The JACKSON Times Vol. 20 - No. 41
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Lawmaker, State Monitor: Cutting School Aid Was Mistake By Bob Vosseller JACKSON – A local lawmaker, a state monitor, members of the township Board of Education and several administrators all agreed: the problem concerning the school district’s slash in state aid funding can be placed squarely on the state itself and not the district. The district borrowed $10 million to patch the hole in the current year budget created by the lack of state funding. Jackson was one of several districts that lost aid when the state switched to a new funding formula referred to as S-2. As a requirement of the loan, the state required a monitor to oversee those funds. They appointed Carole Knopp-Morris, 85, who has served as a state monitor for more than a decade. Prior to working for the Department of Education, Morris served as a superintendent, executive superintendent of schools and assistant
been telling Governor Phil Murphy and lawmakers in Trenton for years. Morris replied that state monitors generally don’t take part in testifying before legislative boards. Morris began working in the Jackson school district on a part-time basis and her work is expected to last for a year. It is not known if her time might be extended as the school district is seeking a second loan from the DOE to balance its 2024-25 budget. A state monitor can be paid up to $300,000 a year to oversee almost every aspect of a school district’s operations - a cost that the district would have to pick up. Some news publications have reported that Morris is being paid $160,000 a year. Legislative District 12 Assemblyman Alex Sauickie introduced legislation calling for state monitor salaries to be covered by the state and not the school districts that are assigned state monitors. Morris has oversight of the
Photos by Bob Vosseller Assemblyman Alex Sauickie (R-12th) tells the Jackson Board of Education that state aid cuts are the state’s mistake. district and has been focusing on areas of fiscal management and the expenditure of all of the school district’s funds. Jackson, Plumsted Hit Hard Assemblyman Sauickie made a presentation during a recent BOE meeting. He had testified before the Assembly Budget Committee that mor ning about proposed new state aid
superintendent. Morris said the school district has shown no fiscal mismanagement. The numbers calculated by the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) for the S-2 state aid formula didn’t add up to what the district should have been receiving in state aid funding. “It is not a fiscal problem but a revenue problem here,” Morris said. “Will you advocate for us to show S-2 isn’t working?” School Board Vice President Tina Kas asked Morris. She said that were Morris to present her findings it would back up what school The Jackson Board of Education and school administration have districts like Jackson have been trying to make up for a lack of state aid.
cuts to Jackson and cumulative cuts to both Jackson and Plumsted townships. He repeated much of his testimony during (Lawmaker See Page 4)
March 30, 2024
School District Seeks $30M Loan By Bob Vosseller JACKSON – The School Board will be seeking another loan from the New Jersey Department of Education in order to support its tentative budget for the 2024-2025 school year. For every district, the state calculates what would be the necessary funding level to provide a “thorough and efficient education” to pupils in that district. This is what is referred to as the Adequacy Budget. The school district is $23,783,329 below the adequacy budget which is why it is requesting a $30,940,062 loan. Last year’s approved budget was $169,506,832. The total for this year’s tentative budget currently stands at $178,223,867. This marks an increase of $8,717,035, which is a percentage change of 5.14%.
The general fund tax levy for the tentative budget would be $95,984,833, an increase of $2,710,414 from the previous year. Assuming that the district would be eligible for a Health Insurance Cap Waiver of $844,926, it represents a change of 2.91%. Superintendent Nicole Pormilli said the district would “continue to put our students first and ensure they have strong, enriching instruction and programs. We will not submit a budget to the state with significant cuts - because doing so would sacrifice its ability to provide a thorough and efficient education for township students.” Assistant Superintendent Dan Baginski provided a recap of last year’s budget stating there was a loss of 64 (School Budget See Page 4)
Wrongful Death Settlement Reached By Bob Vosseller JACKSON – The township settled a $1.2 million lawsuit, which was described during a recent Township Council meeting. The settlement had been reached concerning a wrongful death lawsuit involving a motorcyclist who died during a chase
with police in 2018. Township Attorney Gregory McGuckin explained that the settlement was made during the trial on the advice of the township’s insurance firm. Allegations listed in the lawsuit included negligent hiring, negligent retention, negligent su-
pervision and failure to properly follow internal guidelines of the police department. The decision to settle according to McGuckin was “based on the testimony that was presented at the beginning of the trial.” He added that
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(Settlement See Page 4)