Monroe Township Board of Education 07.18.18 Regular Meeting

001Good evening. The meeting of the Montro Township Board of Education will come to order. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. Algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the fors indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Cold. We have a cold. Mr. Gorski, may we please have a roll call? Certainly. Mrs. Armenino here. Mr. Braverman here. Mr. Cherella here. Mrs. Deo here. Mrs. Kapanovich here. Mrs. Lang here. Mrs. Lang is participating via teleconference this evening in accordance with the board policy. Mrs. Corino here. Mr. Mr. Ryback here, Mr. Russo here, and Mr. Rudsky here. Madam Board President, you have a quorum present this evening. And in accordance with the provisions of the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Law, the Monroe Township Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting

002to be published by having the date, time, and place thereof posted July 13, 2018 at all schools, the Home News Tribune, Cranberry Press, and filed with the clerk of the municipality. Thank you, Mr. Dorski. So before we go on to the rest of the agenda, I would like to introduce the new face at the board table tonight who is the acting superintendent, Mr. Rob Goodall, and he will take over his responsibilities as soon as we go into close session and come out and support his new contract. So at this time, I'm going to um read the close session resolution. Be it resolved that the board of education of the township of Monroe hereby moves to go into close session in accordance with Sunshine Law Chapter 231 of the public laws of 1975 NJSA 104-6 through

003104-21 to discuss the following subject proposed acting superintendent contract following closed session action may be taken the discussion conducted in closed session can be disclosed to the public at such time as the need for confidentiality no longer exists So move. Moved by Mr. Ryback, second by Mr. Cherella. Um, all in favor? I just have a question. It says on here that there are two other uh things to discuss. We won't be discussing them now. We will be discussing I you don't probably don't have an updated agenda, but it's on the second public forum or the second close session resolution. That's fine. Just check. Nope. Okay. All in favor? I opposed. So at this time the board will move into close session and I don't think we should take more than 15 20 minutes to do

004this. Who does that? Hello again. Hello, Mrs. Lang. Mike Worski and Kathy back at the main. Good. Media center at desk. Oh, good. Okay. Resume in a minute. It looks like Yeah, we're just waiting for Mr. Braverman to get back. Okay, at this time the board will move back into public session. And I believe Mr. Ryback has a resolution to read. I do. Thank you. It is recommended that the board of education one approve the previously submitted employment contract between the Monroar Township Board of Education and Robert Goodall for the period from July 1st, 2018 through June 30th, 2019 or until such time as a permanent superintendent is appointed by the board, whichever is sooner, at an annual salary of $186,000 a year. Uh-huh. Which employment contract has been approved by the Executive County Superintendent

005of Schools in accordance with NJHAC 6A23A-3 uh.1 and two appoint as acting superintendent of schools in the Monroe Township School District in accordance with the terms and conditions of the aforementioned employment contract. the board president and the business administrator board secretary as the as the attesting witness is authorized to execute the affforementioned employment contract on behalf of the board. So move well it was moved by Mr. Ryback second a second by Mr. Cherella any comments or questions by the board Miss Armenio. Yeah I would just like the public to know and sort of my own edification who did the negotiating with um Mr. Goodall Mr. Ryback and myself with u Mrs. Smith. Okay. And then it was brought after that it was brought to personnel committee. No, it it went to the It usually goes

006to the whole board. Okay. But it went to the county. So it was negotiated. It did. It did go to personnel, didn't it? It did go to personnel, but it didn't go to the whole board before it was sent to the county. Is that correct? That is correct. So the whole board did not was not privy to the contract prior to it going to the county and prior I believe there was an issue with the county requesting the contract as soon as possible because of a possibility that they would close down the state and they wanted to have all the contracts for July 1st. They wanted to see them and have them approved. Okay. And um I would I would request um we reverse the voting order for for this evening for this resolution. I'd

007like to vote last. Okay. Any other comments or questions? Then we will have a reverse roll call. Starting with you, Mrs. Kopanovich. Yes. Mr. Rudsky. Yes. Mr. Russo. Not having been involved in the process, I have to abstain from this. So noted, Mr. Rybeck. Yes. Mrs. Corino. Recuse. Thank you. Mrs. Lang. Yes. Mrs. Deo. Yes. Mr. Cherella. Yes. Mr. Braverman. Yes. Mrs. Armeno. Yes. Madam Board President, that is eight yays. Motion passes. Thank you very much and congratulations, Mr. Goodall. U welcome to the board of education and we hope you have a successful time here and I've said um to a few people I will probably call you Dr. Goodall many times because I'm so used to calling somebody doctor. So congratulations. I don't know if you have anything you'd like to Yes, I would.

008Um, Miss Kalpanovich and members of the board of education, just like to thank and members of the community, I would just like to thank all of you for your support for me assuming this role this year. Um, it's just an honor and a privilege to serve the district in this role. I've been here about 15 years and uh, I just love the district and being given this opportunity to steer the district this year is just a dream come true uh, for me. And I just also want to thank Dr. Ralvik and Mike Gorski and Mary Smith and members of the central office staff who have been so helpful in helping me transition and in addition the high school administrative team and Debbie Vanloo my former secretary uh for helping me ease into the position seamlessly.

009It it was a team effort and I just am so thankful to all of them. I want to thank the administrative team for coming out uh in support and also to the community. got so many well-wishes and offers of congratulations. So, just wanted to thank them too. Thank you. And I'm we hope that uh we help you make this transition easier and thank you. Congratulations again. Can I ask a question, Miss Corino? Yeah. Yes. Um so is it for a year the contract? Like how do the contract is for a year or until we have a a permanent superintendent put in place? Okay. So we can still It's until June 30th. We can still search for Yes. May I be excused? Yes, you may. Thank you. So, we'll go to number six on the agenda,

010approval of minutes. We have quite a few this evening. So, um the approval for the special board of special public board of education meeting of May 23rd, 2018. So, move Mr. Ryback. Second by Mr. Cherella, any additions or corrections? I would just like to mention that again um the discussion on May 30 uh May 23rd um the where it says the discussion on ethics issues that started with uh Ms. Smith noted the concern regarding recent actions of five board members. Um this is not a complete and full record of the discussion that went on in that meeting. It's one-sided. It does not talk. There were there were um discussions from other members of the board that um took issue with the way this was presented and um so I would urge the people who were

011in that meeting to vote no on these um minutes because it is not a full record of the discussion and again I I mentioned it's one-sided. Thank you. Anyone else? Okay. All in favor? I I opposed. I I and Mr. Yep. abstensions. I'm sorry. Abstain. I recuse Patty. She wasn't there. I abstained for the 67 meeting. Oh, so you were Were were you here for the May 23rd meeting? Yes, I was. Okay. Okay. Uh so I have in case you didn't get Mr. Russo, Mr. Armeno as no and Mr. Braverman as a I said no and Miss Corino is no she was in that discussion and Mr. Chella minutes have to be complete. Okay. Um the closed session meeting of May 23rd, 2018. So Mr. Cherella, did you move and Mr. Mayo additions or corrections

012to the minutes? And again, I I I make the same especially in the discussion on ethics. Um they that there are people present and this and this is not a full record of the of the discussion and the and the public should be apprised of once the once the issues are resolved the public should be apprised of the full deliberation within the closed session and it is not as it appears appear. Okay. Anyone else? Okay. All in favor? I I opposed. Um abstension four and recuse. Got it. So what was it? 44. Approve this special public board of Do you need me to wait? No. Okay. The special board of education meeting for May 31st, 2018. Anybody want to move that? So moved. Oh, thank you, Patty. Moved by Patty, second by Miss um Deo.

013Any additions or corrections to the minutes? Okay. All in favor? Opposed? Miss Armenino opposes. Abstension. Recuse. Okay. The close session meeting of May 31st, 2018. So Mr. Tierella, Mr. Ryback. Again, additions or corrections to the minutes. All in favor? I opposed. Mr. Armeno opposes. Abstension. Miss Corino abstains. Recuse. No recusals. The special board of uh the special public board of education meeting of June 7, 2018. So move. Mr. Ryback, Mr. Tarella. Additions or corrections to the minutes? Okay. All in favor? I opposed. Abstension. I abstain. Okay. Mrs. Lang is abstaining. Recuse the minutes for the close session meeting of June 7th, 2018. So second, Mr. Cherella, Mr. Ryback. Again, all in uh additions or corrections to the minutes. Miss Armidio, I do have a correction. and additions. Um the what it says here is that

014um I Miss Armenino felt that she would that we should post for an outside candidate if no decision was made that day. Um we were told that if no decision was made that evening, which it was not as I believe that we were going to post for a instead of an acting superintendent, we were going to uh post and advertise for a interim superintendent. Um, and that was not done. So that should have been added to this close session minutes. Thank you. Anyone else? And with that addition, I would agree. But is that going to be added or are you just going to dismiss it minutes or do we need to I was not the minute keeper for that meeting. So I'll have to go back and speak. I have to go back to my

015notes and I'll add it. So then can we table it until we get proper addition? I need a motion to table. Well, there's a motion on to accept. So I don't think I can table it. Okay. Oh, yeah. I can table it, right? I think we can. I make a motion to table the confidential minutes of the June 7th uh close session meeting. Second. Is there a second? Second. Do we take a roll call on this or do we can just do a uh let's do a roll call just to be clear. Okay. Yeah, I think you have to on the table. Okay. This is a motion to table close session meeting minutes for June 7th, 2018. Mrs. Armenio, yes. Mr. Braverman, yes. Mr. Cherella, yes. Mrs. Mrs. Deo, yes. Mrs. Kolanovich, yes. Mrs. Lang,

016abstain. Mrs. Kino, yes. Mr. Ryback, yes. And Mr. Russo. So, I was conflicted for that meeting. So, recused. All right. Motion the table passes. That's a priority motion. So, okay. So we'll go to the public board meeting board of education meeting of June 13, 2018. Motion and a second. So Mr. Tarella, would somebody like to second that? Second by Mr. Mayo. Again, additions or corrections? I Hold on a second. I don't seem to have that meeting with me. I don't have that meeting either. Yeah. So it's not It wasn't included in our package. That was a special meeting. No, that that was a public board of education meeting. Do we not have that? I believe it went out. I did it go out after Friday. Do you have the meeting minutes? Monday morning. It went

017out Monday morning. On board docs and there was a board doc notification. Thanks. Did they go out late? Monday morning through board docs. end email. End email. I didn't see it, so I'm going to vote. Okay. Well, apparently we all received it. Um, all in favor? I I opposed. No. Miss Armenino abstension recuse. Are you abstaining or abstaining? Mr. Russo is abstaining. Okay. Okay. And the last one is the close session meeting of June 13, 2018. So, Mr. Tierella, Mr. Ryback, additions or corrections? I on the June 13th was when we Can you just tell me what was discussed on the June 13th meeting, please? Was that a personnel meeting? I don't uh It's closed session meeting, right? Was it a personnel issue? I do not have that, Mr. All right. But I I am

018I am assuming those minutes went out at the same time. So they were received on on on um Monday morning. All in favor? I I opposed. No. Miss Armenino abstension. Okay. Mr. Mayo wasn't there. Mr. Russo, Miss Corino is abstaining. And any recuse? That was the meeting which we we thought was a superintendent meeting but turned out not to be the superintendent the evaluation I think we thought it was that that's why Dawn and I had left you should vote I believe that was you should voted no then for this okay okay so we got through the minutes let's go to the student board members and they're on vacation because it's summer so there's no reports so we'll go to committee reports are there any committee reports. Mr. Cherella, I have one. So, we had

019a uh buildings, grounds, and transportation meeting on the 10th of uh July, and we we discussed several things. So, it's going to take me about an hour to go through this. Okay, I'm kidding. Uh so, the first thing that we that we uh uh visited was the Eagle Scout candidate, Brent Rowan. So, he uh he is looking to get his uh his Eagle become an Eagle Scout. So he proposed uh as part of his project to build a uh a shed behind the high school for for band to uh for the drum majors to for a drum major stands. Um and he gave us he he basically gave us an overview of what he's going to do. Um how it would help and uh the board the uh our committee approved that to move approved

020to move that forward. So I think that that's a I think that's a good thing. uh and I he was a very good you know well spoken young gentleman so I think that uh you know the uh the school the school benefit by having that project done and he'll also benefit obviously uh we discussed the the uh 522 bus lot uh Edwards Engineering gave us an overview of the options uh from from uh from the standpoint of uh having different layouts for buses having uh what what the configuration of the topography would be and things like that. And uh we're we we did ask them to go back and come back with some just some quotes on on the on the few different uh plans that we were looking at and then so what they're

021going to do is go back they're going to talk to our transportation director come back and then come back to us with some with some information. Uh nothing was nothing is set in stone. Uh, we're also looking at some other options that that had come up during that, but I'm not gonna I'm not going to, you know, bring that up at this point. But, um, so it it was a it was a pretty good, you know, it was a pretty lengthy process and and a pretty good overview, but I think we, you know, we got a good picture of what what, you know, what what it's going to look like. We just have to figure out what our needs are totally and what's going to suit us and the transportation department best and what, you

022know, the what will cost the least, I guess. So, and also uh encompass our needs. Uh the other the other uh thing that we talked about were was the ad the administrator I can't even speak tonight. The administration provided an overview of the project for the uh TCU project at MTAMS and uh so the the units have been delivered. They're uh as you as you can see when you go by the middle school, you can see the trailers out there and the and the configuration. Um, a lot we're getting a lot of questions about why we configured that that way, why it looks that the way it does. And the bottom line is that when we had trailers prior, we had them up on the field, but those were not connected to uh sewage or

023sewer, and these will be. So, we'll have we'll have the ability to have the sewer there so that we have bathrooms there that are that are functional so that the kids aren't going between buildings to go to the bathroom and things like that. So, um, we thought, you know, we thought that out. We're going to also have, you know, we had some, the board members had some concern, security concerns about having the trailers out in the parking lot so close to the road, but we will have uh security measures in place on the doors and things like that like we do with the schools so that we're we're monitoring those that there's they have a locking swipe pads, things like that at at the doors so that we just don't have people entering and doing

024whatever. So, uh, you know, that was an important part of what we discussed. and then uh Barkley Brook. Uh so there's a development going up across from Barkley Brook. We discussed the plans. So the developer was there with the engineer and we looked at uh the our plan or their plans and how it would impact us. Uh we we had we were going back and asked them to come back to us with some information on easements and uh so that we can continue to use pieces of that land. So, we have an there's an easement that exists there and we use that easement when we have drills uh safety drills for the students and uh you know we want to make sure that we're still able to use that easement if uh if there are

025any if obviously not just for tests but if there's an emergency. So, uh we're we're that's in the works now, but we want to make sure that we can do that. What we're also looking to do is to make sure that we have representation uh from the board either to the planning board or from the administration to to uh the township administration just to ensure that those concerns are heard and that they're properly adjudicated because I think that that's that you know that's a major the safety concern is a major concern for all of us. Uh number five, the fifth thing that we had was a CCTV project for the transport transportation facility. So, uh, Triad Security Systems gave us an overview of, uh, uh, you know, the the the, uh, the schematics for the

026camera system and what we have there. Uh, we asked for that. We have, uh, you know, we have a lot of equipment there obviously uh, a lot a lot of potential for damage. We have had, uh, some vandalism in the past with going back ways with flat tires and things like that. We had, uh, the gas boy. Did I say gas boy? Gas boy. Oh, I think that. Yeah. not Game Boy, but Gas Boy, which was a sizable investment on our part, but it basically locks down the the gas so that people just can't pull up and pump gas. It it there's a you know, a swipe card, you know, just a whole mechanism for security. But, you know, if somebody breaks it or somebody vandalizes that or somebody steals somebody's swipe card, we had

027some we had concerns about about that. And so, we're putting cameras into, you know, in that area just to make sure that we're we're able to watch that. So, uh, where where is he at? Pete has been working with them to ensure that those go in that those get installed properly. So, thank you, Pete. Appreciate it. And I think that was it, right? I think I hit everything. Okay. Nice lengthy meeting. Good. That was a long one. Mr. Braverman, who who is responsible for gassing the buses? I don't know that. Madam, gas buses. The drivers the drivers gas the buses when they return them to the lot. It's interesting because most private companies or every priv every private company that I'm aware of has one person that gasses all the buses. When a driver needs

028it, that person fills it. I was also wondering if you had any new parameters for u the uh bus pickups in terms of uh how close to the school do the kids have to be to walk or are we picking them up? The last time I asked this question, I asked about why they kids that are just close to Barkley Brook are are not walking. And I was told it was very dangerous on Buckaloo. So I looked at a 10-year period of accidents on Buckaloo. There were 33 in 10 years and almost all of them were at Grace Hill Road where there's a stop sign and it's perpendicular and So I I think these are things that we should look at because the money that we would save probably a million dollars a year. I

029I agree with you if I may. I mean I I uh I agree with you on the need to to look at those things. And when we looked at this development, one of the things that we asked for is to is is for sidewalks. So uh well further it's the responsibility of the township to put crossing guards on those corners right it's not our responsibility so it's very easy for them to say gee it's dangerous pick them up in a bus then it's our money our budget I agree with you but that's but that's part of what we need to do as far as you know making sure we don't we we don't have say when it comes to developments overall But we do have say or we do have some input on this one

030because it's right across the street. So we're asking them to put sidewalks in even past the point that they own, you know, down the down to 522 to ensure that the kids are, you know, that have a way to walk safely and and cross. But, uh, from the standpoint of sidewalks, even for the kids that are in that neighborhood, we haven't had a lot of accidents on that road, but we haven't had children walking on that road either. We don't have sidewalks, and it's dangerous. So, I wouldn't want I wouldn't hazard to guess, you know, I don't want to think about what how many accidents we might have had if we had children walking on 522 in the morning of everyone rushing to I wouldn't want them walking where there are no sidewalks. Okay. I

031have another question about the tennis courts. Last time it rained, I was by the tennis courts and there were puddles. Tennis courts. When the tennis courts are built, they're supposed to be built with a crown that goes diagonally across the three courts so that they dry very quickly and people can use them. It seems there are some puddles on these courts. They look very pretty, but it costs $600,000 to do them. I think somebody should look into it. We'll look into it. I uh I'm not aware of how how they were built. was before my before my time. But but I we we'll look into it. They were recently done. There also a number of cracks in the court. Cracks cracks in them now. Oh yeah. I sent pictures of uh cracks to uh Jerry.

032Okay, we'll look into it. Jerry Tag and I think also I sent you a picture Mr. Gorski. I think I sent you pictures as well. Adam, some time ago. Yes, we received pictures from Mr. Russo about cracking lots and and there are some cracks that are intended to pop along expansion joints that are purposely meant for that uh design. Mr. T checked with the the um the engineer, I believe, and was satisfied with the cracking, but superficially they're being fixed just to look better. As far as the ponding, we I haven't heard about that yet. Uh we'll speak to Mr. T about the ponding. We'll we'll investigate that. Yeah. So my observation of the cracks was due to uh leaving the nets up all winter and uh when the ground gets frozen and the wind

033blows and shakes the nets, it moves those poles and develops those cracks. It's typically what happens. So maybe removing the nets in the winter might be the some help. Offer some help. Mr. Mo, Mr. Cherrell, do you mind if I speak to Mr. Braverman's issue about uh the the development? It just so happens that um the Barkley Brookside, if you're facing those schools on the left is where the new development is proposed and I think Mr. Cherella um I don't want to uh uh you know hopefully someone from Mr. Mr. Tierella pro probably uh to go to the planning board and uh speak for the board um and speak to our um our needs with that development. So I don't know if you know someone can give him permission or does is it just the

034I would imagine that the president could give Mr. Sharella as chair of the board as chair of the uh buildings and grounds to speak to the uh the concerns of the board for that development. Um just as a a matter of history when the Devonshshire on the right hand side of the schools if you're looking at the schools Devonshshire development the original plan on the planning uh because I used to I I attended that years ago the original plan had a walkway between two properties two homes uh for the children to walk through into the Brookside area and they were able to do that with uh and the plan and it was presented originally at the planning board and uh just to eliminate the fact that the children would walk along the street and they

035also didn't want to put sidewalks there. I believe there's sidewalks now. Um but the builder can be requested because the builders ask for waiverss on a regular basis for for whatever their building necessities are. and if we could impose on them that um ability to have a walkth through from the development. Um, the easement itself, we had some questions about the easement because the easement is going to be on a private property and I can't imagine that a private property owner is going to allow the children to go into that easement on a regular basis, especially because on the plan on the site plan, it had a fence all the way from the beginning of the development into the bulb of the culde-sac. So, um I think the board does need representation because we we

036missed our opportunity on Devonshshire and as Mr. Braverman pointed out, it cost us millions of dollars and we still have the children walking um now and it's a little bit more of a difficulty um having done that. But I think at the very least uh the the developers should cooperate with the school board and and try to keep our children safe and provide that kind of access. Um so I would ask that somebody from the Mr. Cherel's of course logical choice uh be present and I think um Mr. TEG said that um our attorney might write a response or write something to to the planning board be in in advance uh you know with our wishes in advance of the planning board meeting where that uh application is going to be heard. So I would

037hope that we would do that on behalf of the children that we would um you know ask for that. Okay. Thanks. I think we're still on committee reports. Is there any other committee? Miss Mr. De Mayo? Um, on July 17th, the finance committee met and we talked about the additional 2018 2019 state aid award. Mr. Gorski presented the finance committee with a packet of information, most of which was previously sent to the board. The packet contained information on the previous increase of the general fund award, the amount and notice of released on Friday, July 13, 2018, providing additional state aid, a historic schedule on state aid guidance from the Department of Education, a schedule created by Mr. Gorski containing options for the committee's consideration to use the award and the information on status of S2

038which is a bill to modify school funding. The three options recommended for the committee's consideration presented the tax impact on the average assessed home by the first option was applying the full amount 1,656,62 against the levy for tax relief. Option B was applying a million of the additional award to the tax levy for tax relief and appropriate appropriating 656,62 for ultimate reservation in the capital reserve amount. Option C was applying and spending all of the award and nothing going to tax relief. After much consideration of anticipating the district needs and considering the various tax consequences, the committee unanimously decided to choose option B using a million dollars towards tax relief, which would reduce the increase in the $1819 budget to a 1 cent increase and a $31.73 tax increase on the average assessed home while

039appropriating $656,62 $2 of ultimate reservation in the capital reserve account. The capital reserve account currently has a balance of $89,700 and with option B, it would grow to $746,32. Miss Mr. Gorsy explained that any board action pertaining to this requires a twothirds majority affirmation of the board. Okay. So, I know that that's on the board uh agenda number nine. So, let me see if there's any other committee reports and then we'll get back to that one. Okay. Okay. Um I I have a a question on that if we can just speak to that for a minute. Um in the paper it said that um about the $2 million um it talked about uh Middle Sex County, the biggest winner is Monroe with 60% increase to $2 million. Um, I just like to I think that's

040sort of playing uh with numbers because the increase is a very minor increase. I mean, it's it it looks big because we've barely gotten any uh state aid over these few years. Um, we probably I think in if I'm reading these papers right, we should have gotten anywhere from $2.624 624 million to $5 million at at the height uh 2008 2009. So getting $2 million while it sounds like we're getting 60% increase is really a drop in the bucket a um a good drop in the bucket I suppose and uh certainly uh grateful for it but I think we we have to keep in mind that it is really not our fair share yet. And um you know I I give kudos to the finance committee for making uh that recommendation. But I want to

041be clear before I mean we should we should thank the public for all of the hard work they have done to get to the to get this money and certainly um the administration. But I think the public outcry is really what made a difference. Mr. Cherella's organization um the ad hoc committee. Uh, so I want to thank him for all his hard work and his the the vocalism, but I think we need to keep in mind instead of saying we got a 60% increase, I think we should put it in perspective. It's only based on what 80 800,000 that we had gotten in the past. Mr. Gorski, perhaps you can Well, I think it puts us back to exactly where we were in 2008 and 2009. So, we're now back to that. We have lost

042money along the last 10 years and now we're back, but they didn't take into account that we've gotten over 2,000 more students in that 10 years. So, I don't want the public to be deceived by the by the fact that we're saying we got such a high increase. It we got an increase based on a ridiculously low amount that we have been receiving. So, but that's not really and we still need to keep fighting. I don't want to get complacent over this because $2 million on $130 million budget is barely um a relief for the taxpayers or do we any have any other committees that need to report? There are many. Okay, there's a policy for second reading tonight. Um the policy 8561 procurement procedures for school nutrition programs. um that was uh brought up

043several meetings ago. So it is on for a second and final vote. We talked about uh this is for on for the first time the policy and regulation 5350 uh which was suicide prevention policy. Um we got background information. It's a It is a mandatory policy and regulation I believe. I don't see an M on here. Um it may not be mandatory, but it is it was addressed. Uh I asked for that when we received the policy originally, there were handwritten notes on it um for discussion and I was inquiring as to where those notes came from. So just let me let you know that uh the policy were changes. We're we're due it is a mandated alert from our uh Strauss estimate which is our legal uh we have a legal software that tells

044us about uh changes in policies and recommendations. Uh the handwritten changes on the copy that I received were recommended by Dr. Alvik and the whole child committee. So the whole child committee includes staff members and the policy from the ESM uh was used with the child study team and the suicide intervention team. So I would recommend that everybody take a look at that policy. Let's hope we never have to use it. And um but the recommendations came from staff members. If um if anyone's interested in who those staff members are, I I believe we can probably get that through the open public records or we can post it. So that policy is 5350 for first reading. Uh the next policy was the homework policy. Uh it was provided to the committee by Dr. Alvik once

045again and it has been uh something that was vetted from the curriculum committee since November of 2017. Uh it is here. It is on for the first reading. Um my question is the um there's there's after reviewing it again, I'm sorry I didn't do this sooner, but after reviewing it again on number nine of that policy, it says homework or long-term projects are discouraged during defined breaks, which are Thanksgiving, winter, and spring breaks. Uh I'm going to ask this to go if it even if it passes, I'm going to ask this to go back to the committee. I think the word discouraged is a negative thing. I think perhaps we can ask for optional or at the discretion of the teacher. That would be my recommendation. Um but we can talk about it at the

046committee because the interim between this uh this vote and the next vote. It has to go for a second vote. Um the other thing is the this policy was rewritten in its entirety and handed to the committee. So, I'm wondering if it is not in the proper format and it's not paged and I'm wondering if that makes a difference uh before the vote. I don't know if our attorney can answer that question, but it re I realize when I saw it in the package that it really doesn't have the same format as all the other policies. So, I don't know if it's it doesn't make a difference and we'll make sure that it gets into that format. But, it's just it would be the same policy. All right. So that that's my personal um suggestion

047in terms of uh school breaks. The word discouraged I think um sort of puts handcuffs on our teachers and I think our teachers should be ultimately the ones responsible for how they um assign our children. So maybe if we can say optional and or at the discretion of the teacher instead of discouraged. I'd like that homework to be a positive experience and the teachers to have fully uh the support, you know, for what they feel is necessary for child instruction or educational instruction and it comes back to you as the chair of the policy committee. So, we'll make sure that so that is for the public that is uh policy 2330 and that's it. Thank you. Okay. Any other committees? Okay. Then we will go to the board discussion on the state aid. Mr. Borski.

048Yes, ma'am. As Mrs. Deo very well introduced with the committee report with the 18/19 budget, Monroe Township Board of Education received an additional state aid award in the general fund of $344,629. This was under Senate President Sweeny's plan to fully fund the formula, but with the growth limits and adjustment aid still in place, and it was phased in over a 4-year period of time. So, when you add that $344,629 of initial aid that the board already acted upon with the award that came out on last Friday of an additional 1,656,2 you have an increase in the 18/19 general fund state aid award of 2,100 I'm sorry, $2,1,231 as compared to the previous year. Um, one of the important things that was noted in the committee was that this award, if acted upon by the board,

049will be part of the base award going forward. So, there will be continued increases based upon that new base including that amount just like last year's increase of approximately $458,000 was in the base adjustment for the 18/19 budget. the state uh gave guidelines on uh the permissible use of the money and I sent that to the board and the committee and we studied that at length and as Mrs. Deo said the resolution tonight requires a two-th3 majority vote of the board. The finance committee unanimously uh decided to recommend to the board tonight an option which appropriated $1 million of the additional 1.6 6 million award towards tax relief by reducing the general fund levy and by appropriating $656,62 for ultimate use in the capital reserve account because when questions were asked, what needs are there

050in the district right now? We went through a list of them, but most noteworthy was the capital reserve account has a very low balance for a district this size of only $89,700. capital Reserve Account has fortified many of the installment projects each year that have been contained in the general fund budget without having to bond additional monies to meet the maintenance needs for this district. Projects including roof replacements, boiler, HVAC systems, the Applegarth uh uh project all were done in capital reserve. So um it's a it is in my opinion a responsible measure to use some of this additional word to replenish the capital reserve account and the finance committee uh agreed unanimously. We also discussed uh the uh continuation of this endeavor to get fair funding and we looked at the current bill that

051passed the assembly in the Senate which is S2 and is on the governor's desk awaiting signature that differs from the budget law that we spoke to previously which went to full funding with the growth limits and adjustment aid still in place because S2 removes the growth limits and the adjustment aid over a phased in period of time, which would give us the full award in accordance with the school funding reform act of 2008. As I wrote in the uh the communication to the board, this is a very important step and it's one that we targeted a while back because our district with all of the growth that we've experienced here has been frozen in place and not received state aid credit for all of the additional students. As Mrs. call upon which said over 2,000

052in uh a 9-year period, I believe. So, um it would behoove the board to follow S2 in my opinion. I don't want to make a political statement on it either way, but to initially remove the growth limits and adjustment aid and go to full funding is very important. And then finally, um it's my opinion that a new funding formula is needed for Monroe really to find satisfaction in this funding fight. School funding reform act 2008 is very long in the tooth by now and is is is not meeting the needs of many districts including Monroe. So even with full funding, as Mrs. Armeno said, u we're never going to be fully satisfied here and really feel it. Our taxpayers won't feel it until a new funding formula is in place. and I've spoken to some

053uh local legislators who supported that initiative. Okay. So, I believe Mr. Russo, you have a resolution to read. I have a piece of paper here. Yes, I do. Can I can I make one more comment? Well, we're going to make a resol and then we can have comments or questions. First, I would like to correct Miss Armano. When we refer to a small amount of money that we're not happy about, uh we use the word u crumbs. Okay. Not um not drop in the bucket. I stand corrected. Okay. Crumbs. Crumbs. Okay. So, I move that the members of the Monroe Township Board of Education one accept the revised categorical transportation state aid in the amount of 2,753,019, an increase of $1,656,62 from the previously reported state aid amount. and two, to reduce the general fund

054local tax levy for the 2018 2019 school year by $1 million. The crumbs, which will result in a general fund local tax levy for the 2018 2019 school year in the total amount of 100,353,868 dollars. and three, approve the appropriation of the remaining $656,62 into capital outlay line item 12-0000-400-450 construction services for the conversion to capital reserve when allowable. The business administrator slashboard secretary is hereby authorized and directed to take all necessary steps to implement this action by the board of education and dated July 18th. Okay. Is there second? Second by Mr. Cherella. Comments or questions? Yeah. I just just because of this resolution and it has to do with our state aid. Um when we are a member now of the fair funding action committee. Yes. I'm wondering if in conjunction with this we

055can put S2 on our website and ask our U public our public to call and write letters to our three um representatives. We can do that. Okay. I mean that's that was the whole point of joining the fair funding action committee, right? The governor who has to sign it. Okay. Madam, yes. Um, as Mr. Armenia said, the most impactful um, correspondence right now would go to the governor because that's where the SS2 lies right now on his desk. And although he said it wasn't opposed to it in any way, it hasn't been signed yet. So, that encouragement could go a long way. Okay. Any other comments or questions? I um if I may, I just want to I just want to, you know, for the people that aren't for the board members who aren't on

056on policy are on finance, it's it's just important I think that I think it's a good thing that we're giving the million dollars back for tax relief, but it is very important for us to um to to to recharge that the you know, our account because we've done a lot of projects in the past as Mr. Gorski stated uh out of that account and um you know if we have an emergency or something happens where we need to act upon it we we have it we have the ability to make changes and do things without having to you go out for a bond or something like that. So I'm just asking everyone to uh to to vote for that. Um and I also just want to say that I I'm grateful for the additional money.

057You know, I think that uh it we're we're we're in baby step mode, but baby step mode is better than the mode we were in in 2008 where we were in cut and take away mode. So, um I you know, I want us to keep moving forward. I think it's important to keep fighting because we're not where we need to be, but we're getting somewhere, it seems, and we need to keep that we need to keep that momentum going. Uh so, that's all I had to say for that. Anyone else? Okay, then we'll have a roll call. Mrs. Armeno. Yes, Mr. Braverman. Yes, Mr. Cherella. Yes, Mrs. Deo. Yes, Mrs. Lang. Yes, Mrs. Corino. Yes, Mr. Ryback. Yes, Mr. Russo. Yes, Mrs. Kopanovich. Yes. Madame board president, I'm pleased to announce that the motion passed

058unanimously. That's great news for both the public and the school district. Okay, we're going to public forum. Anyone from the public wishing to speak to the agenda, please come to the microphone, state your name and address for the record. We will adhere to our 4-minute time limit. And this is for agenda items only. Praash Parab, 33 Dana Drive. Uh Mr. Goodall, congratulations. uh we count on you to bring unity in BOE and cooperation between BOE and administration to work for the children and we count on you. You have done an excellent job for the high school so we count on you. Uh I'll come back to it. The fair funding you know it is a 14 billion budget and we are getting 5.6 million. It is a drop in the bucket or crumbs and I

059agree with all the comments from all of you. The funding formula has to be changed. Uh because now because of the taxes all this is gone now we cannot deduct more than 10,000. So it is coming back out of our pocket. We are paying double taxes like we already pay taxes on our salary. Then there are no cuts. So again we pay taxes to the school tax which we cannot deduct. So it is not good. So we have to we have to and in your action committee make sure that the public is there. So we are not just speaking for four minutes. Now coming back Mr. President you have given a you know you have talked to Sentinel and you talked to Monro now but I I don't want to go on commenting on that.

060Be careful what you say and what you don't because there are videotapes there already what has been going on in the special meetings. Okay. So we don't want to go back and we are not forgotten the exit of Dr. Kloak. You said public will forget soon. We are not. We are going to count everyone accountable for that. Okay. Again in the minutes of the meeting in the public forum we asked for the timelines for the referendum you said that we are waiting for the administrators administration of the BOE to give where we stand and where advisers on that recommendations or suggestions on that so the BOE will act on it so when it is going to happen that is the question and now Mr. Goodal is our acting superintendent. So we have to have a

061process now to start it when we are going to look for the new superintendent and what is the expectation from the BOE. So we public like to know about that. That is the second question. Okay. So neither one of those questions are on the agenda. No, they are in the minutes of the meeting and minutes of the meeting are approved. So they are that's not an agenda item but I will answer them please. Thank you. Okay. So the the first question was for a a referendum the referendum. We have a steering committee to a meeting tomorrow. It is my personal hope that by September we have a resolution on the board agenda for a referendum for the up this is just my personal opinion. We will talk about it more tomorrow. Um that we will

062have uh you know something in place in September for a referendum. we do something in September. I don't think we'll be able to have a referendum on the ballot because you need six months until next March. The second question was a for a superintendent at at today we just appointed an acting superintendent and I think there is a few things that we have to do before we start to search for a new superintendent. We haven't even discussed that yet. Um, I do know that I think the priority of the board is the referendum and then most superintendent are put in place on July 1st for the September opening of school. So, at this point, they're um it's not a the optimal time to look for a superintendent. So the optimal time would probably be in

063um the spring when when people are looking for new positions and new jobs. So Mr. Goodall is in place until next year um June 30th. uh we will be having discussions on how we were going to move forward but I think right now to do so many things that we we've been trying to do so many things for the last 6 months that it would be a good idea to just work on the referendum and get that um done by September and then we could move to looking at the superintendent search. Thank you. Anyone else from the public? Good evening. Chrissy Scurby, 21 PNIS Drive. Mr. Goodall, I want to welcome you um as acting superintendent. I think our district is very lucky to have you at the helm and I look forward to this

064upcoming school year. Um just a couple of questions with the new development that's going up um I guess right next to Barkley Brook. Is it is there still the property between Barkley Brook and Brookside that shares the driveway of Barkley Brook? Yes, there is. There's someone that's driveway leads to a house in the back. Oh, okay. Um so, back to what Mr. um Braverman was saying about walkers. I know they currently walk to school um by Mil Lake. Um Devon Shire does walk to Barkley Brookside. The Barkley Brook students walk through Brookside to get to Barkley Brook in the morning. Um I think it is an excellent point that Mr. Braverman brought up to look at other developments that can walk. Um curious if there's any looking um over on the Oak Tree side because

065there are several developments that um connect to Oak Tree with sidewalks as well as the one next to Applegarth that has sidewalks. Is there any is there any consideration for those developments to walk? I I don't know, but I think it's probably a good idea that we task the um the committee with looking at what what bus routes can be accommodated and what bus routes may be eliminated. Um I know we've done that in in the past. We've done a a uh an audit on the bus routes and it's probably time that we did another audit and see where we can save money from not having to bus from neighborhoods that are able to walk to school. Sure. Um do you have um a number of buses that are used outside of the district? Do

066we know how many we currently use? Mr. Gorski, do you have an idea? No, I don't have a number buses. We we don't discuss the number of buses. It's more routes and we're working on that for next year. As far as a percentage goes, um holistically I would say that approximately 65 to 70% is in-house now with the remainder being contracted. There are still a great number of special ed routes that are contracted because uh the efficiency of buying a van for one or two particular students of need uh is not there. So we still have a lot of contracted routes out. the athletic trips and the field trips are still contracted. Um but we are making every effort to bring them back in and but but our biggest hindrance to that is the availability

067to park them and to service them which we're studying now at committee to determine expansion. Yes, ma'am. Yeah. because if we could reduce routes, then we can reduce the amount of outofd district buses. And I only bring it up because of the horrific accidents that have happened um with school buses. And it seems like most of those were um outside the district owned buses. They weren't district- owned buses. And the concern that I've always had is if my child's not riding a Monroe Township bus that there's a different standard on those buses. And I think the district really needs to going forward really consider that because it's our children's lives um in those bus drivers hands and they don't have to meet the same criteria that our bus drivers do. And I know our bus

068drivers do a fantastic job. They make sure that the kids have their seatelts on, there's cameras on the buses. Um so I I think that's something that this district should really look to. If we can reduce routes, then that's a reduction in the amount of buses we need to contract out and it would make a safer a safer district for our children. Thank you. Thank you, Lou. Masters, non court. Uh, I have several items, but they're not too long. Congratulations. I'll say it again. I think you do you'll do a great job. Also, this is Mr. last meeting as an employee. I just wanted to recognize that. So, we'll see you as a a member of the public hopefully. Um, and also I just wanted to say I was sad. I saw that Mr. Howard

069resigned. Um, he was a great teacher or he is a great teacher, I should say. My kids all love them. We love him. He's going to be sorely missed. Um, I have a question for Mr. Cherella. the trailers that are near the roads. Are we looking into crash barriers? So, if somebody drives off the road, they don't drive into the trailer. We we have not looked at uh any crash barriers. Uh the the the curbing, there's curbing there and things like that, but we we have not looked to put anything permanent in. I'm just saying with the some of the accidents we've had in town where people have driven up curbs into buildings, that might be something to look into. Um the other thing, uh usually I agree with you, Mr. media, but you said

070something before that kind of irked me about your minutes. Um, you talked about, I guess, the closed special closed session meeting and that um, some of the action items were misrepresented, which is fine, but then you also start talking about the resolution of the action items. I just want to make sure it's clear. You cannot include those in minutes. It's only what is discussed at the meeting, right? Okay. I just want to make sure because you started discussing, I want to make sure that doesn't appear retroactively in minutes. Right. And the other thing that you brought up is why don't we randomize voting anymore? We used to do that when I was on the board on items. We did that many many years ago. Um we could implement that again if you I'm just saying

071it seemed like there was a request to change the voting order tonight by a board member. That might be something to look into. Yeah. Well, we'll look into that. Okay. And I just have two questions on person uh not personnel. Yeah, personnel. Um, one of them is on I guess Randy Flom. The first one, the effective date is 2017. Is that just a update? There's only one closed session. There's only one uh public, right? I could discuss this. You could talk about the position, not the person. Sorry. The first um um step I'm just curious, was the step retroactive or just the documentation? What do you Can you give me an a letter? Oh, it's a ay. Yeah, sorry. So, did we have to retroactively do this step over the whole year or is it

072just a documentation update? I guess you're going to have to give me like more information without using a person. Um yeah, it's tough. So the first uh Brookside person there, the first item um the effective date is being I guess changed. Well, yeah, we we No, we can get you can ask after the meeting and we'll get that information. That's fine. I'm just curious. And then on the next page, it just says doctorate differential. that person has uh apparently received their doctorate. So now they get the differential for receiving their doctorate. We don't have to put the name on there. Oh, where the last one? Yeah, it's the only one without it. It was just the number. It was Oh, I think that's a new employee. Okay. Okay. No, I'm only kidding. Um it's it's

073we we changed that number. Okay. Yeah, that's fine. And then the last thing, I know you can't discuss it, is the damage to property under V. I know you can't go into details, but $5300. What was that? That's a lot of damage, I would say. What number is that? V, the violence vandalism. That particular incident was an issue at the high school and there was damage done to a boy's bathroom, particularly the sink. Okay. Yeah, that's about right. All right. Thank you. That's it. Have a nice day. Thank you very much. Good evening. Andy Poli, 16 St. James Street. First of all, I want to congratulate Dr. Goodall for taking the position. It is Mr. Mister, not doctor. So, I misheard. I give him doctors all the time. So, it's okay. Mr. Well, it's better

074than calling you Mr. President. So, uh, I just wanted to clarify a couple of items. Um, the $2 million and the reference to the breadcrumbs, it's really, um, disheartening, uh, for a member of an elected official sitting here and making statements like that. There's a lot of effort, a lot of people put in to get what we got. And I think the least some of the board members can do is appreciate the efforts that are put in by the members of the fair uh, funding committee. and we have not given up at this point. We understand it's only a drop in the bucket. Uh we are continuing to work. We're trying to set a meeting up with the Senate President. We're sending letters and correspondence to the governor's office to change the u the funding

075formula as well. So please be patient with us before you start referring to this as a drop in the bucket. Drop in the bucket is better than no drop in the bucket. And if you guys are not interested in it, we can always give that as a tax relief to the rest of the the community here. And also one of the things that really appels me is there are certain members of the board here who come and sit in the planning board meetings and actually tape the planning board meetings. And for them to sit here and say we don't know what the policy is and I'm not speaking as a member of the the planning board to say that they don't know what the policy is and somebody got to go in and sit there

076and represent. There's a board member always represented at the planning board and it is the policy of the planning board to request sidewalks on all properties that are being built here for most part. The only exception is if there's no connecting sidewalks then they make a fair contribution to the fund to build sidewalks at those locations. So the whole idea is that if there's no connecting sidewalk when the sidewalks are built from point A to point B and then from C to D, B to C can be connected with the funds that are available in the general funds. And also the state has given money to Monro Township back I believe in 2005 or 2006 to conduct a comprehensive bicycle pedestrian compatibility across the the township and that report is available. I have seen it.

077Uh and I think um that'll be a good point for people to see from a safe routes to school perspective on what sidewalks are going to be approved and what is there in the general funding to provide the sidewalks uh especially in the Barkley Brook area. So thank you very much and good luck working with this. Thank you board. Thank you. Anyone else from the public have a comment or question on the agenda? Krishna Kalen Jake please. Um I have a question on u the referendum. You just brought that up when you when you responded to the referendum. Yeah, that is not on the agenda. Yes, but you u you responded back to Praash on this. I know but that is not on the agenda right now. So we will hold that till the next

078public forum. Right. Um all I want to say is in September we don't want to come in and say that you know this is a decision that the board has made. We need um the public needs a public um a prior notification so that we can look at the uh referendum or what is being proposed u discuss the pros and cons. Not a single meeting that we go in and say you know either you're for it you're against it. It's a request we we don't have a referendum now to even discuss. So I think we'll hold that off until we we have something that the board will bring to the public. Sure. Um then um the question then is on number one um enrollment. Um we I'd like to see the capacity of the schools

079next to the enrollment numbers. Right? For example, I want to know what the Apple guard's capacity is, what the enrollment numbers are. That gives us an idea of how many students are there and what kind of things do we need and um at least plan for it, right? Okay. We'll look into it. Yes. Um and then um the question about uh the funding, right? Um, with the million dollars being returned for the tax relief, um, just wanted to confirm, are there any classes being uh, canceled out? Uh, are there any um, classes classes or any special activities being, uh, we are not cutting any programs or any classes due to the taxes and for just because we're bringing in the trailers, are there any clubs or anything being cut out? Um, with the trailers, I

080I think everything that was in the budget is still in the budget. We have not lost anything. We have not lost any um uh any programs or anything in the district. What it was in the budget and approved back in April is still in the budget. Sure. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Gordal. Um congratulations and uh we will look forward to working with you. Now I have a question on the high school. Um is the principal's portion in high school being backfilled? Is that on the agenda? Yes. Yes. Okay. There's a recommendation on the agenda for tonight in the superintendent's report. Okay. All right. Sure. Thank you. Anyone else from the public? Okay. Seeing no one, we will close the public forum and go to our superintendence report with Mr. Goodall. Thank you, Mrs. Kyle

081Panonovich. Uh in my first few weeks in the role of acting superintendent, I had the privilege of one of the best things you can do as a superintendent is to interview and welcome potential new staff members, teachers, counselors, child study team members, and uh we've gone through a rigorous process starting at the building level and with the supervisors and the building principles to recommend candidates to staff our schools with the finest teachers available. And on my uh under my action report uh personal action report, a number of those candidates are being recommended tonight for being a part of our family moving forward. So, it's a great privilege as a superintendent to be involved in that. In addition, I had the opportunity of interviewing two potential appointments tonight as uh the the acting principal of Monroe

082Township High School. That process was completed and we have a recommendation tonight as well as the Brookside and Applegarth split uh new additional uh vice principal. So that concludes uh my um re o opening of my report. So, madame board president and members of the board of education, it is recommended that personnel action items A through BH under the superintendence report be approved by consent. Roll call. So move. Second. Can I Mr. Mr. Tierella and Mr. Mayo? I I think it's BI. I have BH BH. There was a correction to be uh there was a removal. Yeah. Sorry. Now, now do you have a question? Yes. A N. Yes. Should that be through May of 2019? There's an error. May 30th, 2019. Thank you for that pickup. Any other comments or questions for Mr. Goodall?

083Yes, Mr. Armia. on um well my old agenda Y I don't know if it's still there. It's the oh it's Z on the new agenda. Um it's recommended that the board approve the following teachers. I don't have an issue with the teachers but at a contract increase of 8.5% for the school year. Can that be explained? 8.5% salary or uh the contract with AVID. What is that? Often when a teacher uh takes on additional responsibilities, for example, there are many times the high school you're asked to approve a 17% increase. at the middle school, the with the AVID program, uh, they get an 8.5 because it's half of the time that the high school teacher teaches the AVID elective course. 8.5 on what? On their current salary. On their current salary for 201819 and we're

084paying that. It's not Okay. So, it's a it's a contract for avid teachers essentially. They get an increase of that on top. Now, is that a pensionable increase? Yeah, it's important to distinguish that 8 and a half% increase is an additional contractual term. It's a term extension of more time that they'll be serving with compensation associated with it. It's not 8% increase in compensation. Okay, just try that again. It's like when the high school staff teaches an extra class, they get an extra 17%. So, they make 117% of their contract. they're getting an extra eight and a half% because they're teaching an extra portion or an extra term or an extra however they do it at the middle school. Okay. So instead of 17% they're getting half of that. I got that. Um all right.

085Um the other question is um according to again the first uh agenda that I read um we're getting an increase of additional sections 20 if I read it correctly 20 additional sections and that's due to enrollment primarily or entirely on on here when I read the hires they were additional sections and I think do you have a number for that Well, it was throughout let's see on my old one it was the I think it was teachers you were increasing sections where no I don't uh oh okay maybe it's not on this it's be or so it would probably be be on my agenda is club advisors for the high school. Nope, it would be oak tree. It would be BF it start u I just I was just counting. I mean really it's just

086a generic question. We're look it looks like and it doesn't have to be anything specific. Looks like we have additional Okay, here it is on page 21 of BF. There are a lot of additional sections for and it says increased enrollment. I just sort of want the public to know that we're having we have 20 additional sections. Is that correct, madam? I'm sorry. Yes, the new sections were included in the budget. Right. I know that. But I that is due to enrollment growth. Just enrollment growth. And then new positions for non-certified were seven. You have seven new positions for non-certified personnel. I think that might be the next section. And I think that's um also from the budget, new positions that have been in the budget that now we are hiring for. Just confirming that.

087Okay. I think that's all in this. Oh, okay. Not the other. Any other comments or questions? Mr. Russo. I mean, I'm going to vote yes, but uh I know you got my uh Mr. Goodall, I know you got my email earlier about the those few. Yes. Yeah. So that's why I'm always sort of apprehensive now to vote on these things because we don't know how many slip through the crack and it seems like nobody knows and um and there are too many it looks like there are too many people in the pipeline who are at the high level directors and so on well paid $100,000 a year and I can't see how mistakes like that are made. So, I think we really need to stop that from happening. If you know, people who were given

088full-time jobs uh who didn't apply for them and it wasn't a vacancy shouldn't happen. So, anyway, I appreciate that you're looking into it and like I said, I know it's your first day on the job on this job. I could only speak to the process that I follow at the high school and and I know it's a lot of it's it's not something I would expect you to be able to just pick out that the people who are involved in the process should be able to identify that or you know stop it from happening. So um yeah good luck on the on the on the on the new uh position and um like I said I I am going to support it and vote yes on this. So thank you. Anyone else? Okay. Then we'll

089have a roll call on the personnel items. Miss A through BH. Mrs. Armano. Yes. Mr. Braverman. Yes. Mr. Cherella. Yes. Mrs. Deo. Yes. Mrs. Lang. Yes. Mrs. Corino. Yes. Mr. Ryback. Yes. Mr. Russo. Yes. Mr. Mrs. Kapanovich. Yes. Madam Board President, personnel items A through BH has passed. Okay. So we go to the board action items. Mr. Copif, which if you don't mind, I'd like to recognize the report. So Mr. Scott Madropllor, where is Scott? Congratulations. Welld deserved, Mr. Madropar. Over 30 years of service to Monroe Township High School, teacher, coordinator, and now vice principal for 13 years with me and now as acting principal for the year. So congratulations And I just would like to say Mr. Metropell gave me his seat at one of the assemblies. So I want to appreciate your shival.

090Thank you. Tonight and also um Mrs. Magdalina [Applause] Fedora. Congratulations appointed assistant principal at Brookside in Apple Gorth and we had a great conversation at your final interview. It was very nice to meet you. I've never met you before, but I know you're going to be a great addition to the team. So, congratulations. Welcome. Okay, so now we'll go to board action items. Madame board president and members of the Monro Township Board of Education, it is recommended that board action items A through W be approved by consent. Roll call. So move Mr. Ryback. Second second by Mr. Mayo. Comments or questions for Mr. Goodall? Mr. Chiella? It's not a comment or it's a comment, but it it's over it's an overall just a structure of how we do these. Is there any way that we

091could break out these policies? So, for instance, if you go to S, it has a homework policy, but it's lumped in under S with student suicide prevention. So, if a board member wanted to vote against the the homework policy, they're going to also be voting against the the suicide policy, which is ridiculous. Um, you can say that you're voting for one and not the other under us. Okay. Yes, you can. We've done that in the past when there's more than one that you would vote for one but not vote for something so you can distinguish that when you make your vote. Anyone else? Okay. And we'll have a roll call. Board action items A through W. Mrs. Arminino. Yes. Mr. Braverman. No on the homework. I'll say yes on the rest. Thank you. Mr. Cherella.

092No on the homework policy 2 330 and yes on the right Mrs. Deo yes Mrs. Lang yes Mrs. Corino yes Mr. Ryback yes Mr. Russo due to confliction um stay abstain abstain on all previously yes okay thank you Mrs. Kopanovich yes madam board president board action items A through W has passed okay and that concludes your report Mr. at all. That concludes my report. Okay. Then we'll go to the business administrator's report with Mr. Gorski. Madame board president and members of the Monroe Township Board of Education, it is recommended that board action items A through U be approved by consent. Roll call. So move. Second. Mr. Tierella, Mr. Ryback. Comments or questions for Mr. Gorski. Um, Mr. Mr. Mo, does this include Mr. Gorski the professional appointments of McCabe Environmental? There is an um an

093professional appointment for McCabe Environmental. Okay. I I just have a question on that. Um the lead inspector risk assessor, I mean, it's broken down. I see that the rate sheet from Monroe Township from this service is broken down. Um, I thought we I thought we already did our lead assessments. And do we have to have this as an ongoing assessment or aren't we satisfied that we were lead free or we dealt with our lead issues? I believe that we still need an environmental um engineer approved by the board to be an on call service. Uh, you're right. We just remediated red lead paint at the middle school columns and uh elsewhere in the district. Um but this approval is is forward looking. If we should need them during the course of the year, you have

094an approval. You don't have to wait for the board meeting. Yeah. But but I thought we did it when when there was lead in the water with Flint, Michigan, and we had we we were up in in front of that and we had u a lead um inspection. I mean, why would we I mean, we're not getting older buildings and we're certainly not I mean, I don't I it's only $100 and it may be really less than a crumb, but we shouldn't be paying for things in my opinion that we don't we don't need. It's a very good question and the approval here is as a as needed basis number one. Uh but number two, there is still lead paint here in the district and there is still asbestous here in the district. Uh the

095purpose of the adher plan and the lead paint management program is to effectively manage and contain those contaminants so to avoid construction or uh exposure in any way. So these engineers are approved by the board to be on an as as needy basis should the uh need arise uh where something may disturb those areas. Okay. So but we have identified where all of the potential leadbased risks are. I believe that the terminology Mr. T us is all known lead and asbestous. Okay. And then Paul's commodity hauling. Could you just briefly explain what that is? Yes. Um the district participates in federal commodity program where we apply through a lengthy process and are eligible to receive federal commodities including cheese and different um agricultural products free of charge. And you need a certified approved hauler trucking

096company to bring these items for consumption in the school district. So the fuel charges are when they're bringing these commodities to us. Yes, ma'am. And h and is okay. So this is just our a service to bring commodities. It's a it's a service that's required by the Department of Education. You have to have a certified hauler because you're dealing with consumable items for kids. And we last I saw the figure, the district benefited to the tune of about $30,000 a year by receiving these commodities from the government just through the efforts of applying. Okay. And and our hoeller isn't charging us 29,000, right? That's correct. Okay. I mean, I want to make it worth our while to get to get them. All right. Thank you. It is. And we've eliminated all pink slime from Oh.

097uh federal programs. Yes. Thank you. And Mr. Braverman, I was wondering why I was being punished by not being under G. Under G. Oh, that's the trip to um Atlantic City. Yeah. School boards. Um certainly you're not being punished, Mr. Braverman. Uh we welcome your attendance, but we have had no uh I'm sorry. We've had no communication from you expressing interest. That's why you're not included on the list. If you would like to contact Nancy Techley Farerrell tomorrow, we can put it on at the next meeting. It's not a problem. Yeah, I think I'd like to go. Good. Okay. Um, any other questions? Mr. Russo. Yeah, just when we um purchase or go into contract with any companies, LLC's, is there any way we could make a note that there are no conflicts with people

098who work in the school? Nobody in the school owns the company or has a partnership in the company because very often we're voting on these LLC's and we don't know who owns them, right? And that might be very difficult to find out who if an employee works from the district works with them. How how but don't you think it's important? We can ask an LLC perhaps the LLC. We can we can Yeah. I mean I'm familiar with procurement processes. Um, I know we at the United Nations we do that all the time and we thoroughly check to make sure that there are no conflicts, no ownerships or partnerships or conflicts of interest. Madam, yes, where you have we're in full compliance with all the federal and state regulations as far as uh required disclosure from

099vendors. Usually pertains to the bid threshold with with the QPA it's $40,000. Is there a paper trail? Is there a way I could You're saying you're in compliance, but can I Oh, yes. Do you have a document that Yes. will will demonstrate that this company has no conflict with anyone here? Absolutely. If you were interested in in a bid award, you could come in and inspect the bid award and you would see all of the disclosure requirements, uh, affirmative action, uh, conflicts of interest, you name it. Can we make a note on here? Can we make a note on here that for example when you put the LLC down that there are no conflicts some type of I just want to be clear sir I'm I'm referring to anything at the bid threshold or higher

100that's where the you're required to make uh solicit these what about below that uh below that $50,000 it's at the discretion of the administrator making the recommendation to check that there is no federal or state requirement to go beyond that. So, we need would you uh agree that maybe developing an ins policy to address that would be good? I would be happy to entertain it at a finance committee meeting if you wanted to discuss that further. We could look at the pros and cons of implementing policy meeting. Yep. How about the policy policy meeting? Policy or finance are both kind of intertwined there. I think it's more finance if you ask me, but either one would be fine with me. Okay. I think it's important. Oh, and I have one more. Mio, is um is

101the contract for the ice rental also on this? Yes, ma'am. So, um I know this has already been budgeted as well. Um it's $30,000 to rent the ice arena for the hockey team. Is that correct? That's approximately correct. Well, okay. Yeah. Well, it said it on the on the contract. So, um, what are have we budgeted 60,000 though for that? I thought maybe with tra transportation and other things. I mean, I think the per cost of the whole thing is about 60,000. Is that Yeah, perhaps you're thinking of other things including with that included in the sport. Um, right. But the ice rink is is 30,000 here and it's it's under new ownership and all all of the uh information is contained in the paper. Yeah, I saw that. I did read it. Unfortunately, there's

102not a lot of competitive options when it comes to searching for ice skating rinks as I've learned. Okay. Thank you. Anyone else? Then we'll have a roll call. Mr. Gorski. Mrs. Armano? Yes. Mr. Braverman? Yes. Mr. Cherella? Yes. Mrs. Deo? Yes. But recuse on G. So noted and on G, Mrs. Deo, you're referring to a recusal on your own appointment, not the rest of the boards. Correct. Right. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Lang. Recusal on me on G and yes for everything else. So noted. Mrs. Corino, yes, Mr. Ryback. I have to recuse for myself on G and yes for everything else. Thank you, Mr. Russo. Uh, yes, Mrs. Colonage. I'm going to recuse for me on G and yes for everything else. Very good. Madam Board President, a motion passes. That concludes my report.

103Thank you. Okay. Board President's report is very um short this week. Um I I was I mentioned this before. I was going to mention it during my report. Uh tomorrow morning the um steering committee will be meeting and I hope we have some um um forward moving so that we can get a ref a referendum on the ballot by March. We would need to have everything in place by September. So I think um it will be a good start tomorrow. And the my other item is for the board members. Um, we get our agendas on Friday, but at this time of year, we're always adding staff every day, including today. So, I think you need to make sure that you see your board docs either on Tuesday night or sometime on Wednesday, so that you're

104up to date with everything and we don't have um issues on having different agendas. Um, if you feel like you need a an updated agenda on Wednesday, we can have it sent to you. And that's my report. Then we'll go to other board of education business. Is there any other business from any member of the board of education? Mr. Armeno. Yeah. I I would like to present a proposal resolution to go out for a proposal for a new um or or different uh auditor for the coming year for the coming fiscal year. need to do that. Um, madam auditor. Yeah, the uh the auditor is approved already through the services required for the June 308 audit. It would be the subsequent period I believe that Mrs. Armeno is referring to. It was it was already

105well June 30th ends the fiscal year. Correct. Then the audit process continues until approximately November, December. But that would all be included in the current contract which I think we approve at the um organization meeting. Don't we approve the auditor? At the organization meeting. Well then I at at the organization meeting we approve them. Okay. Then I'd like to u propose a resolution to do that for the following year. So could you read your resolution? My resolution is that what for the fiscal year would start on just give me the dates. Yeah. May I help you with that? Sure. I believe you're looking uh at requesting that the board solicit an RFP request for proposal. Correct. For uh board auditor services, board auditing services. But I I also don't think it should be ex with

106the exclusion of the current one. And I think we need to change change it up a little bit and get a different one. So I I wouldn't want it just just for the same auditor. The procurement laws require a competitive and open process called a request for proposal. But during that process, the board can and uh review qualitative and quantitative aspects of the contract and and make a recommendation from there. Okay, that's fine. if you want to. So, um, if I may help you with the resolution, right? You're recommending, you're moving a motion to the board, correct? To go out for a request for a proposal for auditing services. Yes. For the for the period beginning July for the for the fiscal year July 1st 18 through June 319. That's correct. No, it would have

107to be. You're telling me Jul 2018 started July 1st 18 started. Yes. But that that's the beginning of a new audit period. Okay. Uh June 308 is the conclusion of the last audit period where the auditor is still engaged doing services for a few months afterwards. Okay. But that's for the period that ended already. Yes, ma'am. So I'm Yes. So I would like it for the period beginning July 1st, 2018 until Yeah. All right. So, the motion was moved by Mrs. Armano. Is there a second? Second. Comments or questions? Question. If we change um auditors, is are there any costs involved with that for changing over aside from what the the new charge would be? Uh there certainly could be. We've we've had the current auditor now for I'd have to research when that began,

108but um probably about 13 14 years. And I and and I I go through a competitive procurement process with a lot of my colleagues where we share information about um attorney rates, bond council rates, auditor rates per hour, engineer rates per hour, and things like that. So when we make a professional services recommendation to the board, we've done our due diligence. I will say that um Mr. Stanwitz's rates are at the lower spectrum and you could wind up having uh requests for proposals come in higher. I I can't tell the future, but you know, and we could discuss as a committee if wished. Uh there's also a practice that the board should be aware of of submitting a low bid for the first year and then uh right you know uh coming in much higher

109to make it up. So it's hard to specifically answer that question but I will say that maybe I wasn't clear um Mr. course I'm talking about not not so much the fee for the the accountant you but um actual may maybe you have to present or order different kinds of books or or um show things differently that would be incumbent upon us to pay for aside from the fees that the new auditor would charge. Believe it or not the auditing standards are pretty consistent. Uh no matter what auditing firm you bring in, they should be following the same government accounting standards uh to conduct the audit. But um you know the Samuel Kleining Company we have now is available and doesn't charge for every phone call that we make and every inquiry of um you

110know anything that may come up and in in this district usually does. I have a question. So what would the process be now if this passes? We would have to come up with uh a specification for the service, advertise, solicit um firms to participate if if desired. Um, but it would be an open process for accounting firms who are licensed by the state to bid on being the board's auditor and and most importantly, it's everybody really needs to understand what you're buying with this service. Offering a independent opinion on the board's financial statements. The financial statements that come every year in the comprehensive annual financial report are the representations of management, which is administration, mainly me in that area. It is the auditor independent auditor's role to test and form an opinion on whether those

111statements conform with government accounting standards and state regulations etc. So you you you technically according to the standards of the profession should be getting an extremely similar service no matter which auditor performs it. Anyone else? Okay, then I guess we'll have a roll call. Mrs. Armeno, yes. Mr. Braverman, yes. Mr. Cherella, yes. Mrs. Deo, no. Mrs. Lang, no. Mrs. Kino, yes. Mr. Rybeck, no. Mr. Russo, yes. Mrs. Kopanovich, no. Uh, madame board president, simple majority is five yays. That motion passes. Okay. Any other board business? Mr. Braverman. Yeah. I'd like to move that the board of education start the process of recruiting a permanent superintendent. that a committee construct a calendar for advertising, reviewing applications, reviewing applicants credentials and actual interviews and other incidental components and report back to the board with dates for the

112above at the August meeting with time being of the essence. Further, although it might be unusual, I be the chair. Is there a second to that motion? Second. I didn't hear the motion, please. Do you have that written down so that I could read it to Miss Mrs. Lang did not hear it? You if you could read my writing, I can't. Oh, well, then you'll have to read it, I guess. I move that the board of education start the process of recruiting a permanent superintendent. that a committee construct a calendar for advertising, reviewing applications, reviewing applicants credentials and actual interviews and other incidental components and report back to the board with the dates for the above at the August meeting with time being of the essence. Further, although it might be unusual that I be

113the chair. Did you hear that, Patty? Yes. Okay. Is there a second? Yes. Second by Mr. Russo. Comments or questions. Okay. Then we'll have a roll call. And I believe Miss Squarino is um is um is recuse is abstain. I'm trying to figure out which one. Okay. Mrs. Armeno. Yes, Mr. Braverman. Yes, Mr. Cherella. Yes, Mrs. Deo. No, Mrs. Lang. No. Yes, Mrs. Corino. Accused. Thank you, Mr. Ryback. No, Mr. Russo. Yes. Mrs. Colonel, no. Madam Board President, motion fails. Wow. Why not? Any other um board of education business? Okay. Then we will go to public forum. Anyone wishing to speak, please come to the microphone. Your name and address for the record and uh we will adhere to this 4-minute timeline. Yeah. Uh Praash Purab uh 33 uh Dana Drive. Uh with respect to

114the funding, I appreciate what the board members said. It is a fact that we have received a drop in the bucket. So I do appreciate there's nothing wrong stating your opinion. I have more than 700 people families who follow me in my meeting and everyone said same every but we do appreciate who went and lobbyed the families who lobbied the mayor even everyone from you who lobbied for the fair funding and our legislatures. Okay, we got 2 million. We appreciate that. But here the things doesn't stop is a $14 billion budget and we get 5.6 million and in next five or 7 years we'll start getting 9 millions or something. So I don't know with growth cap removal. So appreciate and taping to the planning committee planning board you came one of you as a

115citizen not as a board member. Fine. You know there is six I think it is 384 acres of land. I understand something the builder is going to build across 33 route 33 and 980 houses are planned 6. So we are going we have we went to the planning board. We are going to the planning board and we are going to talk about it because impact to the school impact to the enrollment we have to ask questions. Nothing wrong with that. How many trees they are going to cut? what is the impact to the environment? Even the environment commission has not reviewed that application. You know I was told that the engineer in council what planning board talks to the demographer here. So I'm starting to understand what's the process. We want to be transparent as

116a taxpayers. We all work for the betterment of our school and children. So we cannot forget that. Coming back to the business the homework policy when I met Dr. All which the understanding I met one-on-one with her that there was a parent you know they sent a survey for the parents to get a feedback on the homework policy and they look at that and then get what is the best practices are followed in New Jersey and throughout the United States with the respect to home policy homework policy that was supposed to be input in and then we were supposed to come up with the best of the best so I don't see the entire process this it is homework policy I see is very vague so I'll be meeting I don't wait for the board

117of education I go and meet our very friendly you know the staff is there I go and talk to them you know so we have to look at the homework policy which should be the best because we have to go into all our goal is to produce the kids which are well talented in academia sports or whatever best interest they have so we have to make sure the homework policies is very good and well done. Regarding referendum president, what I'm requesting all of you is again we don't want a surprise to the public. So what is best for needed for township? Let us come up with a referendum. So we'll lobby for it. There'll be always naysayers. We cannot stop the naysayers but at least we'll get majority support so that referendum goes through in

118March and we move forward. So those are my comments and nothing else. Thank you very much. Thank you. Anyone else? Okay, seeing no one, we will close the public forum and go to close session resolution. Be it resolved that the board of education of the township of Monroe hereby moves to go into close session in accordance with the sunshine law chapter 231 of the public laws of 1975 NJSA 104-6 through 104-21 to discuss the following subjects harassment intimidation and bullying matters falling within the attorney client privilege including proposed confidential settlement agreement involving student 91268 and proposed Monreal Township Board of Education MTEA sidebar agreement. Following closed session, action may be taken. The discussion conducted in closed session can be disclosed to the public at such time as the need for confidentiality no longer exists. Second,

119Mr. Mayo, Mr. Ryback. All in favor? I opposed. Then the board will now move into close session. Mrs. Lang, I'll just continue. Okay. At this time, the board will move back into public session. And um before I read a resolution, um we have the public forum for close session items only. If anybody would like to come to the microphone and talk about close session. Okay, seeing no one, we will close that public forum. And I have a um resolution whereas NJAC6A3-1.13D requires that a board of education provide a resolution authorizing settlement indicating that the district board of education has consented to the terms of the settlement. Be it resolved that the board hereby consents to settlement with family and student identification number 91268 pursuant to the terms of the release and settlement agreement attached here

120too and authorizes the board of education president Miss Kathy Kalipanovich to execute the agreement on behalf of the board of education. I need a second. Second. Miss Arminino, any comments or questions? Then we'll have a roll call on this. Mrs. Armeno. Yes, Mr. Braverman. He's He's left. Yes, Mr. Terrell. Yes, Mrs. Deo. Yes, Mrs. Lang is no longer participating. Mrs. Kino, Mr. Rybeck, yes. Mr. Russo, yes. Mrs. Colonage, yes. On the board president, motion passes. Okay. Okay, our next scheduled board of education meeting is scheduled for August 22nd, 2018, 7:00 p.m. at the Monroe Township High School. Motion to adjurnn. So move second. Second, Mr. Ryback and Miss Armenio. All in favor? Opposed. And then at this time, the meeting is adjourned.