Northern Burlington board approves consent agenda, OKs 5-year lease financing for turf project and bus replacements

The Northern Burlington County Regional School District Board of Education on Feb. 10 approved a consent agenda that included rejecting bids for the district auditorium project, awarding a five-year lease-purchase financing agreement for a synthetic turf and track resurfacing project, and authorizing lease financing to replace two school buses.

Business administrator Kevin Kaz told the board the district plans to use lease-purchase financing in order to proceed on capital projects without increasing the current-year budget burden. He described the turf-and-track financing as a five-year lease-purchase award and said the district will return to the March agenda with contractor recommendations for the resurfacing work.

Board discussion and staff reports cited three financing points: (1) the auditorium bids were rejected to allow further negotiation with contractors; (2) the district authorized a five-year lease-purchase financing award to Webster Bank (Rhode Island) for the synthetic turf/track project; and (3) the board authorized a separate five-year lease-purchase financing plan to replace two school buses, at an amount up to $250,000, continuing the district—s multi-year bus replacement program.

Kaz described the bus program as an established annual lease-purchase rotation that allows the district to replace retired buses without an additional one-time fiscal impact; the administration said the program helps keep replacement cycles predictable in the general fund.

Other consent items approved included purchases and upgrades the administration listed in the business section: replacement of an RTU (rooftop HVAC unit) at the middle school and associated HVAC control software upgrades; purchase of power-over-Ethernet switches (ten switches were cited as eligible for 50% E-rate reimbursement); a storage unit for transportation needs; approval to purchase minivans for transportation purposes; and a contract addendum for ESS. The board also accepted an AG department donation and approved a number of routine personnel and program items as part of the consent vote.

Vote and abstention notes: the consent agenda passed by roll call. Board members present voted in favor of the packaged consent agenda with recorded abstentions on specific line items: Mr. Figgs recorded an abstention on the lease award for the turf/track financing (agenda item 7.04); Mr. Armanente recorded an abstention on agenda item 5.05; and Mr. Bucks recorded abstentions on items 5.06 and 5.15 as recorded on the roll call. The board chair declared the motion and consent agenda carried after roll call.

What happens next: staff said contract awards and project recommendations for the turf/track resurfacing will be returned to the board at the March agenda for final contract approvals. The administration also said the bus lease financing is part of an ongoing annual replacement plan and that individual equipment and contractor awards will be brought forward before work begins.

Votes at a glance: - 7.03 — Reject auditorium bids: approved (consent agenda) - 7.04 — Award five-year lease-purchase financing to Webster Bank for synthetic turf/track project: approved; Mr. Figgs abstained - 7.05 — Authorize lease-purchase financing to bid for two replacement school buses (up to $250,000): approved; Mr. Armanente abstained on related consent numbering - Other Section 7 purchases and contract addenda (HVAC units and controls, PoE switches eligible for 50% E-rate, storage unit, minivans, ESS addendum): approved (consent agenda)

Board members and administrators who spoke on these items include Kevin Kaz (business administrator) and Dr. Joseph Zuckerman (superintendent).