Verona to partner with township on Trees for Schools grant to avoid out‑of‑pocket expense

Verona — During her superintendent’s report at the Sept. 30 Board of Education meeting, Diane DiGiuseppe told the board the district plans to accept and pursue a Trees for Schools grant with help from the township in order to avoid advancing district funds.

DiGiuseppe explained that the grant requires upfront spending and reimbursement in later fiscal years (2026–27), which presented a cash‑flow challenge for the district after the departure of its former business administrator. She said she met with township manager Kevin O’Sullivan and that the township and its Shade Tree Commission will partner with the district to provide funds and assistance with grant writing, making the project feasible without net cost to the district.

Administrators said the partnership is possible because some of the trees will be planted on township property and the township’s grant writers offered to assist with the application. A board member asked whether the township council needed to vote to approve the arrangement; DiGiuseppe said she would confirm that with Kevin O’Sullivan the following day.

Action and next steps: No formal board vote specific to the grant acceptance was recorded at the meeting; staff said they would follow up with the township and report back to the board if council action or a formal memorandum of understanding is required.

Why it matters: The partnership allows the district to participate in a state or private grant opportunity without fronting funds and leverages intergovernmental cooperation on tree planting and capital projects.