Palmyra Board reorganizes, elects Sean Toner president and Amy Austin vice president

The Palmyra Board of Education held its annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 2, 2025, electing Sean Toner president and Amy Austin vice president in unanimous 9‑0 roll-call votes and approving committee assignments, a calendar of regular and special meetings for 2025 and routine financial authorizations.

The meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m. by Jared M. Toscano, Business Administrator and Board Secretary, who read the Open Public Meetings Act notice describing where the board had posted and mailed meeting notices. The business portion of the meeting opened with the announcement of official election results for three-year terms: Amy Austin (2,336 votes), Erica Campbell (2,485 votes) and James Dickinson (2,372 votes); the Board Secretary administered their oaths of office.

During roll call nine members were present and two were absent. Kate Allen‑Yoakum nominated Sean Toner for Board president; with no other nominations the board elected Toner by a 9‑0 roll-call vote. Toner assumed the chair immediately after the vote. President Toner nominated Amy Austin for vice president; she was elected by a 9‑0 roll‑call vote.

The board then moved into a closed session to discuss personnel matters under N.J.S.A. 10:4‑12; the resolution cited personnel topics exempt from public discussion. The motion to enter closed session was made by Erica Campbell and seconded by James Dickinson; the board entered closed session at 7:14 p.m. The public portion of the meeting reconvened at approximately 7:49 p.m. on a unanimous voice vote (motion by Amy Austin, second by Kate Allen‑Yoakum). The public minutes include no additional personnel details.

After reconvening, the board set its delegates and committee memberships for 2025. Appointments included Erica Campbell as delegate to the Burlington County School Boards Association, Erika Celley as delegate to the New Jersey School Boards Association and Jennifer Mossgrove as alternate NJ School Boards Association delegate. The board named chairs and membership for standing committees including Finance and Physical Plant (Amy Austin, chair), Human Resources (James Dickinson, chair), Policy and Curriculum (Erica Campbell, chair) and Strategic Planning (Kate Allen‑Yoakum, chair).

The board approved the schedule of regular 2025 meetings to be held at 7:00 p.m. in the gymnasium at Charles Street School, including a May 1, 2025 budget hearing and a Feb. 22, 2025 board retreat; the resolution notes that any exceptions will be publicly advertised under N.J.S.A. 18A:17‑7. It also accepted advertised special meeting dates for superintendent interviews on Jan. 14, 16, 22 and 23, 2025, with two additional dates reserved if needed.

On routine business and finance items, the board appointed Citizens Bank as the district depository for the 2024–25 school year and set signature authorities for district accounts: checks on the general, payroll and agency accounts require signatures from the Board President, Business Administrator and School Treasurer; certain other accounts require the Business Administrator alone; and the Student Activity account requires signatures from the Superintendent and Business Administrator. The Business Administrator was authorized to initiate fund transfers and process invoices with Board confirmation at the next regular meeting. That set of finance and operations resolutions passed on a 9‑0 roll‑call vote (motion by James Dickinson, second by Kate Allen‑Yoakum).

The board opened the public forum for agenda and additional topics but no members of the public requested recognition during either public‑comment period. The meeting was adjourned at 7:58 p.m. on a unanimous voice vote (motion by Erica Campbell, second by Dr. Jennifer Mossgrove).