By Heather Niccoli, Special Writer
HIGHTSTOWN — East Windsor Township Council and the East Windsor Regional School District held a voluntary meeting July 13.
Both Mayor Janice Mironov and Superintendent Ed Forsthoffer discussed various community needs and the shared services between the school district and the township.
“Last year, we had the meeting as a result of the school budget failing to pass,” Dr. Forsthoffer said later in an e-mail sent to the Herald.
This April, voters approved the district’s $75.4 million budget, with 1,119 votes, or 54.6 percent of the ballots, cast in favor of the measure. 929 residents voted against the budget.
The budget called for 10 staff layoffs, including five teachers, as previously reported in the Herald.
EWRSD’s state contract with teachers expires June 30, 2012.
At the special meeting, Dr. Forsthoffer and Mayor Mironov discussed students’ desire to help others, including at the East Windsor Senior Center. Some students volunteer there to earn their community service hours.
“Students are beloved at the Senior Center,” said Mayor Mironov.
It was said that there were no major capital projects and that 5,100 students attended schools within the district during the 2010-2011 school year.
However, there were smaller projects including basic classroom repairs and also renovation of the high school library.
“We are spending enough that we can teach our students,” said Dr. Forsthoffer.
It cost $12,636 to educate one pupil at EWRSD, which, according to Dr. Forsthoffer, has declined over the last three years.
EWRSD Board Member Suzann Fallon told Mayor Mironov at the meeting that she is “excellent at getting grants for the community.”
When the meeting was about to finish, Councilman Peter Yeager said to the board that they “dealt with a lot more with a lot less” and that he wanted to thank them.
“We should do this every month,” Forsthoffer said jokingly.
However, Hightstown Council Member Larry Quattrone said he was a “little perturbed we weren’t invited to that meeting.”
He brought up the issue at the end of the Borough Council meeting Monday evening.
