Parents press board on transparency and long bus rides; board approves routine business and holds two instructional items

At its regular meeting the Township of Ocean School District board heard public comment calling for greater transparency in district finances and changes to bus scheduling for vocational students, then returned to routine approvals.

Alex Hayes, a resident from Oakhurst, praised the evening's student recognitions but criticized the board's prior handling of financial oversight. "This is a $105,000,000 business," Hayes said, urging greater transparency and ongoing financial review so taxpayers can see how decisions are made.

Colleen Jameson, who identified herself as a parent and district employee, asked the board to consider students who attend regional vocational programs when planning bus routes. She described long return trips: "My daughter goes to Monmouth Regional for the nursing program. She is on the bus from dismissal at Monmouth Regional and arrives at home at 03:30," Jameson said, noting some students spend more than an hour on buses and miss extracurricular opportunities.

After public comment the board handled routine business. The minutes from the May 12 meeting (executive session and work session) were moved, seconded and approved on roll call. Personnel items 6.1 through 6.8 were approved with one trustee indicating a recusal on item 6.3. The consent agenda items 7.1 through 7.17 were approved; trustees announced recusals on specific subitems. Trustees discussed items 8.1 through 8.6 in the instruction and student activities section; items 8.1 through 8.4 were approved, while items 8.5 and 8.6 were held because of a clerical error and will return to a future agenda.

The meeting adjourned after the consent business.