Defeated School Budget Subject of Meeting on Monday

Lawrence Township public school officials will meet with members of Lawrence Township Council on Monday (April 30) to discuss the school district’s 2012-2013 budget that was The public meeting will take place at the township municipal building, 2207 Lawrence Rd. (Route 206), beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the lower level conference room.

Under state law, when a school budget is rejected by voters, it is sent to the governing body of the municipality for review. While it can recommend specific cuts, the governing body ultimately directs the school district to reduce the overall budget by a specific dollar amount. The district, in turn, than can make whatever cuts it deems appropriate provided that those cuts add up to the ordered amount, or the district can file an appeal with the state’s education commissioner.

Following several internal meetings in the wake of the budget’s defeat, school officials have , without impacting classroom operations. Superintendent Crystal Lovell and Business Administrator Tom Eldridge will present the district’s suggestions to township council on Monday.

“We’ll be having discussions with [township council] regarding our recommendations to them on how we can be responsive to the community and still maintain the integrity of our educational programs,” Lawrence Township Board of Education President Laura Waters said at the school board’s annual reorganization meeting held Wednesday (April 25).

A notice on the township's website notes that "formal action may be taken" and "executive session may be held" at the meeting on Monday.

During Wednesday's school board reorganization meeting, Waters was re-elected board president and Kevin Van Hise was named vice president.

The selection of board officers came just moments after Van Hise and fellow returning board members Thomas Patrick and Jo Ann Groeger were sworn back into office and the oath of office was administered to new board member Michael Horan.

The four were victorious in the . Horan was elected to serve the remaining year of an unexpired term, while the others were elected to full three-year terms.

One seat on the board – an unexpired term with two years remaining – remains vacant at this time. Three candidates were in the running for that seat, with the most votes going to Joshua Wilson.

In the days leading up to the election, Wilson notified the school district and local media outlets via email that he wished to withdraw from the election due to “an unforeseen personal obligation.” But because he did not withdraw from the race by the March 5 deadline set by the state, his name remained on the April 17 ballot.

Last week, Wilson submitted to the school board a formal letter declining the seat. Although Wilson has officially declined the position, the seat does not automatically go to the runner-up in the April 17 election.

Instead, by law, the school board must appoint someone to fill the seat until the next election in April 2013, when voters can choose someone to serve the remaining year of the term. In the coming weeks, the school board will advertise the opening, accept resumes from anyone interested in filling the position, conduct interviews with the candidates, and then appoint someone to serve until next April.

“I’m honored. Thank you,” Waters said during Wednesday’s reorganization after she was unanimously re-elected as board president following a nomination by Bill Michaelson.

Van Hise succeeds Leon Kaplan as vice president. Kaplan nominated Van Hise for the position.

Later, Waters announced that Kaplan recently received a rare honor by his being certified as a Master Board Member by the New Jersey School Boards Association. There are only about 260 such board members statewide, Michaelson noted.

“It’s a great tribute to Leon’s dedication,” Waters said.

During the reorganization, the board as a group recited the School Board Member Code of Ethics.

The fact that Wednesday’s meeting was the first Lawrence Township Board of Education meeting in 21 years where W. Michael Brindle was not one of the nine serving board members was not lost on those gathered. Brindle came up short in his bid for re-election on April 17.       

“We salute Mike Brindle’s 21 years of service,” Waters said. Plans are being made to honor Brindle in the near future, she said.

During the meeting, the board approved a new 12-month contract with Champion Energy Services to provide electrical service to the district. The contract, done through a competitive bid process, is expected to save the district about $70,000, according to Eldridge.  

Among the many reorganization and personnel items that the board approved Wednesday was one which, upon motion by Michaelson, designated Lawrenceville Patch as one of the district’s official “alternate newspapers of record.”

The full list of items approved can be found in the meeting agenda available from the media box above.

For School Budget and School Board Background, See:

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