Board Calls Special Meeting On Tuesday

The has called a special meeting for Tuesday and may vote on whether . 

The panel is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. at the , 2801 Allaire Rd.

School boards statewide are being urged to decide whether to move the annual school elections by Feb. 17, according to a letter from Christopher D. Cerf, acting commissioner of the State Department of Education.

The Jan. 25 letter, sent to executive county superintendents statewide, urges school boards to decide by the middle of next month and notify county clerks if the district decides to change its election date.

The Wall school board was not scheduled to meet in regular session until Feb. 21.

Gov. Chris Christie on Jan. 17 signed into law a bill allowing school boards to move their elections to November, when national and statewide elections are held. Boards that make the move also do not need to present the district's budget for voter approval if it does not exceed the state-mandated 2 percent tax levy cap.

If the levy exceeds the 2 percent cap, it would need voter approval. Budgets will still require approval from the commissioner of state Department of Education.

The elections can be moved, however, without board consent, according to the legislation. The Township Committee could pass a resolution moving the elections or a public petition could also force the move.

Voters rarely pass a school district budget in Wall. Prior to last year's budget, voters defeated every budget dating back to 2000, with the sole exception of the budget in 2008.