Budget reflects lean times

Services remain intact, teacher cuts caused by decreased enrollment, By Jennifer Knocha Vernon — The process was painful, but in the end, the Vernon Township School District came up with a budget that they think is “educationally sound and fiscally conservative,” according the presentation given by Business Administrator Stephen Kepnes and Superintendent Dr. John Alfieri. Overall, the budget has decreased by $2.9 million from last year. It’s gone from $70 million to $67 million. Even so, the tax levy on homeowners is going up. Why? The state of New Jersey removed $3.4 million from Vernon’s state aid package; a cut of 12.5 percent. Even with that complication, the district was able to keep within the 4 percent budget cap. And that led to the increase. According to Kepnes, the tax levy will increase to $1.47 per $100 of assessed home value. With the average home valued at $228,385, this will lead to an annual tax of $3,356.77. Last year, the same family would have paid $3,242.59. Staff cuts The biggest news was that the district will cut staff. According to Kepnes, this is mostly due to two factors: decreasing enrollment and retirements. Overall, the district lost 209 students between 2008 and 2009 and that number is expected to increase in 2010. According to Alfieri, this will hit the high school the hardest. Itpopulation has declined the most in the past several years. The only other staffing change will be the sharing of an art teacher between Rolling Hills and Cedar Mountain primary schools. Other cost-cutting measures the district employed for this budget: Consolidation bus routes, bus stops and the sharing of bus routes with other districts, when possible. Return of a number of special education students to the district, saving both tuition and transportation costs. Cuts made in “every area possible,” from athletics and extracurricular activities to facilities and administrative costs. The district is also in negotiation with the teachers’ union on salary freezes and other contract changes, but the board could not comment on those talks yet. Not all doom and gloom But there is good news, according to Dr. Alfieri, who presented 12 reasons to support the budget. Among them were that class sizes weren’t raised, programs weren’t cut and no services were reduced. In fact, the district is adding a reading specialist to each primary school next year. He also said they are renegotiating the contracts of or eliminating all of the consultants now in the district, and they’re reducing supplies, especially paper. Alfieri cited an increase in students who pay to come to Vernon, rather than attend school in their own district, which says much about the district and brings in income. “We have tried to take virtually nothing away from the students. If the budget is defeated, we will lose control of our funds. It will go to the town council to decide.” After the presentation, board member John McGowan asked the 50-plus people in attendance if they were satisfied with the budget. A large number raised their hands to show approval of the current plan.

By the numbers
34 teachers retiring
21 will be replaced
18 will be laid off