Policy Update: Relations with Vendors
and Emergency and Disaster Preparedness

In the recently readopted accountability regulations, effective Nov. 25, 2009, districts are required to establish procedures to ensure and track the prudent use of legal services by employees and board members. If the district’s legal cost exceeds 130 percent of the statewide average per pupil, the district must establish detailed procedures as outlined in the accountability regulations, unless it can provide evidence that such a procedure would not result in the reduction of legal fees.

This change in the regulation is reflected in the update to NJSBA’s Relations with Vendors model policy 3327 in the Critical Policy Reference Manual.

Further, on Jan. 11, then-Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed legislation requiring school districts to conduct homeland security drills to improve emergency preparedness. This new requirement reduces the monthly fire drill mandate from two per month to one per month and requires one homeland security drill per month.

A homeland security drill is defined as an exercise to an emergency situation which includes a non-fire evacuation, lockdown or active shooter situation. Districts may wish to coordinate these drills with the local police and fire departments and refer to their Safety and Security Plans.

Homeland security drills are not required to take effect until Nov. 1, 2010 and are reflected in the update to NJSBA’s Emergency and Disaster Preparedness model policy 6114.

A sample of both model policies can be obtained in the Critical Policy Reference Manual, online.

For more information, contact Lou Schimenti of the Legal and Policy Services Department at (609) 278-5271.

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