By Amber Cox
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP — Residents of the Bordentown Regional School District on April 27 defeated the total operating budget of $33.2 million by a 1,283 to 989 vote.
Superintendent Constance Bauer said she’s obviously disappointed that the budget wasn’t passed because “we’ve already made significant reductions in spending and were able to present the budget within the 2 percent cap.”
”We were hopeful that those pursuits would have resulted in having the budget pass,” she said. “There are questions about what may happen as a result of the meeting (with the mayors).”
Dr. Bauer said a meeting with be held with the municipal officials, Mayor Lynch from Bordentown City, Mayor Michael Dauber from Bordentown Township and Mayor Ed Tyler from Fieldsboro at 7 p.m. May 12 at the high school.
”At this point we really do have a budget that I believe is fiscally responsible,” she said. “The impact of any additional reductions will not be fully understood until after we have the opportunity to meet with the municipalities.”
Where the cuts will be made are still unknown.
”My ongoing focus with the board will be to ensure that we continue to preserve that which is necessary to maintain a quality school system in the classroom and, to the best of our ability, in the extracurricular activities that our students are so actively engaged in over the course of the year,” Dr. Bauer said Tuesday.
”When we had chosen to build into the base budget, whether it was busing, middle school athletics or the (full-day) kindergarten program, it was because we believe firmly that those programs and services are really critical parts of what promotes a strong educational program for youths. It would be under duress that we would have to go back and review any of those aspects of our programs or operations,” she said.
Bordentown Township residents also defeated the special municipal referendum question that was defeated by a 816-283 vote. The question was to exceed the state mandated cap to deal with the township’s $540,822 deficit.
Township residents assessed at the average $302,300 would have paid a proposed 41 cents per $100 assessed for a total of $1,238.20 in municipal taxes, an increase of $151.
Mayor Michael Dauber said there was be a special township budget meeting Wednesday, May 4, to discuss the budget and where cuts will be made, another one on May 9 and one later that same week.
”We have to adopt our budget as well as a resolution for the school budget,” he said. “We’re going to try to do this as fast as possible.”
School board budgets need to be adopted May 19 and township budgets need to be finalized May 20.
Had the school budget passed, residents in Bordentown City would have had a tax rate of $1.36 per $100. Homeowners assessed at the average $224,994 would have paid $3,032.71 in taxes, an increase of $41 annually.
Residents in Bordentown Township would have seen a tax rate of $1.37 per $100. Homeowners assessed at the average $281,311 would have paid $3,853.96 in taxes, an increase of $99 annually.
Residents in Fieldsboro would have seen a decreased tax rate of $1.40 per $100. Residents assessed at the average $180,238 would have paid $2,523.33 in taxes. $50 less.
Incumbent Michael MacEwan and newcomer Lisa Hartmann ran for one three-year school board seat representing Bordentown City. Ms. Hartmann won the seat with 264 votes. Mr. MacEwan did not earn a seat with 178 votes.
Incumbent Thomas Potts and newcomers Mark Turgyan and Howard Barman all ran for one three-year school board seat representing Bordentown Township. Mr. Potts won the seat with 494 votes. Mr. Turgyan received 439 votes and Mr. Barman received 435. Incumbent Mona Goff ran unopposed for one three-year school board seat representing Fieldsboro. She won the seat with 38 votes.
School board member Thomas Dalton said he is not surprised the budget failed and was one of the members that voted against it.
”I was disappointed that we were putting in future raises for administrators and nonrepresentatives before negotiations,” he said. “I wasn’t surprised it didn’t pass. It seems like a lot of people just didn’t want to pay more in taxes. We should spend our money more wisely over here.”
Mayor Dauber said he was disappointed with the results for the referendum but respects the voters’ decision.
”The referendum in itself was designed to give the voters a greater voice in the budget process and as the results show, they want a reduced budget,” he said. “We will begin the budget reduction process by eliminating $540K from the base budget and will try to minimize any reductions in staff and services provided to the residents. Along with the $540K in reductions, we will continue to control spending as well as continue to explore cost-saving measures and bringing new development to town to help rebuild our declining ratable base.”

