The North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District board discussed a resolution that would begin the process for Bloomsbury to move from a send-receive relationship to full membership in the regional district.

Vito Gagliardi, special counsel for Bloomsbury, told the board his office prepared a feasibility study and will present the district's resolution and that study to the county and the Department of Education if the board approves advancing the process. Gagliardi said the likely net tax impact on the regional levy would be minimal because Bloomsbury's graduating class is small (historically six to eight students), but emphasized impacts can vary by sending community.

"The short answer to the question is the net impact is minimal," Gagliardi said, noting capital-ownership and interest formulas would change if Bloomsbury became a constituent member rather than a sending district. He said voters typically see an explanatory statement with the ballot question and that the county office will calculate voting apportionment and voting weights prior to an effective date.

Board members asked whether Bloomsbury would gain board representation; counsel said the county office and DOE would calculate the apportionment and that representation questions would be resolved before the public vote. The board also discussed timing for an election (options ranged from special elections to a November ballot date) and confirmed county and DOE review are required before a public referendum.

Next steps: If the board approves submitting the resolution and the county and DOE accept it for voter consideration, the question would be presented to voters with an explanatory statement and an effective date; the county superintendent will step in to fill a vacancy only if the board does not appoint a replacement within 65 days of a resignation. No final timetable was set during the meeting.