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Hillside Public School District board fails to pass budget-related resolution; votes to reconsider
Summary
At a board meeting the Hillside Public School District corrected a clerical error in its finance agenda, failed to pass a resolution tied to the final budget (it received four yes votes when five were required), and later voted to reconsider that failed resolution.
The Hillside Public School District Board of Education considered finance and labor items and took two notable actions: a clerical correction to an agenda figure and a failed budget-related resolution that the board then agreed to reconsider.
During opening business, a district official, Mr. McNeil (speaker S2), told the board that the figure printed on page 4 of the meeting agenda showing a net change of $55,950 was an error and that the correct net change is zero. "That, that is a mistake. The net change there should be 0," he said, adding the correction "has no impact on the final number." The announcement was read into the record before the board voted on the related resolution.
The board then considered a package of finance items, including an item described in the agenda as the adoption of the final budget. Board members asked clarifying questions about what the resolution documented; Mr. McNeil explained the resolution lists line‑by‑line changes between the tentative and final budgets and therefore includes many account‑level entries.
When the board voted on the budget‑linked resolution, the chair announced the measure did not pass: "There were 4 yes votes, which means that this resolution does not pass," the chair said, noting a five‑vote threshold was required. Several members — including Mister Estramara — said they opposed the measure. Board president Doctor Howard explained his vote: "For the record, having struggled with my first decision with the hope that there will be a change down the road... I cannot in good conscience vote for this, and my answer is no." Board members warned the failed resolution will likely require deeper cuts to programs in the 2026–27 budget; one member said additional program cuts affecting students will be necessary unless the board changes course.
After debate about procedural options, a motion to reconsider the failed resolution was made and seconded. The board took a roll call on the motion to reconsider and the chair announced the body would reconsider the item; the meeting then moved to other business and adjourned.
The board read a technical correction into the record to change wording in item 2 to refer to the "Hillside Board of Education and the County of Union." No recertification of prior votes was required, the chair said. The meeting concluded after members agreed to reconsider the budget‑tied resolution; the transcript records no final outcome on the adoption of the final budget during this session.
