Voorhees Board unanimously adopts $75M 2026–27 budget, restores busing on police‑designated hazardous routes

The Voorhees Township Board of Education on May 27 unanimously approved the district’s 2026–27 budget, a package the administration said balances rising health-care costs and preserves staff and programs.

Business administrator Helen Haley told the board the district began the process facing a roughly $6.4 million shortfall, reduced that through revenue adjustments and lease‑purchase restructuring, and closed the remaining gap using a Department of Education health‑care adjustment. Haley said the final district total presented was $75,000,009.94, including special revenue. She described student safety as the district’s highest priority when announcing that several streets initially slated to lose courtesy busing will continue to receive transportation after local police formally designated those routes hazardous.

The budget relied on a tax‑levy increase that combined the routine 2% cap with the health‑care adjustment. Haley said the district’s combined levy figure includes that adjustment, producing an increase that raises the average homeowner’s district share by about $189.42 (the presentation used an average assessed value of $455,056). Haley emphasized the funding decisions preserved classroom staff and services while responding to higher healthcare and contract costs.

In remarks after the presentation, board member Julie Kedover praised the administration’s work to avoid program or staff cuts, saying, “We are cutting no programs, no services, no staff,” and acknowledging the burden the tax increase places on families. Kedover also apologized to families affected by the redistricting that moves 12 streets from ET Hamilton to Osage Elementary and said she would advocate that, where feasible, students be zoned to the closest school.

The board opened the meeting’s public‑hearing period on the budget; no members of the public registered to speak on the budget item. A motion to approve item 5.6 (the 2026–27 budget as presented) was moved and seconded and passed by unanimous vote. The administration recorded the action for submission to the county as required.

The presentation noted other line‑item and technical changes that required resubmission to the county but do not alter the substantive budget before the board: withdrawals from capital reserve to fund two projects ($200,000 total), a maintenance reserve withdrawal of roughly $404,154.99 to offset required maintenance, and required travel‑regulation entries. Haley said those line‑item edits are administrative and will be reflected in county filings.

Beyond the budget vote, the board approved district reorganization items and several routine committee recommendations, including updated transportation policies and vendor‑audit suggested policies (the policy committee noted adoption of a bed‑bug policy is proactive and not in response to an outbreak). The board also approved minutes from prior meetings (an April 28 minutes approval carried an 8–1 vote with one abstention).

The board will return to executive session on personnel matters and is scheduled to meet next on June 8.