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Hoboken school board certifies election results, approves consent agenda and outlines facilities planning
Summary
At its December 2025 meeting the Hoboken Board of Education certified November election results, approved the consent agenda by roll call, discussed facilities planning options (including P3s and referenda) and scheduled public forums, and received committee updates on Demarest façade work, SDA funding and a Living Classroom donation.
The Hoboken Board of Education on Monday certified the official results of the November school election, approved the consent agenda by unanimous roll call and spent much of its meeting updating the public on long‑range facilities planning.
Business Administrator Miss Lopez read the certified election totals supplied by the Hudson County clerk: Leslie Norwood 6,501 votes; Elizabeth Velez 6,015 votes; Antonio Grania 5,933 votes; total votes cast 31,689. The board noted that each candidate received a majority and will serve a three‑year term.
The board approved the consent agenda after a motion and second; Miss Lopez called the roll and recorded affirmative votes from the trustees present. No items were removed from consent during the public meeting.
In committee reports the facilities and finance committees updated the board on several projects and funding items. Facilities Committee Chair Miss Delara said the Demarest façade project has received approval, that work drawings are underway and the district expects to put the project out to bid in early January. The committee also reported continuing work on a district demographic study and operational challenges from using school buildings as polling locations, citing crowding, disruption to programming and constraints on in‑building security during elections; the district said it is working with the city and county to explore alternatives before the June primary.
Finance Committee Chair Mister Klepfel reported the committee authorized administration to begin work on an agreement with the Schools Development Authority (SDA) tied to anticipated annual SDA funding of about $1,000,000 for emergent and capital maintenance projects.
The board also acknowledged a donation to the Living Classroom and Wellness Initiative: a 200‑gallon aquarium donated by the Jeff Miller Law Firm. Facilities staff will identify an appropriate location for the tank within the Demarest School building.
In his president's report, the board president reviewed the district's exploratory work since June on responses to rising enrollment and aging facilities. He stressed the board has not made any decision on a referendum, public‑private partnership (P3) or other financing model and said early site and negotiation work requires executive‑session confidentiality; he added that the board plans a community engagement phase and announced public forums on facilities planning beginning Feb. 11, with additional sessions on Feb. 21 and March 23.
The board voted to enter executive session for attorney‑client privileged matters and contract negotiations; the chair said no action would be taken during that session. The meeting recessed for executive session and later resumed before adjournment.
What happens next: the board will host the announced public forums on facilities planning and return to public meetings with further updates and any formal proposals for voter consideration or board action.
