By AUBRIE GEORGE | The Moorestown Sun
Moorestown Public School District officials announced plans to hold a series of public meetings throughout February and March to discuss the 2010–11 school budget with members of the community.
Board of Education members met last week for a special meeting on budget development before entering into an executive session to discuss personnel issues regarding the budget.
“We are anticipating a very austere budget, which will have reductions in personnel for the first time in almost 20 years,” said Superintendent John Bach after the meeting.
Board of Education President Don Mishler said it was still very early and budget development is still in its preliminary stages.
Mishler told members three factors were causing a few unknowns that are preventing the district from being able to finalize the budget. Those factors, he said, include not knowing what the township’s tax ratables are going to be under this budget and not knowing how much state aid the district will receive. He said the district is also facing the potential effects of the state proposal that says school districts would have to use a portion of their surplus in order to offset cuts in state aid. For Moorestown, that could mean a loss of about $2 million, Mishler said.
Specific numbers were not discussed during the public section of last week’s meeting. Members said the budget numbers would be released to the public during the upcoming budget meetings.
Public meetings to discuss the budget are scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18 at Roberts Elementary School, Wednesday, Feb. 24 at South Valley Elementary School, Thursday, Feb. 25 at Baker Elementary School and Wednesday, March 3 at Moorestown High School. All four meetings are scheduled to take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Information about the budget workshop meetings will be posted on the Moorestown Public Schools Web site, www.mtps.com.
The idea for community meetings came out of work the board has been doing with focus groups that contain about 30 community representatives. The focus groups recommended the district create a community dialogue while developing the school budget.
Board members said they would use the upcoming workshop meetings to facilitate that dialogue. Members said they would collect public input and would find a way to use that input while developing the budget.
Members said they would also meet with township officials, union representatives as well as members of the Moorestown Home and School Association while developing the budget.
The board’s goal, Mishler said during the meeting, is to continue to run a quality program while minimizing the tax impact.
Mishler said the board would vote on the budget in late March.
Also at last week’s meeting, board members approved a motion to change this year’s school election time from 3 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Mishler said the decision was made after members of the Moorestown Home and School Association suggested an earlier start time would be more convenient for parents to get to the polls.
Mishler said the board would try the new start time and see how it goes, but members have the option to change the election time next year if it does not work out.
Polls will now be open from 2 to 9 p.m. during the annual school election, which is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, April 20.
