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<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" width="100%" class="forumline"> <tr> <th class="thCornerL" width="22%" height="26">Author</th> <th class="thCornerR">Message</th> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest 2</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Wed, Apr 22 2009, 6:07 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">"concerned" is 100% correct. A "no" vote most definitely does not correlate with displeasure with the board, only displeasure with the budget. I'm sorry that my note implied that it did.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>concerned</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Wed, Apr 22 2009, 1:12 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">A 'no' vote for the budget didn't necessarily mean that the BOE members aren't appreciated. Personally, I voted no, but have a ton of faith in the competence of the BOE. In these tough times it becomes harder and harder to pass budgets and not cut programs.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest 2</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Tue, Apr 21 2009, 10:38 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Thanks for the info Win. I'm glad to see that the budget passed and we have once again shown the Board that we appreciate their efforts and the hard decisions they have to make.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>wcody</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Tue, Apr 21 2009, 10:16 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Results of Cranbury School Election <br /> <br />MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (3-YEAR TERM; VOTE FOR 3): <br /> <br /> <br />Austin Schraudenbach -340 <br /> <br />Lynne Schwarz - 369 <br /> <br />Nicole Pormilli - 353 <br /> <br />Write-Ins: <br /> <br />SCHOOL BUDGET QUESTION: <br /> <br />YES: 274 <br /> <br />NO: 167</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Joan Rue</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Tue, Apr 21 2009, 12:06 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">The budgets would go up in the typical amount. For years, the amount budgets may go up is capped - traditionally 4%. During years of extraordinary growth, the State did allow Boards that applied for a growth exception to increase their cap by the amount that was required beyond the 4% increase for that line only. So for us, the years when we were graduating between 30 and 40 children from high school, but over 60 were entering freshman year, we were granted a greater increase than the cap, but only by the amount that we actually owed in tuition. We also had an allowance the first year an addition was occupied. <br /> <br />I'll be honest, I can't think of any year that the budget went down or stayed flat - years when the assessed value of the Township grew with warehouses and new developments, there was also growth in the school population, meaning more teachers, classrooms, books and supplies, transportation, utilities and benefits. While the Township was able to collect fees to help offset the costs of additional inspections and reviews, most of school costs are the responsibility of the taxpayer. The Cranbury Board belongs to consortiums to buy heat, electric, and paper, and many of our special education transportation runs are bid by the County Special Services Board. We share some transportation runs to private schools with districts like East and West Windsor. We use reserve accounts and surplus to try to offset the tax burden, but it's never enough.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Tue, Apr 21 2009, 7:53 am EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Joan, <br /> <br />In the 3 years when the budget was voted down since 1980, what percent did the subsequent year's school budgets increase by? Did they go up by a typical amount, more, less or stay flat? <br /> <br />Thank you.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Tue, Apr 21 2009, 7:10 am EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Joan - thank you for that explanation, which is very helpful. Also, thank you for all your work on the BOE. You will be missed!</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Joan Rue</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Mon, Apr 20 2009, 10:03 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Boards of Education are allowed to set aside money in three different kinds of reserve accounts- capital, tuition and maintenance, to help pay for the extra costs of capital projects, maintenance or large increases in tuition costs in future budgets. The money from a capital reserve account or a tuition reserve account cannot be used to pay for salaries, transportation, or other general operating fund line items. In April, 2008, the proposed 2008-2009 budget included a $363,422 capital outlay line which was fully funded by the capital reserve fund. So, in the tax levy of 2008-2009 of $15,216,230., the tax levy paid for the general operating costs- none of that money went to the roof replacement that was completed during the summer of 2008. In April, 2009, the proposed 2009-2010 budget includes a capital outlay line of $652,000. for the roof areas over the 1967 section of classrooms, as well as the cafeteria, and a pole barn to store items that are used by the school several times during the year, but are too large to store in any existing closet spaces(items such as risers, extra desks for testing, etc.) In addition $200,000 from tuition reserve is budgeted. and almost $400,000 from the current operating budget's unspent lines will be used to provide tax relief in 2009-2010. None of the proposed tax levy of $15,465,8529( an increase of $249,622) will be used to pay for the roof or pole barn. What didn't get spent in the 2008-2009 budget that allows us to use $400,000? There were savings in health and prescrption costs because our staff now does contribute more to their benefits; new textbooks for language arts have been postponed a year because the State has not completed writing the new curriculum standards, and major tecnology purchases are being funded by generous donations of both the PTO and the Education Foundation. The library's rent is $58,000. The rest of miscellaneous revenue is interest earned and other fees paid for use of the facility. The problem is that the school cannot make up the difference caused by the drop in assessed values of commercial property without a major cut in program. <br /> <br /> <br />The Board budget process begins in October when the business administrator reviews the current budget to determine which lines are over or under expended. In November, the Board's independent auditor presents the audit of the previous year's budget, as well as confirmation of the amount of money available in capital and tuition reserves, and fund balance. The auditor also checks to make sure all monies promised for tax relief have been spent. The Board then begins to work with Administration to determine what capital projects could be funded in the next year's budget. A readout of all salaries and benefits costs are reviewed in December, and then the first line item budget is presented to the finance committee. Line items are scrutinized; changes are made; in March the high school lets us know of the cost of next year's tuition. Finally, the State gives the District a State aid figure. In February, the Board made its first public presentation of the budget( no one came). With tuition and Aid firgures set, a revised budget is presented in early March, and then sent to the County's Executive Superintendent for approval. Then there is the public presentation of the budget at the end of March( Win Cody and Nick Kafasis came). The budget is then sent to the newspapers, and a copy is prepared for distribution to every household. A budget presentation is made to the PTO in April. There is another board meeting in mid-April to answer any of the public's questions( no one came). <br /> <br />I have attended Board meetings, or have been part of the Board since 1980. The Township Committee reduced the school's budget two out of the three times the budget was defeated. Programs such as instrumental music were reduced; late buses to the high school were eliminated; some classes had over 30 children and one teacher. The problem for the Township Committee is twofold: understanding in less than two weeks a budget it has not helped to prepare, and knowing how much of a decrease to the budget would satisfy the people who voted against it. The Board of Education does not have the money it would take to make up the difference for the change in assessed values. The only recours is to eliminate or severly curtail existing programs. <br /> <br />If you have not taken the time to review the budget, please do so before you vote tomorrow. A no vote could result in consequences that affect a district for several years.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Mon, Apr 20 2009, 9:27 am EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody"></span><table width="90%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" border="0" align="center"><tr> <td><span class="genmed"><b>Guest wrote:</b></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="quote">Does anyone have info on the candidates for BOE?</td> </tr></table><span class="postbody"> <br /> <br />I received a voting form for the BOE election in the mail. The names of the three candidates are on the form. I have not checked the Cranbury Press to see if the paper did an interview with the candidates.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Sun, Apr 19 2009, 1:54 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Does anyone have info on the candidates for BOE?</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Sun, Apr 19 2009, 9:47 am EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">I don't have an issue with the people. They are doing a very good job. I have an issue with the increase in cost this year, but the remaing part of the year they do very well. I voted yes last year. The purpose of the vote on the budgt is to provide a review if you are not comfortable with the increase.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>??</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Sun, Apr 19 2009, 9:15 am EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Thanks for the info. <br /> <br />I think for the people who oppose the budget, the more effective way is to support their own BOE candidates, similar to the Republicans did to the TC election.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest 2</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Sun, Apr 19 2009, 8:35 am EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">The BOE creates the budget, but gets a lot of input from the school administration. Remember the Administrators <span style="font-weight: bold">work for</span> the Board of Ed as do all the staff members.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>??</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Sat, Apr 18 2009, 9:58 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">I am curious. Did the BOE members work with the school to come up with the budget? Or the school determined the budget and asked the BOE to review it and stamp ok?</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Sat, Apr 18 2009, 9:53 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Fine. Vote yes. I'll vote no and hope enough people are concerned that they want a simple review before forking over 250 more a year. <br /> <br />When we have 376K, plus rent from the library our BOE should not need an average of 240 more a year per home.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest 2</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Sat, Apr 18 2009, 9:28 pm EDT<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: School Budget Presentation on 4/14/2009 (Tue)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">I like your simple math. <img src="images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="Very Happy" border="0" /></span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> </table>
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