Pennsauken board approves $162.8 million 2024–25 budget, authorizes up to $8.5M from capital reserve

The Pennsauken Township Board of Education on May 2 approved the 2024–25 school district budget totaling $162,812,444 and authorized several related resolutions, including a transfer of up to $8.5 million from the district’s capital reserve for planned capital projects.

Mrs. Young, board president, opened the special public hearing and presented the budget documents that show a General Fund total of $153,812,444, reserve transfers of $9,000,000 and overall totals of $171,408,581 across all funds. The document lists a local tax levy figure of $45,714,335 and notes a tax-levy enrollment adjustment of $614,811 under N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-11.2.

The board also approved a series of resolutions bundled with the budget: a $100,000 maximum for board and staff travel and professional development reimbursements for 2024–25 (citing N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-7.2 et seq.); a $50,000 budget cap for dissemination of public information in the coming year (per N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-5.2); authorization to withdraw up to $8,500,000 from the capital reserve to fund parts of a capital improvement project (including 13 classrooms at Pennsauken High School’s Magnet School, an auto shop painting booth addition, HVAC and controls work, auditorium seating replacement, roofing work and replacement vehicles); and authorization to withdraw up to $500,000 from the maintenance reserve for targeted repairs and replacements (asphalt coating, fence and fire alarm work, ramp and step repairs, asbestos floor removal and flooring replacement, bathroom partitions, curbing and gym curtain replacements).

Ms. Johnson moved and Mr. Alves seconded approval of agenda items 1–5, and the motion carried as recorded in the meeting minutes. The meeting record shows the board followed the required statutory references for the travel and reserve resolutions.

During the public hearing portion, resident David Luthman expressed dissatisfaction with the budget’s impact on local taxpayers. Matt Sax, identified as a resident and the PEA president, thanked the board and Superintendent Dr. Tarchichi for positive changes in the district’s curriculum. Later in general public comment, resident Lisa Eckel thanked the Business Administrator, Mr. Ogunkanmi, for his “strategic balancing of the budget” as recorded in meeting notes.

The capital projects described in the materials are detailed in the resolution and include a mix of instructional-space additions, HVAC and controls upgrades, building maintenance, auditorium seating replacement and the purchase of four buses, three vans and one trash truck. The capital-reserve withdrawal was described as “not to exceed $8,500,000” and the maintenance-reserve withdrawal as “not to exceed $500,000.”

The board read statutory grounds for executive session under N.J.S.A. 10:4-12 but indicated no closed session would be held at this meeting. Under “Good of the Order,” board members and Superintendent Dr. Tarchichi also noted recent successes in CTE programs and athletics and said the district was invited to present at a New Jersey School Boards Association meeting about its CTE offerings. The meeting adjourned at 8:01 p.m.

Votes at a glance: agenda items 1–5 (budget and four resolutions) — motion to approve by Ms. Johnson, second by Mr. Alves; outcome: approved (recorded as carried).