Lacey Township Board of Education members heard more than two hours of public comment on the district's budget shortfall Thursday evening, with students, parents and staff urging the board to avoid cutting athletics and extracurricular activities as possible ways to close a multi‑million dollar gap.

The comments followed a presentation from Superintendent Zelensky who described a funding deficit the district says results from the state's S‑2 funding formula and years of constrained local tax levies. "According to the state of New Jersey calculations, we operate with a significant deficit below the determined adequacy level," Superintendent Zelensky said, saying the district is "over $17,000,000" underfunded and that an immediate gap of roughly "$6,600,000" remains to provide what he called a legally mandated thorough and efficient education.

Those figures framed much of the public testimony. "We just want to continue that legacy," said Corey Lobdell, a student‑athlete at Lacey Township High School, addressing the board about sports cuts. "For some kids, sports is all that they have and all they look forward to at the end of the day." Senior Emily Sierra told the board extracurriculars are "not just hobbies for some students — they're lifelines," and asked trustees to weigh decisions beyond a budget calculator.

Why it matters: The board did not approve a tentative budget before the statutory deadline and later rejected a specific application to exceed the 2% tax levy cap when asked to consider a larger, one‑time tax increase (a figure the superintendent said would have been 14.24%). That sequence left local control at risk and, in the superintendent's words, placed the district "between a rock and a hard place" pending state review.

Public suggestions and pressure: Speakers asked the district to pursue multiple avenues before cutting programs: (1) community fundraising and reconstituting an education foundation; (2) coordinated letter‑writing and testimony at two forthcoming state events — the State Board of Education public testifying session on May 7 and a Senate budget appropriation committee meeting on May 13 — as multiple residents said they had been advised by state aides; and (3) targeted local spending reductions that would avoid layoffs and program eliminations.

Several residents urged organized community lobbying. "If all of these 130 districts were able to send one person on May 7 and one person on May 13," said Rhiannon Mendez, a teacher and parent, "the state would hear how this is affecting all of us." Board member Mr. Armato said he had been in touch with state and federal offices and asked the public to continue emailing and calling legislators; he also asked the superintendent to post links and sample letters on the district website.

Staffing and operations were a second focus. Grounds staff and their potential privatization drew specific objections: several speakers, including Karen Hobson, urged the board to "recognize the long term value of our dedicated employees" and warned that outsourcing grounds work could increase risk and reduce the informal, timely help grounds staff provide during games and school events.

Board and superintendent response: Superintendent Zelensky told the meeting the district has eliminated roughly 150 positions over seven years and that even with a large tax increase the district would remain well below state adequacy targets. He said he had proposed submitting an application to exceed the 2% cap but the board voted not to do so at a special meeting.

What the board has decided so far: Trustees have scheduled follow‑up work and said they will consider community proposals and legal options, but no final program cuts were adopted at the meeting. President Claus (board president) said the board hoped for another opportunity to vote on a tentative budget after additional analysis and discussion. The superintendent and several board members urged residents to submit suggestions and offered to route community proposals to the finance committee for consideration.

Ending: Parents and students left the meeting with calls for more transparency and concrete plans. Multiple speakers asked the board to coordinate community outreach, reclaim an education foundation, and press the state for relief; the board said it would continue to meet and seek options but noted the district's final path depends in part on state actions and timing.