DENNISVILLE – Dennis Township School District administrators appeared before the Township Committee to push for passage of a referendum measure they say will help pull the district out of a financial hole caused by the loss of 75% of its state aid over the past few years.
The administrators’ presentation to the committee came on Tuesday, Aug. 13. Numerous members of the public and some school board members were in attendance.
The school board earlier this summer decided to ask voters for permission to add $2.2 million to the new school budget to help mitigate some of the state aid loss. The special election is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 17, from 2 to 8 p.m.
School District Chief Administrator Susan Spiers and Business Administrator Teri Weeks “hawked” passage of the referendum measure — the district’s mascot is a hawk — which is designed to combat the effects of the state aid reduction legislation, known as S2.
The legislation called for a six-step reduction in state aid to certain school districts, including Dennis, beginning in 2018. Dennis schools have lost about $4.3 million in state aid since then.
Weeks told the public the $2.2 million requested by the school district would not make the district whole, but would bring it back to 2020 levels. The 2024-25 budget adopted by the Board of Education on July 18 calls for an expenditure of $16,199,265, of which $12,299,602 would be raised by taxes to support what the administration described as “minimal programs and services.”
“The board and administration acknowledge that this budget is no longer thorough and efficient and lacks the necessary supports for our students, staff and community,” Weeks said in a statement released after the July 18 meeting.
She told the committee and public on Aug. 13 that the district had lost 75% of its state aid. In addition, the state ordered the district to create a balanced budget. “This budget is highly scrutinized by the state,” she said.
The budget includes $425,000 in surplus after almost all of the previous surplus, about $1.7 million, was applied to the new budget.
Spiers said the budget only includes about 0.3% toward facilities, which she said is very low. Administration expenses are 5.9% of the budget, and clubs and sports reflect only 0.01% of the 2024-2025 budget, she said.
“All our programs and services are impeded by S2,” she said.
Spiers said the township paid for a security guard and plans to increase the amount paid to the district for security.
The district is hoping to keep class sizes from growing, which is usually a result of losing teachers. Spiers said research shows that students learn better in smaller classes, earn better grades, have better test scores and have fewer disciplinary problems, things no members of the public in attendance disputed.
However, they are concerned about facing an increase in taxes.
One property owner, Giovanna Capuano, said her property taxes would increase $2,000 per year if the referendum measure passes. Another, who said she was a family member of Mayor Zeth Matalucci and was later identified as his mother, said her property taxes would be $16,000 if the measure passes. She said such a tax bill would cause her to sell and move out of the township.
The district’s presentation said the impact on the tax rate would be .244, which translates to a $244 increase for a home valued at $100,000. The district said the average home value in the township was $328,000, meaning such a home would see a roughly $800 increase if the referendum measure passes.
According to the state’s website, the average assessment in the township last year was $186,756.
Matalucci asked the administrators if one-time purchases, such as buses or needed technology, could not be purchased under a capital bond, rather than by increasing the tax rate. He said a capital bond would eventually be paid off, but the tax rate increase would exist in perpetuity. The mayor said removing items such as a $250,000 bus from the general fund budget would reduce the amount needed through the referendum measure.
Weeks said the district generally reserves capital bonding for facilities, but Matalucci suggested the district join with the township on a capital bond and pay off the debt, saying otherwise the people would be paying over and over again.
Spiers said the state recommended the district eliminate so-called courtesy busing. She said requiring students who live less than 2 miles from school to walk along Highways 47 and 83 is not safe.
She also said students are working with outdated Chromebooks, which one member of the public said should have been replaced before funding any sports. “Education should be put in front of sports,” the person said.
Louis Capuano said the district is already underperforming, scoring a proficiency rating of just 41%. A USNews.com report said the Dennis Township Elementary/Middle Schools in New Jersey are ranked 929th out of 1,322 elementary schools and 506th out of 695 middle schools in the state.
“I think throwing more money at it will not improve the situation,” Capuano said in a Facebook post. ”Why doesn’t the BOE try to live within their means like many families do? You don’t eat lobster and prime rib if you can’t afford your mortgage.”
Members of the school board spoke at the meeting.
“This was not the board’s fault,” member Joe Berg said.
Berg said the state was telling many districts to do more with less, adding that the school funding formula “doesn’t make sense” and the district is bearing the formula’s burden.
Board President Nicole Hoff told the public the board was being transparent and was not holding meetings “behind the scenes,” as some had suggested. She said the board has looked at every option to a referendum and found that some things are just not practical. She said the recommendation to send students in grades 6 to 8 to another district would cost more money.
Board member MaryKate Garry said, “It’s not us, it’s Trenton.”
Garry echoed Hoff’s sentiments that the district and board want people to be informed on the issue.
Spiers held two Zoom meetings on Aug. 19 to answer questions from the public. Only one person joined the 9 a.m. meeting, which was adjourned after about 15 minutes. No one joined the second meeting, which was scheduled for 7 p.m.
Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
