Substantial hike seen likely in Montgomery school budget

Draft budget proposes $9.4 million spending increase, about 16 percent.

By: Kara Fitzpatrick
   MONTGOMERY — A draft school budget that was presented by Superintendent Stuart Schnur and Business Administrator James Strimple Jr. on Tuesday calls for a substantial spending increase for the 2005-2006 school year.
   But, Mr. Strimple cautioned, the figures are far from concrete and do not take into account some necessary items, such as the amount the district will receive through state aid and an increase in the township’s ratable base.
   "During the later part of February or early March, we will be able to give you the real numbers," Dr. Schnur told those attending Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting.
   The $67.1 million draft budget proposes a $9.4 million spending increase — about 16 percent — over the 2004-2005 school year. Administrators say the increased expenditures are a direct result of the immense growth the school district has faced in recent years.
   "This is a school system that has grown 400 percent in a 14-year period," Dr. Schnur said.
   The draft does not include funds to purchase the equipment — including technology — for the new high school that is scheduled to open in September. Dr. Schnur said he estimated current requests for outfitting the new school to be about $1.9 million, but noted, "We still have to continue to cut that backward."
   Because of the addition of the new school, the district will be granted a state cap waiver from the maximum 3 percent budget increase allowed annually. Administrators do not estimate a second ballot question to increase the budget beyond the state-imposed cap will be necessary.
   The draft budget calls for an additional $4.3 million in staffing — from custodians to administrators to teachers — a $1 million hike for heating and electricity and a $570,000 jump in contracted transportation services.
   Board of Education Vice President Reginald Luke said he is confident the figures will get "more and more specific" once the budget "gets whittled down."
   Dr. Schnur said this year’s likely increase is not prone to becoming a trend.
   Dr. Luke agreed. Because a new school is being opened, "There are some implicit costs that I think everybody understands," he said.
   Transportation services will be a significant item in the new budget. If approved, a revised transportation plan, which was outlined Tuesday by district Transportation Supervisor Jeannisse Peatick, would double the number of contracted routes to 29, with the rest being handled in-house.
   The current district system, said Ms. Peatick, consists of 50 elementary and 50 high and middle school routes daily. Officials project that will increase to 72 high and middle school routes and 52 elementary school routes during the 2005-2006 school year.
   To accommodate the growth, the revised system proposes that each bus route serve an individual school, Ms. Peatick said. The plan is designed to alleviate the often long bus rides endured by some children, said Ms. Peatick.
   The plan, if accepted, also would stagger school start and end times, with the high school beginning at 7:30 a.m., the lower middle school at 8:15 a.m., the upper middle school at 8:27 a.m., Orchard Hill at 8:10 a.m. and Village Elementary at 8:55 a.m.
   A revised transportation plan was necessary, according to Dr. Schnur, because "children have suffered in terms of seat time." He said excessive time spent traveling on school routes takes away from important instruction time.
   But, he said, the cost of improving the plan is significant.
   "We are adding an entire new school," said Dr. Schnur. "We cannot pretend that is inexpensive."
   But, board member Richard Specht said, the board is aware that "even if there is a cap waiver (to cover the costs of opening the new school), we still have to pay for it. The board is very cognizant of what kind of impact this has. We’re all township residents. I have a concern about the taxes also."
   School elections are scheduled for April 19. The deadline for filing nominating petitions to run for Board of Education positions is 4 p.m. Feb. 28.