Vol. 22 - No. 42
In This Week’s Edition
THE BERKELEY
TIMES
MICROMEDIAPUBS.COM
Your FREE Weekly Hometown Newspaper For Bayville, Berkeley, Beachwood, Pine Beach, Ocean Gate and South Toms River
Community News!
Berkeley Budget Down, Tax Rate May Not Change
Don’t miss what’s happening in your town. Pages 8-13.
Letters To The Editor Page 6.
From Your Government Officials Page 7.
Doctor Izzy “Weight Loss And
| March 25, 2017
Central Budget Introduced
By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – The Central Regional Board of Education introduced a tentative budget on March 16 that listed no increase or a decrease for most of the sending districts. The budget is preliminary, as the district is still awaiting some bills and estimates, business administrator Kevin O’Shea said. The public presentation on the budget will be held on April 28. Central encompasses five different towns, each with their own tax rates. According to district figures, if the budget remains as introduced, they would be: Berkeley: The tax rate would remain flat. Ocean Gate: On a home with the average assessment of $198,800, the tax rate would decrease 2.9 cents, or $58.55 annually. Island Heights: On a home with the (Introduced - See Page 4)
Hearing”
Page 16.
Dear Pharmacist “Here’s What Happens When You Cry”
Page 17.
Inside The Law “Workers’ Compensation Checklist”
Page 19.
Dear Joel “Should’ve Left Phone At Home ‘Cause This Is A Disaster”
Page 18.
Classified Ads Page 21.
Wolfgang Puck Page 27.
By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – The budget introduced at a recent special Township Council meeting included no change in the tax rate. If it stays the same when it is formally adopted in April, Berkeley residents will not see any increase in taxes on the municipal level. According to township figures, the tax rate will be 61.8 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. This would be the same rate as 2016.
–Photo by Chris Lundy For a homeowner with the average assessment of $199,500, this would amount to $1,232.94 a year. The total budget would be $45,272,831.36. It would be a decrease of almost a million dollars from last year’s $46,259,216.34. The amount to be raised by taxation would be $31,566,481.97. This would be a decrease of $47,525.94 from last year’s $31,614,007.91. (Tax Rate - See Page 5)
How Do Districts Decide When To Cancel School For Snow?
By Chris Lundy OCEAN COUNTY – After winter storm Stella largely bypassed the county on March 14, residents chalked up the snow day that children got as an overreaction, but school districts said that careful consideration of many factors goes into the decision to close school before the weather gets really bad. “I say all the time that the most difficult decisions that I make are school closings,” said Thomas Gi-
alanella, interim superintendent of Brick schools. “People laugh but it is one of the only decisions I make that can affect so many people.” The weather report is just one of the many factors that go into that decision, he said. “You take into account student and staff safety and how the decision will affect working parents that are in need of child care if they are home.” Timing is important, he said. School officials monitor the weath-
er as it changes, and keep in contact with police and other school officials to see how ready the school would be to open if needed. Liability is of course an issue. All it takes is one accident caused by the weather and the school could be held liable for keeping school open, he said. “It is all based on ‘better safe than sorry,’” said Central Regional Superintendent Triantafillos (Snow - See Page 20)
Ethics Concern Aired At Central Board Of Ed
By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – Central Regional Board of Education members got into a disagreement over whether one of them voted illegally on a bus trip for teachers. Island Heights representative Susan Cowdrick questioned whether Berkeley representative Ralph Frulio should have been able to vote on the trip given that he has family teaching in the district. The issue, Cowdrick said, came down to a vote to send some teachers to another district to shadow other teachers. Central is switching to block scheduling, and educators thought it would be a good idea to go to another district and see firsthand how other teachers did it. Frulio’s “no” vote, along with other members’ “no” votes, caused the (Ethics - See Page 5)
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