On Wednesday, Feb. 15, the Lenape Regional High School District Board of Education passed a resolution to move its annual school election from April to November, beginning this year.
The move places school board candidates on the November ballot and eliminates the need for a public vote on the proposed school budget if it remains at or below the state’s 2 percent levy cap.
All eight LRHSD sending districts passed similar resolutions in recent weeks, which effectively moved the regional school board election to November. While not required, Lenape regional’s resolution demonstrates the district’s strong support for the move, which in the view of the board of education, is in the best interest of students and the regional communities.
“This is a groundbreaking change for New Jersey’s public school districts, including Lenape regional,” LRHSD Board of Education President Ted Shinske said. “The change will save taxpayer dollars as we eliminate the cost of the school budget vote and reduce the cost of school board elections by holding them in conjunction with the annual November elections.”
“We estimate that moving the election and eliminating the budget vote will save more than $56,000 in election costs per year for four years for the regional district alone,” Lenape Regional High School District Business Administrator James Hager said.
State statute requires that a district’s decision to move the annual election must remain in effect for a minimum of four years.
Hager added that, although the budget vote is eliminated, districts are required to follow many of the same steps they followed to prepare and submit a budget in past years. The district will hold a public hearing on March 28, followed by a board vote.
Budget information, including tax impact, will be posted on the district website following the March 28 vote.
For more information about the changes in the annual school board and budget elections and this year’s budget process, visit www.lrhsd.org to view a list of questions and answers provided by the New Jersey Department of Education.
