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Northern Burlington board approves submission of tentative 2025-26 budget, sets travel and public relations maxima
Summary
The board authorized submission of the tentative 2025-26 budget to the county and approved annual travel and public relations maximums; discussion highlighted state aid increases, use of federal impact-aid reserves, ESSER expirations and bank cap considerations.
The Northern Burlington County Regional School District board voted to approve submission of the tentative 2025-26 budget to the county, and separately approved district travel and public relations maximums for 2025-26.
Superintendent Dr. Zuckerman and Business Administrator Rich Kaz presented the tentative budget, highlighting an increase in state aid and several year-over-year revenue and expenditure shifts. The presenters said state aid rose in most categories (the presentation cited an increase of $1,200,000 in state aid), the local tax levy is increasing (presentation cited an increase of $459,000), and the district plans to use federal impact-aid reserves as part of the budget (the presentation cited using $1,500,000 of federal impact-aid reserves). The administration also said miscellaneous revenue is declining because SRECs from the district’s solar installation are ending, and federal grant revenue declined due to expiration of ESSER funds.
Kaz and the superintendent walked the board through major appropriations: transportation increases tied to contracted route costs and special-needs transport; anticipated health-benefit cost increases (the presentation budgeted a 13% increase for medical, an 18% increase for prescription coverage and a 7.5% increase for dental); a capital outlay reduction of about $990,000 tied to timing of planned projects; and debt-service reductions tied to bonds that matured ($27,000 cited). The business administrator described a capital spending plan that removes some computer purchases from next year’s appropriation by buying them from available spending-plan funds this year.
Board members asked clarifying questions about Impact Aid (federal and state components), the relationship between federal grants (including ESSER) and the budget, SREC/T-REX revenues for solar generation, and the nature and use of bank cap. The administration described bank cap as an allowance that can permit the district to raise taxes beyond the 2% cap under certain exceptions (for example, health-benefit increases). During discussion the business administrator reported a bank-cap balance in the meeting presentation; meeting audio contained slightly differing readouts, so the exact figure is recorded in meeting materials.
Votes - Agenda item 7.16, submission of the tentative 2025-26 budget to the county: Passed by roll-call vote. Votes recorded: Mr. Figgs (yes), Mr. Armamente (yes), Mr. Bucks (no), Mr. Norwood (yes), Missus Janice (yes), Mr. Zimmer (yes). - Agenda item 7.17, district travel maximum for 2025-26: Passed by roll-call vote (unanimous yes). Votes recorded: Mr. Figgs (yes), Mr. Armamente (yes), Mr. Bucks (yes), Mr. Norwood (yes), Missus Janice (yes), Mr. Zimmer (yes). - Agenda item 7.18, public relations maximum for 2025-26: Passed by roll-call vote (unanimous yes). Votes recorded: Mr. Figgs (yes), Mr. Armamente (yes), Mr. Bucks (yes), Mr. Norwood (yes), Missus Janice (yes), Mr. Zimmer (yes).
The administration will submit the tentative budget to the county by the district’s stated submission date. The board also approved two required resolutions that set the travel maximum (presentation noted a $100,000 maximum is required to be set annually) and the public-relations maximum (presentation noted a $35,000 maximum). The administration told the board it does not expect expenditures to approach those caps.
