Appeal of school budget vote rejected Holmdel committee critical of school board's budgeting practices BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer You already have $47.9 million. Poke around and you're bound to find the money somewhere. That was the message from the Holmdel Township Committee to the Board of Education on Saturday morning. By a 4-0 vote, the committee rejected the board's request for an extra $1.9 million in funding, telling the board it was irresponsible in preparing its overall base budget. The committee's decision reiterated the stance of the township's voters. In April, residents narrowly approved a $47.9 million overall school budget, but over 60 percent rejected a supplemental question to provide the extra $1.9 million. If approved, the additional funding would have been used for security updates, new technology such as computers and software upgrades, and retaining several part-time school nurses. A loud and boisterous crowd packed town hall for the special 8 a.m. Saturday meeting, often heckling, groaning and moaning aloud during the proceeding. One example of this behavior came during the comments of Board of Education member Karen Strickland. During one of a few occasions she got up to speak, Strickland pointed out that the board is not allowed to fund any items listed in a failed referendum question unless the committee overrides the vote. "So if you cannot see clear to just put a little bit back in ... if you cannot see clear to do what's right for the children, just a little bit, then we cannot do it," Strickland said, receiving loud groans from the audience. Deputy Mayor Alan Bateman said he was offended by such comments. "Why didn't you do the right thing for the kids when you put together the budget?" Bateman asked, receiving applause. Mayor Serena DiMaso said she was disappointed that $55,000 for part-time nurses was not included in the board's overall budget, a relatively "minuscule amount," she said, compared to the overall budget. While conducting her own research, DiMaso said she found that at least seven teachers at the top of the pay scale are retiring this year. Those salaries will be terminated either in June or July, yet they are still included within the board's overall budget. That's funding that could be used to pay for the additional nurses and other items, DiMaso said. "To us, it almost feels like you didn't prepare, so it's now our fault," DiMaso said. As for funding items listed on a failed question, DiMaso said she made calls to a few county and state officials who advised her, basically saying that although the items cannot be purchased, employees such as the nurses can be hired under a different title. Committeeman Terence Wall said he too was disappointed in the board, saying he was unable to get in touch with Schools Superintendent Barbara Duncan in the crucial days leading up to the morning vote. Duncan was also unable to attend the Saturday meeting. Duncan could not be reached for comment by press time. Wall researched the issue thoroughly, he said, and found that some of the computers the board wished to upgrade had never actually been purchased. Also, some of the items listed on the ballot's failed second question were already included in the overall base budget. "The failed referendum question incorrectly references a refresh of 68 computers that are nine years old," Wall said. He added that the base budget, the one sent to the state's Department of Education, Division of Finance, states the voter-approved budget already funds a refresh of the 68 computers. "Thus the request is not necessary if page F5 is accurate," Wall said. Board of Education member Barbara Garrity disputed this claim, saying the 68 computers are not included in the base budget. Wall also pointed out that the board lists upgrades to 72 computers purchased through the Monmouth County Improvement Authority, (MCIA) a low-interest loan program. "After inquiring about the age of the computers that were to be upgraded, I was advised that they were never actually purchased," Wall said. "After confirming this, I asked [Board Business Administrator/Secretary Michael] Petrizzo if the funds were still available in the MCIA account. He stated in an e-mail that they were not. Subsequent research indicated that the MCIA funding was actually still in place." Since the items were never purchased, Wall estimates the MCIA account should still contain about $86,400, an amount he calculated using the figures of $1,200 each for 72 computers, based on pricing provided by the administration, he said. Wall said the $86,400 could be used to fund the part-time nurses. That would still leave about $31,400, he said, which could be put toward security updates. Wall recommended that the committee and school board write a joint letter to the state Department of Education, asking for an appeal to allow the funding of part-time nurses through funds already provided in the base budget. "This appeal is to respond to a law which does not allow the Holmdel Board of Education to fund items in a base budget that were in a failed second question. This law highlights the danger on placing critical safety needs in a referendum question," Wall said. This idea was also passed 4-0, with the provision that a letter would be sent regardless of the board's inclusion. On Monday, Board of Education President Frank Luccarelli commented on the committee's decision. "Well, I think the only reaction we have is they made a decision and now we need to move forward in a positive frame of mind and figure out what we can do in the constraints of our budget," Luccarelli said. "Our heart is with the children to do the best we can." Luccarelli said he would have to consult with the board's attorney to see if it is possible to appeal to the state on behalf of the part-time nurses. "My understanding is if it's in the second question, we can't fund it with 07-08 funds," Luccarelli said.