Officials plan review of Mat-AB budget
BY MICHELLE ROSENBERG
Staff Writer
ABERDEEN - Aberdeen and Matawan are preparing to set the new school tax rate after voters defeated the proposed $56.8 million budget.
The township and borough have both assigned one person each to look over the budget and meet with Superintendent of Schools Bruce Quinn.
Aberdeen has instructed Township Manager Mark Coren to meet with Quinn. Matawan has directed Borough Administrator Brian Valentino to review the budget and meet with Quinn.
Both sides have been in contact with the district, but no date has been set yet for a meeting with Quinn. It is unclear at this point if the meeting will include Coren and Valentino together, or if they will meet separately as in the past.
Valentino said he contacted Coren to try to set something up, but was told that Coren needs to get approval from the Township Council before taking any action.
Coren said Aberdeen is planning to follow a process similar to last year, in which the municipalities met separately.
Matawan Borough Councilman Paul Buccellato said he feels this "does a disservice to the regional school district, and to the most important residents of the district, the children. The two towns should meet jointly, because it is a regional school district and they have an obligation to the residents of both municipalities to meet."
Aberdeen Mayor David Sobel said that the process used in previous years proved effective, and has improved the township's relationship with the board.
Quinn said he has no preference, and he will "meet whichever way they can work it out."
"Hopefully we'll be able to sit and talk and come up with an agreement," he said.
The two municipalities have 30 days from the date of the defeat to review the budget and make recommendations. State law mandates the governing bodies of both municipalities set the new tax rate in the case of a defeated budget. They must agree on a number, and have adopted the same resolution by May 19, Valentino said.
If they cannot agree on a new budget, it will go to the state. The school district also has the opportunity to appeal if they do not agree with the new budget.
Both sides are anxious to work with the board and try to meet their needs.
"We are working on a process in which we can bring closure to the situation," Coren said.
"The educational needs and well-being of our schoolchildren is of critical importance to all of us," said Matawan Borough Councilman Paul Buccellato. "We know how hard it is to prepare and present a budget that meets the objectives of the Board of Education and is still fair to the taxpayers. I am sure that Mr. Valentino, Mr. Quinn and Mr. Coren will be able to work together to fulfill this important job the voters have entrusted to us. It is important that this not be a political but a managerial process."
Quinn said that he is hoping they can work something out that will enable the district to put up some additional lighting and security at the schools, after voters defeated the districts request for $450,000 for this purpose.
"Given our past history, I think we ought to do something with issue," Quinn said.
Once the new tax rate is recommended, the school district will go through the budget and make appropriate financial cuts to it.
Both sides are expecting a lot of action to take place this week on the matter. Valentino and Coren both said they are waiting for the district to contact them with a date, and when that happens, they are ready to go.
In other school district news, the board met April 25 to reorganize and prepare for the upcoming year.
Newly elected members Kenneth Aitken and Charles "Chuck" Kenny, as well as incumbent Jan Rubino, were sworn in to their seats. All three were elected to full three-year terms. They were administered the oath of office by Business Administrator Laura Venter.
In a 5-4 vote, board member Cathy Zavorskas retained her position as board president. Board members Lawrence O'Connell, Gerald Donaghue, Aitken and Kenny were the opposing voters. Donaghue was appointed vice president in an anonymous vote.
The board also appointed Kenney, Gross, Kovats, Campbell & Pruchnik, of Red Bank, as the board attorney, and Jersey Shore Bethany Pediatrics, Hazlet, as the school physical/health services director for the year.
Board meetings will remain on the third Monday of the month at 8 p.m. at the board offices located at One Crest Way in Aberdeen.
BY MICHELLE ROSENBERG
Staff Writer
ABERDEEN - Aberdeen and Matawan are preparing to set the new school tax rate after voters defeated the proposed $56.8 million budget.
The township and borough have both assigned one person each to look over the budget and meet with Superintendent of Schools Bruce Quinn.
Aberdeen has instructed Township Manager Mark Coren to meet with Quinn. Matawan has directed Borough Administrator Brian Valentino to review the budget and meet with Quinn.
Both sides have been in contact with the district, but no date has been set yet for a meeting with Quinn. It is unclear at this point if the meeting will include Coren and Valentino together, or if they will meet separately as in the past.
Valentino said he contacted Coren to try to set something up, but was told that Coren needs to get approval from the Township Council before taking any action.
Coren said Aberdeen is planning to follow a process similar to last year, in which the municipalities met separately.
Matawan Borough Councilman Paul Buccellato said he feels this "does a disservice to the regional school district, and to the most important residents of the district, the children. The two towns should meet jointly, because it is a regional school district and they have an obligation to the residents of both municipalities to meet."
Aberdeen Mayor David Sobel said that the process used in previous years proved effective, and has improved the township's relationship with the board.
Quinn said he has no preference, and he will "meet whichever way they can work it out."
"Hopefully we'll be able to sit and talk and come up with an agreement," he said.
The two municipalities have 30 days from the date of the defeat to review the budget and make recommendations. State law mandates the governing bodies of both municipalities set the new tax rate in the case of a defeated budget. They must agree on a number, and have adopted the same resolution by May 19, Valentino said.
If they cannot agree on a new budget, it will go to the state. The school district also has the opportunity to appeal if they do not agree with the new budget.
Both sides are anxious to work with the board and try to meet their needs.
"We are working on a process in which we can bring closure to the situation," Coren said.
"The educational needs and well-being of our schoolchildren is of critical importance to all of us," said Matawan Borough Councilman Paul Buccellato. "We know how hard it is to prepare and present a budget that meets the objectives of the Board of Education and is still fair to the taxpayers. I am sure that Mr. Valentino, Mr. Quinn and Mr. Coren will be able to work together to fulfill this important job the voters have entrusted to us. It is important that this not be a political but a managerial process."
Quinn said that he is hoping they can work something out that will enable the district to put up some additional lighting and security at the schools, after voters defeated the districts request for $450,000 for this purpose.
"Given our past history, I think we ought to do something with issue," Quinn said.
Once the new tax rate is recommended, the school district will go through the budget and make appropriate financial cuts to it.
Both sides are expecting a lot of action to take place this week on the matter. Valentino and Coren both said they are waiting for the district to contact them with a date, and when that happens, they are ready to go.
In other school district news, the board met April 25 to reorganize and prepare for the upcoming year.
Newly elected members Kenneth Aitken and Charles "Chuck" Kenny, as well as incumbent Jan Rubino, were sworn in to their seats. All three were elected to full three-year terms. They were administered the oath of office by Business Administrator Laura Venter.
In a 5-4 vote, board member Cathy Zavorskas retained her position as board president. Board members Lawrence O'Connell, Gerald Donaghue, Aitken and Kenny were the opposing voters. Donaghue was appointed vice president in an anonymous vote.
The board also appointed Kenney, Gross, Kovats, Campbell & Pruchnik, of Red Bank, as the board attorney, and Jersey Shore Bethany Pediatrics, Hazlet, as the school physical/health services director for the year.
Board meetings will remain on the third Monday of the month at 8 p.m. at the board offices located at One Crest Way in Aberdeen.
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