Budget Basics, Confidentiality, and Bean Bag Chairs: Questions from the February 10 Meeting

The February 10, 2026 Hardyston BOE meeting covered routine business: finance reports, curriculum items, student recognition, and kickoff steps for the superintendent search.

Still, several moments stood out - and not in a good way.

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Budget process confusion - after 11 years?

February is a critical month in budget season. The Board President noted projections would sharpen and invited residents to the February 24 workshop.

During discussion, long-time member and former Board President Donna Carey again raised questions about basic budget mechanics. After more than eleven budget cycles, that’s hard to ignore.

At some point, the public is fair to ask:

Is this genuine confusion?

Or something else?

After more than a decade on the board, the annual calendar, transfer process, line-item controls, and statutory caps should be basic working knowledge.

Board members are fiduciaries. Residents should not have to watch the same basic process questions repeat year after year.

Has she lost her compass?

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Superintendent search - confidentiality matters

The agenda included approval of Kathleen Helewa Educational Consultants to conduct superintendent search services.

During committee reporting, Ms. Carey said she had been denied access to applicant resumes and suggested broader board access was warranted.

The Personnel Committee chair responded that the committee was specifically charged with reviewing interim applicants.

Later in the meeting, consultant Kathy Helewa was introduced to guide the broader superintendent search process.

Superintendent searches require strict confidentiality:

• Protecting applicant privacy
• Preserving district credibility
• Preventing candidate withdrawal
• Shielding the district from legal exposure

The agenda also references Executive Session protections for exempt matters.

That raises a serious governance question:

If confidentiality is central to the search process, is publicly pressing for resume access during open session responsible conduct?

Or does it risk undermining the very process the district is about to begin?

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The bean bag chairs - governance boundaries

During committee discussion, a situation was described in which a staff member made a public comment regarding curriculum materials without first requesting administrative review.

Separate concerns have circulated regarding classroom purchases, specifically bean bag chairs, and whether a board member inserted herself into what should have been an administrative chain-of-command matter.

This matters because Board Policy and state ethics standards are clear:

Board members do not manage staff. Board members do not direct individual purchasing decisions. Board members do not act as intermediaries between employees and administration.

That is the Superintendent’s role.

If a board member bypasses administration and engages directly with staff over operational matters, it risks violating both the spirit, and potentially the letter, of the School Ethics Act.

Was this an innocent misstep?

Or another example of blurred governance lines?

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A pattern of process tension

The February 10 agenda was largely procedural:

• Finance certifications
• SEMI waiver resolution
• Superintendent search approval

These are routine governance responsibilities.

But effective governance depends on:

• Understanding budget mechanics
• Respecting committee assignments
• Maintaining applicant confidentiality
• Honoring administrative chain of command

After eleven years on the board, including service as Board President, these should not be gray areas.

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The bigger question

Hardyston is entering a leadership transition.

A superintendent search demands:

• Discipline
• Confidentiality
• Trust
• Steady governance

If a board member struggles with budget fundamentals, presses publicly for confidential resume access, and potentially inserts herself into staff-level operational matters,

The public is right to ask:

Is this steady leadership?

Or has something changed?

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Good governance is not about personalities. It is about roles, responsibility, and restraint.

February 24’s budget workshop will provide another opportunity for clarity.

The community should be watching.