A message from the State of New Jersey Department of Education
October 26, 2018
Dear Mr. DiBenedetto:
Pursuant to language included in P.L.2018, c.54, the department has conducted a needs assessment based on the Hopatcong Borough School District's application for 2018-2019 Emergency Aid (application) in the amount of $611,056. Although the primary source of information was the application submitted by the district, fiscal information necessary for a thorough review including, but not limited to, historical reserve balances and statistical trend information was obtained from the district’s fiscal year end June 30, 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) and from the district’s 2018-2019 original budget certified for taxes.
Read more...Your Board of Education (BOE) adopted a plan to address the district’s reduction in state aid in the about of $670,027 (comprised of $58,971 of 2018-2019 emergency aid budgeted in the original budget certified for taxes plus $611,056 state aid reduction) to include $611,056 in adjustments to the original budget certified for taxes:
1. Reduction in various general fund appropriations $611,056
Subsequent to the application, the district discovered and remediated mold in the school buildings. As reported by the district, the cost of the remediation is likely not to be covered by the district’s insurance. The unforeseen cost was not included in the district’s 2018-2019 original budget certified for taxes.
The department finds:
1. Student enrollments have decreased by approximately 34% over a ten-year period beginning with 2008. The department also notes that per pupil costs have increased by 61% over that same time. (Source: school district CAFR FYE June 30, 2017)
2. The district’s spending per the original 2018-2019 budget certified for taxes is above adequacy, and the district has generated $1,702,513 of banked cap for use in a future year. (Source: school district original budget certified for taxes 2018-19)
3. The district has unbudgeted 2017-2018 extraordinary aid of approximately $30,000.
4. The district received an unbudgeted 2017-2018 federal grant of $43,500 for displaced students.
5. Capacity of the existing schools is 3,268 students, with a district enrollment of 1,608 students, resulting in approximately 50 percent building use. (Source: school district CAFR June 30, 2017)
6. Based upon our review of the district’s June 30, 2018 Board Secretary’s Report, the district projects additional general fund surplus of approximately $1,207,725 for the 2017-2018 fiscal year, none of which was anticipated on the district’s 2018-2019 Recapitulation of Fund Balances from the original budget certified for taxes.
7. The district has approximately $294,000 in maintenance reserve (source: 2018-2019 original budget certified for taxes) and has budgeted approximately $981,751 in required maintenance. N.J.A.X. 6A:23A-14.2(d) authorizes the district to withdraw, by resolution, funds from the maintenance reserve account and appropriate the funds into the required maintenance account lines at budget time or any time during the year for use on required maintenance activities.
Based upon our thorough review of the district’s application the department finds sufficient resources are available to fund 2018-2019 appropriations. However the district has provided detailed information of a material subsequent event of a fiscal nature relative to the application. Specifically, the district must fund significant uninsured costs related to mold remediation during the 2018-2019 school year. Accordingly, the department has determined to approve the district’s request for emergency aid in the amount of $611,056.
The department recognizes the fiscal challenges faced by the district as presented in the district’s application. The department has identified a downward trend in the district’s student enrollment and a significant increase in per pupil cost which the district is strongly encouraged to consider in any future budget plan. The county office is available to assist with the implementation of a plan to address the trends and changes to the district profile described in this letter, as well as any other plan the district may want to consider for future budget years.
Sincerely,
Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D.
Commissioner
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