School Budget Increase Pegged at $3.9 million.

Peter F. Starrs, at Tuesday evening's Board of Education meeting.
(Bergeron Image)

At a Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education meeting last night at the Wade Building in Martinsville, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Schilder – aided by School Business Administrator/Board Secretary Peter Starrs – presented a proposed 2012-2013 school budget of $133.8 million, a 3%, or $3.9 million increase over last year’s $129.9 million budget.
This represents a Tax Levy Increase of 2%, the maximum amount permissible under New Jersey law, should the proposed budget remain unchanged between now and the April 17^th, 2012 school election. 

In his presentation, Dr. Schilder explained  that reducing expenditures which reflect the 2% tax levy increase currently built into the proposed 2012-2013 school budget down to either 1.5%; 1.0%; or 0%; respectively, would reduce the proposed tentative budget of $133.8 million by $595,774; $1,191,500; or $2,383,101, respectively.

Key factors such as wage and salary increases and the amount of state aid – both of which are unknown at this time – could have a significant impact on the final budget. 

Administration to Present School Budget

Tomorrow evening, on Tuesday, December 20^th, the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education will convene at 7:00 pm in the Wade Administration Building to discuss the status of contract negotiations between it and the Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association. 

Lynne Hurley, Finance Committee Chairperson (Center), discusses a
topic with Board Member Jill Gladstone, as Assistant Superintendent
Cheryl Dyer reviews a document.

This meeting, which will conclude at 8:00 pm, will be in executive session.  (The Regular Session of the Board will open to the public at 8:00 pm.)

In a conversation with Board President Evan Lerner, last Thursday, he confirmed that a mediation session between the Board and the Teachers’ Union took place on December 8^th. 

He described it as “an interesting session . . . we are in one room, they are in the other . . . it’s a very slow process.  You don’t walk away with knowledge of what was accepted.”  Lerner added that “We want to get a deal done that is right for both parties.”

He did not, however, discuss any specifics of just what offers, if any, were presented to the mediator to in turn convey to representatives of the Teachers’ Union, or what counter-offers, if any, were proffered by the BREA.