SCESC report: 2025 audit positive; proposed 6.5% budget rise driven by salaries and special-education transport

Ms. High summarized the Somerset County Educational Services Commission (SCESC) briefing given at the commission meeting. She said the 2025 audit was generally positive with three recommendations focused on payroll check verification and timely paperwork for food services and lead-water testing.

Ms. High reported that the business administrator (BA) Jess Cipolla presented a 2627 budget summary that included a proposed 6.5% increase, driven primarily by salaries, benefits and special-education transportation. Ms. High said the commission performed a 10-year revenue review and enrollment trends which led to an adjustment of district enrollment targets (from 25% to 15% growth given graduating seniors).

Other SCESC items noted included addition of three ESE classrooms, expansion of extracurricular opportunities (volleyball and bowling programs), new music and audiovisual programming, and a proposed ShopRite-to-bistro conversion for vocational student opportunities.

The report did not trigger immediate board action at this meeting, but board members acknowledged the SCESC findings and took no exception to the commission’s recommendations.