Jim O'Connell

Raised concerns at a school board meeting about possible conflicts of interest for Alderman Chris Morgan on the Joint School Buildings Committee. Morgan updated his financial disclosure the next day and later quit the committee.

September 9, 2024Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: manchester.inklink.news

Voted to use $8,629,279 in bond money toward the 2027 school budget and to avoid teacher layoff notices. The board passed it 10-4.

May 11, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com

Voted for the district's long-term school building plan, which included about $306 million for its first phase. The board passed it 11-1.

August 28, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com

Made the motion to spend $630,000 on the first phase of the district's long-term school building plan. The board passed it unanimously.

March 13, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com

Voted with the board to raise the pay of all full-time and part-time school district workers to at least $15 an hour. The raise covered aides, food service and after-school staff and cost $810,357.

August 22, 2022Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com

Made the motion to approve the district's $37.8 million plan for federal COVID relief money (ESSER III), with air handling systems in every school as a priority. The board passed it.

August 9, 2021Opposes Government Spending Reduction

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Made the motion for the Manchester School District to join the ConVal lawsuit, which challenged the state's level of school funding. The board passed it unanimously.

May 17, 2021Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com

Received the endorsement of the Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund PAC for Executive Council District 4.

September 3, 2026Supports Women's Reproductive Rights

Source: plannedparenthoodaction.org

Made the motion to adopt a district policy on transgender and gender non-conforming students. The board passed it 10-2, with 2 members abstaining.

January 25, 2021Supports Civil Rights

Source: files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com

Made the motion to add infertility, autism and transgender care to the school district's employee health plan as one package. The board passed it 11-2.

May 26, 2020Supports Civil Rights

Source: files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com

Made the motion to change the district's transgender student policy to match state law, while restating the district's ban on discrimination based on gender identity. The board passed it 12-2.

August 24, 2026

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Voted against a two-year school bus contract with First Student that kept district buses at a site in Candia. The contract passed.

June 22, 2026

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Made the motion to send three 2027 budget options to the mayor and aldermen: $235.5 million under the tax cap, $251.4 million baseline, and $265.3 million fully funded. The board passed it.

February 18, 2026

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Made the motion for the school board to send a letter supporting House Bill 1831, which removes a cap on state targeted aid that affects Manchester. The board passed it 12-0.

February 18, 2026

Source: files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com

Cast the only vote against a district policy on admitting non-resident students and students using state Education Freedom Account money. The policy passed.

January 26, 2026

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Was re-elected vice chair of the Manchester Board of School Committee by a unanimous vote for a term running to January 2028.

January 6, 2026

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Won re-election to an at-large seat on the Manchester Board of School Committee, finishing first with 8,571 votes.

November 4, 2025

Source: manchesternh.gov

Received the New Hampshire AFL-CIO's endorsement for Manchester Board of School Committee at-large.

October 17, 2025

Source: nhaflcio.org

Cast the only vote against the school district's state-required policy banning student cell phones during the school day. He said it micromanaged staff and would add costs.

August 27, 2025

Source: manchester.inklink.news

Lost the general election for New Hampshire Executive Council District 4 to John Stephen, 66,842 votes to 77,903.

November 5, 2024

Source: sos.nh.gov

Used his power as vice chair to revive a special school board committee on athletics. Some members and the athletic director said he had not consulted her first.

September 9, 2024

Source: manchester.inklink.news

Received the endorsement of IBEW Local 490, an electrical workers union, for New Hampshire Executive Council District 4.

July 16, 2024

Source: manchester.inklink.news

Was elected chair of Manchester's Joint School Buildings Committee, which oversees school construction and includes members of the school board and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

January 30, 2024

Source: manchester.inklink.news

Voted against changes to the district's attendance policy and middle and high school grading policy. The changes passed 8-6.

October 23, 2023

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Made the motion to approve the school board's letter commenting on the state's proposed changes to minimum school standards (Ed 306). The board passed it unanimously.

April 10, 2023

Source: files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com

Voted against a three-year, $14,760,546 school cleaning contract, asking for a one-year deal and clearer pay details for workers. The contract passed.

January 30, 2023

Source: files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com

Moved to delay a new elementary elective program (STREAM) after public concerns about its health lessons. The board agreed.

March 14, 2022

Source: files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com

Was elected vice chair of the Manchester Board of School Committee by an 8-4 vote over Committee Member Leslie Want.

January 4, 2022

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Moved to go ahead with a change to school resource officer (police officer) staffing at Memorial High School. The motion failed 6-5.

November 22, 2021

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Moved to set aside a proposed vote of confidence in Superintendent Goldhardt, saying it was not needed before his scheduled review. The motion failed.

September 28, 2020

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Made the motion to keep grades 2 through 12 in remote learning through the end of the first quarter of the 2020-21 school year. The board passed it 13-2.

August 10, 2020

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Made the motion for the school board to send a letter to New Hampshire's congressional delegation and Governor Sununu asking for emergency school funding because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The board passed it unanimously.

April 13, 2020

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Made the motion for the school district to pay the full cost of COVID-19 testing, and the first related doctor visit, for people on its health plan. The board passed it on a roll call vote.

March 21, 2020

Source: files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com

Won a citywide at-large seat on the Manchester Board of School Committee, finishing first with 7,653 votes.

November 5, 2019

Source: manchester.inklink.news

Helped introduce a heroin awareness program for middle school students while serving as president of the Hillside Middle School parent-teacher organization in Manchester.

October 27, 2015

Source: manchester.inklink.news