On Thursday evening, May 17, in the Municipal Annex Court Room, over 30 people converged on the Bridgewater Township Council. This was a last ditch effort to restore about $200,000 of salaries and benefits representing jobs of eight assistant librarians. The positions were part of the original Bridgewater-Raritan school budget increase of $6.1 million rejected by voters on April 17.
For two hours, the council patiently heard strong, passionate pleas by one person after another. School librarians, assistant librarians, educators, and other supporters petitioned the council to either convince the BR-BOE to make cuts elsewhere, or to reduce the $1.6 million cut by $200,000 to retain these positions.
The Bridgewater Council listened intently and was very sympathetic. Council President Robert Albano was especially liberal in granting speaking time beyond that normally allowed.
However, council members emphasized that a prior agreement had been reached by a tripartite subcommittee of Raritan Borough, Bridgewater Township, and the BR-BOE. Mr. Albano emphasized that this working committee had concurred to $1.6 million as an aggregate number only, and that the BR-BOE itself was to decide where to make specific line item cuts.
Time has effectively run out. May 21st is the State-imposed deadline for municipal governing bodies to determine and to certify to the county board of taxation the amount of money required for school funding. Under certain conditions, the law may allow a school district 10 days beyond May 21st to appeal to the Commissioner, but that could raise the ire of voters, and it would break the covenant now extant among the three parties
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