Roosevelt, Upper Freehold-Allentown, Millstone included
By: Frank C. D’Amico
The Western Monmouth Panhandle Alliance has received a state grant to study the possibility of regionalizing the school districts of Allentown-Upper Freehold, Millstone and Roosevelt.
The alliance, an ad hoc committee of political and educational leaders, has been meeting monthly to discuss issues that affect the four municipalities.
Now, regionalization is up for discussion, and the group has received a grant of $75,000 for the study.
Roosevelt Mayor Michael Hamilton, spokesman for the alliance, said no timeline has been set for the project and no decision has been made on a firm to handle the study.
"We would most likely interview people, review their past regionalization studies and talk to those school districts," Mayor Hamilton said.
He also said he wants to "find the best firm and get the best study" so it could use the state’s money in the most efficient manner.
Mayor Hamilton said the alliance has been meeting with state Sen. Robert W. Singer and Assemblyman Joseph R. Malone III, Republicans who represent the municipalities, to discuss the issues.
The state has declared its support for regionalization of school districts.
In 1998, the New Jersey Regionalization Panel issued a report calling for new statewide laws and initiatives designed to bring "greater economic and academic efficiencies in local schools through both the combining of school districts and the sharing of services."
Later that year, the Millstone and Allentown-Upper Freehold school districts commissioned a regionalization feasibility study that excluded Roosevelt.
In October 1998, the report was released. It was written by attorney Ronald Ianole, a trustee of Rowan University, and educator Donald E. Beineman, who holds a doctorate in education.
Neither the Millstone board nor the Allentown-Upper Freehold board was happy with the report’s statistics and other information. Consequently, both boards voted soon after the report was issued to not pursue regionalization at that time.
Since the study died in early 1999, all three school districts have new superintendents. Dale Weinbach replaced William Presutti in Roosevelt in May 1999, William Setaro took over for Earnest Donnelly in Millstone in January of this year and Robert Connelly started in Allentown-Upper Freehold in May.
Millstone Township Committeeman Evan Maltz said the grant was "earmarked for Millstone" because the grant couldn’t be divided into four parts.
"Regionalization is something you should periodically look into if you’re going to be a good public official," Mayor Hamilton said.