Jamesburg budget gets the nod

Voters OK budget, which will include after school activties and sports.

By: Elaine Worden
    JAMESBURG — Voters supported the district’s proposed $10.92 million school budget Tuesday 156 to 121.
    Voters also selected incumbents
Don Peterson and Frank Tarulli to three-year seats on the board. Mr. Peterson, the current board president, received 174 votes and Mr. Tarulli, the current vice president, received 169 votes. Write-in candidate ýPage=001 Column=003 Loose,0007.05þ
Karen Zimmerman won a third open seat with 56 votes.
    There were three seats up for grabs this year, but only two declared candidates.
    The 2005-2006 spending plan carries a tax rate increase of 10.65 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, bringing the total tax rate to $2.76. Under that rate, the owner of a house assessed at the borough average of $123,319 will pay $3,403 in school taxes during the 2005-2006 school year, up $136 from the current year.
    Driving the plan, which is 3.8 percent, or $399,735 larger than the current year’s budget, are costs associated with paying for after-school programs, reinstating a full-time librarian and landscaping and sewer services.
    The district cut the after-
school programs from its budget in 2002 when it had to find $228,000 to cover an unexpected increase in the number of special education students in the district. The board was forced to end funding for the after-school programs and lay off several teachers and the district’s librarians.
    After-school activities will carry a $5,000 price tag, including $2,150 to pay for things such as coaches and equipment for soccer and basketball
games.
    The district also will be providing its own sewer service for $4,000 and will pay $14,695 for lawn maintenance. Both have been provided by the borough since they were cut from defeated school budgets. The cost of a full-time librarian is $46,152.
    Speaking outside of Borough Hall on election day, voters had mixed feelings about the proposed budget.
    Joe Stanik voted against the budget. He said the board should find a middle ground between taxpayers and the needs of the district.
    "I think that they should start cutting back like we have to cut back," said Mr. Stanik, who was against the tax increase.
    Nicole Zablocki voted for the budget on Tuesday. Ms. Zablocki, a teacher in South Plainfield who also has children attending the Jamesburg School District, said she was surprised at how different things are in Jamesburg compared to the district she works at.
    "I personally feel that a district with two schools should support the two schools," said Ms. Zablocki.
    Carole Hetzell also supported the budget.
    Mr. Hetzell, who is retired, said it’s important for retirees, whether they have children or not, to support the budget.
"We have an obligation to the next generation," she said.
    Victor Segarra voted against the budget, due to concerns with the tax increase.
    "I think I’m overtaxed as it is," he said.
    School board members said they were excited about serving. Mr. Peterson said he appreciated that the community voted for him.
    "I’m pleased. I hope it signifies that the public agrees with what the board is doing," said Mr. Peterson after the election.
    If someone is elected through a write-in, the board then asks if they would like to accept the position. If they decline, the person with the next highest amount of votes is chosen, and if there isn’t anyone, the board has 60 days after its reorganization to pick a member.
    Ms. Zimmerman, who received the most write-in votes on the ballot, was asked by the board to become a member.
    "They did ask me if I wanted to be on the board, and I did say yes," said Ms. Zimmerman.
    "I’m looking forward to being on the board," she said. She also said she is looking forward to learning the process of being on the board and working to keep class size down.
    She said she was pleased that the budget passed.
   
The board hopes to continue concentrating going after Trenton for more funding for the programs that the state is mandating and to get test scores up, said Mr. Peterson.
    "I’m very happy that the budget was approved," said Ms. Zimmerman.