good evening uh the work session meeting of the northern Bron County Regional School District is hereby called to order uh this meeting is called in conformance with the open public meetings act uh with adequate notice provided as follows notice sent to the Berlin County Times in the times of Trenton on SE February 15 2024 notice filed with the township Clerks of Chesterfield Mansfield North Handover and Springfield townships on February 15 2024 and notice of annual meetings advertised in the Brin County Times in the times of Trenton on January 7th 2024 I will now call Ro Mr figs here Mrs Bond present Mr Amin here Mr bucks present Mrs gamble Mr narwin here Mrs Janice here Mr Spence Mr Zimmer here Mr Haynes miss cardinus all right thank you very much board at this time I'd ask everyone to please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance followed by a Moment of Silence is any Board of Education member receive School Board related emails Andor correspondences that have not yet been shared with the superintendent uh Dr Zuckerman if you'd like to give us any brief updates for your superintendence report absolutely first of all I just want to say congratulations to the high school theater program this past weekend they did a tremendous job job with Pippen unfortunately I was not able to uh attend but I had have received several reports that the performance was an overwhelming success the actors the crew um and everyone who worked behind the scenes along with the directors did a fabulous job and congratulations also just an opportunity to plug the Middle School uh program uh program that's going to be taking place this weekend for those who are looking something to do this weekend come out and support the Middle School the middle school musical Matilda Jr which will take place this weekend on Friday and Saturday beginning at 7:00 p.m. tickets will be sold at the door for the board uh we will be having the 2024 Hall of Fame induction banquet will take place on Saturday April 13th at oconor with the start time of 5:00 p.m. if you are interested in attending please get in touch with me and I will make sure to forward along that information you as board members receive a complimentary entrance if you do have anybody join you then they then they would have to pay but we can go over that if you get in touch with me and that concludes my report thank you very much uh Mr Cass there any items like to touch on on your business administrator's report um I will to a fuller extent next week um because most of my report speaks to the budget and we're going to uh during committee reports we'll do a brief presentation on on the tenative budget thank you uh Dr CNS we'll have you do your report next week during the regular board meeting um item 2.04 is consent consent agenda item for the approval of the superintendent reports uh for our standing committees uh buildings and grounds committee met this evening um to go over the tenative budget and at this time Mr Cass will will present that budget to the full board all right thank you uh so the finance committee buildings grounds Transportation finance committee uh has just seen this um well just reviewed it I sent it to them uh over over a week ago so uh the good news is is that uh our tenative budget is uh submitted to the county office it's due Wednesday so uh we will talk about the highlights and Steve this yep I was had it upside down thank you so the meeting agenda reviewed um the timelines of the budget uh the state will approve the budget by April 19th then you advertise for a public hearing a public hearing will be May 6th uh tenative uh well the revenue summary we received $260,000 increase in state aid Debt Service uh Aid remains virtually the same uh there's one FTE increase for bus Aid and that's covered by the uh Enterprise fund so Capital outlay budgets down about 700 ,000 uh we're looking to uh spend money uh to uh on Safety and Security of the Middle School most of these items were done here at the high school with the Burlington County Safety Grant um and that was what about five years ago so uh we'd like to update the the middle school so that's what we're looking to do um through this budget uh you got revenue apportionment that's uh the percentage of uh each municipality share of the tax levy we have the estimated tax impact enrollment projections Bank cap adequate notice and the resolution so uh here's the election calendar like I said this budgets due to the state on Monday and they should approve it by April 19th and then we'll U we'll hold a public hearing on May 6 and adopt adopt the budget subsequently State a summary uh again you see an increase in in each categorical Aid uh with the exception of impact Aid uh the state impact Aid uh decreased based on uh the federal increase Federal impact Aid increase so um but it netted a $260,000 increase in state aid uh most school districts are getting cut because they've been overfunded for years and and uh I've never been more grateful to be underfunded for the last uh 10 years so uh Revenue summary uh fund balance uh we're we're investing less of the bank uh money we have in the bank um the tax levies is going up 2% which is $450,000 uh and that's going to help offset uh the total uh increase of 94,000 so the budget the budget increase is 1.7% or 94 4,000 and then the tax levy uh helps uh alleviate that increase with the 2% which is 450 yes Frank do we always take 2% or is there been a year recently where we haven't been taking 2% yes um we don't always take 2% uh there's been the board's philosophy to take 2% uh but uh there was one year we used some Bank cap uh not much there was one year I mean we we'll get to that we have we have 1.1 almost 1.2 in Bap so uh several years ago uh we did not take any increase thanks sure so you can see uh the impact aid went up 250,000 uh Federal revenues slight increase Debt Service fund uh a decrease of 40,000 so uh that's the revenue summary the service summary again uh numbers are very similar the budgeted fund balance that's the interest earnings from the referendum funds uh so those funds must offset The Debt Service uh tax levy uh so the tax levy Changed by a decrease of almost 500 bucks so it went down um this is uh Appropriations so again categorically you can see um where the increases and decreases are uh C Capital outlay the the decrease of over 600,000 employee benefits up 518,000 uh special ed tuition uh decreased um we have a few less kids and then uh you know the regular and special ed instruction that happened here at Northern went up so um Steve we let me and this just gives you a highlight of um the Appropriations and again we'll uh we'll post this on our website um within the next week and uh people be able to uh look at it at their Leisure it's not it's not working uh capital outlay budet budget uh again you see that uh last year we budgeted 2.7 we're down to two two million uh and you can see what it's going for uh the fitness center that's a was constructed on a fiveyear lease purchase um this is the fifth year so that expense goes away next year so we will we'll have um $550,000 less in the budget so uh again you see all the improvements we want to make to the Middle School Eve if you can go next all right the tax levy apportionment uh again you know the we increased the tax levy by 2% that's $450,000 if if we were to not increase it at all um your tax impact would still be affected based on your municipality share of the tax levy so Chesterfield's been gr through growing pains for years so they're going to they're they're catching another almost 2.2% of the tax levy from 2324 to 2425 uh Mansfield's going down um about two and a half percent North Hanover is increasing about 1% and uh Springfield is decreasing about half half percent so this translates into the tax impact so uh as you can see uh both General and Debt Service um increases uh Chesterfield 7 and a. half cents going up Mansfield's down 4.3 cents North Hanover's up 6.6 cents and Springfield's down two cents so if you look at the average assessed home and again these come from the tax assessor from each municipality uh you can see that uh the average uh assessed home in Chesterfield your taxes are going to go up $323 and again most of that's based on the percentage the abortion in going up um 2.2% Mansfield's taxes are going down uh North hovers taxes are going up and Springfields are going down so over the last five years I mean you can see Chesterfield uh historically has been increased each year over the last five uh Mansfield um decreased two of The Last Five Years uh North hanovers taxes decreased what's that four last five years and Springfield's gone down one two three four five out of the last six years there's six years there so that's a historical Trend uh Bank cap again this is where uh the board doesn't budget fully what it can for an increase in the tax levy general fund tax levy a couple years ago we uh we didn't raise the tax levy at all and we banked a million dollars this year we got a waiver uh for health insurance uh for 180 let's say 188,000 so right now our bank caps 1.18 uh8 um that million is going to expire next year the 188 uh will be good for years student enrollment again over the last uh six years um we're projecting a decrease of maybe 40 students versus um what was uh the number attended in 1819 uh we're uh projecting a slight increase over uh this current year uh and again you'll see by municipality the top line is north hover um the next line is Chesterfield and then you have Mansfield uh and the green line nor near the bottom is Springfield's projected uh 2025 enrollment and then you have the school choice program so uh all those enrollments are accurate uh they are the uh state aid counts what we call the asssa counts as of October 15 and then the proposal is based on uh the ASA Assa reports as well as a demographic study that we have done so um yeah this is a little harder to read but it's a point of Pride the state uh likes school districts that are under adequacy and we're like I don't know what is that one point one 1. 699 under adequacy uh if you're over adequacy that means you're spending more than the average um so we're we're we're under and so that means that we're spending less than the average uh state budget so uh here's tonight's uh resolution to adopt a tenative budget we'll certify this tonight and submit it to to to the county office tomorrow and there's a couple other mandated uh resolutions that you have to pass District travel maximum um District public relations maximum we learned about this when we were doing the referendum uh and then there's also a a semi alternative Revenue uh adjustment for the Medicare funding we receive so uh then we talked about the spending plan uh and those are you know uh items that uh we we plan to spend if we can identify some unencumbered funds at the end of this year uh that uh mostly equipment and computers and so um that's it so that's our yearbook picture and uh does anybody have any questions all right well I thank you very much I appreciate support you guys so you guys met to talk about this were there any anything that came out of the committee meeting or anything that you guys were concerned about or had uh major questions about or everything look good great yeah I don't I mean we you know ask small light items what does that include um along those lines I can't think of anything that we saw that was you know um yeah I would say there was nothing you know abnormal about what was presented okay I I had a quick question about the cafeteria improvements are those going to be included in the budget the cafeteria improvements um so the cafeteria the they're currently going through the negotiation process now that we've rejected two bids um they I think Thursday that's supposed to finalize so next Monday we'll have potentially a non-consent agenda item um to approve that at under the rejected bids um in addition using some of the funds we had the kitchen cafeteria Renovations are in this year's budget so um our our chances are narrowing so uh we believe we're to um shating with Carrie Ogen uh but anybody could come on Thursday and bid but uh we we it looks promising that we will have an award um on Monday non-consent for the board session not work regular meeting yes um actually starting in May um Mr Cass has worked with with Dr Lopez to be able to um relocate the students from the East cafeteria so if it would be able to start before then that would just kind of better our timelines with things sure and if I can respond to Mr armante yep um there was I think there was a lot of good work that was done by Mr Cass and his staff um my is the typical voice of dissent that I normally am um I think this uh we could have potentially had a sharper pencil I think in what's done here and you know this is I think given the the impact to the citizens in the four districts right with the current state of inflation and whatnot um this was more towards wants versus needs so I hope between now and the public budget hearing that there's an opportunity for us to potentially make this tighter so um but again that's my perception appreciate that I just want to say that didn't come out in our committee meeting not elaborated to that extent no not in English at all um yeah but some of it is things we need to spend you know the security updates we've talked about the importance of those so it is a matter of also attempting in my opinion to keep the school improving um the tax levy is still I think as Mr Cass mentioned 450,000 whereas the budget increas is 850,000 so there's obviously opportunity to go back and increase taxes more with the bank cas but the 2% is kind of the way the board tries to keep it at each year um and that's you know then there's a lot more line items in there when you see the presentation you can go through and see a lot more of the individual increases for different elements and items and if any of them you have a question on you can obviously always reach out to Mr Cass and he'll be able to like explain what they are in Greater detail of course yeah I was just curious about the philosophy I know like when at Mansfield we pretty much took 2% every year um each board has a different approach right and sound like we did bank one year which makes sense um you know from time to time when it's needed I know uh from a Mansfield standpoint I don't I mean that's okay because we gave Mansfield Elementary we gave back a lot of money almost $200 a house last year so they had a big savings there so seeing this raise a little bit or actually it's going down a little bit but seeing the piece that's there I mean that that makes sense right we pay our fair share I feel bad for Chesterfield I know you guys have been taking it on the chin but that's what happens when you grow you know I mean growing pain yeah I just was curious because I know that when it comes to this you put a ton of effort into it right and and and we appreciate that just noticing anything that like you know is I look at it more of I like to spend right School needs it let's get it to them right it's public school right let's use the money that's allocated to us and if there just was something that we need that we're weren't we haven't had a chance to talk about I just was curious if the team heard that you know but it sounds like we're in good shape so thanks for the heads up and again this all starts in October with the board's budget assumptions so you dictate sort of how this budget gets developed and I have to give um you know a lot of credit to our academic team Dr Stella and her directors um Dr Lopez Dr Kars um they all work very diligently uh presenting this but it it really is based on budget assumptions that you all agree uh on in October and again 85% of this budget is personnel and health insurance costs so you know and there was Zero cost increase um everywhere else outside of utilities and again that was in the budget assumption so um I just wanted to for the new members here tell you how that process works yeah ABS absolutely and I think that's back to you know Mr Zimmer's comment you know in the committee meeting tonight right there wasn't there was no way I was going to to change that process because this process started last year before we are members but you know looking forward you know maybe that's an opportunity for us as a board to talk about what we do from a budgetary assumption perspective you know in in the next coming years because maybe it's 2% maybe it's not 2% but I don't know that there's a really good way for us to have that conversation with the way election calendars happen and the way the budgetary calendar happen so maybe there's an opportunity 26 March of 20 of this year might you might just so so that's March of last year for 2025 we knew what we were going to get no no two weeks ago two weeks ago oh how kind of them um is that typical the time frame of when you hear from the state is usually in the It's usually the the week following the uh Governor's budget address okay unless the governor decides to delay it and then you have even less time to put the budget together or change it as he's done years past yeah okay cool thanks for the dialogue thank you um at this point we have no other committee reports um we gave the meeting the February committee reports in February um Mr Lee do we have any public comment on the agenda items thank you um board since this is the work session um I will go through the consent agenda items by the category if anyone has any questions on a specific item within a category please let me know uh section five is routine matters reports to the boards uh does anyone have any questions on Section Five all right section six is approval of bills uh any questions for Section six section seven is business and financial uh any questions on the consent agenda items right um 7.13 is non-consent agenda item for the approval of the submission of the tenative 2425 budget uh can I get a motion for 7.13 motion second Mr Cass if you could do a roll call vote certainly yay n abstain Mr figs yay Mrs Bond yay Mr arm manente yay Mr bucks Mrs gamble Mr narwood yay Mrs Janice yay Mr Spence and Mr Zimmer yay I pass some motion passes thank you all right item 7.14 is non-consent agenda item for the approval of the alternate Revenue projection for the semi program uh can I get a motion for 7.14 motion second Mr C if you could do a roll call vote oh it doesn't Okay uh all those in favor I I I all opposed abstentions right thank you 7.14 carries uh 7.15 is non-consent agenda item for the approval of the travel maximum for the 2425 uh calendar year can I get a motion for 7.15 Mo second for call second uh all those in favor I I all opposed extenstions right 7.15 carries uh 7.16 is non-consent agenda item for the approval of the public relations maximum for the 2425 year can I get a motion for 7.16 motion uh all those in favor have discussion just um we didn't get a chance to touch on this in the committee today do we have uh any idea of what these funds would actually be used for I this an expected mailing or when we did the referendum uh we hired a PR person to help us uh develop materials and go organiz us for the community that's when we were told that um this is a mandatory um resolution um right now we we I don't know that we spend any money on public relations okay that's why I asked all right so this is that doesn't mean we don't plan to but we just do it we've been doing it through existing staff um my secretary also dubs as the quote unquote communication specialist who who maintains um that out of my office but that's not budgeted out of that's not taken out of this item okay so it's required resolution it's within our our policies Joe both this one the travel maximum it says specifically in the policies that the board must adopt it each year as part of our our budget uh voting so it is part of our board policies um so uh any other any further discussion right all those in favor of 7.16 i y i all opposed abstentions right uh motion carries section8 uh is students do I have any questions on consent agenda items for Section 8 section nine is Personnel appointments uh any questions for section nine yeah I had a quick question about the um and we have some exciting um hires coming up and I was just curious um were there students and parents involved in the assistant principal interviews uh good question do we not uh during the the principal um interviews there have been students and and students staff parents and administrators involved in that uh but in the in the assistant principle we did it more internally um any other questions on Section n uh section 10 change of assignment any questions for Section 10 uh section 11 leaves of absence any questions for Section 11 section 12 is separation of employment uh any question for section 12 section 13 is Personnel miscellaneous we have no items uh section 14 is programs any questions for section 14 have no items for 15 policy or 16 Transportation uh section 17 use of facilities any question for Section 17 thank you um we will not vote Ona tonight um Dr and I recalled we're going to revisit superintendance report um just to provide an update on the bathrooms and The Vaping situation and where it stands just so everyone's aware we're where we're making progress in that yeah just to and I sent sent this in an update to the to the board um within the past week or so that at next week's community relations meeting we um we will be revisiting the um the feedback that we have obtained and the work that we have done since the the last board meeting based on the the comments that were given um from the the concern about the high school bathrooms um I've been working with Dr Lopez we've meeting with a group of students we're actually meeting with them again on Thursday as a followup um to the things that have already been implemented since um our our last meeting with them um we'll give that feedback to the community relations committee and then should a recommendation be made made forward it may be referred to another committee if necessary or we will just provide that feedback um in the minutes from that meeting uh thank you Dr Zuckerman anyone have any questions or um Mr Lee do no public comment items all right um we have have a regular uh board meeting next Monday There's Community Relations Committee followed by regular board meeting um and then we have April 22nd the Personnel committee meeting and uh regular board meeting again um at this time the board will be going to Executive session uh we will not be conducting any business upon return of executive session uh can I get a motion to go into executive session Mr figs before we go there just um I wanted to because we don't have a a spot on the agenda and something that Mr Arman brought up I think at last meeting can how do we approach getting a um a new business old business sort of section on our agenda so that if there policy committee has to go through and adjust the the agenda item protocol okay so do we need do we need that referred into the policy committee yep we can put that ref all in Poli committee make sure it's on the next agenda to discuss for sure I know it was yep thank you cool all right uh with that can I have a motion to go into executive session motion all those in favor I all opposed extensions all right what we're GNA go to Executive session now executive session you CER for five 10 minutes you want to bring anything with you want me to carry it for you no you want to leave your stuff here I leave my stuff here okay for that you e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e for e e e e e e e e e e e e e e s you watch your St they put a they put a plug in here they know us uh Jerry made a motion to adjourn second gotta come first motion I I motion second no