The workshop meeting of the Great Meadows Regional Board
of Education was held on Monday, November 12, 2007, at
Flag salute.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Richard Alexander, Jennifer Cassini, Maryann Citro, Peggy Faulborn, Robert Jones, Matthew Mowatt, Bernie O’Hara, and William Vonder Haar.
Absent:
Joe Mahal.
There were 3 members of the public in attendance.
Committee reports were
discussed.
Motion by Jennifer Cassini, seconded by Richard Alexander,
to approve the resolution between Great Meadows Regional Board of Education and
Whereas, Liberty Township (“Liberty”) commenced with a
petition on February 5, 2007, to the New Jersey Department of Education
(“Department”) to convene a Board of Review to authorize a referendum on the
dissolution of the Great Meadows Regional School District; and
Whereas, the petition to the Department by
Whereas,
Whereas, upon the following the denial of Liberty’s
petition, the Great Meadows Regional School District Board of Education in an
effort to facilitate a solution to the funding formula, arranged for mediation
between officials from Liberty Township and Independence Township; and
Whereas, subsequent to
the mediation process, the Board
approved on October 9, 2007, a compromise in the form of a referendum to be
submitted to the public on December 11, 2007, seeking to modify the current
funding formula based on 100% student enrollment to a formula, to be phased in
over five years, which would be 50% student enrollment and 50% equalized
assessed value; and
Whereas, upon being noticed that Liberty was
proceeding with their appeal concurrent with the referendum process going
forward, the Board voted on October 16, 2007 to rescind the referendum if
Liberty did not dismiss its pending litigation within seven days; and
Whereas, at a public meeting on November 1, 2007, Liberty
considered the Board’s proposal, rejected same, and responded with a proposal
of its own; and
Whereas, Liberty’s proposal included its agreement to
arrange for a briefing schedule extending the date for the Board to file its
opposition brief with the Appellate Division for 30 days beyond the December
11, 2007 referendum date. If the
Appellate Division was unwilling to grant the Board the aforesaid extension of
time, Liberty offered to reimburse the Board for the reasonable attorney’s fees
expended in the preparation of its opposition brief starting on November 1,
2007; and
Whereas,
Whereas, on November 2, 2007, the Board requested from
Whereas, on November 5, 2007, Liberty, represented to the
Board by
way of a letter from their attorney
which was accepted by the Board as valid documentation that it would dismiss
its appeal if the December 11, 2007 referendum to adopt a revised Great Meadows
Regional funding formula was successful; and
Whereas, the Board at a special meeting conducted on
November 5, 2007 considered
Now,
Therefore, Be It Resolved That,
the Board of Education for the Great Meadows Regional School District shall
proceed with a referendum on December 11, 2007 thereby allowing the residents
of both Liberty and Independence Townships to vote upon a new funding formula
for the Great Meadows Regional School District, which said formula shall be
based upon 50% of equalized property values and 50% on student enrollment to be
phased in over a five year period.
Be
It Further Resolved That, the Board’s
decision to proceed with this referendum is based upon its acceptance of
Be
It Further Resolved That, the Board’s
decision to proceed with the referendum is also based upon its acceptance of
Roll
Call Vote: Yes: Alexander, Cassini, Citro, Faulborn, Jones, Mowatt, Vonder
Haar.
No:
None.
Abstain:
O’Hara – Motion carried.
Motion by Peggy Faulborn, seconded by Jennifer Cassini, to adjourn at 9:50 PM.
Motion carried in a unanimous voice vote.
Respectfully submitted,
Julie Mumaw
Board Secretary