Finance report: meal participation up, ESIP2 solar canopy permits secured; some construction bids re-advertised

Dana reported the Finance Committee met July 22 and reviewed the administration’s financials and agenda motions.

Administration certified that no line items were overexpended and that the business office closed out fiscal year 2025–26 and transitioned to 2026–27. Nutrition participation increased year over year: the district served 21,486 more lunches and 13,249 more breakfasts than the previous year; average daily lunch participation among students eligible for free/reduced-price and income-eligible meals increased by 116 students to 2,370 per day. The district received $5,463 through the New Jersey Farm to School procurement initiative (formerly Local Food for Schools) and used $3,959 of that to support student nutrition education programs; over the past four years the district received and expended a total of $41,704 through the initiative.

Dana reported that, as of July 15, 2026, 899 West Windsor-Plainsboro students were scheduled to receive Summer EBT benefits of $120 each, totaling $107,880 (number and format read aloud in the meeting as "8 99"; presented here as reported). On construction, Dana said all approvals and permits for ESIP2 solar canopies have been secured for West Windsor locations and Plainsboro approvals allow permit applications to be submitted; construction at Millstone River School is expected to begin at the end of September once permits are issued and structural steel is delivered.

Summer projects include auditorium preparation at High School North and tennis-court resurfacing at High School South; multiple small capital improvements (flooring, painting) continue district-wide. Several electrical-improvement bids were rejected due to defects in bid submissions and the project has been re-advertised multiple times without a successful award. The business office is scheduled to continue year-end closeout work into fall; the committee’s next meeting is Sept. 8.