Galloway board hears preliminary 2026-27 budget as state aid awaits; approves emergency relocation and calendar changes

At the Feb. 9 meeting of the Galloway Township Public School District, Business Administrator Joy Nixon presented the districts preliminary 2026-27 budget assumptions and a compressed timeline ahead of state aid announcements.

Nixon said the governors budget address is scheduled for March 10 and the district expects state aid to be released March 12; the boards preliminary budget vote is planned for March 16 and the final budget is due to the county office by March 19. "We are fully working and preparing for March 16th vote and March 19th submission," she said.

Nixon outlined revenue constraints and expenditure pressures: the 2% tax levy cap equates to $764,273 and cap-banking available this year is $394,255. She listed salary totals (current year salaries $38.5 million) and an estimated negotiated-contract increase of about 3.75—3.85% (roughly $1.44 million). She reported transportation costs of about $5.6 million and said vendors were generally expected not to send main routes out to bid.

Nixon reported that the districts projected health-benefits cost base was shown in the audit materials but the transcript includes an anomalous figure presented as $313,300,000.0; Nixon also stated a projected benefits increase of 27%, which she and the auditor translated as an added cost of about $3,590,000. (The boards materials and meeting record should be consulted for authoritative line-item figures; the transcript contains a likely transcription error for the benefits base.)

Separately, the board approved multiple agenda motions by roll-call vote: temporary reopening of Pomona School (item 8.2) and emergency relocation of Arthur Rand students (8.3); grouped consent agenda items covering facilities and personnel (items 8.5—8.2 per the agenda numbering) and specific personnel resolutions including retirements for Lisa Clark (Smithville teacher) and Susan Lincoln (Smithville part-time food-service worker). All reported roll-call results in the transcript show affirmative votes from present members.

During discussion, board members pressed for advocacy in Trenton on funding and mandates. President Gentile urged the board to develop an advocacy plan to press state lawmakers for more predictable and adequate funding: "State mandate, state pay; federal mandate, federal pay," he said.

The board moved to adjourn after confirming no executive session was needed.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the meeting transcript): - Item 8.2 (temporary reopening of Pomona School): approved (roll-call yes). - Item 8.3 (emergency relocation of Arthur Rand students): approved (roll-call yes). - Personnel/resolution items (including retirements listed in item 9.1 and grouped items 9.3—9.9): approved (roll-call yes).

Next steps: administration will finalize preliminary budget items after the March 12 state aid release and return to the board for the March 16 vote and March 19 county submission.