LaSala Voted Squan BOE President

Michelle LaSala is the new president of the Manasquan Board of Education, after being voted into the position at Tuesday night's work session.

Both LaSala and board member Jim Smith were nominated for the position by their peers, with LaSala winning the spot 4-3.

The position was recently vacated when former board president Christine Muly resigned from the board entirely.

Board members Linda DiPalma, LaSala, John Winterstella, and Katherine Verdi, who originally nominated LaSala, cast the four votes in favor of LaSala. Thomas Bauer nominated and voted for Smith, as did Smith himself, and Jack Campbell.

In the other major vote of the evening, Winterstella was the sole nominee for vice-president, filling the seat vacated by Smith, who resigned the role that evening.

Before nominations and votes, Verdi asked Smith to clarify that he was resigning from the position of vice president, and not the board entirely. Smith replied that this was the case, and was reflected in the minutes of a prior meeting.

After this exchange, member Trish Brown stood and left without giving a reason.

The 2012-2013 school year budget was also discussed. Pending state aid figures set to be released within the next two weeks, the budget may increase $131,347, or .51 percent.  The state aid figures may still sway that proposal, stressed business administrator Margaret Hom.

Proposed budget cuts include that of three certified staff positions, seven paraprofessional positions, several part-time instructor positions, and reductions in supplies and transportation in all areas, including athletics and field trips. A reduction in outside counseling support for the high school is also one of the possible cuts.

The possibility of a fee to participate in extracurriculars might also be a result of the budget.

Board member Julia Barnes called this "a concern." A proposed increase in tuition per student, combined with a possible fee to participate in activities, would prove difficult for Brielle, the town she is from and sending district she represents on the board.

Brielle is "finally repairing (itself) from" the consequences of a past failed budget, including working on "bare bones" budgets and instating extracurricular fees, she said.

A tuition hike for Brielle students going into Manasquan High School, combined with a possible "out-of-pocket" fee for things such as extracurriculars," is not likely expected by the people of the town, Barnes said.

LaSala noted that Barnes' point was "well-taken," and that the possibility of an extracurricular fee is not definite, but one of the things being considered in the upcoming budget.

In other meeting news, the board recommended the approval of a $24,000 contract with Birdsall Services Group to provide mechanical and electrical engineering services for the proposed boiler replacement project at the elementary school. The board also recommended approval to advertise for bids for the project itself.

The idea of a School Resource Officer (SRO) was also discussed. The idea has been bandied about for several years to have an in-uniform law enforcement official be present at the high school, and serve as a resource for students seeking help with any issue.

The idea was recently brought up in town again, and, along with the recent death of a Spring Lake Heights teenager struck by a train and the possibility of counseling service cuts, was on the minds of several in the public who spoke about the possibility of a SRO.

Pat Walsh, of Stockton Lake Boulevard, sympathized with budgetary constraints but also asked the board to "keep in mind the tragedy last week," and to not cut funding to the outside counseling services.

Kristi Shea, of Parker Avenue, noted that the money seems to have not been there for the hiring of a SRO in the past, and expressed a hope that the board really make sure there is, truly, no funding for such a position before deciding not to hire a SRO in the future.

The board discussed the benefits of having an SRO, and Smith pointed out that, if one was to be hired this year, it could mean the loss of two teaching positions to stay within the proposed budget while still funding the SRO.

LaSala noted that the board could start considering hiring an SRO this year, and possibly work it into a future budget.

Except for the the election of the new president and vice-president, no other action was taken at the meeting.