By Matt Chiappardi, Staff Writer
HIGHTSTOWN A plan to relieve overcrowding at a school district polling place got the nod from the East Windsor Regional school board this week.
By a 7-0 vote, the board approved a redistricting plan drafted by board Vice President Bob Laverty that would take about 500 people who previously voted at the Melvin H. Kreps Middle School and direct them to the Police Athletic League office on Airport Road in East Windsor.
Last year, confusing signage and overcrowding at Kreps during school elections resulted in some people waiting as long as 45 minutes to vote.
Mr. Laverty’s plan would split the large District 2 into two smaller districts, effective for April’s election, allowing the voters who live roughly west of Route 33 and southwest of Hickory Corner Road to the Monmouth County border to go to the new polling place at PAL.
The remaining voters east of Route 33 in District 2 would still go to Kreps to cast ballots.
The plan has been approved by PAL, according to Director John Funda. It must now be submitted to the Mercer County Board of Elections so it can prepare poll workers and machines for the new location, Mr. Laverty said Wednesday. That will happen within the next few weeks, he added.
In other business, with the board still unsure how much state aid the district is slated to receive next year, Superintendent Ron Bolandi said, “we have to look at things that might be unpleasant for this community.” That includes, he said, possible cuts in staff, programs or both.
The superintendent stressed these are only possibilities, and said that no final decisions have been made.
He added that maintenance to what he called “big-ticket items” like roofs and fields will soon become a factor in the district’s budget.
A new funding formula signed into law by Gov. Jon Corzine this month initially seemed to give the district a $1.8 million aid increase for 2008-2009. But a provision in the law will force the district to return a portion of the aid directly to the taxpayer because it is spending above what the state deems “adequate.” That would compel East Windsor Regional to part ways with up to $1.4 million of that hike, according to a previously published report.
State Department of Education Spokesman Rich Vespucci disputed that refund number, saying the final aid calculation is “not a matter of simple math” and that a number of variables will determine what the district finally gets from the state. But he would not discuss what those variables are.
Many other revenue-generating ideas that reared their heads last year during budget time will be on the table again, the board indicated Monday. That includes charging more students for after-school activities, charging more community groups for the use of district facilities, raising the rates for the district’s before- and after-school child-care programs, and the privatization of busing.
The board also discussed possibly moving its regular meetings from Monday to Thursday, and one board member threatened to resign if that happens.
Bonnie Fayer said she has “long-term commitments” on Thursdays that she cannot break and would not be able to continue attending meetings if the day is changed.
The idea was broached by board member Stu Dolgon, who said he believes the switch would prompt more people to attend board meetings. With a few exceptions, school board meetings have been attended by only a handful of people since the school year began.
Mr. Dolgon said he believes many people stay home to watch television on Monday rather than coming out to municipal meetings.
”Mondays and Tuesdays are the highest rated nights on TV,” he said.
Published reports of Nielson Media Research ratings indicate that Sundays and Thursdays are the highest rated television evenings.
Board member Susan Lloyd attributed the low turnout to the Hightstown Borough Council usually meeting on the same night.
Mr. Laverty said he also would not be happy with the day change, saying his work schedules becomes more demanding as the week goes on.
Mr. Bolandi said he’d be able to handle the board meeting any night of the week.
In the end, the board indicated it might take up the issue before its reorganization meeting in April.
