BY LARRY HLAVENKA JR.
Staff Writer
HOWELL – The Township Council will proceed with a plan to match a $252,443 grant that was obtained by the Howell Police Department from the federal government for school security equipment and training.
However, the council expressed hope that the beneficiary of the grant – the Howell K-8 school district – would do more to help foot the tab.
The grant was obtained by the police department in September and is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. Officials said 119 New Jersey municipalities applied for the funding under the Secure Our Schools Act.
As part of the $504,886 project, the federal government would fund 50 percent of the cost and the municipality would pay the remaining 50 percent. That left Howell officials on the hook for $252,000.
Township Manager Thomas Czerniecki described the equipment to be purchased as “school security cameras, a very sophisticated system” and training for personnel.
Mayor Joseph DiBella sought to enlist the Board of Education to help pay the township’s share of the grant since the schools will receive the equipment. He said the board committed to pay the township $5,000 per year for 10 years – or $50,000 of the municipality’s $252,000 obligation.
The mayor failed to appreciate the gesture.
“It’s nice that the board will give us $5,000 over the next 10 years, but in a $100 million [school] budget … it’s not believable to suggest they can only find $5,000,” he said. “It’s not the point that we have a world class school system. I’m very upset about this, it’s outrageous.”
“I am appalled, it was an embarrassment,” Councilwoman Cynthia Schomaker said. “I would implore them to keep their $5,000 and give us a 50 percent match next year.”
Councilman Robert Walsh said, “They should chip in, period. We should go before them at a board meeting. It would be foolish of them to say no publicly.”
According to Deputy Mayor Peter Tobasco, the issue is a matter of safety and the school district administrators should recognize that they should help out.
“Think about the money we set aside for security,” Tobasco said. “Our first charge is the safety of the citizens. Theirs is the safety of the kids.”
When reached for comment, Superintendent of Schools Enid Golden said, “We worked on the grant jointly with the police and we were thrilled. From the beginning, we were told there needed to be matching funds and that the township would contribute the $252,000. We said ‘that’s wonderful.’ “
But after Czerniecki sent Golden a May 24 letter “asking us to contribute $201,000, which was the bulk of [the grant],” she said the district declined.
“The board said we’re not paying for this,” the superintendent said. “[They were] concerned, because this is a great deal for us. But we didn’t budget for it, obviously. I know [the council] thinks the money is there, but although our budget passed, we had to make cutbacks to get under the cap … We are running a tight ship that will only get worse.”
The superintendent said district administrators discussed the matter and decided to appropriate $5,000 a year for 10 years to help the township pay its $252,000 obligation.
“Even $5,000 puts us in a dilemma,” Golden said. “It’s putting us in a bind and we feel terrible about it.” Especially since she said, “there’s nothing more important than school security.”
Her point of contention remains with the fact that the township has already accounted for the grant in the 2006 municipal budget. She noted that the school district did not initiate the effort to obtain the grant.
“This was a bonus, a great thing,” she said. “I was thrilled the township budgeted for it.”
Moreover, Golden believes that whether the money comes from the school district or the municipality, “it’s the same taxpayers.”
The superintendent hailed the district’s attention to security and believes the federal grant is an important component.
“We have [systems in place] and we feel they are very secure,” she said. “It’s always been a priority. This would enhance it. I’m surprised [the council] is making this big deal about it. This isn’t news, they budgeted for it.”