Middle Board Tentatively Approves $40-Million Budget

COURT HOUSE — Middle Township’s $40-million proposed school budget for the next year passed first muster with the Board of Education on Feb. 19.
With little hope of any increase in state or federal aid, the board, with Vice President Dennis Roberts casting the lone dissenting vote, approved advancing the spending plan to the county executive school superintendent.
That stamp of approval is needed, regardless of what aid may be forthcoming, in order to set the budget before the public at a hearing, on a date to be announced, then to a vote April 21 from 5 to 9 p.m.
The budget is up a scant .059 percent over last year’s $39.9-million. That budget, whch called for $20.8 million from taxes, was defeated 358-346, and trimmed by township committee before its adoption.
The idea of submitting a budget to the county executive superintendent early was debated.
“I’m trying to understand the sense of urgency,” said Roberts. “We never submitted one to the county (superintendent) without state aid numbers.”
“It never came out this late,” reminded board member Anthony Anzelone.
That alluded to the March 16 date when aid amounts will be released by the Department of Education, four days after Gov. Jon Corzine is scheduled to make his budget address to the Legislature.
Submitting the budget early does not affect its outcome, should state or federal aid amounts change. Such a change can be made at the public hearing.
The hearing can be scheduled between March 31 and April 3.
“In the event the government gives us more money, we should give taxpayers back some,” said board member Daniel Money.
“If we think we can live within these numbers, if Trenton gives some back, we should give it back to local taxpayers. In these times, we need every penny we can get,” Money added.
“At the same time, people are losing jobs and families are losing their houses. If we have to use state or federal money to cut our costs to local taxpayers, we should do it,” Money said.
Early budget submittal to the county would not be detrimental in terms of outcome, stressed board member George DeLollis.
“If we get less money, we will have the opportunity to review it at the hearing and adjust it,” he added.
The chance of getting more aid funding, said DeLollis, was “Probably equal to me winning a marathon in the next week.”
Should more aid flow, DeLollis sided with Money on giving taxpayers some relief.
Superintendent Michael Kopakowski reminded the board of a more stunning prospect.
“If we get less state aid, at the public hearing, it may be a significant amount of money, and we may be talking about decreasing the budget,” he said.
If aid figures are less than anticipated, the budget would then undergo scrutiny by the board’s Finance Committee for revisions.
“I’m sure that discussion will be very spirited,” Kopakowski added.
Several years ago, a budget was changed at the budget hearing, Business Administrator and Secretary Walter Landgraf told the board.
Earlier, Landgraf cited a “wish list” of items that amounted to over $600,000. Those items had been submitted by principals for “additional items.” Some or all of those items may not be approved, depending on the budget.
Of that sum, Landgraf said $282,356 was needed “to function and to improve.”
A fund balance (which some may call reserve) of $1.3 million was used in the present budget. For the next year, the available amount is $798,000, said Landgraf, a decrease of $528,000.
A second item that was “driving” the budget, he said, was declining enrollment from sending districts Avalon, Stone Harbor and Dennis Township.
Enrollment from Middle Township has remained level, said Landgraf.
That dip, largely due to Dennis sending fewer students, will translate to a $348,000 less from that district, and $33,000 less from Stone Harbor.
Are pupils heading to other schools, such as the county Technical School, wondered board President Calvin Back.
Not necessarily, said Landgraf. Dennis Township’s enrollment has been decreasing, and class sizes are “getting smaller,” he added.
Landgraf said overall, “There is a drop of $850,000.”
Landgraf reminded the board it is “legally allowed to increase the budget by 4 percent to cap.”
“There are no additional increases whatever,” Landgraf said.
Landgraf recommended that board consider lease purchase of items.
One such purchase recommended was a 15-passenger van in lieu of a larger bus.
It would be used to transport “small teams to different schools.”
Landgraf said such a van was needed, because the district had to send a shot putter, who made the state finals and one coach to the competition in a bus.
Because the field behind the high school has been upgraded, spring sports will be played there instead of transporting teams to Avalon, as was done last year.
Because of that upgrade, Landgraf recommended increasing the number of bleachers for that field, so parents could watch the games.
Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com