More Than 10,000
Copies Distributed Weekly and Now Direct Mailed to Over 2,250 Homes in LeisureTowne and 195 Homes in Hampton Lakes www.pinebarrenstribune.com
Facebook.com/PineBarrensTribune
@PineBarrensNews
To Advertise Call: 609-801-2392
Feel the Vol. 4 – No. 22 ♦
The News Leader of the Pines
tion al Sec Speci PAGE S1
♦
February 8, 2020 – February 14, 2020
Happy Valentine’s Day
SE E
FR EE
‘IT ALL STINKS!’
Animal Rescue Saluted for Saving 800 Animals Considered Vulnerable Over the Last 7 Years By Andy Milone Staff Writer
Photo By Douglas D. Melegari
The sign for Tabernacle Elementary School.
Tabernacle Board of Education Votes to Consolidate Operations of Tabernacle Elementary School to Avert Significant Layoffs and Tax Increases in Wake of Massive State Aid Cuts to District
By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
TABERNACLE—The Tabernacle Township Board of Education, in a “very difficult” 6-3 decision reached Monday evening (Feb. 3), voted to move the Tabernacle Township School District’s second, third and fourth grade classes from Tabernacle Elementary School to Olson Middle School, beginning with the 202021 school year, as part of a consolidation to help offset a projected $2.6 million loss in state aid to the district over the next five years, the result of a recently implemented modified school funding law. The district is projected, according to Business Administrator and School Board Secretary Jessica L. DeWysockie, to lose at least $481,615 in state aid just for the 2020-21 school year, and perhaps as much as $520,000, due to Bill S-2, which became state law in 2018 after Democratic Governor Phil Murphy signed it. Brian Lepsis, a board member who is the head of the decision-making body’s finance committee, said on Dec. 16 of last year that the cost savings that the district “hopes to achieve” through the consolidation is around $200,000 in the first year and about $290,000 in each subsequent year after that. Lepsis contended Monday night that “$200,000 plus in savings” would otherwise had to have been found somewhere else— most likely in the form of staff reductions— to “plug a hole,” or close a projected operating deficit for the 2020-21 school
year of about $320,000. Previously, Lepsis said that as far as “quantifying the savings” of the consolidation, or how the district arrived at saving $290,000 annually after the first year, officials believe the move will save on lighting, HVAC, IT, maintenance and telephone costs, to name a few, even though the elementary school will continue to hold kindergarten and first grade students. “We are at a position where there are not a lot of good options—in fact, there are no good options,” he said Monday night. Besides the alternative of instituting staff reductions, Lepsis said, the only other option would have been to raise local school taxes. The latter option, however, was considered impractical by the board as it can only raise taxes by two percent each year due a cap imposed by the state, and would need to raise taxes by some 40 percent to make up for $2.6 million in lost funding. Additionally, it was noted that the majority of recent referendums in the state for school spending failed due to already high property taxes statewide, and that any local tax increase would coincide with a likely rise in regional school taxes given that the Lenape Regional High School District (LRHSD) is also faced with significant cuts in state aid. The board last month had just reached a two-year collective bargaining agreement with the Tabernacle Education Association, mandating “a little less” than 3 percent in pay raises each year for most teaching
personnel, retroactively starting in the 201920 school year. Lepsis contended that the board pursued “meaningful changes and savings,” but that it wasn’t easy as the board could not dictate any terms due to the collective bargaining process. “We could raise taxes by 2 percent, but that is only 1 percent of our operating budget,” Lepsis said. “That doesn’t even pay for the raises in one year. So, we are falling further behind with every passing year. We have studied the numbers; we have looked at the math. The reality is, there is no other place to save $200,000 to $300,000, other than moving some of the kids into this building (Olson), or other than cutting people or privatizing more positions.” Board Members Gail Corey, Megan Jones and Kevin McCloy voted in opposition of consolidation. “Just so everybody knows, that was probably the hardest decision any of us up here had to make so far,” said Board President Megan Chamberlain. “Not everyone of us agreed to do this, and I am OK with that, because every option we had on the table stinks. To have a different opinion about what stinks worse than the other is everybody’s prerogative. I do not begrudge any of my board members their difference of opinion. It all stinks.” McCloy, in comments made right before the vote, indicated that he was not only concerned with the idea of “spending money See STINKS/ Page 4
MARLTON—Republican Assemblywoman Jean Stanfield and Assemblyman Ryan Peters, representing the 8th Legislative District, recently paid tribute to a local animal rescue, and one of its celebrity canine survivors, at their district office in Lumberton. T h e ele c t e d of f ic i a l s p r e s e nt e d a proclamation on Jan. 30 to Kim Mangione, founder and director of New Life Animal Rescue, saluting her rescue’s service and commitment to animals, resulting in the selection of one of its own to participate in “Puppy Bowl XVI.” Li nus, a m i xed breed pup ( York ie/ Pomeranian/Chihuahua/Miniature Poodle) a dopt ed f rom t he re scue, re ceived a proclamation of his own for participating in the event, which aired last Sunday on television station Animal Planet (the same day that Super Bowl LIV was broadcast). The proclamation described Mangione as having been “inst r u mental” to the “empathetic cult u re” of New Life Animal Rescue, one that prides itself on its holistic approach that includes loving care, medical treatment, positive and force-free training and follow-up consultation after adoption. Since being founded in 2012, the Marlton area rescue has saved more than 800 animals, including many medically fragile dogs with special needs such as Linus. Much of Mangione’s health and nurturing experience grew from helping her own daughter with special needs. “This is ver y, ver y cool,” Mangione said. “I did not expect this. It is very nice to be recognized, and for them (Peters and Stanfield) to take the time out of their day to do something like this. I am very grateful.” The nonprofit currently utilizes a network of foster homes to care for homeless and abandoned animals, and is actively looking for a farm to help more of them, like Linus. “To Linus’ owners, you have brought so much joy into their lives because you care, and we love to recognize people like that,” Stanfield told Mangione during the proclamation presentation. Mangione received a phone call last year from ACCT Philly, an animal care and control service provider, about Linus, a neonatal 4-ounce puppy that was in critical condition at the time. Linus is now the only survivor from a litter See ANIMALS/ Page 5
INDEX Are We There Yet?........ 9 Dear Pharmacist............ 6 Feel The Love.............. S1 Games........................... 7
Here’s My Card............ 12 Leo the Lion Challenge...7 Local News.................... 2
Marketplace................. 15 Opinion........................ 10 Senior Column............... 9 Worship Guide..............11
****ECRWSS**** LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER
Vincentown, NJ Permit 190
PAID Presorted Standard US Postage