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West Essex board previews preliminary budget and plans $625,000 for radio antennas
Summary
At the March 23 meeting the West Essex Regional School District board received a preliminary budget showing a 2.47% taxpayer increase and a 2.5% general fund levy; the district plans to use $625,000 of capital reserve to install bidirectional antennas to improve in-building radio and police communications.
Melissa, the clerk, told the board the district will submit a preliminary budget to the county and previewed key numbers and projects.
"Our overall tax payer increase is 2.47%. The general fund levy is at 2.5%," Melissa said, adding that the district is using "$625,000 of capital reserve" to install bidirectional antennas in both buildings to increase radio coverage. She told the board the work would take place this summer and that the project is intended to improve both district radio coverage and police communications as the district moves onto the state radio system.
Why it matters: the budget preview sets the parameters for the district's tax rate and program funding for the coming year. Melissa said the proposed plan preserves existing jobs, extracurricular programs and transportation despite rising health and insurance costs. She also reported the district's debt service has decreased, a change she described in the meeting as "about 1,300," an amount the board did not clarify further during the session.
Board members emphasized the safety benefits of improved radio coverage. The board's safety-committee report referenced both the antenna need and planned procedures tied to student travel and events. A fuller budget presentation is scheduled for the board's April 27 meeting, when trustees expect a more detailed review before formal approvals and submission deadlines.
The district's next steps are a detailed budget presentation at the April 27 meeting and the planned antenna installation over the summer; the preliminary submission to the county will follow as required by the budget calendar.
