Board of Education Election Round-up: What's at Stake

Middletown Township Schools’ Interim Superintendent Thomas Pagano made a voter approval plea when the $144 million 2011-12 district budget was approved by the Board of Education in March. He spoke of what would be at stake and in voters’ hands today, schools election day.

Speaking of a usual low voter turnout for board elections, Pagano reminded the March budget public hearing audience that "tonight, this budget belongs to the Board of Education. After tonight, this budget belongs to you and the (rest of the) residents of Middletown. After the election (if the budget is voted down), the budget belongs to the township … Education is my business. It should be your business, too.”

He explained state protocol that if the budget is voted down as is, then it goes to the Township Committee for cuts. Once the committee is done lopping an unapproved budget, what the district initially wanted in the one brought to the polls could change quite a bit in areas where residents may be less likely to welcome changes. Once a schools budget gets to that defeated point, though, it is out of their hands.

The cost to residents, should the budget pass voter approval, would be $6.16 a month (including debt service) or $74 a year, for a home/property assessed at what is roughly the township’s average of $435,000.

That represents a 1.4 percent hike in the budget over last year’s spending plan figure of roughly $139 million, which still ended up costing the district a cut of 127 staff positions.

The good news, as Pagano sees it, is that Middletown, the largest district in the county, stayed well within the two percent spending cap — by coming in $906,166 below it — while still offering added amenities to students in this budget.

“Most programs have been returned and enhanced,” he said, including the district’s relatively new (existing for about a year and a half) all-day Kindergarten.

According to Pagano’s and Business Administrator/Board Secretary Amy Gallagher’s presentation, this year’s budget will also allow for the maintenance of: existing academic and co-curricular programs, staff, athletic programs, curriculum (new and revised), busing and building maintenance, which Pagano called critical since some of the district’s 17 buildings are in dire need.

The budget will also allow for the addition of 3.5 staff positions “to address class size” in the middle and high schools.

Salaries and benefits, explained Board Secretary/Administrator Amy Gallagher, account for about 79 percent of the budget, or roughly $86 million for the 1,414 employees in the district. That figure is down by 1.7 percent from last year’s $87.6 million cost.  For more details, view Pagano’s budget presentation in two parts here: http://www.middletownk12.org/ytys/2011-12_Budget.html.

In addition to the budget, voters will decide which candidates to elect to fill three expired three-year terms and one unexpired, one-year term on the Board of Education.

Three are vying to fill the unexpired one-year term of former board member Dan Skelton: Allan Burns, Leonora Caminiti and Ernest Donnelly.

Six are competing to fill the three expired terms of Laura Agin, Kevin Ryan and Rose Stallmeyer, who served on the board for two three-year terms and chose not to run for re-election this year. The six newcomers to the race are: Gerry Wexelberg, 8 Downing Court; Bob Banta, 180 Lohsen Avenue; John Macrae, 44 Devonshire Court; Richard Morrill, 7 Nottingham Way; Bob Superti, 36 Oakwood Road; and Barry Allan Travis, 52 Stephenville Blvd.

Polls are open from 4 to 9 p.m. at all the regular polling places throughout the township.