Salem County boards accept CAFRs, approve hires, contracts and program funding

The Board of Education for the Salem County Special Services School District and the Salem County Vocational Technical School District met Jan. 28, 2025, at 880 Route 45 in Woodstown and approved a slate of financial reports, personnel actions, contracts and program items affecting both districts.

The boards accepted the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) and the auditor’s synopsis for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, and approved a Corrective Action Plan. The Business Administrator noted auditors’ Finding 2024-1: the Learning Center Enterprise Fund (SCVTS) and the Child Study Team Enterprise Fund (Special Services) did not generate sufficient revenue to cover 2023–24 expenditures. The board recorded affirmative roll-call votes on the CAFR items for both districts.

The meeting included multiple personnel approvals. The board approved the biannual Statement of Assurance regarding the use of paraprofessional staff for 2024–25 and several hires: Kya Porter as a substitute food service aide ($125 per day), Eric Krise as a substitute electrical instructor ($125 per day) and Wandra Wells to teach an evening Certified Nurse Aide class Jan. 30–June 13, 2025 (stipend $6,000 paid from Perkins Secondary federal grant funds; the class is contingent on externship placements). The board also approved spring coaching appointments and the appointment of Jason Helder as coordinator for both the BRIDGE and PET programs (each stipend $8,000, funded via a Shared Service Agreement and JDAI funding; no cost to the district). Employment of BRIDGE and PET program staff and hourly rates (examples: substitute school administrator $50/hr; counselor $45/hr; instructors $42/hr) were also approved.

On contracts and services, the boards approved routine financial and maintenance items: payroll and warrants for December 2024 (payroll lists and a Board Payment Approval List were approved), Allied Elevator to perform annual elevator testing and maintenance at $600 per year (year three of a three-year contract), and a Confidential Record of Destruction agreement with The Tab Group/Tab Shredding, Inc. for $1,425 (term Jan. 2, 2025–Jan. 31, 2026). The boards also accepted proposals from Educational Business Services, PC to complete the June 30, 2025 fixed-asset updates: $950 for SCVTS and $750 for Special Services.

Donations approved included material for the welding program from M. Davis & Sons, Inc. (flat bar and steel pipe, approximate value $728) and a $2,000 donation from OxyChem to purchase supplies so Construction students can build a storage shed for the Electrical program.

Program and curriculum items approved included a revised 2024–25 school calendar (make-up snow day added), modifications to Perkins Secondary and Post-Secondary spending plans (reflecting additional funds and price changes), the QSAC District Improvement Plan for SCVTS, and a High School Plus articulation agreement with Camden County College to allow eligible students to take reduced-tuition for degree-credit courses. For the Salem County Special Services School District, the board authorized applying for the New Jersey Positive Behavior Support in Schools (NJ PBSIS) grant for the Daretown campus; the application requires competitive selection and carries no direct cost to the district.

The boards approved the abolition of several policies recommended by a Strauss Esmay Associates audit: P 0164.6 (Remote Public Board Meetings During a Declared Emergency), P 4211 (Attendance) and R 4211 (Support Staff Attendance).

Routine housekeeping items included voiding specific checks (listed in the minutes), cancellation/reprinting of duplicated checks for Special Services, acceptance of monthly HIB reports, approvals of field trips, facility uses, fundraising activities (e.g., FFA Chick-fil-A pre-sales), and multiple professional development requests with identified funding sources (ESEA Title IIA, WIOA Title IIA, Athletics Department funds as listed in the minutes).

Most votes recorded in the public minutes show five affirmative votes (members Bomba, Davis, Donelson, Halter and Ransome), with members Julie Smith and Leslie White-Corsey recorded as not voting/absent on multiple items. The board recessed for an executive session to discuss confidential personnel, negotiations, litigation and property matters and returned to adjourn the public meeting at 8:47 p.m.

Votes at a glance — selected items approved: CAFR and synopsis of audit (FY 2024) and corrective action plan; Educational Business Services fixed-asset updates (SCVTS $950; Special Services $750); Allied Elevator annual maintenance ($600/yr); Tab Shredding confidential destruction contract ($1,425); donations from M. Davis & Sons (approx. $728 material) and OxyChem ($2,000); paraprofessional assurance statement; substitute hires and stipend for the CNA evening class; appointment of Jason Helder as BRIDGE and PET coordinators (each $8,000 stipend).