Holmdel Board of Education prepares for budget deficit

With Gov. Chris Christie's 2% percent property tax cap looming and cuts in state aid to education expected, the Board of Education explored ideas at Wednesday's meeting on how to generate revenue.

District budgets are due in March and Holmdel needs to prepare for an almost 25% cut, according to Board Vice Chairman Barbara Garrity, of the Budget and Finance Committee.

• One avenue being explored by the Board is "pay to play," where students would pay a fee to participate in after-school activities. High school senior Niriksha Kannan, a student liaison to the board, said that if students were made to pay for extracurricular activities it would restrict what they could take part in, because many clubs already have dues and require students to pay for trips. 
• Another option is to accept out-of-district tuition-paying students in the Holmdel schools. The district would have the right to approve applicants. 
• The district currently allows for facility use on weekends to various organizations for nominal fees, and the onus of paying custodial staff for overtime falls on the district. The Board will consider to what degree they can  continue to subsidize without taking away from educating students.
• Fees for courtesy busing could be explored. Garrity said it would be difficult to determine in time for budgeting without a set number in place and  parental response. 

Board member Mike Sockol said, with the state fiscal crisis trickling down to the districts,  "we need to approach this as: 'It's not just less money, but more autonomy from Trenton.' Having students come from other districts is a tremendous opportunity," he said. 

"Our schools are a community asset," Sockol said. "We need a final call to action for voters to step up and pass the budget."

The board anticipates a formal adoption of the budget on March 29. Public information sessions are being planned.

Superintendent Barbara Duncan said she and schools Business Administrator Michael Petrizzo were invited to a friendly meeting Wednesday morning with Mayor Patrick Impreveduto, Township Committeeman and Board of Education liaison Eric Hinds and Township Administrator Ray Wilson.

"We're all aware it's going to get harder, not easier, for towns and schools to balance their budgets," said Duncan. She said the group "talked through some issues."

"We left it at: We really need to start talking about shared service opportunities," said Duncan.