Palmyra Board elects Dickinson president, Austin vice president; approves 2026 calendar and accepts FY2025 audit

The Palmyra Board of Education on Jan. 7, 2026 elected Mr. Dickinson as board president and Ms. Austin as vice president during its annual reorganization meeting and approved routine governance and financial items for the coming year.

The meeting opened at 7:02 p.m. with Jared M. Toscano, the district’s business administrator and board secretary, reading the required Open Public Meetings Act notice. The Board announced official election totals for three-year seats: Erika Celley (2,323 votes), Cara Broadbelt (2,266) and Kate Allen-Yoakum (2,238). The Board Secretary administered the oath of office to the three members.

Ms. Austin nominated Mr. Dickinson for president; with no other nominations the Board closed nominations and elected Mr. Dickinson by unanimous roll-call vote. Ms. Campbell nominated Ms. Austin for vice president; the Board likewise elected Ms. Austin unanimously. The Board then recessed into a closed session to discuss personnel matters under N.J.S.A. 10:4-12; the session began at 7:14 p.m. and the Board returned to public session at 7:50 p.m.

After the closed session the Board confirmed delegate and committee appointments, naming 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 delegate, and assigning chairs and membership for the Board’s standing committees (Finance & Physical Plant; Human Resources; Policy & Curriculum; Strategic Planning).

The Board approved the 2026 calendar of regular and committee meetings, re-adopted existing bylaws, policies, practices and curricula for 2026, and designated the Camden Courier-Post and Burlington County Times as authorized newspapers for official advertisements. In finance actions the Board named Citizens Bank as the district depository for the 2025–26 school year, specified which officers may sign the district’s accounts, and authorized the Business Administrator to initiate transfers and process invoices with subsequent Board confirmation.

After review and discussion the Board accepted the fiscal year 2025 audit by roll call (Ayes: 9; Nays: 0; Abstentions: 0). During the public-comment portion of the meeting, resident Lisa Jablonski congratulated Mr. Dickinson and Ms. Austin on their appointments. The Board adjourned at 7:56 p.m.

The actions recorded at the reorganization meeting were procedural and governance items typical of an annual organizational session; no substantive policy changes or budget approvals were taken beyond acceptance of the audit and the administrative authorizations noted above.