Voters OK budget but reject second question

On an 18 percent turnout, the school district’s spending plan passed, 1,879 to 1,773.

By: Donna Lukiw
   Superintendent Karen Lake and school administrators breathed a sigh of relief Tuesday night when Hillsborough voters approved the proposed $97.1 million school budget.
   "I am absolutely thrilled and elated that Hillsborough voters approved the base budget," Dr. Lake said.
   With a turnout of about 18 percent, the budget passed with 1,879 votes for and 1,773 against, a margin of just 5.9 percent.
   "I am also thrilled that the public supported the budget," board member Judy Haas said. "The board has kept the necessary budget increases within the cost of living, and I feel that is important. I think the public recognizes that we have been able to maintain an excellent school system at a very low comparative cost per pupil."
   But the second question, seeking $318,662 to add two English teachers, a grant writer, a counselor at Hillsborough High School and a fine arts supervisor, was defeated with 2,017 votes against to 1,622 yes votes.
   The separate spending question would have added $14 to tax bills assessed at the township average of $350,000.
   "The second budget question was a response to those who attended our public hearings and indicated they would support a second question that dealt with educational enhancements," Ms. Haas said. "We offered a modest proposal in that regard and it didn’t succeed. But overall, I think we can look forward with much optimism for our school system and our school board."
   Dr. Lake said the Board of Education would take the second question to the Township Committee to see if any part of it can be reinstated.
   "The process now is that the Township Committee determines happens with the defeated separate proposal," Assistant Superintendent of Business Tom Venanzi said. "Only that body can restore partially or completely or not at all. We will send the township the details regarding the separate proposal and they will have about a month to make a decision."
   Passage of the budget sets the local tax levy for the 2006-2007 school year at $67,045,498. The tax rate will increase from $1.837 per $100 assessed value to $1.905, adding $238 to the school tax bill for the owner of a property assessed at the township average of $350,000.
   Due to the failed September referendum, Mr. Venanzi said, the high priority projects are now included in the base budget totaling $1.8 million.
   Among the projects planned to be completed by the next school year are replacing the roof at Woods Road School, repairing the control HVAC at the high school, repaving and fixing the parking lot and driveway at Triangle Elementary School, replacing carpet with vinyl tile throughout the district and replacing playground equipment at Amsterdam and Sunnymead Elementary schools to comply with state standards.
   The replacement of the HVAC system will cost $370,000, he said.
   "We’ve been having ventilation issues," Mr. Venanzi said. "We’ve been experiencing difficulties with the control system. We want climate control for the building so it’s more comfortable."
   Repaving the driveway and parking lot is planned for Triangle Elementary School at $63,000. The project was also included in the defeated referendum.
   "There are a number of potholes and cracks throughout the driveway and parking lot," Mr. Venanzi said. "It was repaved over 15 years ago and needs it again."
   Since the roof at Woods Road Elementary School is in dire need of repair, the reroofing of the school will also be included in the 2006-07 regular school budget.
   "When we have rainstorms, we’ve had large leaks and water come in the hallway," Woods Road School Principal Scott Rocco said. "We’ve patched it up but sometimes that doesn’t work. It can cause mold and sickness in the building."
   The reroofing is expected to cost $846,000.
   Mary Ann Mullady, Amsterdam principal, said the playground at Amsterdam is showing its age and it needs to be replaced, another item that was originally in the referendum.
   "It’s been here since the school was built," Ms. Mullady said. "Some of the things that concern us is that the nuts and bolts stick out. We want to replace it before it becomes a safety issue."
   Mr. Venanzi said the resurfacing of tennis courts at Amsterdam Elementary School and resurfacing the track at the high school will also be included in the budget even though they weren’t part of the September referendum.
   Mr. Venanzi said, there has been a lot of community concern over the condition of the tennis courts.
   "They asked us to consider to resurface the courts and we did," Mr. Venanzi said. "The community gets a lot of use out of it."
   The tennis courts are expected to cost $55,000 while the resurfacing of the high school track will cost $85,000.
   "The track was completely replaced about six years ago and the recommendation is that the track be resurfaced every five to seven years to protect the base in order to lengthen the life of the entire base of the track which would be much more expensive to do," Mr. Venanzi said.
   "Our goal is to have the projects completed before the school year begins," Mr. Venanzi said.