Final School Budget Hearing Tonight

After more than two weeks of review, the Township Committee will take formal action on the school budget, supplying a new figure to the school district tonight.

A subcommittee report released last week call for an $800,000 cut, most of which would come from a district wide teacher salary freeze, estimated at $600,000 in savings. The schools would need to negotiate the freeze with the teacher's union, although talks between the two parties are currently at an impasse.

The original budget proposal called for a 1.5 percent increase in teacher salaries, although that number was used as a placeholder. There is currently no teacher contract in place for the upcoming school year.

The Township Committee agenda lists six items underneath the school budget portion of the meeting, which is expected to start just after 8 p.m. in Town Hall. The subcommittee, consisting of Township Committee members Carolyn Gaziano and Mary Pavlini, along with Township Administrator Bruce McArthur, will give their report to the rest of the committee and to the public. The subcommittee report will be followed by the township auditor's report on the budget, and comments from members of the Board of Education.

After the reports, the public will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed changes, and the township committee will deliberate. A resolution specifying an $800,000 reduction for the budget has already been drafted, and a vote on that resolution has been scheduled at the conclusion of the schools portion of the meeting.

For more information on the proposed changes, see the previous Patch article, "Township Proposes 800K Cut To School Budget."