Board reviews proposed budget with health‑insurance, salary and transportation increases and approves consent bundles

The Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District board on a routine monthly meeting reviewed a proposed budget that would raise the district’s tax levy to cover higher personnel and operating costs and approved several consent bundles including business, transportation, education and personnel items.

Board staff presented the budget and said health‑insurance costs are projected to rise about 12%, an increase the presentation quantified at roughly $1,300,000. Other major cost drivers listed were a $2,200,000 increase in salaries, $667,000 in additional transportation costs and about $470,000 in state‑facility payments; staff said those four items together account for about $4.5 million of the year‑over‑year increase. The presentation also noted increases in state aid (about $2,100,000) and an estimated $100,000 rise in extraordinary aid but said the district still needs to raise local revenue to cover net increases. Staff said tuition revenue and some special‑education tuition items fell, producing modest offsets.

Officials described municipal impacts tied to assessed valuations. The presentation estimated changes in the district tax rate (general‑fund cents per $100): Egg Harbor City’s general‑fund rate would fall by about 1.47¢ (total roughly down 1.7¢), Galloway Township’s rate would increase roughly 3.24¢ (total ~3.14¢), Hamilton Township would increase about 4.01¢ (total just under 4¢) and Mullica Township would decrease about 2.08¢ (total ~2.7¢). The board cautioned these are allocation estimates based on February assessed valuations and subject to final calculations.

The business administrator said the budget would be finalized in the district’s software and submitted to the county by Friday, and the formal public budget hearing is scheduled for May 4.

At the meeting the board moved several consent bundles: business items B1–B13, transportation items T1–T32, education items E1–E7 and personnel items P1–P17. The motions were seconded and the chair called the motions; board members indicated assent and the bundles were approved without extended debate.

Administrators also reported on facilities and grants that affect the budget picture. The finance committee said concession‑stand repairs at Cedar Creek and Oakcrest are underway and noted a shared‑equipment purchase described in the meeting as a “LEEDS vacuum” at about $100,000 with an expected grant covering 75% of the cost; the clerk clarified the grant involves Mullica Township. District staff also said it has largely closed out multi‑year HVAC projects funded with roughly $6.7–6.8 million in federal money and is waiting for final billing to complete those files.

The board voted to move into executive session later in the evening under the Open Public Meetings Act; officials said the subject will be disclosed publicly when appropriate.