Politics & Government

Oceanport BOE to Return State Aid to Taxpayers

With its budget already set, board decides to pass along state's $30K to municipalities of Oceanport and Sea Bright

Given $30,778 in unexpected aid from the Christie Administration last week, the Oceanport Board of Education decided in an emergency meeting Monday to return the money to the taxpayers.

"It was unplanned, we did not submit that in front of the public last year when we submitted our budget," said Superintendent Andrew Orefice at the meeting. "Our budget was approved, we put forth a lean budget for this upcoming year that includes many of the priorities that we have. We did not plan on that $31,000, so it was my recommendation to return the money to the municipal treasury."

Of the state aid, $27,092 will be returned to the Oceanport municipal budget and $3,686 will go to Sea Bright. During discussion, Board member Joan Osgoodby, of Sea Bright, asked if the municipalities would then have to return the money to the state.

Find out what's happening in Little Silver-Oceanportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"It goes back into the tax levy so that they don't pay to us," said Board President Kelly McGowan.

"If we accept it, we have to either amend the budget or roll it into next year's budget," said Colin Soyer, the board's vice president.

Find out what's happening in Little Silver-Oceanportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Osgoodby also asked if the extra aid might be used to contribute to the 60 percent of funds Oceanport and Sea Bright need to come up with to match the state's 40 percent contribution to the Regular Operating District (ROD) grant which is being used to fill in sinkholes in the Wolf Hill School parking lot and waterproof Wolf Hill's kitchen.

Board president said the ROD grant projects were already built into the current budget.

"This money was given to us above and beyond what we already planned for, what we already budgeted for, so we felt that what the most prudent thing to do would be to offset the tax levy," said McGowan.


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