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Public urges finance-committee oversight as Wayne Township district faces $7.1 million shortfall
Summary
Public commenters and board members discussed a reported $7,100,000 deficit, large mid-year increases in professional-service and textbook line items, and a request that the finance committee be given access to monthly professional invoices to identify savings; a settlement agreement for employee #1331 was added to the agenda for a vote.
Members of the public and board members pressed the Wayne Township Public School District on budget transparency and oversight Tuesday as the district contends with what a resident described as a roughly $7,100,000 shortfall.
"My comments about the agenda relate to the $7,100,000 deficit that was announced this past spring," said Alan Topescue, 41 Gibbs Drive, during the public-comment period. He urged the board to give the finance committee access to monthly professional invoices — for accountants, lawyers and auditors — so the committee could "identify opportunities to reduce cost" and report back to the full board.
Topescue singled out sharp mid‑year changes in professional-service line items and textbooks. In his remarks he cited that "professional educational services changed from 468,000 to a new amount of 917,000 in just 3 months" and that "legal fees changed from $385,000 budgeted to $4.13, dollars 113,000" (transcript phrasing unclear). He recommended that the policies covering professional, legal and audit services (listed in his remarks as policies 177, 173 and 174) be revised to allow finance-committee review of monthly bills alongside the administrative reviewer.
A board member expanded on the district’s structural constraints, saying roughly "85% of our budget is based on salaries and benefits," and that rising utility and maintenance costs and limited state aid leave few levers to close gaps without local tax increases or other major steps. The board member said the district has considered a referendum in the past and that officials remain reluctant to pursue further tax increases that could price residents out of the community.
A presenter for the district noted recent community outreach and staff efforts: "We were able to raise $3,500 in food free cards that day," referring to gift cards for groceries and restaurants distributed to families at the district's 'Giving Back Jubilee.'
Procedurally, the clerk added one agenda item for consideration: approval of a settlement agreement discussed in executive session for "employee number 1331," which was listed as scheduled for a vote later in the meeting. The roll call to approve the agenda was taken; the transcript records board members’ responses but does not provide a clear, itemized vote tally for the settlement item in the excerpted text.
Roxanna Serna, who identified herself as "State County School Boards Association membership chair," urged board members to attend a county training session to strengthen governance practices. Separately, a staff member thanked colleagues in brief farewell remarks as an interim employee.
What happens next: the added settlement agreement was placed on the agenda for a vote; the transcript excerpt does not record the final disposition of that settlement. The board also signaled continued work on the school calendar and plans to return to the calendar for action on the 18th.
Sources: meeting transcript of the Wayne Township Public School District board meeting (public-comment period and board discussion).
