Closter Board approves $28.9 million 2025-26 budget and funds capital projects, playground grant

The Closter Board of Education approved the 2025-26 school-year budget and a package of capital projects and purchases during its April 30 meeting at Tenakill Middle School.

The budget approved by the board and accepted by the county office lists $27,860,466 for the General Fund operating budget and a total district budget of $28,867,736. Superintendent Vincent McHale and Business Administrator Floro M. Villanueva Jr. said the plan maintains existing positions and adds a 1.0 full-time-equivalent special education teacher and a 1.0 FTE world language teacher at Tenakill Middle School. The district reported it will receive $1,703,454 in state aid for 2025-26 and is applying $675,000 in excess surplus; the budget also uses withdrawals from the Maintenance Reserve ($340,000) and from Capital Reserve ($900,000) for infrastructure work.

McHale and Villanueva told the board that rising costs driving the budget include a 6.58% CPI factor, steep increases in workers— compensation, property insurance and health benefits, and nearly 50% higher utility costs. The administrators said the district is budgeting for technology upgrades (student and staff laptops, network infrastructure), custodial and maintenance increases and $900,000 in capital projects that include locker replacements at Tenakill and blacktop repairs.

The board approved the measure by roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously with nine board members voting yes and none opposed. Business Administrator Floro M. Villanueva Jr. recorded the district—s revenue plan for the coming year, which includes the state aid noted above and projected tuition revenue from the expanded integrated preschool program.

In related actions, the board approved vendor contracts and purchases tied to the capital program and technology upgrades: a network-switch purchase and installation contract with Dyntek (dba Arctiq) for $89,229.87, a Tenakill locker replacement contract with Nickerson NY, LLC for $404,657.78, purchase of 40 MacBook Air laptops for $52,720 and four DHCP/DNS servers with five-year support for $19,800. The board also approved using Capital Reserve funds for those projects as included in the adopted budget.

The board accepted a Local Recreation Improvement Grant (LRIG) award of $78,000 from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to enhance the Hillside Elementary School playground. The LRIG award will be applied to playground equipment purchases and replacement of an aging system, the board said.

Superintendent McHale described the package as fiscally responsible and focused on preserving programs while addressing rising costs and infrastructure needs. The budget now moves forward for whatever administrative steps remain under county office supervision and to implementation in the 2025-26 fiscal year.

Votes at a glance: the budget and the finance committee—s motions (including the reserve withdrawals and the contracts listed above) were approved by unanimous roll call.