Updated -Voters Approve $35.9 Million School Budget

A modest tax hike didn't stop Wyckoff residents from approving the 2011-2012 $35.9 million school budget on Wednesday. Its passage will translate into a $156 property tax increase based on the average assessed home value of $810,000 in the township.

The budget passed with 1,248 yes votes against 711 no votes. Fifty-four residents who voted by absentee ballot supported the budget, while 44 voted it down.

Voters also approved the Ramapo-Indian Hills Board of Education 2011-12 budget, by a vote of 1,227 to 726. The $49 million budget needed a cumulative majority from the three sending municipalities of Wyckoff, Franklin Lakes and Oakland. Now that it's approved residents in Oakland will pay about $36 less and Franklin Lakes will pay about $41 less for the average home. Wyckoff residents will see a $90 increase on the average assessed home.

Additionally voters elected Lisa Martone (950 votes) and Robert Francin (708 votes) to fill  two, three-year terms on the board. Raymond Hovey ran uncontested for a single, one-year term.

Three seats on the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional Board of Education were up for election, one in Wyckoff and two in Oakland. For the Wyckoff seat voters selected Isabelle Lanini who received 612 votes. Anthony Porro received 565 votes and Sabaudin Skenderi received 144 votes.

Following the results Wyckoff School Superintendent Richard Kuder said he was grateful the community backed the budget.

"I'm pleased that the community supported the budget and it passed by such a large margin. As a new superintendent I want to create a vision for the district and this budget helps fund that vision," Kuder said. "It's a really important step and coming off a defeat of the budget last year, for the programs we want to run, passing the budget was a big priority."

Hovey, who will be returning to the board after a one-year absence following two consecutive terms from 2004-2010, said he was anxious to reclaim a seat at the BOE.

"I'm excited. I think my experience on many of the different committees along with having been vice president before and hearing the different perspectives of others...I enjoy that," Hovey said. "I'm really excited about the curriculum...that's really a big goal for me...seeing the curriculum have long range objectives."

Martone, who was appointed to the board last April along with Francin following the resignations of Matthew Cole and Carl Anello, received overwhelming support at the polls.

"I'm honored and feel privileged to have been voted to the Board," Martone said. " I want to do everything possible to support our schools so we can move from excellent to extraordinary, and that means involving the community in better ways."

Martone, who has a child at Eisenhower Middle School, has spent her career in education at various levels. She has a science and mathematics background and was a classroom teacher and administrator while working at Ridgewood High School and within the Ramapo Indian Hills School District.

On Thursday Wyckoff Board of Ed member Diane Sobin, who chairs the finance committee, added her gratitude on the budget passage.

"The Board thanks the community for supporting the budget and expressing confidence in the District's management. The community recognized a fiscally responsible budget," Sobin said. "Our goal of improved transparency and increased community contact hopefully contributed to the overwhelming vote for the budget."