Finance committee details $50,000 athletics distribution; board rejects greenhouse bids but retains grant

The Pascack Valley Regional High School District's finance committee reported a follow-up meeting March 24 that reviewed a $50,000 allocation to athletics for both Pascack Hills and Pascack Valley. The committee said the funds are intended to offset rental costs for sports such as hockey, swimming, gymnastics and dance.

During the board's April 7 meeting trustees also approved a finance consent agenda containing 20 items. The board discussed a recommendation to reject greenhouse construction bids after the bids came in well over the anticipated budget; the board confirmed it will not forfeit the grant attached to the greenhouse project and said administrators have a plan to use the grant funds in a manner consistent with requirements.

Trustees asked staff clarifying questions during the finance discussion. One trustee asked whether rejecting the greenhouse bids would cause the district to forfeit grant funding; administration representatives (Doctor Bakenheimer and Miss Graziano) responded that the district would keep the grant and pursue alternatives because the bids exceeded budget. A separate question to Mister Yasami asked whether police officers listed in finance items 8 and 9 included benefits; staff replied that the officers are employed by the municipalities and their benefits are provided by those employers, and the listed amounts are for salary reimbursement.

Another finance item (rent for the Church of Assumption) drew questions about ongoing costs; staff said the district will pay rent plus a portion of utilities and a proportionate share of snow-removal costs as needed and that no major renovations were required.

The finance consent agenda passed; the transcript records some abstentions on individual items (Mister Weaver recorded an abstention on item 2 and voted yes on others). Detailed per-item tallies are recorded in the meeting roll call where provided.