Deadline for adding question is March 29
Frank D’Amico
UPPER FREEHOLD — Parents opposed to the district’s proposed three-tier busing schedule have asked if there are any other alternatives.
At an informal meeting with school district officials Monday, parent Debbie Blair asked if there could be a separate question about the busing on the school budget ballot April 18.
Three Board of Education members attended Monday’s meeting, including board President Lynne Meara.
Ms. Meara said the board would have to vote as a whole to decide if it wants to include an additional ballot question.
District Business Administrator Ann Murphy said the deadline for adding a ballot question would be March 29, the same day the board is schedule to vote on the proposed $17.2 million budget.
There is a public budget hearing scheduled Monday night.
Approximately 20 parents opposed to the busing schedule, which would create three different starting times in the district to save the district from having to purchase new buses, attended Monday’s meeting.
Dr. Murphy stressed if the busing question is defeated and the budget is also defeated, the parents wouldn’t be happy with the result.
“The budget has to pass and the busing question has to fail for it to change,” Dr. Murphy said.
Dr. Murphy said there might be some reluctance to add a ballot question because then many special interest groups would request a variety of ballot questions.
This could be a problem because, historically, school budgets have not passed in the election, administrators said.
Board member Lee Hensley said he remembered one budget that failed even though there was no increase in school taxes. Last year’s budget failed by three votes.
Ms. Meara said it’s disheartening to see budgets fail by only a few votes.
“If the budget fails by 300-400 votes, then that is a clear mandate,” she said. “I’d rather it be that than have it fail by only a few votes.”
The parents presented the administrators with a petition containing approximately 250 signatures opposing the proposal.
They are seeking more signatures to add to the petition.