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Millburn Board approves instructional, personnel and policy items; sets budget schedule and reviews turf project concerns
Summary
On March 9 the Millburn Township Board approved instruction, personnel, business and policy items; the finance committee set a tentative budget schedule and joint facilities reported that artificial turf has a higher cost per playable hour. A public commenter urged capping turf open-trust spending at 25%.
The Millburn Township Board of Education approved multiple routine business items and heard committee updates and public comment at its March 9 meeting.
Votes and board action The board approved instruction items 1a–1d and personnel item 2A after roll calls; the motions were announced as passed. Later the board approved business items 3A–3I and policy item 5a (second reading). Special services item 4A passed with one recorded abstention: Mr. Casson abstained while the other members voted yes.
Budget and timeline Finance committee chair Asaf Farishuddin updated the board on referendum closeout work and project closeouts, noting the auditorium project awaits a door replacement before final certificate of occupancy and that the Paper Mill streambank project is expected to finish after the snow melts. The committee reviewed a revised budget calendar: state aid release is expected March 12, a finance-committee meeting is scheduled March 17, approval of the tentative budget is scheduled March 23, and a public hearing and adoption are scheduled for May 4.
Turf project and joint facilities The joint facilities committee discussed the Paper Mill field erosion project and the Millburn High School backfields expansion timeline. Mr. Myers presented a financial analysis concluding artificial turf has a higher cost per playable hour than natural turf; the committee discussed maintenance timing, turf-blanket removal and aligning field seasons with NJSIAA. The finance committee also recommended use of allowances and payments for closeout-phase projects.
Public comment Public commenter Jeff Field urged the board to consider capping the amount of open-trust funds used for the turf-field project at "no more than 25%," raised flood-mitigation and environmental concerns, and suggested exploring additional funding sources such as county or state open-space programs or sale/leaseback options for other parcels.
Next steps The board's committee schedule includes a finance committee meeting on March 17 and further budget review after the March 12 state aid release; the tentative budget is set for board approval March 23, with a public hearing and adoption on May 4. The board adjourned after closing public comment and member remarks.
Votes at a glance - Instruction items 1a–1d: approved (roll call announced at meeting; motion passed). - Personnel item 2A: approved (motion passed). - Business items 3A–3I: approved (motion passed). - Special services item 4A: approved; Mr. Casson abstained. - Policy item 5a (second reading): approved.
The meeting included multiple committee reports and informational updates rather than contested policy debates; the board did not change its calendar beyond the earlier-discussed March 30 early-dismissal designation in committee reports.
