County superintendent orders changes
By: Greg Forester
MONTGOMERY Somerset County officials have told the Montgomery school board to revise its student fee proposal as a condition of approval for the proposed 2007-2008 budget.
The revisions would exact the planned $100 fee only for those students who were actually taking part in extra-curricular activities and charge the fee on a per student basis rather than per household.
As proposed, the fee would have been charged to all households with a student in grades seven through 12, whether or not the student took part in the activities.
The revisions, mandated by the office of Somerset County Superintendent David Livingston, were expected to be announced at a board budget and finance committee meeting Thursday night at the Upper Middle School as The Packet went to press.
Board of Education Secretary Timothy Stys said the board did not expect the new numbers to change the expected $175,000 in revenue from the original plan, although the revisions could reduce the $100 fee.
"It is likely that the amount would either remain at $100 or be some amount less than that," said Mr. Stys in an e-mail to The Packet.
Other aspects of the activity fee plan will remain the same.
Students using the reduced fare or free lunch program would be exempt from the fees, and the central offices at the district would have prior knowledge of which students had the exemptions. This is intended keep the students’ identities confidential, which was something that members of the public have stressed at previous board meetings.
Activity instructors and coaches would initiate the collection of the fees at the start of the programs, probably by handing out forms to be delivered to parents, said Anna Murphy, district information officer.
Although doubt has been expressed over the ability of the district to enforce the collection of the fees, district officials remain optimistic about their ability to successfully collect the moneys.
"At this point we’re expecting parents to participate and comply," said Superintendent Dr. Sam Stewart. "The overwhelming majority of them have been positive and understanding."
Dr. Stewart cited the success rate of similar programs at Ridgewood High School in Bergen County, where Dr. Stewart had previously been superintendent. He said the success rate is about 95 percent.
The school district has still not decided what sanctions, if any, would be taken against students whose parents fail to pay the fees for activities or programs, said Mr. Stys.
While the revisions of the plan, and the participation rate could skew the estimated $175,000 in revenue the fees would bring in, district officials said this is a common occurrence with any revenue source.
"If one falls short, another source can pick it up," said Dr. Stewart. "We rent out the pool, we’ll have sponsors for the athletic structures; they all go up and down."
Another option would be to spend less on the appropriations side of the budget, said Mr. Stys.
The search for new revenue sources is partially due to a state-imposed 4-percent tax cap that restricted the ability of school districts in New Jersey to levy taxes for funding.
"We have a heavy reliance on property taxes in residential communities," said Dr. Stewart. "It’s a strain on everybody."
Rather than cut programs that parents in the district love, board officials said they would rather enact the fees as a way of keeping programs that are beneficial to one of the best school districts in New Jersey.
The Board of Education is expected to move ahead with the county superintendent’s recommended revisions, and then have a final public hearing on the proposed budget 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Upper Middle School.
Students and parents who have been circulating a petition against the proposed fees plan to gather before the meeting, holding a conference and officially presenting the petition to the board.

