BOE Juggling Meeting Times - Intentional, Mistake, Legal?

Yesterday, we wrote a brief article indicating that the BOE would be holding a special "working session" focused on the budget process tonight at 7pm.

As of that time, we took a screen shot of the agenda (because we save everything, just in case). That screen shot is below.

BOE Public Meeting Agenda for 2/26/2025 at 7pm

Today, while checking the website, the meeting time has suddenly changed forward an hour to 6pm. See the second screen shot below as of approximately 1pm today.

BOE Meeting Suddenly changed to 6pm

According to the NJ State Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), this is not allowed. According to the Act, adequate notice must be given of meetings. Specifically, it states public bodies must provide "written advance notice of at least 48 hours, giving the time, date, location and, to the extent known, the agenda of any regular, special or rescheduled meeting".

We have written to the BOE and Superintendent about the issue, but at publication time have not heard a response.

This is not the first time the district has had OPMA issues. Just a few months ago in December, the district attempted to hold another "working session" without any notice to the public at all (that one was predominantly on PreK facilities). The district was forced to reschedule that meeting, and the rescheduled meeting resulted in a number of angry residents and parents attending and criticizing the Board on a number of issues.

It is not clear if was a simple mistake, or a deeper attempt to evade public scrutiny, but the district is evincing a clear pattern of trying to avoid transparency. This same BOE routinely changes agenda items the same day of meetings, sometimes mere minutes before meetings, and on occasion has actually retroactively changed agendas after meetings were held.

This is all beyond the pale and must stop.

Meeting time? Pick a time, any time!