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Committee previews FY27 budget: state funding rise, fee revenue tops $1M and staff present grants for wildlife monitoring
Summary
Staff reported a preliminary state appropriation of $4,377,000 and supplemental fringe funding of $687,000, said application fees have topped $1,023,238.44 for the year, recommended budgeting $800,000 in FY27 application-fee revenue, and described pending grants for reptile and tree-frog monitoring.
The Pinelands Commission Personnel & Budget Committee on June 30 reviewed early fiscal-year 2027 budget projections, recent application-fee revenue and several staff initiatives, including pending science grants and personnel changes.
Director (agency official) told the committee the initial draft state budget included a $4,377,000 appropriation for the commission and a $687,000 supplemental amount intended to cover fringe benefits, noting the figures must be confirmed when the state budget is adopted. "They increased our base appropriation to reflect the additional funding that we got last year, and then they gave us the additional increase that we needed to fund the salary increases," the Director said.
Jessica, the commission's business manager, reported that application-fee receipts had exceeded expectations: "When we switched, we have exceeded our quota to $1,023,238.44 net. So we have exceeded it. We went over our quota by 20%." Staff recommended a conservative FY27 assumption of $800,000 in application-fee revenue to avoid overreliance on sporadic large fees from projects such as warehouses.
The science office has submitted two grants staff highlighted to inform the budget outlook. One is a Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund proposal (about $250,000 requested, with matching funds expected) to support research and monitoring for reptiles of greatest conservation need (including pine snakes and box turtles), with plans to include tracking transmitters and temporary housing. The other is an EPA wetlands-program application to evaluate long-term trends and spatial requirements for a key tree-frog bioindicator using small monitoring devices.
On personnel matters, the Director reported that longtime staff member Chuck retired about a month earlier; two new employees (Tia and Gina) were hired and introduced at a prior meeting; and Janet Pierce, a long-serving MIS office employee, passed away earlier in the month. Staff said the MIS vacancy is budgeted but recruitment will wait while staff consider restructuring.
The committee also approved disposal of obsolete fixed assets (old GPS units, switches, PCs, monitors, an old fax machine and printer) after staff described the items listed for retirement.
Committee members discussed health-insurance costs ahead of contract negotiations. Bill Pikolitski asked whether the commission should review insurance proposals or consider different plans. The Director replied staff are collecting data and will consider options (including whether leaving the state health benefits system would be permitted and financially feasible) during upcoming contract talks.
The Director said staff will deliver a draft budget to the committee in mid-August and a full budget package before the September commission meeting for commission review. The committee opened public comment; none was offered, and the meeting was adjourned.
