Vote On Preliminary Bernards School Budget For 2023-24 Set For Monday

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The Bernards Township Board of Education is hosting a special meeting on Monday night to vote on its proposed preliminary school budget for 2023-24 which includes a tax increase for residents.

The meeting will be held at the William Annin Middle School Auditorium beginning at 7 p.m. For those members of the public who are unable to attend the meeting in-person, a livestream link of the meeting is posted on the district website, bernardsboe.com. Public comments can also be made remotely through Zoom. Interested individuals should navigate to the district webpage, bernardsboe.com, and select "Board of Education" followed by "Public Comment" to review specific instructions, or click here.

The proposed budget of $123,941,885 for the 2023-24 school year is an increase of .31 percent over the 2022-23 budget, according to the presentation by Acting Business Administrator/Board Secretary Beth Brooks on March 13. Read More: Tax Increase Proposed In Bernards School Budget For 2023-24

Brooks noted that while the preliminary budget does include a "slight" tax increase it maintains all programs and services. Superintendent Nick Markarian also added that all staff positions will be maintained as well.

Patch requested information on what the cost impact would be for the average assessed homeowner in the township of $720,498. However, Brooks did not respond to Patch.

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