal and subsequent re-hiring debacle of Mazzone to a non-educational position for a five month period, was clearly a payoff, and all of the costs involved, legal fees, employment fees and benefits, etc., should not have been paid for by Newmarket taxpayers.

Continuing, from January 1, 2020, through the end of May, the public record reveals the school district paid out more than fifty thousand dollars in legal fees. The overwhelming amount of these fees were paid to School District Attorney Barbara Loughman. This fact is an abomination.

Under oath at the Rockingham Superior Court on July 8th, 2019, I testified that Attorney Loughman had lied to the Court where she informed the Court that the 2015 Superintendent Search Committee consisting of Al Zink, Kimberly Shelton, Arlen Chaffee, and Clay Mitchell never held any meetings, and when she informed the Court the 2015 Superintendent Screening Committee, consisting of Al Zink, Kimberly Shelton, Sean Pine, Anna Davenport, Greg Thayer, and several others sealed their nonpublic meeting minutes. I stand by my testimony: Attorney Loughman lied and she is a bum...unworthy to be employed by the Newmarket School District.

Proof that Attorney Loughman lied to the Courts is easily discerned from the public record. Yet, Loughman continues to rake in Newmarket taxpayer dollars hand over fist defending her lies. Sadly, the only way Loughman can continue to do so is with the cooperation of Newmarket teachers and citizens’ silence.

In my opinion, Kim Shelton, Al Zink, Anna Davenport, Sean Pine, Greg Thayer, Clay Mitchell, Arlen Chaffee, and many others who know the truth yet have remained silent, should reimburse Newmarket taxpayers for any and all legal fees regarding my cases against the school district. In the case of Pine and Davenport, they should be dismissed from public employment for their silence which has cost the district so much.