Lakewood Board approves consent agenda covering multi‑million bills lists, IDEA renewals and $600,000 general‑counsel retainer

The Lakewood Board of Education on Dec. 11 approved its consent agenda, voting to accept the business and superintendent recommendations that included the district bills lists, grant renewals and several contracts.

The board approved the warrant bills list totaling $8,611,022.18, a supplemental bills list of $8,012,448.03 and the cafeteria bills list of $544,596.21. Payroll approvals included the Nov. 27, 2024 run for $3,067,209.18 and the Dec. 13, 2024 run for $3,285,939.26. Business Administrator and Board Secretary Kevin Campbell certified that, per N.J.A.C. 6A:23A‑16.10, there were no budget line‑item overexpenditures as of Oct. 31 and Nov. 30, 2024.

The superintendent's package included renewals and contract awards for IDEA‑funded services and related tenders. Documents on the record list combined contract totals and funding sources that sum to $15,346,773 for 2024‑25 across multiple IDEA tenders and associated programs; the agenda materials show IDEA Basic allocation figures and carryover amounts used to fund the renewals. The board also reviewed updated Title IV ($221,044 with carryover), Title II ($269,852 with carryover) and Title III ($293,675 with carryover) plans and the proposed use of those funds for professional development, dual‑enrollment credits and parent‑engagement initiatives.

The agenda included several procurement and vendor items: the district approved a visitor management renewal from Raptor Technologies for $4,620; awarded interior telescopic bleacher installations at three schools (line items show per‑school amounts); and awarded multiple transportation trip quotes to local contractors with revised low‑bid assignments noted where vendors could not accommodate new dates.

The board also approved a professional services contract for general counsel Michael I. Inzelbuch, PC. The resolution as presented sets an annualized retainer (flat fee) not to exceed $600,000, payable in equal monthly installments of $50,000, and an hourly litigation rate of $475 for specified litigation services; third‑party expenses would be reimbursed as customary. The general‑counsel retainer was listed on the superintendent agenda as item #73 and was noted in the record as "subject to attorney review" by State Monitor Louise Davis.

Several personnel appointments, leaves and transfers were approved as part of the superintendent's personnel slate. The meeting record lists multiple certified and non‑certified resignations, transfers and new hires across schools (examples include classroom and paraprofessional assignments and interim administrative appointments). The agenda materials include a large set of itemized out‑of‑district tuition placements and homebound instruction agreements with per‑student and per‑day rates.

Not every proposed item remained on the final agenda. A resolution concerning hiring a consultant to the business office and an associated authorization to appeal a state monitor's earlier override (described in the agenda text) was marked "REMOVED" in the packet and was not adopted, and the minutes note several items flagged for attorney review by the District's State Monitor.

Procedural motions were recorded in the minutes: Heriberto Rodriguez moved to go into executive session, seconded by Chanina Nakdimen; the motion carried. Later the board moved back into public session, and the consent agenda was approved on a roll call showing six members voting aye (including Moshe Bender by Zoom) and three members not present for the vote. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn at 8:31 p.m.

The board packet and meeting minutes list detailed line‑item amounts, vendor names, program budgets and contract language for each consent item; the board approved the consent package rather than taking separate roll‑call votes on most individual procurements and grants.