BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
METUCHEN – Residents of the “brainy borough” came out in bigger numbers than other area towns in the recent school board elections.
The tax levy of the $27,004,195 budget was approved by a vote of 865 to 676 by 189 votes. This is the 10th year the budget has been approved.
Incumbents Mary “Terry” Kohl and Fran Brennan were re-elected for a fifth and second term respectively, and newcomer Eileen Frowenfeld won her first term.
Of the 8,740 registered voters, 1,529 , or 17.5 percent went to the polls on April 18.
“This year’s turnout was somewhat higher than the past years,” said board President Ronald Grayzel. “But it was still a small turnout.”
Citizens for Quality Education, a broad-based citizens group to promote excellence in the schools, was proactive in getting resident’s to vote.
“We are pleased that the voters of Metuchen value our schools, as witnessed by their passage of Metuchen’s school budget by a healthy margin,” said Joni Scanlon, a CQE steering committee member.
The school tax rate will rise to $2.59 for each $100 of assessed valuation.
That translates into $264.38 increase in school tax on a home assessed at the borough average of $186,600, for a total of $4,837 annually.
Schools Superintendent Theresa Sinatra was pleased the budget passed. But she said it was unfortunate Metuchen did not receive more state aid.
“It allows us to maintain the programs we have to offer,” she said.
Frowenfeld was the top vote-getter with 927 votes, Kohl was second with 856 votes. Brennan received 851 votes. Brenda Redshaw came in with 842 votes.
Kohl, Brennan, and Frowenfeld were sworn in at the reorganization meeting on April 19.
Incumbents Kohl and Brennan were happy to be re-elected again and are looking forward to seeing the Metuchen High School referendum completed.
“When I began my first term in 1994, I co-chaired the citizen committee for the first of the referendum projects,” Kohl said. “In this term, as chair of the oversight committee, I would hope to complete that effort with the successful completion of the high school project.”
Frowenfeld thanked her supporters.
“I am looking forward to working and learning from the experienced board members,” she said.
Redshaw is undecided on whether she will run again next year. But she would like to see the board complete the high school renovations.
“I have the confidence that they will make that happen,” she said. “I would also like to see advancement in the integration of technology in the high school.”
Grayzel was tapped to remain as board president, and George Trapp will serve as board vice president.
In other business, William Costello, of EPIC Management, who oversees construction connected with the referendum, said the district has received five serious bids for the Phase II work.
“We hope we can award a contractor and then start on the building right after school’s out,” he said.