Mendham School Budget Praised By Committee, Community

New Mendham Township Superintendent Sal Constantino presented the 2013-2014 school budget to the Mendham Township Committee on Monday night in a meeting rescheduled from March 26.

The budget, puts forth zero tax levy increase for the third year in a row, but the average homeowner will be paying $28 more thanks to a loss of residential home value.

Ratables decreased $5.5 million, according to new Superintendent Sal Constantino, who spoke at Monday evening's budget presentation, meaning the increase seen by the taxpayer is coming solely from the loss of residential ratables.

The proposed 2013-14 budget has the same $13,895,226 tax levy of the past three school years. This year's budget will be calculated at a tax rate of $.7972 per $100 of assessment or $797 per $100,000. The ratable loss drops the average home value from $914,361 to $912,203.

"When voters get into the ballot box they will see the same number at $13,895,226 that they have for the past three years," Constantino said. "If the budget doesn't pass we then have to sit down with the Township Committee and look for places to cut. But with only 16.5 percent in discretionary funds, we would be looking at increasing class sizes, cutting programs or putting of maintenance and improvement projects."

Mendham Township Mayor Rick Merkt said the township committee was pleased with the work done on K-8 budget.

"I'd like to thank you on behalf of the township committee, it was a very good presentation," Merkt said. "Very informative and we appreciate you taking the time to come in and talk to us."

If the community members in attendance were any indication, the budget should have no problems passing public vote on April 16. 

"A clear presentation, and I just want to applaud you and the board for what I took away, which is the high achieving performance despite the challenges that were there, and keeping the tax levy at zero percent," said Pete Dumovic of Shelton Road. "And I especially applaud you for this mentality of a continuious improvement, which I guess can be done."

As one of the only districts in the region that did not move their elections to November, Mendham Township voters will need to approve their budget. Districts that moved their elections will forgo budget referendum as long as the budgets fall within the state's 2 percent cap.The right to vote is something residents still appreciate. 

"I wanted to congratulate you and the board for continuing to hold the school board elections in April, giving the rest of us the opportunity to vote on the budget and not changing it to Novemeber where we would not have a say," said Patricia Zimmerman of West Main Street.

Committeeman Rob Strobel said Mendham Township's K-8 budgeting work is an exemplary model for others to follow.

"I think it's a testimony to a board that works together with its administration in support of outstanding teachers and delivers a real value to the community,"  Strobel said. "I think it's a model that should be emulated in all of our schools, and I really appreciate the work you put in."