Council Trims School Budget by $765,000 After 1,610 to 1,197
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7= HOW TO GET THE LEADER Just Fill in the Form On Page 12 And Return It to Us! — Serving the Town Since 1890 — ° § USFSUW2V PublUied OUR 104th YEAR Second Ctal PMa«r Paid at WntfMd, N J. Thursday, May 19,1994 Every Thursday 232-4407 FORTY CENTS ELIMINATION OF GRADE-SCHOOL COUNSELORS ADVISED Council Trims School Budget by $765,000 After 1,610 to 1,197 Defeat by Voters Council Suggests to School Board Members They Must Negotiate More Firmly With Unions; Councilmen Also Urge the Hiring of a Professional Negotiator for Board's Labor Dealings By PAUL J. PEYTON Superintendent of Schools for final to the budget in different areas from tain the current class size, be elimi- SiiedaHy WrinrufnrTlie Wmfirlil Irtulrr approval. Of the amount cut, those outlined in the eight-page reso- nated al a savings of $40,000. Also, The Town Council unanimously $565,900 was for specific line items lution. officials have asked the Board of passed a resolution on Tuesday night in the budget while the additional The action taken by the governing Education to eliminate their plans to FOR THE PARK...Maklng final preparation! for the Party In the Park June 11 to cut the Board of Education's $200,000 will be appropriated from body followed the April 19 defeat of hire a full-time painter at a savings, to celebrate the 76th birthday ofMindowaskln Park and its recent rcnovatimu, $41,306,636 tax levy by $765,900. the school board's fund balance to the school tax levy by Westfield vot- which includes salary and benefits, kfltoright.art.Mrs. Nancy Priest, Vice President of the FriendsofMlndowaskJn The 9-0 tally followed a two-hour help lower the lax levy. ers 1,610 to 1,197. The Hoard of of $40,000. Park; Mrs. Patricia Dunslan and Mrs. Erin Deombeleg or the Food Committee; special budget hearing that proceeded Town Administrator Edward A. Education and Town Council held First Ward Councilman Anthony Mrs. Susan Debbie, in charge of Children's Activities, and Mrs. Tay Miller, the govern ing's body work session Gottko announced during the work several meetings over the past sev- M. LaPorla questioned the elimina- Publicity. This event for the entire family will begin at 11:30 a.m. with the meeting. session meeting that school officials eral weeks to iron out the best course tion of the elementary school teacher. rededication ceremony and continues until S p.m. with rood, entertainment, The resolution will be turned over had indicated they would not appeal of action on the budget. Town resi- Second Ward Councilman James J. music and dancing and many activities for children. to the Office of the Union County the decision, but would make the cuts dents had at least two opportunities Gruba, who is Chairman of the Town during public hearings to comment Council's Finance Committee, said on the budget, officials stressed. the governing body had agreed locut Not All Recommendations for Cuts to School Board "This is a painful process, because any one of the new positions added to it involves a loi of different issues on the budget. He said school officials which I have received many letters have assured him the cut of the one and taken phone calls, including one teacher would not cause a significant Are Within Council's Statutory Scope, Dr. Smith Says as recently as tour o'clock this after- increase in class size. noon," said Mayor Garland C. "Bud" The largest overall cut came in the Superintendent of Schools Calls Advice on Possible Health-Care Savings 'the Height of Arrogance' Boothe. Jr. He added that all commu- area of construction services for nications received were reviewed projects included in the school bud- "very, very carefully" by the Town gel for Jefferson and Wilson Schools By TUCKER TRIMBLE the board had recommended a full- business curriculum cut was a com- term." Slinitllly Wtiurnfiir V\t WrufielilUmler Council. and Westfield High School. Projects time painter be hired by the district. plete surprise. The council recommended study Approximately 15 minutes before Dr. Smith said he thinks the Town The resolution includes a detailed thegoverningbody has recommended "I'm concerned about the inaccu- in six areas. One is the elimination of removing from this year's school the Westfield Board of Education's Council misunderstood the full-time racies," said Mrs. Jacobson. "I want all department heads at the high school analysis of where the Town Council regular meeti ng on Tuesday, the board painter as an additional position, felt were the best areas to cut in the budget are the roof and playing field to go on record as sayi ng the wording and intermediate school level. The renovations at Jefferson School, re- was advised by the Town Council of rather than a replacement. here is inaccurate." key to a strong educational system is budget. its decision to cut the school budget The council recommended that the paving of a rear parking lot and re- The Town Council also recom- Of far more concern to the board strong leadership at the department placements of doors both at the high by $765,9OQ. mended $100,000 be cut from the was the second resolution presented level, said Dr. Smilh. school board eliminate the addition Board Vice President and Finance of two proposed new elementary school and the roof and roof trip work high school business curriculum, and to the board by the Town Council. The second area is the consider- al the Wilson School. The council Committee Chairman, Mrs. Susan the Town Council goes into "unusual This area deals with areas the board ation by the board of consolidation of school guidance counselors al a total JacobVon, reported theTownCouncil cost of $100,000.The council Celt the said these projects can be deferred detail" why they think the business should look at in the long term, said services wild the town. for another year or two. Their com- recommended $200,000 of the re- curriculum should be cut, said Dr. Dr. Smith, and contain inaccuracies. positions, added to assist exceptional eduction to come from the free bal- "It's ironic," said Dr. Smith, "be- students who are disruptive in class, bined projects were projected in the Smith. One recommendation was a reduc- cause we've proposed maintenance budget at$213,000. ance ano $565,900 to-come from "It's unbelievable," said Board tion in Dr. Smith's sal.tryof $3,900. can be handled by child study teams programs, maintenance and other ar- service consolidation with them, and (hat consist of' psychologists, social Another big cui was inad« in the President, Mrs. Susan H. Pepper. Mrs. Pepper said the board feels it's always been the town that has eas. • ... - ......,,_...... VJ believe we should still be able to workers and learningdisability teach- recommended eliminationof the busi- very strongly the Superintendent's rejected the offer." ers. The Vice President also announced offer accounting and business law," salary is set by the board. ness education curriculum at thehigh Concerning the third are, outside school. The council noted only a few a special meeting will be held next Dr. Smith said. He pointed out the Concerning the second resolution, Another area recommended for a Tuesday by the Board of Education contracting, Dr. Smith stated theboard students are enrolled in the program large number of residents attending Dr. Smith remarked one of the prob- will continue to look into this. cut is an additional part-time library to take action on the resolution. More aide at Franklin School to save currently. Also, a similar program is council meetings to protest the pos- lems is the Town Council is notknowl- Thecouncil also recommended the appropriate information will beavail- sible elimination of programs like $13,000. The school already has a offered at the Union County Voca- edgeable about school budgets, nor board study a health benefit policy tional and Technical High School. able to board members by then, Mrs. Advanced Learning Program, or ser- should they be, he added. However, full-time library aide, officials noted. Jacobson said. that would require employees to pay The Town Council has recommended This cut, officials said, would save vices like nurses, which were not he said, the council "goes beyond more of their benefits. "It is my recommendation the board recommended for cuts, may have one of four new teachers proposed at another $100,000. their statutory responsibilities with "I consider this the height of arro- accept the dollar amount," said Su- added to the fact this recommended their recommendations for the long the elementary school level, to main- Other areas recommended for cuts perintendent of Schools, Dr. MarkC. COHlMlfOONPAQEU include u savings of $56,000 in health Smith. The resolution from the Town benefits through the staffing cuts rec- Council generally reflects the meet- ommended in lite resolution. ings held with the Council, Dr. Smith Trying to Determine Traffic Counts Occupies Also, Dr. Mark C. Smith, Superin- continued, but some items are differ- tendent of Westfield Public Schools, ent. has agreed to forego his $3,900 raise, Dr. Smith pointed out the addi- thus keeping his salary at the same tional $200,000 from surplus or re- Thursday's Session by Town Planners on ShopRite level this year and next year of serve dollars means a total of $130,000. A total of $365,862 had $1,166,352 will have been allocated Frank Sauro, General Counsel for Store, Sees Weekly Volume of Cars of Between 16,500 to 18,000 been budgeted for the Office of the from reserve funds into the 1994- Superintendent which includes sup- 1995 budget.