Glen Rock school board to present first draft of budget

A preliminary draft of the Glen Rock school district's 2014-15 budget will be presented at the Monday, March 10 Board of Education (BOE) meeting. A public hearing on the final budget proposal is scheduled for May 5, according to BOE fiscal management chair Carlo Cella III.

The last piece needed to complete the tentative budget document materialized on Thursday, Feb. 27, as the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) announced its 2014-15 state aid grants to all school districts.

Glen Rock will receive general fund aid totaling $1,065,353, an increase of $54,875, or 5.43 percent, from last year's award. Debt service aid came in at $682,918, edging last year's amount by $3,209 (0.47 percent).

At the Feb. 24 BOE meeting, Cella expressed confidence that the new budget would meet the board's goal of topping out below the state-mandated 2 percent cap, but noted that much would depend upon the state aid, which had been expected to mirror last year's grants.

"You never really know until the governor sings," he quipped at the session.

The subsequent aid announcement at midweek provided positive news, as business administrator/board secretary Michael Rinderknecht plugged the numbers into the tentative document in time for the Monday night presentation.

While providing no numbers pending the meeting, Cella offered several "highlights" during his Feb. 24 committee report. In addition to observing the cap, thus removing the need for a public vote, he said the budget would have no negative impact on current instruction and programming, and that it would provide for school staff additions. He also cited significant allowances for district technology upgrades and ongoing school security enhancements, as those initiatives continue.

View original post here:
Glen Rock school board to present first draft of budget