Neshaminy board approves consent agenda, names tax-liaison and sets public timeline to fill Cindy Bowman vacancy

The Neshaminy School District Board of School Directors on Jan. 9 approved a slate of routine personnel and governance items, named a district employee as the liaison to Berkheimer for confidential tax information, adopted an Act 1 accelerated budget opt-out resolution and set a public appointment process to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of board director Cindy Bowman.

The meeting opened with Superintendent Bowman highlighting recent student achievements, including the Neshaminy High School Select Choir’s regional contest victory and a $5,000 prize for the high-school music program. "Congratulations to the choir director, Miss Kristen Nichols, and our incredibly talented students," Superintendent Bowman said.

Board members first approved a master consent motion covering administrative and support retirements, resignations, certifications of appointments, leaves of absence, co-curricular and ancillary appointments, and lease-of-option items. The board noted the retirements of Linda Glenny after 31 years of service and Janet Faulkner after 18.6 years. The consent motion was seconded and passed unanimously, recorded as 8–0.

On item 2.12 the board adopted a confidentiality resolution naming Joyce Kulchinski, the district’s general-fund bookkeeper, as the liaison to Berkheimer, the district tax collector, to permit the sharing of confidential tax information between Berkheimer and the district for official purposes. That motion passed 8–0.

On item 2.13 the board adopted an Act 1 accelerated budget opt-out resolution for the 2024–25 fiscal year, stating the district will not raise any tax rate above the Act 1 index (stated in the motion as 6.1% for Feb. 2024–Feb. 2025) and citing the Taxpayer Relief Act (Act 1) provisions. The motion was seconded and approved 8–0.

The board also approved the 2024 public meeting calendar and made a set of appointments: the board president nominated Jill Waldbeizer to serve as the district’s representative on the Bucks County Intermediate Unit No. 22 board to complete a term ending June 30, 2026, and the board appointed John Allen and Kellen Sporney as district representatives to the Bucks County Technical High School joint board for a one-year term. Each of those motions passed unanimously, 8–0.

The board accepted the resignation of Cindy Bowman from the school board effective at the start of the Jan. 9 meeting. The board thanked Bowman for her years of service before approving the resignation 8–0.

To fill the Region 1 vacancy the board approved a timeline and process (item 2.18) requiring letters of interest or resumes to be received by the superintendent’s office no later than 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, with interviews to be scheduled if the board deems them necessary and a public appointment planned for the Feb. 6, 2024 board meeting. Solicitor Torrente noted the board has 30 days from the resignation to make an appointment and that the Feb. 6 meeting falls within that statutory window, saying, "There is 30 days from today to appoint the replacement." The motion setting the process and timeline passed 8–0.

Other routine and committee reports included a report that the Chamonix (Neshaminy) Education Foundation will fund 12 grants totaling more than $15,000, and an announcement that the Bucks County Technical High School accepted a Pennsylvania Department of Education equipment grant of $160,198 to purchase cosmetology and welding equipment.

The board held a second public comment period with no speakers, exchanged brief board comments and adjourned. The person appointed to fill Cindy Bowman’s seat will serve through December 2025 to complete the current term.