Manalapan-Englishtown Residents Sound Off on 2011 School Budget

At last year’s public hearing on the proposed budget for Manalapan-Englishtown schools, the auditorium at Wemrock Brook School was filled to capacity. This year, the masses did not show for the March 29 public hearing, but some parents, taxpayers, and staff did appear to voice their concerns on the proposed budget. Their comments ranged from concerns over the financial impact of the tax levy, to the quality of education and services provided.

The meeting began with Superintendent John J. Marciante, Jr. and business administrator Veronica Wolfe co-presenting the budget to the public in a PowerPoint presentation.

Here are the highlights as the Superintendent presented them; he called this the most important slide of the presentation:

• No reduction in academic programs
• Activity fees suspended (music and sports)
• Field trip funding increased
• Three restored elementary teaching positions to reduce class size
• Three restored elementary counselor positions to return to one full time counselor per building
• Expanded academic enrichment program will reach more students
• Project read initiative continued

Marciante said that the budget reflects what the Board of Education feels is best for the district.

“What you feel - what about the feeling of the tax payers?” Close asked. She questioned why the township must go to a 2 percent cap on the tax levy when, as Marciante announced, the district lost 100 students this year.  

“I can tell you that with a 16 percent in state aid last year and a 14 percent this year, that if this district did not go to cap, it would never be able to maintain the quality of education that these people moved to this community for,” Marciante said.

“The picture of going to cap must be taken into context with the relationship it has to state aid. We lost millions of dollars from state aid. As you can see, our raise in taxes was only $900,000 this year. We lost more money that that last year in state aid,” continued the Superintendent. “And that’s why we went to cap,” he added.

Mary Cerretani is a member of the Child Study Team and said “it’s too bad” that some residents are concerned over the tax increase.

“I think that most parents want their children to succeed,” said Cerretani. “And I think that the taxpayers will support this budget. And I applaud you for doing it for our students, so thank you very much,” she added.

This sense of optimism wasn’t shared by Joe Bove, a parent of a child who has an IEP, an Individualized Education Program.

Bove was disappointed to see that full-time special education teaching positions were not reinstated in this budget when they were cut last year.

“You are taking away a special education teacher which costs a lot more money than the aid who doesn’t even need a college education to come in for half that time,” said Bove.“So, yes, it is a budget question,” he added, after the Superintendent told him that this matter was a private concern and not appropriate for the forum.

It was clear that Bove attended the meeting to argue the budget on behalf of special education children, specifically hearing impaired children. His child must attend another school to receive those services. He would later address the Board about the IEP process and the district’s ability to adequately meet these children’s needs.

“So you’re saying, ‘Yes, it’s more important for a child to play a musical instrument than for the hearing impaired children to go to their school where their peers are - their neighborhood kids are. That’s more important? So Johnny can go play a clarinet so his parents don’t have to pay $50? That’s more important?” asked Bove.

Marciante responded that he’s not saying that, and that the district’s primary responsibility is to provide children with a “free and appropriate” education. Later, the Superintendent added that the district “follows the rules” in providing services.

“You’re not answering the question,” said Bove. “And everyone here knows it,” he added.

“No, I’m not answering it the way you want me to, which is unfortunate,” said Marciante. He moved on to take other questions.

Close took the floor again to question the allowances made for the Superintendent and the Business Administrator, specifically their post-employment benefits.

Wolfe said that these allowances are not given to her or the superintendent directly in pay and invited Close to view her employment contract.

Close said this item in the budget made her curious when the district seems to be cutting other corners and raising taxes. She would address the Board again in the public comment portion of the agenda and expressed her concern about retaining employees if the budget is voted down this year.

Resident Lisa Dimino said that she does not mind the 2 percent cap, but services should be provided to all children at various levels of learning.

Dimino supported Bove and said he is making his comments because parents of special needs children are concerned about the district’s decision not to restore those full-time positions.

“I feel that you need to address the academics before you address the extras,” said Dimino.

Cerretani retook the floor to say that she feels that in the special needs program, the classroom aides follow the teacher’s recommendations closely and adequate instruction is provided.

Board Member James Mumolie asked Cerretani to verify that the team’s recommendations do not stem from mandates by the Board of Education; Cerretani asserted that that has never happened.

“Just know that we certainly would be recommending appropriate programs for children. And none of us would want to be standing in front of any parent and not be giving them professionally what the child needed,” Cerretani said.

Steve Leviton is a resource room teacher at Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School who recently returned from a disability leave. He is also the father of a seventh grader who is an athlete and a musician; he spends a lot of money on extracurricular activities. He thanked the board for their diligence and called it a “great budget”.

“They [the Township Committee] cut way more than what we’re asking for in the way of a tax increase this year,” said Leviton. “That’s significant; it should be pointed out,” he added.

The Deputy Mayor of Manalapan, Committeeman Ryan Green, was the only official from the governing body to attend the meeting. 

Pat Berger, president of the non-profit Foundation for Manalapan-Englishtown Regional Schools, agreed with Leviton about the extracurricular activity fees.

“I think when you’re talking about education, you’re talking about the education of the whole child,” said Berger.

She said that last year, the foundation received a $25,000 grant that helped students pay for their activities. Through an application process, kids wrote in and described why they wanted to pursue their activities.

“If you would read the letters from these students of why they want music in their lives, your heart would break,” said Berger.

With Berger’s comment, the Board concluded public comment and voted to adopt the tentative budget, which the public will vote on at a public election on Wednesday April 27.

Download the movie