Palacek wins seat

SUSSEX COUNTY - The High Point Regional High School Board of Education met Monday to discuss the $20-million budget voters turned down 948-777 on April 20. Voters also brought in a new board member, Tina Palecek, who led all candidates with 575 votes. Incumbents Edward Vander Berg and Donald DeKortewere re-elected, as a third incumbent, Kevin Jenkins, lost his seat on the board. "The most salient issue to me is the budget," said Palecek. "I believe the currently available resources should be utilized to their fullest before the addition and/or implementation of new programs which will cause undue hardship on taxpayers." Superintendent John Hannum said the board would meet with the town councils and committees of all sending districts to negotiate spending plan. "Of course, we are disappointed with the budget defeat," said Hannum. "We have a solid, fiscally responsible budget." Hannum said he was discouraged by the turnout of only 13 percent of registered voters. With a growing school population and the need to address educational excellence, the board is considering all the options and the potential impact on the students and school programs, according to Hannum. "The councils and committees have received a packet of information containing our budget and other information prescribed by law," said Hannum. "If the respective councils decided that cuts are in order, they must agree on an amount to be cut and they must make suggestions where the cuts should be made." The budget is based on an estimate of 1,383 students, 89 more than current enrollment. The high school is regional and serves Branchville, Frankford, Lafayette, Sussex Borough and Wantage.