Wyckoff BOE Presents $35.9 Million Budget Proposal

The Wyckoff Board of Education met Monday night at Eisenhower Middle School to present a preliminary $35.9 million budget preview which would represent a $156 property tax increase based on the average assessed home value of $810,000 in the township.

Interim School Superintendent Richard Kuder said the board has to present a preliminary budget proposal to the county by Friday and invited residents to a public hearing on March 28th at 6:30pm at the Eisenhower School to fully vet the proposal.

“Preparing the budget is one of the most important things the board does,” Kuder said. "We work to balance school needs and that of the taxpayers and we struggle with difficult decisions to find that balance.” Kuder said changes can be made to the budget proposal up until March 29.  

“The goal is to balance our needs against concerns of taxpayers, and we really struggle to find that balance,” Kuder said.

Last week Wyckoff was tapped to receive $324,057 in school aid for 2011-2012 under Gov. Chris Christie's budget proposal. The previous year the township received no school aid. Kuder said the impact of recently announced aid was reflected in the budget proposal.  “In these times of fiscal restraint we’re not looking at a budget that’s reaching out significantly,” Kuder said.

In addition to the budget residents will also be voting to fill three seats on the Wyckoff Board of Education on April 27. Currently two three-year terms and one one-year term is available. The board indicated it had not yet received candidates for any of the openings.

Also discussed was the recently completed parent survey which the board used to gauge both interest and knowledge about the current budget process. Kuder said they received 256 responses to the online survey and 63 comments or questions. Among the findings were the vast majority preferred receiving information from the school board electronically; 92 percent plan on voting in the school budget election; and 73 percent agreed with supporting student activity fees to fund certain co-curricular activities if necessary.

There was no announcement made regarding the selection of a permanent replacement for retired Superintendent Janet Razze. In January the board selected a candidate to fill the superintendents’ post, but has not yet publicly identified their selection. The board indicated the announcement should be forthcoming, but doesn’t have a date set as of yet.

Kuder, the former principal of Eisenhower Middle School, was selected as interim superintendent in June.

The next regular business meeting of the board is scheduled on March 14 at the Lincoln School.