Schools

It's Official: Township Cuts $800K From School Budget

The Township Committee passed a resolution on Monday night reducing the defeated school budget.

A unanimous vote of the Township Committee at 9:23 p.m. on Monday, May 10 cut an additional $800,000 from the Bernards school district general levy fund, reducing the tax increase from a proposed 5.07 percent to 3.93 percent.

The committee heard public comment on the subcommittee report released last week, which included the initial recommendation for the size of the cut. Superintendent Valerie Goger and Board of Education President Susan Carlsson gave brief statements, which were followed by comments from 19 additional residents.

Most of the comments questioned the committee's decision to recommend that the majority of the cuts come from salary freeze. "We will have great good-faith negotiations, that's what we always do, but what people do not realize is we have a limited number of days to get this done," Michelle Cappola of Vanderveer Drive said. The Bernards Township Education Association and the Board of Education are currently at an impasse in teacher contract negotiations.

Find out what's happening in Basking Ridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Carlsson said after the meeting that she expects the Board of Education to undergo a review of school programs to reduce the budget the specified amount. The Board will next meet on Monday, May 17. Whether or not the district will be able to negotiate savings in the amount cut from the budget remains to be seen.

"I don't know whether they are or they are no [going to accept a salary freeze]," Deputy Mayor John Malay said. "I personally have a little more confidence in the BOE in making progress on that front. Things cannot go on as they have before, and hopefully the union will get that message and perhaps cooperate."

Find out what's happening in Basking Ridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Some people said they don't think that it is realistic to have a salary freeze," Township Committee member Carolyn Gaziano said. "Salaries exceeding the cap is not a sustainable practice. I think it's a good opportunity to go back to the table and renegotiate these things." Teachers in Bernards have received a 4.5 percent salary increase in each of the last three years.

The recommended cuts may play a role in helping to school district curb teacher salaries, according to Malay. "Frankly what we did tonight is something that might reinforce the bargaining position of the school district," he said. "I think that the Board of Education should go to the union and say, you know what happened, it's your choice whether you will cooperate or not."

The ultimate decision about what will be cut falls to the Board of Education, which will work to reduce their proposed budget to the specified amount over the coming months.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here