Hardyston board approves bundled finance, curriculum and personnel items; questions raised about attorney RFQ

The Hardyston Township Board of Education approved a series of bundled consent motions at its June 10 meeting, including finance items (F1—14), curriculum items (CP1, CP3, CP4 and CP5) and personnel items (P1—P19). The board met in public session before and after an executive session that addressed student hearings and personnel.

Mister O'Fano moved to approve finance items F1 through F14; the motion was seconded and carried on roll-call vote after discussion. During debate one board member explicitly opposed issuing an RFQ to solicit proposals for legal counsel (the RFQ appears as F5, item 20/25 on the agenda) while supporting the other finance items. The chair and other members indicated the remainder of the bundled items should proceed.

The board separately approved facilities items FL1 and FL2, and approved curriculum and program items CP1, CP3, CP4 and CP5; it also approved personnel items P1 through P19, which included approval of a newly listed substitute (P19). The board adopted its meeting minutes and voted to adopt the HIB/GRAMA report that covered previously reported investigations.

Finance and facilities highlights noted during committee reports that preceded the votes included: an unusually large monthly bills list driven by state Pre-K spending (approximately $354,000 above a typical month), an anticipated reserve increase of roughly $400,000 this year, an existing capital reserve balance of about $726,000, and a $750,000 "gold" reserve target with roughly $350,000 remaining to reach that target. The finance chair also said the district realized a roughly 21% reduction in bussing costs this year (about $64,000) but was not awarded a $600,000 boiler-replacement grant because the proposed equipment did not meet a 50/50 electric/gas requirement.

Board members asked for follow-up on specific items (for example, details related to any RFQ for legal counsel and next steps for architect/MP RFQs), and the board indicated some procedural follow-up would be scheduled. No formal amendment to any passed motion was recorded in the public minutes during the meeting.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to approve F1—14 (finance): moved by Mister O'Fano, seconded; bundle approved with recorded objection raised to attorney RFQ (F5). - Motion to approve FL1 and FL2 (facilities): approved on roll call. - Motion to approve CP1, CP3, CP4, CP5 (curriculum): approved on roll call. - Motion to approve P1—P19 (personnel): approved on roll call. - Motion to adopt HIB/GRAMA report: approved on roll call.

The board recessed to executive session for student hearings and personnel matters and later returned to the public meeting to complete the votes; the board later went back into executive session for the superintendent evaluation before adjourning the public portion.