Bristol Township SD board approves 3% tax increase, adopts $2025–26 budget

The Bristol Township School District Board of School Directors voted unanimously to approve the district’s final 2025–26 budget and set the real-estate tax rate at 226.742 mills, a 3% increase the board said equates to about $10.35 per month per household. The board approved the measure in a roll-call vote that recorded five yes votes and no opposition.

The budget vote was the most consequential action at the board’s June meeting because district leaders said the additional revenue is necessary to maintain current services and staffing. President Morgan told the board, "This is the first tax increase in 6 years and it's only $10," framing the decision as a modest step to preserve programs while the district awaits final county and state budget figures.

Board members also approved a related interim tax-rate resolution establishing the 2025–26 tax rate at 226.742 mills and approved a homestead-exemption calculation that the board listed as $539.95, an equivalent assessed-reduction of $2,381.34 used to lower homestead property tax bills for 2025–26. The motions carried on recorded votes with five yes, zero no.

The meeting’s consent agenda — covering superintendent, finance, curriculum, special education and personnel items — passed 5–0. Among the items approved were: authorization to ratify summer hires deemed necessary by the superintendent (to be ratified at the August board meeting), job descriptions for a special-education facilitator and MTSS-wide facilitator support, the district’s cooperative purchasing and insurance programs for 2025–26, and authorization of district payroll and accounts payable as presented. The board approved payroll for May 2025 in the amount of $7,098,579.22.

The board approved the listed payment of bills for June 2025 as presented in the meeting materials. The minutes record a figure of $15,000,297,206.95 for total bills; that number appears in the meeting record as read aloud during the meeting. The figure is anomalously large compared with typical monthly school-district payments, and the board did not elaborate on it during the meeting.

A nursing-services contract involving Chadds Ford Alternate Care Inc. produced confusion during the meeting. The board initially moved to ratify the agreement intended to ensure adequate nursing staffing; however, a board member then indicated they did not want to vote for the item. The chair announced the matter did not pass because of an abstention and the board voted to table the agreement for the August meeting. Separately, a proposed agreement with Criticare (a substitute nursing-services vendor) was discussed; administration told the board the vendor had covered only two days during the 2024–25 school year and the board agreed tabling the contract to August would be acceptable.

District staff reported they had completed required facility inspections and maintenance projects over the spring. Superintendent Dr. Michael Polzer thanked staff and board members for supporting end-of-year activities and noted summer schedules for staff and students; no policy changes were adopted at the meeting. The district’s next regular meeting was announced for Monday, Aug. 18, 2025.

Votes at a glance - Final 2025–26 budget and set tax rate at 226.742 mills: Passed, roll-call vote 5–0 (members recorded as yes: Mister Harkins; Miss Kelly; Mister Obert; Mister Morgan; Missus Gerlach). - Interim tax-rate resolution (establish 226.742 mills): Passed, roll-call vote 5–0. - Homestead exemption/assessment reduction ($539.95; equivalent assessment reduction $2,381.34): Passed 5–0. - Consent agenda (multiple superintendent/finance/curriculum/special-education/personnel items): Passed 5–0. - Payroll authorization for May 2025 ($7,098,579.22): Passed 5–0. - Payment of bills (figure read as $15,000,297,206.95 in meeting materials): Passed 5–0 (figure recorded as read; appears anomalous in minutes). - Ratification of agreement with Chadds Ford Alternate Care Inc.: Not adopted (abstention); motion to table to August carried 5–0.

The board heard reports from committees and administration before the votes. Finance committee materials presented at the meeting included a list of items discussed earlier in June, such as final adjusted budget planning for 2025–26, approval of tax rates, fund-balance commitments, authorization to close out the 2024–25 budget, authorization of the July 2025 list of bills, appointment of the district auditor for the 2025–27 cycle, and renewal of several vendor agreements (PowerSchool applicant tracking and NovaCare athletic trainer services among them). Those committee recommendations were included in the materials that the board approved by motion or via the consent agenda.

Board members emphasized fiscal restraint while signaling the district needs predictable revenue to keep current programs and staffing. President Morgan and other members said the board could revisit the tax rate if county or state budget actions or federal program changes alter revenue projections.

The meeting ended with recognition of multiple staff retirements and a reminder of the next regular meeting date. Public comment on nonagenda items was not offered at the meeting.