Roselle Park board adopts 2025–26 final budget, approves personnel including new assistant superintendent

The Roselle Park Board of Education voted to adopt its 2025–26 final budget and approved several personnel items, including the appointment of a new assistant superintendent, during a public meeting recorded in the district transcript.

The board approved the budget after a presentation by business office personnel who said the advertised budget had been posted online on April 10 and made available for public questions. The presenter summarized revenue and expenditure changes, saying the general fund tax levy for 2025–26 is $24,185,714. She told the board the district has paid off its debt service and that local taxes overall increase 0.44 percent, while state aid rose 1.16 percent and special revenue increased 6.62 percent in the budget comparisons she presented. She closed the presentation by saying, “This budget reflects our continued commitment to fiscal responsibility while supporting the educational needs of our students.”

Why it matters: The presentation included the district’s estimate of homeowner impact and reserve uses. The presenter said the average assessed value in Roselle Park is $253,379 and estimated a homeowner with that assessed value would see an increase of about $34 for the year. The budget also uses reserves for several maintenance projects and equipment updates and budgets for federal grants the district expects to receive.

Key budget details and priorities - General fund tax levy: $24,185,714 (presenter-stated figure). - Local tax change shown as an overall 0.44% increase in one comparison; the presenter also showed a 2.95% change on the general fund tax levy line in another slide. - Grants: the presenter said the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) budgeted amount in the presentation was $272,553 (budgeted based on prior-year receipts and subject to final allocation) and the IDEA budgeted amount was $387,419 (also budgeted conservatively based on prior year). - Reserves and facilities: the presentation identified $451,000 for unit ventilators and about $520,000 from maintenance reserves for projects including playground paving at Aldine, bathroom upgrades at Sherman, window repairs and selective HVAC component replacement. - Preschool: the presentation said the district will secure a security guard for the Pre-K building and has hired a relief teacher during the current year to meet staffing requirements.

Personnel and leadership The board voted to approve the personnel section of the agenda, which preceded the budget vote. After that vote the board invited the newly approved assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, identified in the transcript as Ms. Gaines, to introduce herself to the board and public. Gaines described her background in Florida and other districts, noted she earned a doctorate in organizational leadership with an emphasis in special education and said her vision centers on standards-aligned, culturally responsive instruction and collaborative work. Gaines cited a proverb she uses in her work: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”

Public participation and transparency A member of the public, Katie McDermott of Roselle Park, thanked the district for posting the budget earlier in the year and for providing an online Google document for public questions; McDermott said she had requested earlier budget availability and welcomed the district’s change, saying “it finally happened, is really awesome.” The presenter also said the advertised budget was posted on the district website on April 10.

Votes at a glance - Approve personnel section (motion text not specified in the transcript). Outcome: Passed on roll call. Recorded yes votes: Mark Fernandez; Z. Infante; Chris Monroe; Vice President Michael Ann Regan; President Dr. Brittney Kirkland. - Adoption of 2025–26 final budget (motion text recorded as "adoption of the 2025–26 final budget approval"). Outcome: Passed on roll call. Recorded yes votes: Mark Fernandez; Z. Infante; Chris Monroe; Vice President Michael Ann Regan; President Dr. Brittney Kirkland.

What the record does not specify The transcript does not provide the full text of the motions (mover and seconder are not named on the record for either motion). Exact effective dates or implementation timelines for the specific maintenance projects and hires beyond the statements in the presentation were not specified.

The board meeting record opens with a reference to the Open Public Meetings Act (New Jersey) and the presenter said the budget document was reviewed and approved by the county business administrator before being scheduled for board adoption.