The Hamilton City School District Board of Education approved its meeting agenda and a series of routine items on consent Tuesday, including personnel recommendations, special-education placement contracts and finance reports.

President Matthews called for the motions and roll-call votes. The board voted unanimously to approve the meeting agenda and to accept the minutes from a prior meeting. The human-resources agenda passed with one abstention; Board Member Mister Davidson registered the lone abstention on that item. The broader consent agenda — which included contracts for special-education placements — passed on a separate roll call. The board also accepted the treasurer’s finance reports and donations summary.

Before the consent vote, a board member raised the district’s cost for two out-of-district special-education placements, saying the placements would cost the district approximately $165,000 and that state funding for those students was about $8,700 per pupil. That board member described the funding gap as a strain on the district’s general fund; other trustees expressed agreement with the concern during brief remarks. The special-education placement contracts were included on the consent agenda and were approved by the board.

HR agenda approval (vote): the board approved recommended personnel actions; the roll call for the HR motion recorded four yes votes and one abstention (Mister Davidson).

Consent agenda approval (vote): included field trips, special-education placement contracts with applied behavioral services and placements with the Warren County Educational Service Center and other providers; the consent agenda passed on a roll call with all present members voting yes.

Finance agenda acceptance (vote): the board accepted the five-year forecast and routine treasurer reports, and highlighted community donations including an AMVETS gift of $6,700 for NJROTC and several in-kind donations; the finance motion passed unanimously.

No new district-wide policy changes or additional funding allocations were approved at the meeting. Several trustees praised school events, scholarships and community partnerships during superintendent remarks and presentations.

Votes at a glance
- Approve meeting agenda — outcome: approved (yes: Miss Matthews; Mister Davidson; Doctor Copas; Mister Sprague; Missus Baker).
- Approve minutes — outcome: approved (unanimous yes).
- Approve HR agenda — outcome: approved (yes: Miss Matthews; Mister Sprague; Missus Baker; Doctor Copas; abstain: Mister Davidson).
- Approve consent agenda (includes special-education placement contracts) — outcome: approved (unanimous yes).
- Accept finance reports and donations — outcome: approved (unanimous yes).
- Adjourn — approved (unanimous yes).

Board members did not propose any immediate policy changes to address the special-education funding gap during the meeting; one member urged state policymakers to consider funding adjustments. The board set its next meeting and retreat dates and closed the session by adjourning with a unanimous vote.