MILLSTONE — The Millstone Township K-8 School District Board of Education has adopted a $37.95 million budget to fund the operation of the district from July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016.
No one from the public commented on the budget during a April 27 public hearing.
On a motion to adopt the budget, Board President Margaret Gordon; Vice President David DePinho; and board members Cynthia
Bailey, Kevin McGovern, Amy Jacobson, Ramon Recalde, John Saxton and Melissa Riviello voted “yes.”
Board member Neil Schloss voted “no” on the motion.
When asked why he voted “no,” Schloss said, “As a board member and as an accountant, it is my personal and professional observation that the budget review process in the district needs improvement. Among the reasons for my ‘no’ vote on the budget, I can address the following:
“While I have been in office, not once in three years has the entire board performed a line-by-line analysis of the budget. In exchanges with board members from other districts, I have learned their boards will spend hours tirelessly agreeing and disagreeing, seeking alternative options and analyzing line items pertaining to contracts and expenditures.
“For example, a common-sense triple bid process for all major expenditure costs should be implemented at all times, derived from and supported by our own district policy. The last time I made a motion to the board on that effect, it did not pass. Just because the board is sold on the idea that taxes will not be incremented for a fourth year in a row, it does not translate into us relaxing the fiduciary responsibility voters of Millstone entrusted on us.
“Our budget presentations and discussions were characterized by broad, generic strokes of numbers and summaries. We never went into details, and the administration never bothered in providing us with the details. When asked, the answers from the administration were always wide-ranging.
“I fully understand and comprehend that radical changes to the system and the process must come to us from Trenton, but blaming Trenton for the lack of accountability of the process does not mean we cannot question or challenge the status quo and, at the very least, make every attempt to zealously protect the taxpayers of Millstone as they struggle to afford high property taxes.
“My stance may marginalize me within the board, but I remain resolute in questioning a bureaucratic spending process that refuses to be questioned or challenged,” Schloss said.
According to Business Administrator Bernard Biesiada, the 2015-16 budget will be supported by the collection of $30.1 million in local property taxes. The K-8 school tax rate is projected to decrease from $1.923 to $1.74 per $100 of assessed valuation.
In 2014-15, the average home in Millstone was assessed at $451,000. With a tax rate of $1.923, the owner of that home paid about $8,673 in school taxes.
In 2015-16, the average home in Millstone is assessed at about $496,600. With a tax rate of $1.74, the owner of that home will pay about $8,641 in school taxes.
An individual whose home was assessed at $500,000 in 2014 paid $9,615 in school taxes. If that individual’s home is still assessed at $500,000, he will pay $8,700 in school taxes in 2015-16.
Some residents could see an increase in their school taxes. For example, an individual whose home was assessed at $500,000 in 2014 paid $9,615 in school taxes. If that individual’s home is assessed at $575,000 in 2015, he will pay $10,005 in school taxes.
Millstone’s 2015-16 school budget will be supported by the receipt of $4.78 million in state aid. That is the same amount of state aid the district received in 2014-15.
There were several changes from the tentative budget the board presented several weeks ago. The changes include appropriations of $70,000 for a technology specialist, $80,000 for additional middle school teachers’ salaries, and $250,000 in lease purchase costs. These appropriations will be covered by $300,000 in tax levy funds and a $100,000 withdrawal from capital reserve.
The budget includes $1.2 million for roof repairs at the Millstone Township Primary School.
There will be two fewer teachers at the primary school and two fewer part-time positions, including a special education teacher, at the Millstone Township Elementary School. A full-time librarian will be changed to part-time or fall under a shared services arrangement, according to district administrators.
Additional staff will include a preschool teacher, a technology specialist, two parttime teachers for electives, one middle school special education teacher, a part-time teacher of gifted and talented students, and a part-time middle school math programming teacher.
In regard to Schloss’ vote of “no” on the budget, Superintendent of Schools Scott Feder said he cannot speak on the board member’s rationale since he did not offer one at the meeting.
“I can say that neither I nor the business administrator were the least bit surprised by [Schloss’] vote,” Feder said. “Board members are elected officials, and if improving education while not increasing taxes does not meet the expectations of a board member, then they should vote accordingly.
“In this case, only one member felt that a budget that keeps taxes flat for a fifth year in a row while improving the program was not the direction the district should be going in. I am glad to report that the other eight members did feel this budget was well worth a ‘yes’ vote for our community.”
Feder said the budget provides for additional offerings for gifted and talented pupils and middle school elective programming, among other enhancements.
The district will purchase a new K-5 math program and pay for additional remedial support in middle school, and Feder said there will be extensive programming in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
Feder said the board “has again adopted a budget that will yield no increase tax to our families, but we have not done this by liquidating our program or offering a wholesale one-size-fits-all education.
“We have done it while maintaining and improving upon the wonderful things our teachers bring to the children every day. A huge thanks to the board for the incredible work they do and the time they devote to this community. They are a great group who takes great pride in the schools and Millstone Township.
“Each year, our budgeting philosophy is simple. We start with one burning question: ‘What do we need in order to provide a world-class education for our students?’ I know ‘world-class’ is such a buzz term these days as we move into a global marketplace, but for us, it has meaning. It means we will work every day to meet our strategic planning vision to be the district that parents want to move their families into.”