2011-12 Budget Includes Restored Programs At Middle School Level

On Wednesday night, the Howell Township Board of Education introduced a budget that featured the return of several programs with the possibility of previously cut positions being restored.

The budget, which included more than $100.3 million for the general fund, also represented no increase in the tax levy from last year. 

What it does include is keeping everything that had been offered in the previous year intact while also bringing all middle school sports and co-curricular activities back to their full level. The programs saw some changes during the past year due to budget cuts, but they will be back to what they were two years ago at all three schools. That includes what had been a pay to play system that will be eliminated if the budget passes as it currently stands.

Other changes this year include the ability to replace some of the aging school vehicles in the district's fleet without the added burden of a lease over the course of several years. Other maintenance projects that had been put off during the last budget cycle are also back on the agenda for the coming year.  

According to Ron Sanasac, the district's business administrator and board secretary, the budget for the upcoming school year will also allow class sizes to be reduced. That will be done as district administrators look at positions they can fill according to need and priority.

That priority starts with teaching positions, followed by support positions. Other areas that could see spots added are nursing and student assistance, followed by administrative additions. 

The work to get the budget passed is not done yet for the administrators. They are planning to hold more presentations during the last week of March and the first two weeks of April. 

One of the biggest changes to the election process this year is that residents can now cast their vote with a mail-in ballot. The application can be found on the district's website or by going to the New Jersey State Department's website. That process needs to be completed by April 20 in order to be eligible for school elections.