What was that amount for a turf field they want to install?? over 900,000?

Yes, that's right.. but what I should have added--and will--is that they hope to get some grant money to help fund this project.

I wonder what the Board of School Estimate, chaired by the Mayor with two other Council members, will have to say about the $1MM artificial turf? You remember? The Board of School Estimate that has never met, outside of its one or two statutory workshops?

I just thave a hard time swallowing that cost for turf when over two hundred hardworking men and woman are without health benefits!!! That nimber is very close to the amount it costs to cover the benefits.

nimber=number :)

QBY.

Stop confusing things. Turf is a capital expense. Benefits an operating expense. You borrow for a capital expense. You can't borrow to pay salaries or benefits.

OK,I will agree to educate myself better on what is a capital expense and what is not. Just wish people in this town will start to recognize the injustice of taking away health benefits from the people who work hands on with children longer than the classroom teacher each and every day of school. Special Ed Aides especially, working in the situations that they do deserve health benefits.

you borrow a million dollars for fake grass. who could question the wisdom in that, eh?

in these times, with the understanding that the school population is FLAT, we're adding 13 salaries to expenses? That is, quite simply, insane. Clearly the schools are being over funded and they're casting around for ways to spend the excess.

I'm shocked...shocked at ROC for not pointing out that:
-capital expenses due increase the tax levy, just not this year.
-that this 2012-13 capital expense plan is 3x higher than what was in the 5 year plan for 2012-13.
-that this plan is a 6% increase to the total school debt, excluding the one-time expense of the Bullock School.
ROC, you're slipping.

due=does

PATCH continues public relations puffery for the BOE in this sunny report, calling last year's enormous surplus "unexpectedly high," but we still don't know that the surplus was "unexpected" or unknown, never proven though claimed by Lombard to defend cutting aides and health care while a huge pile of cash was under their noses. No one has been held accountable for last year's huge "surprise" surplus which made cuts and conflicts unnecessary, unless Dr. Alvarez's abrupt resignation is payback by the BOE for its embarrassment of riches. The most impt school spending is for high-quality adults in the classroom--teachers and aides--not for overpriced textbooks that become obsolete and require new exorbitant purchases from Pearson-Gates or McGraw-Hill, not for turf, not for smartboards or for digital language programs which are no substitute for real teachers. Every classroom needs a full-time aide with healthcare. Every classroom needs fewer students in it to maximize individual attention to children. Children develop intelligence from close adult attention not from ten-pound textbooks. Large classes mean only the few gifted and the few stragglers will get attention from overstretched teachers without aides, while the vast middle with great capacity will be largely ignored, which is how large classes triage the students. This BOE proclaimed a bogus fiscal crisis last year and is spending money wrongly this year while telling us all is fine--fooled once...fooled twice....ira shor

I'd like to know with a huge surplus and $800K in additional funds that we didn't expect to get, then why is there no mention of a DECREASE in the tax levy as a result????

Seriously 900k+ for artificial turf (and we know it will end up costing more) for Heningburg Field. Why Heningburg field? We need to focus on academics not athletics. How do we stop this??

AstroTurf? I remember the good old days when the 4th of July fireworks were held at Woodman Field - before that facility became a fire hazard. I can only assume that common sense has, once again, left the building.

"never proven though claimed by Lombard to defend cutting aides and health care while a huge pile of cash was under their noses."

The BOE has also failed to provide any proof that the school district is being secretly managed by martians looking to force aides to migrate to mars and serve martian students in order to receive benefits. Why is this issue so completely ignored by the media?!?

...Andrew

"Why Heningburg field?"

I'm not sure that this is the right question.

"We need to focus on academics not athletics. "

This seems a much better point. But, for consistency, let's put it into the form of a question: why is this even being considered?

Dana explained that this originated with a request from some outside group (with a name something like "united soccer"). They wanted access to an artificially turfed field, and thought that some funds could be found to help cover the costs.

At least one of the BOE members came to the conclusion that this upgrade to the field would have ultimately paid for itself in increased rental fees. That was a completely reasonable conclusion to draw given the way the issue was explained.

Fortunately, Ms. Coke asked for confirmation of her understanding. It was explained that this would *not* pay for itself, apparently because the rent paid for the field is too small. There would also be some slight cost savings in maintenance, but again not enough to cover the costs.

Finally, the amount of funds that we might receive to cover this cost is unknown, but it could be as much as $100,000. Or it could be $0.

This begs the question: why are we - or at least some in Central Office - so eager to invest for the benefit of some outside group? This seems like the renovation of Park Street all over again.

Happily, BOE members seemed universally skeptical of this project. With luck, it'll be weeded out.

...Andrew

The enormous BOE surplus was simply "shocking" not merely "unexpected" as PATCH casually proposes. Mr. G can specialize in graceless ridicule if he likes, to try once again to sweep this bizarre episode under the rug, to get it out of sight. But, Mtc was put through a completely unnecessary year-long civic conflict over a bogus budget crisis that led to losing aides and to aides losing their healthcare, without need, which the BOE refuses to rectify. How can Mtc regain confidence in a BOE that never investigated this budget surprise and held no one accountable? A BOE now preferring textbooks and computer language programs over real teachers for our children?...ira shor

I would hope that everyone will come out to the school board meeting on Monday, March 5 when the board will hear from the public regarding the proposed budget.

Maybe I sould repeat my speech Monday if more people will be there. Nicole Farjani

I have been meaning to thank Mr. Shor and those who have supported reinstating the medical benefits to the paraprofessionals. We truly appreciated your kindness.

I work with paras with pre-existing conditions who had no choice but to pay for COBRA, forced to tap into their retirement savings. Others I work with, single parents, who don't have the money to pay for a doctor's visit when they get sick. Heartbreaking really. Our family chose not to pay over $1600 per month for the COBRA, because, well, who can afford that? We've been "lucky" and have only had to pay about $1000 for medical expenses. (It's true, we almost had to go to the emergency room.)

I've read several times on Patch and in the Mtc Times that the paras no longer have medical benefits as we are considered part-time. Truth be told, I don't know a single para who is working fewer hours than last year. Why is okay to not provide us with medical benefits?

That is exactly what I said in part of my speech last night! Paras work the same hours and I am even with the children more hours per day than the classroom teacher. I'm considered not worthy of benefits even though I am entrusted with the wellbeing of 26 at a time. Can someone please convince me why this is OK?

This is okay because the BOE (and their apologists) plan on eventually outsourcing education completely, until we have even less professionals in the classrooms, for the cheapest cost possible.

Well, let's hope if they turf that field they measure properly so it won't be like Watchung Field, which wasn't built to the correct dimensions for the sport it was intended for. Oh, and who else remembers the Woodman baseball diamond re-do that also wasn't measured right?

But better not to turf the field! It's flammable, and they'll have to build a big fence around it the way they did at Watchung. And you get turf burn. And it's too much money. Yuck.

There are some good points to note in the proposed budget. For example, rather than spending surplus on expenses we'd have to fund via taxes in the future, at least a chunk of this is going into a capital reserve. This may not help reduce the district's current debt, but it lets us avoid some future debt.

[That doesn't mean we can be wasteful, as in spending a million for fake grass, of course.]

...Andrew

We could spend a portion of our reserve on installation of solar panels so that we can save money in the future.

Forget solar panels, I think what Montclair needs is a space program.

"We could spend a portion of our reserve on installation of solar panels so that we can save money in the future."

Far far into the future. Without taxpayer subsidy, solar panels have a 75-125 year break even point.

the fake grass is appropriate to go along with the bogus arguments made by the board and its apologists, while rationalizing the stripping of the aides' benefits. never had to happen, could've been corrected (last summer, during the school year) had Lombard and company not been locked in to their combative, anti-educator philosophy. even as the district seeks to (wisely) curb costs by returning special needs students to the district, the board's lack of respect for those who must work with those students continues, unabated. i have said this many times but it's worth repeating: pity a town that balances its budget on the backs of its lowest paid and de facto FULL-TIME employees. those who advocated this should all know what it's like to live without health insurance.
And Mr. Africk, if apples-and-oranges is your answer to that profound injustice, good riddance to you.

Cary so much wanted to be part of the solution ...

Stu,

When you say ...

"Forget solar panels, I think what Montclair needs is a space program."

You are really not that off the mark. The Mayor did want to build a light rail system from Montclair State to Upper Montclair, and at the last meeting he proposed a traffic circle at Watchung and Park.

Then there was the discussion about a median going down the length of Bloomfield Avenue, filled with trees and flowers, and another similar median on Grove.

There was also talk of an IMAC theater at the DCH site, rooftop gardening, and a Children's Museum.

Not to mention everything "the Chinese" were going to build.

MP,

Maybe the Board of School Estimate can have a meeting, which would be their first in four years, and discuss the provision of health benefits for aides?

If the aids are so upset about losing benefits they should quit and go find other jobs. I appreciate what they do and have kids in the public school here but Nobody forces anyone to work (we outlawed slavery in the 1860s). So while aids are nice to have if they leave en masse and the schools suffer badly they will get benefits back. If they leave en masse and life goes on then they are better off at other jobs.

Cary,
or maybe the board can resume advocating for education --instead of citing every disgruntled taxpayer; we do have a town government for that.

first of all, Craig, it's aides, not aids, which is a disease we wish on no one, especially those without health benefits. and i am sure you would work happily without benefits, or just quit and have no job at all if your employer unilaterally stripped them from you. nice to know you value your kids' education so much that you would have the aides walk en masse and leave the increasingly larger classes to one teacher. or perhaps your children aren't special needs kids and you could give a damn about those who are. scary stupid.

"or perhaps your children aren't special needs kids and you could give a damn about those who are. "

First of all, MP, it's "couldn't give a damn"....

And let's remember the history accurately, shall we?

The BOE agreed to negotiate for Aides benefits IF the MEA agreed to reopen the contract and thus pay 1.5% for benefits as opposed to 0.5%.

So a teacher making $50,000 would go from $250 per year for family coverage to $750 per year or a whopping sum of $62.50 per month!

Insuring Aides and their families would cost taxpayers many thousands per year for each employee. $7,000 to $10,000 and in exchange the BOE asks for teacher's premiums to go up from $20 per month to $62 per month.

And it's the heartless BOE being unreasonable here?

It's been a year put up with a walk out or atop complaining. I apologize for typos on my phone but if my employer took benefits away And that was crippling to me i would look to find another job or maybe go back to school to try and become a full time teacher. Personally I am very involved with my 2 kids who are in school and blessed to have all 3 appear to be strong learned who can sit still for hours and don't need multiple adults in addition to their teacher. However I grew up in a town in Monmouth county that is currently ranked about 50 spots behind Montclair. My friends and i who had had parents who paid attention to them all graduated, all have lives with kids of their own and most are happy. We didn't have teaching aides. We had 20 to 25 kids in a class. We got by and became successful and more importantly are contributors to society and generally happy. my kids will too because my wife and i are involved in their lives. My wife and many others volunteer in their classroom and would do more if needed (i volunteer after work) Why can't parents volunteer to do these jobs?

What's scary stupid is your insistence that everybody should get everything and others should pay for it. Special Ed kids? Yes give them a teaching aide in the classroom. Non special needs kids (of which I am fortunate to have 3), one teacher should suffice. The majority of kids are not special needs if we needed a handful of aides to help in special Ed then fine. That should not be that large a group of employees to insure.

We are fortunate to have dedicated professional aides in our public schools and it would be a great loss if BOE attacks on their living standards forced them to leave the district. The public schools are already suffering consequences from over-crowded classes with too few aides. Bullying is underway. A girl in my son's class was forced to change schools b/c on bullying. I could cite other incidents but as a school volunteer in class weekly and as a class parent for 3 years now, I can see the damage to the classrooms caused by anti-labor BOE policies. The aides are not expendable; the teachers cannot be "speeded up" to handle more students unless we want to injure our children's educations and our property values, which depend heavily on strong public schools and a strong public sector in a town know for multiracial civility...ira shor

Right of Center,

please get your facts straight, not just those that fit your argument. the Board said it would be willing to restore benefits but could not unless the MEA was willing to reopen its contract and prematurely absorb the mandated increase. It also suggested the MEA contract the NJEA to determine if that was its only course. (This, of course, occurred after the surplus was revealed). Subsequent to that, the NJEA informed the MEA that the benefits could be restored as a sidebar to the contract, without reopening it. But the true nature of the board surfaced; it responded by saying, no, it would not restore the benefits this school year. Those are the facts, suggesting the board was disingenuous on the subject all along.

Craig,
won't even address your idiocy about special needs kids getting extra attention. and as long as you resent us paying benefits for people who educate our children, why not get rid of all teachers and have a total volunteer work force? why not disband public education in Montclair and have home schooling for all?
Why not elect Rick Santorum president because that's what he seems to want?
why not? because he's a loon and i'm afraid so are you.

Montclair public I am not going to resort to personal attacks like you do. My position is that we should have a very well compensated, professional (not para professional) teaching staff that can handle class sizes of 25 kids. We dont need 200 teaching aides on additon to That wxcept maybe special needs classes need multiple adults. Maybe people who can't deal with their own kids think we need multiple adults to babysit their c students, but we just need strong teachers and parents who can get involved. Go back to school and get a job with health benefits or stage a strike and see if the town caves if you don't like the way things are. Quit your personal attacks though because it just shows you to be a small minded individual.

personal attacks? very funny. you demean 200 hard-working folks who work with our neediest children, who get kicked and punched by some, who clean up their vomit, who live with their heartbreak and frustrations, their triumphs and failures. you insult these people -- who do this for $23,000 a year -- by calling them babysitters. you and people who think like you need to be shouted down. personal insults. take a look in the mirror, pal.

I didn't say anything negative about the people other than if they don't like making 23k a year with no benefits then they shpuld go do something else or go on strike and see if rhe world falls apart w/o them. You are the angry lunatic here. Sure I am pissed that we pay ridiculous property taxes and want to find ways to lower the burden so that Montclairians can stay in town. If you are a teachers aide I hope you're not in my kids class because you are angry and can only see one side of this. I sympathize with aides but I think that we can get by without 200 of them without our kida loves being ruined. As I said in another post the town should be a responsible employer but does not have the responsibility of being an employer. You want to have it all amd have someone elae pay for it, move to a socialist country if they will take you and see how it is working there.

No, I am not an aide. Yes, I want to the aides to have it all, $23,000 a year and the opportunity to go to a doctor. please stop.

Montclair needs a zero increase, please save our diversity and stop the over spending.

Objectivity, logic and reality need be applied generously to BOE and township budgets this year, and the thought process needs to transparent to the public. Let's take it from the top:
Define: - what expenditures are essential and why - cost vs benefit?
- who has requested/authorized this expenditure - is it increase or decrease of previous - why?
- What resources are needed to support this need? what is the best way to get them? Any short or long term repercussions?
In other words, specific goal with specific benefits, and well-defined strategies to make them real which reflect the Montclair value system of today, not of yesterday.