Hopatcong board extends superintendent’s contract, approves multiple resolutions and capital projects

The Hopatcong Borough School District Board of Education voted to approve a slate of resolutions that included extending the superintendent’s contract for the remaining three years so he may serve as both superintendent and business administrator, authorizing a professional services lighting upgrade contract for athletic fields, and rejecting a $3,000 Perkins grant allocation the district said it could not practically use.

During the resolutions discussion the superintendent explained the contract change is a "material change" that requires county superintendent approval and a board vote. "Because that is a material change to that contract, it requires us to get approval from the county superintendent to reopen that contract and to hold a vote on that contract allowing me to continue the last three years of my contract serving both roles as the superintendent and the business administrator," he said. The board later approved the resolution by roll call.

The superintendent also reviewed district compliance items and operating decisions. He said the district rejected a $3,000 Perkins grant because "federal regulations prohibit us from spending it on the things that we actually need to spend it on" and the administrative work required to join a consortium outweighed the small award. The board recorded approval of several budget transfer authorizations (to capital and maintenance reserves) and a corrected salary amount for a custodian.

In his report the superintendent said there were 35 HIB reports filed year‑to‑date across the district's four buildings, with nine found HIB claims and about 11–12 code‑of‑conduct violations; he also said the district is proceeding with referendum projects, including a high‑school roof tear‑off and a Tulsa Trail roof replacement, and that both projects are on or under budget and scheduled to finish about one week before teachers return.

The board also approved participation and bid recommendations from the Sussex County Regional Cooperative, which the superintendent described as a cooperative that helps districts reduce costs through joint bids for transportation and other services.

Votes at a glance: - Item 18G — extension of superintendent contract (to continue as superintendent and business administrator for remaining three years): motion carried by roll call; members present voted yes; listed absent members were recorded as absent in the roll call. - Item 18 (resolutions ensemble) including lead‑testing assurance, safety drill assurance, transfers to reserve, Perkins grant rejection, support for Assembly Bill A4860 (Highlands Act), and lighting upgrade authorization: approved by roll call. - Item 19 — Sussex County Regional Cooperative bid recommendations (items 19A–19N): approved by roll call; one member recorded an abstention on a coop subitem during the roll call noted in the transcript.

The board concluded with year‑end board comments thanking PTO volunteers and community partners (including Just Driven Athletics) and adjourned the meeting.