Saturday, May 4, 2013
Check out the top stories from this past week in Montclair.
An investigation into a student found with a BB gun at Glenfield Middle School last week has led to the resignation of the school's principal. The Montclair Council has taken steps to reinvest in township libraries, schooling and homeless services in 2013, all while decreasing the tax levy. The 33-year-old former West Orange High School teacher and Montclair resident who admitted to having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student was sentenced Monday and will serve no jail time, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said. A local shoe and running store is going the extra mile to help those injured in the Boston Marathon bombings. It’s showtime for the Montclair Film Festival. The festival’s second year opened Monday with a sold …
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Aging garbage trucks and Public Works Department equipment and an expected $800,000 investment in new parking meters were highlights in the 2013 budget.
The final round of departmental budget hearings were heard Tuesday by the Township Council for this year's $77.8 million municipal budget. Presenting budget requests that night were Montclair Parking Utility, departments of public works and finance, the offices of the township attorney, and municipal clerk and township manager. In addition, the Health Department presented its $1.8 million budget request. The 2013 budget is up $2.25 million or 3 percent from 2012. The municipal tax levy will rise 2.4 percent this year or $1.25 million. Parking Utility The newly created Montclair Parking Utility will request $3.1 million in 2013. The utility, which took over for the Montclair Parking Authority at the start of the year, is expected to …
New sidewalk cafe licenses generating money and department looks to cut down on environmental waste.
The Montclair Health Department requested a $1.18 million budget in 2013 from the Township Council on Tuesday. The Health Department, which includes nursing services and animal control, generates about $530,800 in revenues for the township, bringing its total cost to taxpayers to about $650,000. Health Department Director Sue Portuese said the township's new sidewalk cafe ordinance, which was passed last year 11 businesses are fully licensed so far, which has generated $3,500. Portuese said sidewalk cafe licenses will bring in more money to the township in the coming years as some fees were waived for the first year of the ordinance. “We should see some increase in revenues for this,” said Portuese. Animal Control requested an …
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Montclair Police Chief David Sabagh presented a $13.6 million budget to the council Tuesday, an increase of about $855,000 from 2012.
The Montclair Police Department wants to bolster its ranks this year and is requesting a 6.6 percent increase to its 2013 budget. Montclair Police Chief David Sabagh presented a $13.6 million budget to the council Tuesday, an increase of about $855,000 from 2012. If approved, salaries would increase by about $775,000, in addition to approximately $80,000 for other expenses. The net cost of the police department to taxpayers after revenues is $10.1 million. The lion’s share of the budget would go to salaries, which total slightly more than $13 million. The department is looking to hire two dispatchers, said Sabagh; increase to its overtime budget by 5 percent; purchase three new Dodge Chargers as patrol vehicles; and hire two community …
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Recreation Department, Fire Department, Code Enforcement and township attorney will present their 2013 budget requests to the council.
The Montclair Township budget hearings will continue Saturday at 9 a.m. in the municipal building, located at 205 Claremont Ave. Council members will hear budget presentations and requests from the Recreation Department, Montclair Fire Department, Code Enforcement and township attorney. The meetings will be televised live on TV34 and streaming live at http://montclair.peg.tv. On Tuesday, Township Manager Marc Dashield unvield the new framework for how the council and departments will analyse their budgets. The system breaks down the financial costs of each department in town, and compares it to technologies needed to revive township services, desired outcomes and how these outcomes can be measured. Also on Tuesday, the Municipal Court, …
Thursday, April 4, 2013
The Board of School Estimate also approved $116,000 in bonds to help pay for $2.7 million worth of districtwide capital projects.
The Montclair School District’s $114 million school budget passed Thursday night and included no tax increase. The Board of School Estimate unanimously voted to approve the school budget put together by the Board of Education. The $114 million overall budget is 3.3-percent higher than the 2012-13 budget, and $97,509,698 will be raised from taxpayers. Mayor Robert Jackson, who is on the Board of School Estimate, said the board made no substantive changes to the budget that was proposed by the Board of Education in February, but noted some adjustments could be made later. “There could be some maneuvering still, but I think it was a good job of addressing our needs,” said Jackson. “Moving forward, it certainly addresses the objectives […
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The BOE is expected to adopt the 2013-14 school budget tonight.
The Montclair Township Council will meet on tonight, March 5, for a council conference at 7 p.m. in the municipal building, 205 Claremont Ave. At the meeting, Juliet Lee will be sworn in as the deputy township clerk. The township will also hear Township Manager Marc Dashield's report which includes ordinances on awarding contracts for improvements to Nishuane and Essex Pool, and Rand Sports Courts. Also on the council's agenda is discussing the township's water utility system. The Board of Education will also convene at 7 p.m. in the Glenfield Middle School auditorium, at 25 Maple Ave., for a second budget workshop. The board is expected to adopt the 2013-14 school budget. The full agenda can be found here. On Feb. 25, the board …
Friday, March 1, 2013
Local schools will get $6.5 million in state funding for the 2013-14 school year, the same amount it took in last year.
The Montclair school district will receive the same amount of state aid in 2013-14 as it did this year. Gov. Chris Christie’s office released the state aid figures for school districts in New Jersey for 2013-14 on Thursday afternoon, which included an increase of about $93 million from last year’s numbers. In what was widely anticipated by local school administrators, there will be no change in state aid next year. The Montclair school district will get $6.5 million in state aid for the 2013-14 school year. This figure includes $4.1 million for special education, $1.1 million in transportation aid and nearly $750,000 for security aid. The state aid will be factored into the district’s $111.5 million preliminary budget presented by …
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Superintendent Penny MacCormack suggested the district create four dean of students positions at elementary schools and three content supervisors, totaling $754,000 in new costs.
The Montclair Board of Education's 2013-14 preliminary budget includes no tax levy increase and seven new positions. The $111.5 million budget is a decease of 3.3 percent from the previous year’s. Montclair taxpayers will foot about 90 percent of the bill. The budget, however, is still liable to change said Superintendent Penny MacCormack at the presentation on Monday as state and federal aid is not yet know. “This is part of a longer process,” said MacCormack, “and just simply the beginning.” Interim Business Administrator Nicolas Puleio said he expects state aid to be funded at the same level as this year, about $6.5 million, which comes to 5.8 percent of the budget. The district was waiting for Gov. Chris Christie’s budget …
Teachers and other members of the Montclair Education Association will not volunteer any additional time past their paid hours, including before and after school and during weekends, until they reach agreement on a new contract.
More than 250 Montclair teachers and other staffers packed into a tense and often raucous Board of Education meeting Monday night, as union officials said teachers would not perform any duties beyond the letter of their contract until a new deal is reached with the district. Board President Robin Kulwin said a mediator would likely enter in the negotiations, which would "expedite a settlement." "Despite best efforts," Kulwin said, "the parties were growing further apart in their settlement demands, not closer together. It became clear, we needed the assistance of a mediator." The union members packed the standing-room-only room with blue and red shirts and buttons supporting the MEA. Many cheered as parents and residents lined up to …
Jay Bell
3:20 pm on Sunday, April 14, 2013
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