The Town Council of tiny Guttenberg – which only has one elementary school and sends its older students to North Bergen High School – recommended on Monday that the school board eliminate the full-time position of schools superintendent.
The council voted to reduce the $13 million school budget by $392,517, after taxpayers rejected the Board of Education’s version of the spending plan in a vote in April.
When the council voted on Monday, they also recommended that the district cut several positions including that of the full-time superintendent. Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ramos earns $186,517 per year.
The resolution was passed at a special meeting on Monday, May 17, but an emergency meeting was called for May 19 after the council realized that there had been a typo in the amount of the tax levy passed. The new total levy – or the amount of taxes needed from property owners to fund the budget – was reduced by $392,517 to $9 million.
When voters reject a school budget, it goes to the council, which then recommends further cuts. The school board now must figure out where to slice money from the spending plan. They are not required to take the council’s suggestions about eliminating positions, but must make cuts somewhere in order to meet the new tax levy.
Gov. Christopher Christie cut state aid to many districts in New Jersey this year, forcing them to find new places to cut. Guttenberg lost about $800,000, or 17.45 percent, in aid for the next school year.
Lower taxes, but more layoffs
Mayor Gerald Drasheff said that under the original tax levy of $9.4 million, the school portion of overall taxes would have risen 7.3 percent, equaling a $160 annual increase for a home assessed at $100,000. Now the tax increase will be around 2.8 percent, with the same homeowner experiencing a $60 increase.
Anna L. Klein, the district’s sole school, will probably have to lay off more than the previously projected 18-20 employees.
In years past, the council has allowed the budget to remain the same after the voters rejected it, but this year, Drasheff felt that additional cuts had to be made.
The school board must now call a special meeting to decide on the final budget.
Suggests no superintendent
The resolution about the budget was passed unanimously except for two abstentions. Councilwoman Donna Florio is an employee of Klein School, and Councilman John Haberman is a former school board vice president and explained that he has relatives who are employees of Klein.
The council recommended that the district has “no need for a full-time superintendent of schools” and said that Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ramos earns too much at $186,517. They suggested that this supervision could be provided via a part-time position or an inter-local agreement with another district. The resolution officially reduces the line item for a superintendent’s salary by $136,517, stating that it could become part-time and shouldn’t exceed $50,000.
“I think in general, across the board and from all different walks of life, [administrative] salaries and compensations have gotten a little out whack from what you are trying to achieve,” said Haberman after the meeting, explaining that the children’s education was the most important thing to focus on.
They also suggested that two clerical staff positions totaling $35,000 and two custodial staff positions at $34,000 be eliminated.
Another recommendation suggested that $65,000 could be cut due a new state law that mandates workers to contribute 1.5 percent of their salaries to offset health benefits. Drasheff said that this measure was not official law when the budget was being crafted.
Due to non-union employees consenting to a salary freeze this year, $10,000 was saved.
Lastly, $112,000 is suggested to be reduced from supplies and contract services, including a $70,000 reduction in textbooks.
‘Save the teachers’
During the public session at Monday’s meeting, resident Delores Loppe said that Ramos’ salary could save five teacher aides or more from being laid off. She also suggested that the business administrator’s job, currently fulfilled by Jolene Mantineo, perhaps should also be part-time to save positions within classrooms.
Several phone calls to Ramos were not returned in time for publication.
“I know when my kids went [to Klein School], and my grandchildren now, the aides did a lot that the teachers couldn’t do,” said Loppe. “It was necessary for them to be there.”
And Loppe wondered if layoffs could cause overcrowding of students, which would cause the building to not meet fire code.
After the meeting, Jennie Sorensen, a teacher’s aide, said she was among those who received a layoff notice, but was unsure if she will be rehired in September. Often, districts let teachers know they may be laid off, but end up hiring them back.
Sorensen would become tenured if she returns next year.
Sorensen’s two oldest children attend Klein School, while her youngest will do so in the future.
“What kind of studies is my child going to get?” asked Sorenson. “Are they going to have books? Sometimes they can’t even afford books. Now are they going to have overcrowded classes? Is she going to have one teacher? Is she going to have an assistant to help? What happens when a child falls behind? Who will help them?”
She said that she has heard every sort of rumor, but just hopes that the children are still able to get a quality education.
Not much to cut
“This is the hardest thing I’ve done in the eight years I’ve been here,” said Drasheff after last week’s council meeting.
He said that last year the district received the most aid in years, at about $840,000. This year they were basically forced to rely on their surplus of $800,000 and on the tax levy, which accounts for 68.9 percent of the total budget.
He said that the formula Christie used to decide aid is unfair, since the small town has to pick up a larger share of its school budget than many other municipalities. “We pay a tremendous amount of money to special needs children, which has to be done, but it’s a terrific burden,” said Drasheff, explained that it costs $300,000 just to transport students to out-of-district schools. He feels that the state should pick up more of these costs.
He also said that the town pays around $4 million in tuition to North Bergen High School.
Most of the budget costs are fixed and can’t be changed, said Drasheff.
Drasheff said the council’s decision to recommend cutting Ramos as the superintendent has nothing to do with his experience, but he is a “luxury” that Guttenberg can’t afford.
Drasheff also wished that there had been more agreement between the school board trustees, whom he said were torn on whether or not to remove the position of a full-time superintendent.
Board ‘disappointed’
Board of Education Vice President Rebecca Vasquez said last week that the board had yet to receive a copy of the council’s resolution, although they had been advised of the cuts. He said that the district was already in a $150,000 deficit.
“The cuts out of next year’s budget will result in losses of more staff [and] larger classrooms,” said Vasquez, who declined to speak at more length about possible board decisions until they are given the chance to meet.
Vasquez said their budget has already been cut as far as it can be.
“I’ve never seen this in my years of education and as an administrator over 35 years,” said board member Robert Tholen, who after serving as Klein School’s principal, became the dual superintendent and principal until he retired.
After Tholen left Klein, the board decided that the dual position wasn’t working for the school. They hired an interim superintendent and then hired Ramos.
Tholen said that the district will have an even larger bill to pay in the future, since the current eighth grade enrollment is almost double the usual at 140 students, which could cause their tuition to North Bergen High to increase by $800,000 when those students become ninth graders.
“It’s going to have a severe impact on our students at Anna L. Klein School,” said Tholen.
Tricia Tirella may be reached at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com.