BOE sets upcoming budget session schedule
BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer

METUCHEN — The Board of Education reviewed the tentative budget calendar at the board meeting last week.

“We usually start our budget process after our audit report, which was given on the Dec. 6 meeting this year,” said Schools Superintendent Theresa Sinatra.

Joseph D’Avilla, of Wiss and Co., said there was not much change from last year’s audit, which covered the financial transactions of the board secretary, school business administrator, treasurer of school monies, the activities of the board and the records of the various funds from July 1, 2004, to June 30, 2005.

Facilities director Jerry Sheeran gave the board an update on the tentative three-year plan on the capital projects — summer punch list items.

“The amount we will spend in these three years will be $498,500, which will for the most part be coming out of our operating budget,” said Sheeran. “All the numbers are in the ballpark range.”

This year, the board plans to spend roughly $136,500 on the summer punch list items.

“We won’t know the exact amount we will have to spend until we know how much state aid we will receive,” said Sheeran.

In other business, the athletic fields construction project, which was halted for over a month due to a dispute over the type and size of stone is back on schedule.

“Now we are starting to put boundary lines on the field and replacing the storm drainage structure,” said Sheeran.

In other business, Edgar Middle School Principal Kathy Glutz asked Sheeran to install windows in the offices of the boys and girls lockers.

“The reason for the installation of windows is to deter anymore unruly behavior by the students,” said board President Ron Grayzel.

Sheeran is waiting to get the building permit for the installation of the windows.

Upcoming budget calendar items include:

•Jan. 18 — State of the School Address by Sinatra

•Feb. 14 — Report on the custodial, maintenance and fields plan; and transportation.

•Feb. 22 — Report on athletics and co-curricular programs.

•March 14 — Report on curriculum, school based budgets and technology.

•March 21 — Report on personnel, special education and the adoption of the preliminary budget.

•March 28 — Budget hearing and adoption of final budget.

•April 18 — school board election.