School Board Introduces $50.5 Million Budget for 1997-1998
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f "-'-.'•> , r :r V-%iif& V- > l i *• ," *" *" "r i — Scning the Town Since 1890 • J ,.- (. ,..1.™ ,%jJ ". j -• .\,L ,-2*3 A s 11J ^j c v • -;•'.,- 52^ USFS6MU0 PubMihed OUR 107th VEAK-KSUE-NO. 9-97- Fcrlodk*!-Pomp Paid MWtttfhM.'NJ. Thursday, February 27,1997 Enty Thun4ty J32-4407 FIFTY CENTS BOE Candidate Field TEACHERS. TAXES. TECHNOLOGY ARE FOCUS OF BUDGET Includes Six Persons School Board Introduces $50.5 Million Seeking Three Seats Budget for 1997-1998 Which Represents By PAUL J. PEYTON Specially Wtimnjvr Vit Wtiffltid Uadtr Four more candidates jumped into Ihe Westfleld Board of Education race, two Lowest Percentage Increase in 15 Years, of them just before Monday's deadline for nomination petitions. With the new candidates, the field is set with six persons, including two incumbents, seeking By ANNA MURRAY only 58 percent of our revenues tricts are spending to establish a T reduction in the expected district sur- three available seats on the nine-member board. ttlWitMnWfildU come from the state," said board and E level." plus or free balance. Joining incumbent Dr. B. Carol Moinar of Wychwood Road and former The Westfield Board.of Education Budget/Finance Committee Chair- Calculations from that formula in- Also included among administra- school board member Thomas Taylor of Madison Avenue, are Patrick Keenoy on Tuesday introduced its tentative man John M. Toriello. dicarc that Westfield is spending tive support expenditures are: truns- of Harrow Road, Mark Kabakow of QrendaCircle, and Michael Kcsslerof Park 1997-1998 school budget of ; In addition to the enrollment jump, $2,052 more per pupil than the state portntion, liability Insurance, nnd Street. A last minute, surprise was the apparent change of heart of incumbent $50,527,495, representing a 0.95 per- utilities. Smallerexpenditures include Michael P. Madaras, capital outlays from the budget were deems necessary. Mr. Keenoy has spent his career in the education field and now serves as the centage increaseoverlastyear's spend- needed to fund the district's 12 new "Obviously what the state deems debt service, 1.2 percent; capital out- Director of Special Services in the East Brunswick school system. He has lived ing plan, the lowest increase the school classrooms in lieu of proceeds from necessary and what a Westfield par- lays, 3,8 percent, and' special rev- in town since 1979. His son attended Jefferson Elementary School and is now district has seen in 15 years. the failed construction bond, ent has come to expect of our school enue, 1,2 percent. a freshman at Westfleld High School, The percentage increase equals Assistant Superintendent for Busi- system are incongruent," said Fi- Included in this year's revised state The candidate has served on the Board of Directors of the Westfleld Baseball $0,059 in the tax rate per $100 of a ness and Board Secretary Dr. Robert nance Committee member Ginger funding legislation is a cap on the League and has coached baseball, basketball and soccer, He is a former Assistant home's assessed value, or a 2.47 per- C. Rader, reflecting on the small L, Hardwick. district's free balance of budget sur- Cub Scout Master at Jefferson School. cent increase in the amount to be amount of state funding, remarked As the meeting progressed. Dr. plus. In the past, Westfield's free bal- He said he decided to run for the school board because of issues such as the raised through local taxes. ance was maintained at a healthy 7 or change in thestate funding mechanism which will mean less funds for towns like that "the new funding legislation from Rader got specific withexactly where In describing the budget devel- the state made it almost impossible to budget dollars are designated to be 8 percent of the year's total budget, Westfleld and the "drug culture" kids are forced to deal with in today's society. according to the school board. Mr. Keenoy said Westfield has a number of challenges it is facing including opment process, Dr. William J. do a new budget. The rules on calcu- spent, Of the total budget expendi- the technology bond referendum proposed for the fall. Foley, Superintendent of Schools, lation and regulation are at best diffi- tures, 51.9 percent is earmarked for ' Mr. Keenoy has been a teacher, guidance counselor and school psychologist, announced, 'Teachers, taxes, and cult to follow and illogical. instruction. Included under the in- "Our schools are old," suid Dr. He said it is important for the local school board to find a balance between technology, that is what this budget "The rules changed every day. Just struction umbrellaarc: regular teacher Radef. "We have 100-year-old build- spending on education programs white not delivering a big hit on taxpayers. is all about." today we were required to download salaries, supplies, regular purchase ings to. maintain. Boilers go, roofs Mr, Kabakow is a product of the Wesifield public schools, graduating from "We've developed a budget with new budget software from the state orders, special education, athletics leak. ..we need to put dollars aside for Westfleld High School in ! 979. The candidate bought a home jaihe town three one of the lowest tax increases while into the system," he observed.. and summer school. these and other reasons." years ago. • still adding six new elementary and The new state law requires a cap of Among the issues that got him into the race is redistricting, His 5-year-old son three new high school positions, and Before considering any specific Instructional support, which in- 6 percent of the total budget on the has been pre-registered for Kindergarten in the fall at Franklin School. However, we' ve includedo ver$80O,000 to pro- budgetary needs of the district. Dr. district's free balance. To avoid state under the proposed redistricting plan, his son is now stated to attend Wilson cludes libraries, school ndministra- vide adequate technology in our Rader first had to determine into tion, health, stafftraining,child study penalties, the Finance Committee al- School, lopatcd $275,000 of free balance "I will be driving car pool in the fall. I want to know where I will be taking schools," he continued. which state- regulated "thorough and teams, speech classes and media, ac- my son," he said. , "I am confident that we've come efficient" (T andRE) level Westfield count for 16perccnt of the total 1997- originally slated for projects in 1998. The candidate is also concerned over the crossing guards and the overall up with the best compromise to deal would be categorized. This level rep- 1998 budget. Accounting for 26 per- safety of kids crossing dangerous roads such as Mountain and Lawrence with high property taxes, increased resents the state's definition of what cent of the budget arc Administrative Therefore, the replacement of the Avenues due to restricting of students. Mr. Kabakow said he is also concerned enrollment and the need For im- a district needs to execute a "thor- Support expenditures. Franklin Elementary School roof, and over the "upswing" in studefttpopulation. proved technology," the Superinten- ough and efficient" delivery of the Dr. Rader mentioned the following the replacement of windows at The candidate operates a financial consulting firm called the Expansion dent added. Core Curriculum Content Standards. efforts as key in keeping these costs Tamaques Elementary School, both Finance Group of Westfleld in which he serves as President. The from helps "We are proud of our efforts to "The T and E is not based on any down: reduction in health benefits projects that have already been businesses borrow money, in tuch areas as the bdnd market, in order to finance keep the increase down, especially real analysis. It is quite arbitrary," and administrative salaries; the elimi- started, wilt be completed and paid their future. for this year, "I have only the purest of reasons for runningfor the school board," he laid. in light of the fact we've had a 2.1 said Mr, Toriello. "The state took an nation of one administrative posi- percent increase in enrollment and average of what the 30 neediest dis- tloni two leeretarial poitlUgrts, ami u Keith S. Hertell, a member of the to seek reelection after all, The candioaw said he changed nls mfnd after Tl nance Committee, .outlined «6W numerous persons asked him to reconsider hi« decision. budget dollars will reinforce trie "I decided to leave it up to citizens" on whether or not he should serve another school board's commitment to tech- term, he explained. nology in the district. At the elemen- In addition to redistricting and the technological improvement plan, Mr. tary level, $140,002 will be spent on Madams has said he Is very Interested in Superintendent of Schools, Dr, William library automation. On the interme- J. Foley's proposal for strategic planning. diate level. $299,342 will be spent on He said it is important in a district with as many diverse views as Wesifield, computers, laser disc players, and that citizens be given more Input as to how the district spends their tax dollars. Mr. MadamsTs employed as Vice President/Financial Consultant with Smith teaching materials for geography, Bamey in New York City. He currently choirs the Long Range Planning science and mathematics. Committee on the board which is working with Dr. Foiey in developing the At Westfield High School, redistricting plan. Officials have said redistricting is necessary due to the six additional $182,500 will be spent on classrooms currently under construction at the Jefferson and Wilson Schools, mut hematic resourcecenter comput- Mr. Madaras has twasons who are fourth graders at famaqucs School, He ers, humanities pilots, Internet and said that during the past three years Westfield's curriculum standards have Ween online access, as well as an interac- strengthened as the district's potential is beginning to be realised.