The Flemington-Raritan Regional School District board clarified how the district is using state security aid and approved several referendum-funded facilities projects on Tuesday, amid public calls to reinstate armed Class 3 school resource officers.

Business Administrator Tanya Dawson told the board the district’s 2025–26 allocation of categorical security aid is $642,000 and that categorical security aid is not applied for separately but is included in the district’s overall state aid. Dawson said projects on the evening’s agenda — a districtwide security camera server upgrade, replacement of rusted playground equipment at Copper Hill School and a unit ventilator replacement in a Copper Hill classroom — will be paid with referendum funds, not the categorical security aid.

The clarification came as multiple members of the public said they were uncertain which funds were being used for safety projects and for the playground. During the meeting, a resident who identified herself as Catherine Bentovania asked why a $123,000 playground replacement (identified in an OPRA-produced document) appeared in district records and whether that cost had been charged to categorical security aid. Dawson and the board president replied that the playground work is being funded with referendum funds and not with categorical security aid and that referendum funds — by law — cannot be used for personnel, including Class 3 officers.

Several residents urged the board to find a way to restore Class 3 officers at schools. Christine Raza, who said she has three children in district schools, called the decision to use funds for a playground instead of maintaining armed officers “negligent” and urged the board to reprioritize existing funds to reinstate officers. Another resident, Pratibha Prabhakaran, asked whether a standing safety-and-security committee that included parents and community members could help craft sustainable budget and policy solutions.

Board members and the superintendent said the board had conducted multiple outreach events and focus groups during the budget process last winter and that the special-election question putting additional funding for Class 3 officers to voters reflected those discussions. Several board members noted that the district lost about 100 positions over two years and that trustees face competing priorities — safety, nurses and intervention services among them — when balancing a constrained budget.

The board approved operations items 1 through 11, which included the camera server upgrade, playground replacement and the unit ventilator replacement at Copper Hill. The approvals were made by roll call; the board’s routine motions for committee items and minutes were also approved earlier in the meeting.

Dawson reiterated two statutory points during her presentation: (1) the categorical security aid amount is included in state aid and the district does not apply separately for it, and (2) referendum funds are restricted and may not be used for personnel. She cited NJSA 18A:7F-5 and 18A:7F-39 when explaining why positions proposed in the rejected special-election question could not be reallocated without voter approval. The board referenced guidance it had received from its board attorney and the New Jersey Department of Education.

Board members invited residents who wanted more detail to meet with administration; the board president said staff would continue to compile requested spending details and asked for patience because pulling records and supporting documentation takes time.

The approvals of facilities projects were placed on the agenda by the operations committee, which reported earlier in the meeting that the district continues to use referendum funds to address aging infrastructure. The operations committee also reported a newly introduced stormwater utility fee the district expects to cost roughly $30,000 annually and recommended a November town hall on the budget.

The meeting closed with the board urging the community to stay engaged in town-hall budget discussions and noting the limits the district faces under state funding rules.