Middletown Committee To Board Of Education; Cut Additional $2.09 Million From School Budget

The number is in and it doesn't look pretty for the Middletown school system.

At tonight's Township Committee meeting that will be held at 8:pm down at Town Hall, the Township Committee will vote on Resolution 10-151 - Resolution Concerning Board of Education Budget.

This is the resolution that will instruct the Middletown Board of Education to further reduce the failed school budget by an additional $2,090,824.

Where does the Township Committee expect these cuts to come from? Restructuring of the health plan and bond refinancing, reducing money for classroom supplies and additional layoffs of administration personal.

Below is the breakdown:

Health Insurance Plan -$ 803,878
Bond Refinancing - $465,829
Nursing Services - $150,000
Summer Guidance change to federal grant - $70,000

Classroom supplies account - $58,000
1 Night Foreman position - $50,117
1 Public Relations position - $16,000
1 Assistant Business Administrator - $91,000
1 Assistant Principal HS South - $130,000
1 Assistant principal HS North - $130,000
1 Director Position -$126,000

Total - $2,090,824

With a school budget that has already been cut by $11 million is it feasible or practicle to expect the Board of Education to further reduce the school budget by an additional $2.09 million? The BOE has been saying since the defeat of its budget at the polls on April 20th, that it is not. They have insisted that there is nowhere else to cut without effecting the quality of the education the kids.

Based on these recommended cut it seems that the Township Committee thinks otherwise and they seem to be buying into the public anger over the perceived excess of high paid administration positions.

We'll have to wait for a few more days before we know if the BOE agrees with the Township Committee, they do not have to accept their recommendations and can reduce other areas of the budget if they feel necessary or appeal to the State Education Commissioner Brett Schundler for relief under that grounds that further cuts to the budget would be detrimental to the school system and that no further cuts should be inacted.