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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=MyMlpEy-xiI

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Check, check, 1 2. Check, check, 1 2. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Call to order. Pledge allegiance. Pledge allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with

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liberty and justice for all. Roll call. Mr. Toth. Mr. Vishal Patel. Here. Ms. Pang. Here. Mr. Shah. Ms. White. Here. Ms. Anjana Patel. Here. Mr. Lugo. Here.

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Mr. Ronak Patel. Here. Mr. Errico. Here. Mr. Azzarella. Here. We have a quorum. Open statement. Yes. In accordance with the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act, the Edison Township Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting

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to be published by having the date, time, and place thereof posted in the Board of Education administrative offices and posted on the board's website. Thank you. All right. In accordance with NJSA Section 10:4-12, the Edison Township Board of Education has just entered confidential session for the

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purpose of discussing property acquisition. Do I have a motion? Motion. By Mr. Lugo. Second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. We will be back around 7:30 p.m. Thank

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you. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Reconvene to open session. Do we have a motion to open? Motion. Second. All in favor? I. Okay. So, we are going to start with the student recognition for JP Stevens High

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School band and choir team. A couple of weeks back they went to Disney, Florida and came back with numerous awards at a national level. So, we want to recognize them. Great. Thank you so much, Board President Patel. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I hope all is well.

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Yeah, you know, one of the one of the great joys of my position is to celebrate the accomplishments of our students and to show you where the rubber actually meets the road and this program would not be as successful not only without the support of our

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students and our community but for the teachers and the administrators that lead those particular pieces. And tonight I am going to turn the microphone over to Mr. Lee and Dr. Verdi who should get a big round of applause right now to talk a little bit about

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>> [applause] >> program. Perfect. >> [applause] >> Grab that mic. Grab that mic. Just going to pick it up like this. Sorry, very nice. So, thank you so much, everybody. Thank you for the Board of Education for approving our trip. It was wonderful. And we also like to

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give a special shout-out to Dr. Kim and Ms. Witkowski and the administration of JP Stevens. This trip was happening during the TSA shutdown and it was very scary getting on a plane and, you know, ICE agents and all this stuff happening and we had a

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plan, executed we had meetings and we felt very safe and secure. So, thank you so much, Dr. Kim and Ms. Witkowski for your help and guidance. And I'd like to have Dr. Verdi talk about some of the wonderful learning experiences we had on our trip. All right. So, I just wanted to

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also add that prior to our clinic in Florida the students participated in a clinic at Rollins College. Rollins College is the alma mater to Mr. Rogers. So, and at the faculty was very impressed by

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the caliber of our playing. They're saying that many of our our program is at the at the college level that we were doing some of the college literature that they were studying. I also want to mention one of our students,

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Joel Onaet. He is a senior and he's going to be going to Montclair State University and he composed an original composition. He's going to Montclair State for bass, performance and composition. So, one of the faculty members said that

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it was an amazing, an original and mature composition. So, we are very, very proud of Joel. Joel, could you please stand up? >> [applause] >> So, Mr. Lee and I are very proud of our students and And do you have anything else to add?

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Yeah, so so just so you know what the competition was, it's called World Strides Heritage Festival and it was held at the sound stage of Universal Studios where a lot of our 90s shows were filmed for Nickelodeon. Our students were taken to the stage and the judges

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from around the country were listening and they were just blown away from our skills and our students executed themselves with working really well under pressure and sounding amazing. In terms of what we won, our chamber

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orchestra was one of the was the best group out of 30 bands, orchestras and choirs across the country. So, we really >> [applause] >> Paige Wang received the best soloist. Our chamber orchestra got gold. Our our

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concert orchestra got first place gold in division three and we also received the adjudicator award. So, we're so proud of our students and we're so happy everything worked out well. We're going to call up with their certificates. Some of them are not here but we're still going to call them up

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anyway. The last certificate is there. So, Hope Yan, you're here? Great. We can save our applause to the end. Come up here. Yep. Okay. Sam Ogari.

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Jacqueline B. Parth Patel. Ryan Sandeep. >> [applause] >> Sahara Krishnan. Ananya Mehta. John V. Singh. Myra Ahuja. Neil Bassel.

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Arnesh Banjeree. Apona Nair. Gunarth Varasi. Lakshiman Ramahajan. Anushka Chennai. Catherine Wu. Shreya Takau. Ananya Samadan.

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Anish Verma. Ananya Ananya Sheth. Ayana Sheth. Pranav Murthy. >> [applause] >> Lilly Atteridge. Fithiya Reddy. Athalia Corrine.

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Leilani Gopal. Deuti Mohan. Mercy God Godarapu. Is that a word? It's okay. We're going to Yeah. Mercy Got it. Rapu, okay. Prutvi Manjas

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Page Wang Arush Das >> [applause] >> Good job. Ansh Seth Advi Katha Kadunu >> [applause] >> Okay. Whoop.

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Kiefer Coho Kiefer got all these. Thank you. >> [laughter] >> Sara Nahar, Tuhin Jenna Brian C Namya Porrini Arav Sharam Vasu Agrawal

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Siddarth Srinivas Shlok Kumar Supriya Shindia Arya Bajia Jiya Bathra Yashwanth Balasubramanian

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Ahana Shah Ailish Verma Anisha Invik Shaman Mohammed Rohan >> [applause] >> Divyaraj Jawaharlal Shri Krishna Bolla

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Nino Huang Aryan Sheth Grace Nee Anjana Kumar >> [applause] >> Excellent. Nandini Arora Sai

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Kamani I'm going too fast. >> [laughter] >> Uh Ruthva Saravanan Shvi Vashashvi Vangaru Joel Onate Neev Neev [applause] Bathra

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Amulya Patam >> [applause] >> His name is Mahesh Ramani Severe Duram Debika Saravanan Ahana Hedge

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Hope Yan Oh, that's it. And then we're done. Okay, so a lot of kids and thank you so much for all your help and support. We appreciate it. Thank you, Mr. Lee. Thank you, Dr. Verni. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, um and maybe a group picture right now,

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too, with the board as well. Yeah, perfect. Let's get on down. Great. Cool. Okay, next thing we have is uh student council representatives uh J.P. Stevens High School, Ms. Anuja Sharma. Good evening, everyone. My name is Anuja

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Sharma. I am a senior at J.P. and I am a co-president of the student council. The month of April has been filled with energy, school spirit, and exciting opportunities for our students. One of the highlights this month was a student council event titled Hawk Island, a

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reiteration of the previous Mr. JPS. Nominated students came together to participate in competition shows of minute-to-win-it challenges, perform talents, and even dress up in formal wear. Hawk Island truly showcased the spirit and unity of our school community, marking it as a tradition to

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remember. Additionally, we were proud to celebrate this year's Hall of Honor inductees at J.P. Stevens. Every 4 years, the community comes together to recognize the incredible achievements and contributions of 12 distinguished alumni. Current students volunteered to

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assist them in touring the school, followed by an induction assembly, and concluded with a reception with a host of snacks and finger foods by FCCLA. Athletes have continued to give us much to celebrate as well. Our spring sports teams, including track, baseball,

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softball, and lacrosse, have been working hard and representing our school with dedication and determination. The boys volleyball team is doing amazing with a record of 10 to 1, winning a majority of their games this season. Additionally, junior James Lugo recently

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hit 1,000 career assists just last week. Our girls team Our girls lacrosse team has showed promising talent, winning their first game in the season, and planning to host their senior night on May 13th. To celebrate all of our sports teams, we hosted a pep rally on April 17th.

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Students filled outside to cheer their peers on, including track, volleyball, flag football, and tennis. Afterwards, students participated in BOTC games to earn points for their classes. Looking forward, we are so excited for Battle of

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the Classes in June, a full-day event where students will participate in a series of class games, including a dance and a relay race, where one grade will be named Battle of the Classes champions. Looking ahead, we're preparing for several milestones. AP

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testing is in the next coming weeks, alongside NJ SLA, while our seniors look forward towards some of the most anticipated end-of-the-year events. Prom and graduation is coming soon. We continue to plan activities that make the final months of school meaningful

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for all students. And as we move through April, we're excited to foster a spirited environment for everyone. Thank you to everyone for your continued dedication to making our school community so special. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Okay, the next thing we have is budget

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presentation by Mr. Tooth and Dr. Lorelli. Thank you. Okay. Uh good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Uh tonight is our um formal budget presentation. Um I know this has been a um much discussed over the uh

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last few meetings as well as at our upcoming town hall, but tonight is the official Board of Education public hearing uh April 28th in relationship to um our budget presentation. Thank you. So, um this budget, as you know, the preliminary budget represented a 12%

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initial increase. Um and some of the items that we talked about uh in previous meetings were associated with that, and this uh budget that the board is going to be voting on tonight represents a revised uh version, which

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will result in a 6% increase um for the upcoming school year. Uh you know, through uh through a series of of measured revisions, uh you know, we've substantially reduced this budget. Um we kept in mind that we wanted to make sure

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that there was little impact to the as little impact as possible to the teaching and learning, to the programs that we currently have, to the extracurricular activities, sports programs, clubs, um and tried to do this through a guided commitment through fiscal responsibility

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to the taxpayers here in Edison Township as well, to ensure that they are still uh participating in one of the most renowned school districts in all the state of New Jersey. Uh here are just some key um informations in relationship to the final financial adjustments within the

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operating fund, um costs associated with our health care adjustment, our bank cap utilization, and our capital reserve withdrawal, all of which um my colleague, Mr. Tooth, will touch upon during his portion of the presentation as well. So, you know, these reductions, right?

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To go from 12 to 6%, do not come with um easy choices, right? You know, to achieve this revised budget, budget, you know, the district had to make a series of program and operational adjustments, uh the most significant being uh staffing reductions um in approximately

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80 positions, and that spans our non you know, some non-tenured staff members. It incorporates retirements, which will not be filled positions, resignations, which we will not fill, um and eliminations across the board from teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, central office staff,

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support staff categories. Um all of those components um are reflected in relationship to this budget. Uh there is a reduction in subscription busting as well with a potential recommended fee increase which we talked about at an upcoming transportation meeting. Uh this

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budget also does reflect the elimination of pre-K for the 2026-2027 school year the grant funded program. We will explore opportunities to for future pathways to support to you know to support families through pre-K as

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well. We will do that through committee based work also. And you know also part of the budget you have to look at you know things that are discretionary right? What are what are some of the things that we have um been that we've afforded the opportunity for

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students to participate in that go above and beyond and you know field trips are are part of those pieces right? So you know we're going to be looking to reduce field trips in relationship to the burden that is afforded by the board

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for both you know broader program cost containment and measures you know in order to ensure that we're not looking at other avenues which would be you know extra co-curricular activities or sports programs things along those lines. So these are four of the main areas that we

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looked at as well too. And in addition to that three of the major financial you know components of the preliminary budget which is you know a postponed playground improvements right? We had both of those scheduled at some of our elementary schools

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and I do say postponed because we you know this isn't something that is going to go away. We want to make sure that we revisit these pieces in in future budget cycles. The elimination of air conditioning as well which was a substantial loan payment that we were initially willing to take

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on in relationship to fulfill the strategic plan regarding air conditioning for all. The band equipment so it the band won't be going without equipment but we won't be be replacing the antiquated equipment that has been purchased I believe since

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the 1970s in some of the middle schools. So 76 1976 so what we'll have to look at is you know a a more measured approach in replacing these pieces as opposed to

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you know moving forward with a with a one-time component. Um And listen at the end of the day right? When you hear the word cuts when you hear the word you know the elimination or reduction you know these aren't words that a superintendent or a board of education

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wants to talk about you know during a budget hearing and we haven't had to talk about it for quite some time here in Edison Township but in order to move forward in a manner that I think does not compromise the level and quality of education that this community has been accustomed to

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these are the areas that we were that we addressed right? So we want to make sure that we're protecting core instruction. Hopefully you believe that this process has been transparent with through the town halls the posting of the budget. You know board docs going down today

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obviously didn't help as well so you know our apologies with that but that was a national outage. And you know a commitment to long you know long-range planning moving forward right? You know the board has been fortunate enough to engage in many projects that address the one thing that was

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paramount which was overcrowding right? So I think the board can successfully say that not only have we solved that but we're on a path to not only modernize our spaces but provide environments that are conducive to teaching and learning. And now I'm going to turn the numbers

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portion of this over to my colleague Mr. Toth. Mr. Toth? Thank you Dr. Aldarelli. So you can see here budget at a glance for the fiscal year 27 we have an operating budget of 352 million dollars of which the local tax levy is about 249

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million the anticipated revenue state aid and other miscellaneous revenue is about 103 grants and entitlements about 5.9 million bringing our total budget all of our funds to 358 million dollars. This is about a 5.5%

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reduction in budgeted spending as compared to the fiscal year 26. All right so these are revenue sources you have the tax levy you have our estimated revenue from local sources which is miscellaneous revenue rent so

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on and so forth. Subscription busting we also have our budgeted fund balance or with withdrawal some capital reserve our estimated grants and that that brings us to our our total revenue of 358 million dollars.

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The tax levy is an increase of 6% so that obviously is half Oh. Thank you. That's half of what you guys saw in the preliminary budget. If you look at our spending on our operating budget the adequacy level that

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the DOE um calculates that we're supposed to spend is approximately 340 million dollars in order to deliver a thorough and an efficient education to our students. We are spending 352 so we're just barely

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over adequacy. The other piece to this puzzle is our local tax levy or our local fair share. Even with the 6% increase we're at 249 million we're supposed to be at about 305. So we're 55 million dollars short. Um

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This problem's not going to go away. We're going to be seeing this probably next year and in years after. >> [music] >> Add to the fact that our equalization aid which is part of our state aid it's our biggest component I believe we receive 53 million dollars.

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We are supposed to actually only be receiving 40 so you the state is considering us overfunded and I firmly believe that if the um Yeah the caps that the governor has in place on

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increases and cuts stay in place we're we're still going to receive a reduction every year. It could have been much much worse if those caps weren't in place. All right our appropriations you can see our salaries roughly about 200 million benefits about 56 that you know makes up

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approximately 75% of our spending right? Teachers and staff along with bus drivers custodians you know they are what helps the district operate. They are what the district operates. They are the reason why we're able to deliver to

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our students these excellent programs and and be one of the best school districts in the state New Jersey. You followed by you have our transportation special education spending our capital lease outlay. So our capital outlay of this 20.5 million

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19.5 million dollars is to pay notes loans that we've taken against some of our buildings in order to do construction much like a homeowner would do in terms of doing a home equity line of credit. We cannot use any of our capital reserve

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money in order to fund these they are considered current expenses under accounting practices and and and GASB. So they are accounted for here in our operating budget and then you can see so on and so forth as we move down insurance curricular and co-curricular activities

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professional services charter school tuitions and our total operating budget about 352 million our total budget about 358 million. All right so here's our tax levy comparison this is on a calendar year.

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So for the calendar year 2025 we we collected 235 million dollars the rate on that was about 3.14. On the average assessed home that we receive from the township we don't the board of ed doesn't assess home values. Um

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The average school tax the school portion was about 5800 bucks. Now in the calendar year 2026 you'll see that's a different number right? It says 242 as opposed to the 249 that's goes to the fact that how taxes are collected a portion

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of the fiscal year 27 levy is deferred into the calendar year 27 so we're only looking at the calendar year 2026 here in terms of the tax rate. You have valuations up at about 7.5 billion so you got a 70 million dollar

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increase in the valuations of properties here and commercial businesses in Edison so that's good. Tax rate moves up to about 3.2 the so did the value of the average assessed home it's about 186.9. You're going to see through December

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about 183 dollar increase on your school taxes through December so it's going to climb from 5804 dollars to 5987 so you'll see 183 dollar increase through December. And then if you take this out of the 12

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over a 12 month fiscal year the 12 months meaning July through uh I'm sorry July through June 30th it's about a 29 dollar and 77 dollar a month increase it rounds out to be about 350 bucks I

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believe over 12 months. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen that concludes this portion of the board presentation in relationship to the budget. I will turn this over back to Mr. Patel. Thank you. I think next section is budget hearing public comments for

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budget only. Yes. You got to open public comments. >> Yep. Oh. Open public comments. Okay. Do I have a motion to open public comments? Motion. All in favor? I. thank you. How you doing?

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Arslan from tonight place. Um, you know, I was looking at the budget that was uh posted the the 12%. And then we we got the drop down to 6%.

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What I'm wondering is, you know, like if for 3 years there was no increase, now everything is more expensive. You know, so I looked through the budget. I'm like, what what went up?

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So I have a list of a couple of things that went up. Staff costs. So this is the Board of Ed staff. The you know, superintendent, assistant, assistant, assistant, assistant. We got four assistants. Um

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it went up $2.9 million just in 1 year. In 2 years we went from 12 employees to 35. We're losing students, but we need more

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Board of Ed members. To do what? We don't know. We we we don't know what you know, the four assistants do. You know, we can get rid of three of them and give give Rob a bump in pay and we we save close to a

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million dollars. Um you know, I I I used AI. So AI is telling me some some jobs that don't make any sense. Director of Communications, it's $170,000 we're paying this new person.

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Brand new role, no prior equivalent in the district. Why do we need this? Uh we have a staff development supervisor, which look, I understand. I've worked in jobs. You go in and you're like, "Hey, am I doing well in in

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in my job?" And they give you raises based on how well you're doing. But everybody gets a 3% raise. Every single member got a 3% raise except one. One person didn't get 3%. They got

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18.3% over 2 years. Why? I don't know. It was Jonathan's assistant. New new position. Jonathan, you're good at your job. You don't need an assistant. And we and we don't need to bump her pay 18% in 2

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years. 9% increase, why? Who is this person? All right, some other terrible jobs. Videographer, we don't need that. Like who's taking videos? Grant supervisor, three new executive secretaries, four technology specialist. We have a DEI officer who's

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Indian, but still in a town where 55% of the people are Asian, everybody's white on the board. Everybody's white on the on the list. I'm looking down the names and I'm like, you know, what is this? Look, I don't care. I I was born and raised in Jersey. I relate to these people more.

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We know this guy watches football. Like I relate to these people, but most of these people don't. You know, doesn't make any sense. Hold on, I lost my page. Textbooks. Textbooks costs went up. Why?

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They went up how much percent? I lost my page and I'm losing it. Uh-oh. Damn. All right, um Sorry, textbooks went up 60%. We lost students. How could it go up 60%? Doesn't make sense. This is

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textbooks and supplies. First of all, supplies, when the when the year starts I get a list of supplies I need to buy for my kid. So what what supplies are we buying for $2 million for these students? You know, is it dry erase markers for

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the for the teachers? It doesn't make sense. It's not it's not $2 million worth. Uh number three is a weird one. I'm going to quickly go over it. It says central services supplies. Claude the AI, I don't know if you guys use that.

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It said it was fraud. It doesn't make sense. It went up 147%. Um so we got to just look at that. It it there's no explanation for it on the budget or anything. I used ChatGPT also. Said the same thing, doesn't make any sense. So we got

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to figure that one out before we vote on anything. Um Okay, we got employee health benefits. That was a big one. $7.7 million uh dollar increase. $7.7 million

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is more than half of our total increase. Um you know, when the year started the the the health insurance, you know, I have my own business. I get my own health insurance. They tried to up mine like 20%. I was like, what the hell? I called them.

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You know, we're brown, we're Asian. We're I need to save some money. Like you can't be ripping me off like this. I got it down to like 12%. I don't know who's doing who's doing the the negotiations here, but we can't go up

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7.7 million while losing teachers. You're losing employees and the health care is going up? Doesn't make sense. Um special ed increase was 25%. Look, we you know, we want these special ed kids, right? We're we're not saying

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kick them out, but um out of district placement went down to lowest it's ever been. Uh I don't know how any of this works. I'm reading the budget, so I don't know. It says you know, instead of sending these people off to a private school, we're going to take them in. We're going to do

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it all ourselves. I thought that was supposed to be cheaper, but it's more expensive. It's 6 million more expensive. Uh doesn't make sense to me. Um As for field trips and such, I just got a permission slip for my son. He's going

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to Liberty Hall. I'm paying for him to go to the to you know, to this field trip. Like what are the costs? A bus? I I got a party bus for my kid's birthday. It was $1,000. I had it for like 6 hours. I can give you the guy's number.

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Like I I don't You guys are saying we're cutting field trips. What What what is that? Also, one last thing um on the on your presentation, what was the first one? Sir, sir, sir, your time Excuse me, your your time is concluded.

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One real >> you're already over your you're already over your time, sir. Sorry. Thank you. Next. >> [applause and cheering] >> Yes. Hi. I'm Sagarika Adutika. I was just looking at the budget. Couple of questions

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I have. I see some of the revenues are in terms of interest as really low. So I would really like to understand like why the interest are low. Second, I'll be really point and very brief here. I don't want to take up a lot of time. I see other salaries for

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instruction, which is which has rose to like 28%. Can you please help clarify what this other salaries mean? Then there is a Sorry. Also, same issue again for the revenues, I see some of the revenues from summer

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school as zero. Same issue with rents and royalties. And interest from emergency reserve is also zero. I also see some restricted miscellaneous revenue. They show 750.

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So this was previous pre in previous years this were zero. Another line item that I would like to highlight is the legal services. They are quite high from previous years. There are some architecture services which are not clearly mentioned as to

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where it was used and how it has been utilized. And yeah, that's pretty much the point items that I have. If you anyone can clarify. Thank you. Thank you. Next. Good evening. My name is Luciana, also known as Miss

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Lucy. I'm a mother of two daughters, a former teacher in the preschool expansion program here in Edison. And currently a co-director overseeing classrooms within this program through a private partnership. After watching last Thursday's Board of

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Education meeting, I felt deeply saddened to hear that this preschool expansion program described it as a burden. To me, a burden is something very different. It's being a single mother, working

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full-time as an immigrant without family support in the US, serving as a both provider and protector, not only for my daughters, but also for the students and families I support every day. That is a responsibility that I carry

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daily and I carry it with gratitude and purpose. It is difficult to understand how our early childhood education could be viewed as a burden rather than as a critical foundation for lifelong learning. We are already

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seeing children enter preschool with speech delays, limited social emotional development, reduced independence, and challenges with basic self-care. These are not small concerns. They are

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directly impacting a child's ability to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. High-quality preschool is not optional. It's essential to addressing these needs early and effectively. Eliminating the preschool expansion

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program would be a serious mistake. It would negatively affect families who rely on it to work, support their households, and build disability. It would also mean losing dedicated educators who invest

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their time, energy, and heart into preparing these children for success. As a mother, I'm personally grateful that both of my daughters benefit from this program. Without it, I would not have been able to return to

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the workforce and contribute more fully to my community. As an educator and now as a co-director, I have worked diligently to meet expectations and uphold quality. As private partners, we made significant

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significant investments, expanding facilities, and creating classrooms to meet the district's needs. And yet today, we have empty classrooms waiting for children who were never assigned to us.

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That is not a lack of capacity. It is a missed opportunity. Recently, our program was reviewed by a representative from the New Jersey Department of Education. And we also completed internal audit requirements.

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In both cases, we received a strong, positive feedback recognizing our commitment to quality education, solid infrastructure, and dedicated staff serving public school students. As an Edison resident, a mother, and an early

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childhood educator, I respectfully suggest a shift in this approach. The program should prioritize families who truly depend on the preschool to in order to work, support their household, and build disability. By

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doing so, we can serve better the community while also maintaining strong enrollment and retaining committed educators. It is also important to acknowledge that private partners made financial commitments based on the expectations that this program would

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continue to grow. Despite meeting all the requirements, we are now facing empty seats and uncertainty about the future. We are told that the program is a burden, and cancellation has been discussed. In

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life, when resources are limited, we adjust. We find solutions. We change strategies. We prioritize what matters most. We do not simply walk away from something that is essential. The same principle can and should apply

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here. Our shared goal has always been to support children, serve families, and strengthen our educators. I respectfully ask that you reconsider the perspective that preschool is a burden. Instead, I urge you to recognize

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it is as it truly is, an investment in the future, one that builds a strong foundation, supports working families, and prepares students for long-term success. Please, consider adjusting the strategy rather

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than eliminating the program. As a mom and here as a early childhood educator, I'm advocating not only for myself because my life was changed by this

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program. And people who knows me can tell you the truth. It's truth. I'm here advocating also to serve the families on our community that really needs

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this program in order to carry their household. Thank you. Thank you. >> [applause] [cheering] >> Hello, Susan Campione, um, Shiffert Court in Edison. I've lived in Edison for just shy of 40 years. I've worked in

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the district, um, for 23 years now. I sent three children to the school district. I served on the budget and bond committee, um, it was over 25 years ago when we couldn't get referendums passed in Edison. And one of the things, um, you know,

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I'm a taxpayer. I don't want to pay more taxes, but what we drove home to the public and what I think a lot of the people are not understanding or forgetting that the value of our homes are driven by the school district. And

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where the taxes are high, it's because the schools are good. We didn't raise the school taxes for 5 years. That's It's past. It's done. We can't go back and change that. But everybody came, they yelled and

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screamed, so the board heard you. They took it from 12% to 6%. There had to be cuts. Um everything has gone up. The electricity to run all these buildings, we have 19 schools. To heat the schools, it's gone

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up. Everything has gone up. It is unrealistic to expect this board to continue to only raise to not raise the taxes and only raise them 2%. At this point, it's it's unsustainable. And yes, the salaries have gone up. It's

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called contracts. That's the way it works in every school district in the state of New Jersey. The the employees have a contract. They can't just cut our salaries. It doesn't work that way. And, um, you know, supplies. It's not just the supplies for the children, it's supplies

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to run every office in every school building and in the Board of Education office. They don't run themselves. We need offices to run the district. So, you know, people are coming up who may not be as educated in education and how

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it works. But they listened to you. They cut the budget 6%. They need to vote on it. They need to move on. We're dealing with people's lives. There's There's non-certificated staff that don't know whether they're going to have a job, not have a job. I was in that

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position. I I was fired from the district when we went through this several years ago. The paras then were brought back after the the summer of not knowing that they were going to be brought back. Every teacher gave $1,000 from their salary, and we were

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fortunately rehired, but at a 25% cut. It took until last year to bring that guide for the paras back to what it was in 2010 when when all of that happened. So, you know, I I understand and I and I

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feel for the people. I'm a rep that keep coming to me, what is happening? What is happening? It's the board That's one of your number one job is to pass a budget. And at this point, Dr. Aldarelli, Jonathan, they they've done a lot of work. They did what you asked. They they

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cut the budget. Vote for it. Move on. And the public has to understand you cannot expect a 0% budget with the the price of everything. They feed children. The price of food has gone up. Everything has gone up. A

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0% is ridiculous. And yes, did some of these board members run on that? They did. But come on, everybody. Politicians, they want to get elected. They say things that are not don't It's not always true. We need to move on. And it's not good for the district to not

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vote on this tonight and let it go to the county, and and we don't know what's going to happen. We've seen that before when our own town decimated the budget when it didn't didn't pass through the board. So, um, you know, I'm urging you to to just make

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a decision and and move on. And for this town to understand that you have to raise the taxes, and your house is valued because of the schools. Thank you. THANK YOU. >> [applause] >> GOOD EVENING.

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UH, I'M ADAM GLENN. I'M THE CEO of the JCC of Middlesex County, one of your private, uh, partners in the preschool expansion program. And I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you. Uh, I I understand, >> [clears throat] >> and I think all or nearly all the people

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in this room understand the challenges that you are presented with in balancing the need to maintain, um, and to, frankly, the responsibility to not only maintain, but enhance our educational system while at the same

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time with the competing challenge of stabilizing, uh, the tax impact on the residents of Edison Township. The reality is not everything can be a transaction. I listened at the beginning of this

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meeting when we were touting our music programs and our performing arts programs. And I listen, uh, being the father of three children who went through this district, who has lived in this community for more

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than 30 years. You all walk around and the people in this community walk around and tout the excellence of this school system. You brag about it all the time. You speak about the positive impact of

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the educational system on our property values as the basis for the reason that people and businesses come into this community. An exceptional system, an exceptional school system costs money. A school system that offers the array of

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programs and services the opportunities that Edison public schools offer costs money. A system that welcomes new immigrants and first generation Americans, individuals who look to be integrated

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into a community with small children who need to develop social skills and language skills. Many of our children coming in have developed developmental challenges. They need these services and that costs

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money. I also know that there are individuals and groups in this community who once their children are out of the school system believe that their responsibility to support that system has ended. That is frankly short-sighted and unfortunate, but we understand that

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exists. But what I find most import- unfortunate is this. You can debate various line items. You can debate capital projects. But when your decision results in the

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elimination of the one most significant and pure educational component of this budget, the preschool expansion program, respectfully, you should be ashamed of yourselves. >> [applause]

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>> You have succumbed to the headwinds of a few loud people who view it as a transaction. I'm one of your private partners. I see children every day who come into my program who without that program are literally

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going to be behind next year when they go to kindergarten, who come in with language challenges, with social challenges, who learn to read, who learn social skills, who learn problem solving, we many of of which have

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challenges, developmental challenges. We have invested in teachers and in programs and in resources and these children grow over the course of the year. Your decision, which respectfully was the easy decision.

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It's the easy decision to just cut. It is not bold. You're not stepping out on a limb. You took the easy way out. As opposed to determining what is most important, what

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goes beyond the transaction. I am suggesting to you, I am imploring you. You are literally going to put hundreds of children in this district behind. That is simply the case. You need to do the work to find a

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different way. If you determine that you are limited to that level of tax increase. If you're going to succumb to that headwind, then you need to find a

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different way. But to cut the the purest form of educational support that starts with our youngest children is not the way to go. It's not the bold way. It is the cop-out. And I'm imploring you for those hundreds of

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children to do something better. To be better. To do something different and to understand that your responsibility goes beyond the simple transaction. Thank you. Thank you. >> [applause]

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>> Good evening. My name is Vilma Sierra. Um in 129 Sunrise Drive. I've been living in Edison for 20 years. I always admire the education. I'm an immigrant myself from Honduras. And I'm here tonight to talk about to

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advocate for the preschool program. Me myself, I'm a professional in the early education. Um I'm also I work as a family family advocate. And I'm directly impacted as a mother of a 3-year-old who just submitted that

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documentation for the lottery system. And learning how everything is being done, I understand the limitations that all what is happening. But how everything was done on a short notice and cutting this program that is just

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like as the person person that spoke before me, transactional, it's just shocking. Preschool is not a luxury. Preschool is essential due to its long-term

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and it's crazy to think that you're not seeing that. There's so much data that backs up this information. You're thinking you're cutting expenses, but you're not. What you're doing is setting these kids

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behind and when they go to kindergarten, what are you doing? The teachers, they're going to be impacted. They're going to be burnt out. How is this beneficial beneficial for the teachers where they have to spend time working with these children that

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are behind because they didn't receive the tools that were needed when in those crucial years. How is that saving money? Preschool is is not is a smart invest. It's not a spending.

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It's cost avoidance because it brings long-term graduation rates. It brings better literacy levels in third grade. For me, it does not fit in my head how this is not considered and it's put

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there we it was not lightly considered. But to me, honestly, it doesn't seem like because it's hard in my head for you to not respectfully to not understand that. And I'm it's not like somebody else said, it's not a burden. It's

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beneficial. And there's prof- and then parents like me, we need the tools, we need the resources. There's single moms out there that needs the professional in that area. So, please

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I ask you respectfully consider that. At least and then my other question is we're going to see other avenues. What are the other avenues? My understanding this is coming from federal grant money also costing some cost for what I was

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able to gather. Why are we cutting those funding just declining just like that like a transaction when it's impacting the kids, the future of Edison. Is this is something that it it does

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and that's why I'm trying to plead here that this is not early education is not a feel-good policy. It is necessary and it's back there's data that you can read

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about it and long-term, it will save money to the school district. You can ask around. I see videos that what is the what is the grade that you don't want to teach kindergarten kindergarten? A lot of teachers because a lot of these kids

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that come into kindergarten may not be prepared with the social emotional skills, the uh other skills that that they that they learn and I experienced that myself and I'm here to advocate for the other parents who are not here present.

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So, please please reconsider that. Thank you. Thank you. Next. Yes. Following up, Joyce. Your Worship, Edison, New Jersey. Actually, um I believe in universal preschool for everybody in the state of

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New Jersey. I do cuz I think as a educator, I believe that, you know, we should give them an early start. Now, through this, I heard that we have been losing money all the time through the subscription bussing. True, years have gone by and

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we don't at the gas prices that are going up now, I know it's even when I go to the gas station, it's like almost $10 more just to put gas in my car. And talking about people when it comes to the health care, they're talking about

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the health care and the prices went up. Well, this is what's happening cuz I was in the meeting last week about that. As the hospitals keep gobbling up other hospitals, we don't have the we don't have the opportunity to bargain like we used to.

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All right. And with the government dismantling education, they I don't know if somebody under rock or something, they are dismantling the education department. I talked to a college professor on Saturday that was crying the blues about

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the money that we're losing. And also, within the next few years or so, one out of every 31 children is going to be autistic. That's the cost. Like people don't want to see they just want to cry wolf, they want to fear

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monger, but they don't want to take all these things and and listen to them about different things that are going on. They know that we're not getting the money that we should get from the federal government. And I wish everybody would go down there and fight for that.

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That's the most important thing because we can't get, you know, you can't get a a blood from a rock. But everybody seems to think that we can get all this stuff for free. We can't get it for free. My electricity

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bill, 100 more dollars. Every bill is added on and the prices are going up. Everybody's acting like the prices not going up. Maybe the price was different 5 years ago. We had a different administration. Do I

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pull out the our presidency and stuff? But now, everybody is for themselves. All right? The people who don't want the preschool now at all for the other people, you know why? Cuz their kids is in the fifth and sixth grade now.

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So they don't want it because everybody is me, me, me, me. I'm so disgusted with the way people are nowadays. That's all they concerned about. They're not concerned about people as a whole. They you know, I I call it like black-hearted. They don't they don't

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care about the other individual. And I notice some single mothers and stuff in here struggling. You know, they don't have the advantage of paying for, you know, a good preschool for their child. You know, but the other person sitting next to them, yeah, they ain't worried about it cuz

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it's not their kid no longer is in that space. And I wish people would just and I keep saying it over and over again, stop the fear mongering, stop all this craziness, come together and see what is the most

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important because the government is not going to help us anymore. We're going to have to lean with each other. We're going to have to find out ways to make money. Now, before years ago, I belonged to the Education Foundation in Edison. Bunch of people got together and we

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raised money and stuff for field trips and other things that were very important to us. Nobody wants to do those things now. They everybody wants the next person to do the job. No, let them do the job. No, I don't want to put my hands in it. But I you

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know, if you have a good foundation and have a where you get a bunch of people together and raise money, it'd be a good idea. Cuz as I was in Texas, I noticed in Texas the alumni from the high school, they paid for the sports

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sports program. Not that their education is good as ours, but they still have schools within the state that are good. But those people decided together that we're going to pay for that. We're going to pay for all the sports program. We're going to pay for the tribe travel. We're going to do this together as a

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whole. Now, as long as we come back and we will pick at this budget piece by piece by piece, the loud voices the loud voices, you know, the squeaky wheel always gets oil. And the rest of the people who have

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legitimate reasons and legitimate interest, those people they don't get heard, okay? And I ask people back and forth. I don't believe in you because if you come to this meeting and you don't come to the council meeting, then I don't believe in you.

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At all because they're giving out 100% raises and 100 120% raises and I don't see nobody there. Everybody's okay. So in order for me to believe you, you're going to have to show up to more than this board meeting. Thank you.

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Thank you, Joyce. >> [applause] >> Kanika Chopra, Violet Place. Board, I'm here tonight both as an educator and a lifelong Edison resident. I graduated from this very high school and this school system is the reason I pursued a career in education.

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I've chosen to raise my family here because I believe in this community and that's why I'm asking you to reconsider the decision to turn down state preschool expansion funding. This is not just a budget decision. It's a decision about access, equity, and long-term strength of our schools. We

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know that high-quality early education works. Children who attend schools with strong preschool programs enter kindergarten more prepared and more confident. They are less likely to need intervention later and more likely to succeed academically and beyond.

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As an educator, I see the difference every year. The gap between children who had access to early education and those who didn't is clear from day one and incredibly difficult to close. Turning down this funding does not eliminate the need. It shifts the burden onto families.

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Right now, many families in our community are already struggling to find affordable preschool options. Seats are limited, wait lists are long, and private programs are often out of reach. When we decline funding that expands access, we're effectively saying that early education is not for everyone.

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And that's not aligned with the values of our public school system. This decision also affects our district's future. Neighboring districts are expanding their preschool programs and investing in early learning. When we choose not to, we're not standing still, we're falling behind. Over time, this

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impacts enrollment, community trust, and the strength of our schools. I understand that there are concerns about funding, mandates, and implementation. Those are real and important. But they are challenges to solve, not reasons to walk away from an opportunity that benefits our youngest

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learners because the reality is simple. It's far more costly to catch children up later than it is to support them early. This is a chance to lead, to affirm that in this community every child deserves a strong start. I urge you to reconsider this decision, engage with the

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community, and focus on how we can make this work. The children who would benefit from this decision aren't here tonight, but they will live with its impact. Thank you for your time and consideration. Thank you. >> [applause]

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>> You're after him. You're after Saket. No. He's going. Sorry. After him? Yeah. Saket Goel, 1725 Raspberry Court. Good evening, everybody. Now, I'll just get directly to the point. You know, many residents tonight

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are addressing the major issues like such as the land deal. I only have one comment on that. When we buy an elephant, you also have to feed it. Big decisions come with long-term responsibilities. With that said, I want to focus on several other areas of

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concerns within the budget. Free breakfast program. Who is sponsoring the free breakfast? A long-term resident Edison [clears throat] resident I worked with asked me, "We are providing free breakfast to all students. We have roughly 17,000

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students. Some certainly qualify for free breakfast and lunch, but not all." And the food being served is not consistently healthy. Chocolate mint muffins, snack bars. Would you want your children eating that every morning?

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If not, why should ours? Why not offer real fruit, grilled cheese, or other healthier options? And if healthier options are not feasible, why not scale back program and redirect those funds to areas of greater needs?

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To be clear, this is not about denying support to low-income families. We fully support providing meals to students who qualify, but can you please share the actual number of students who qualify for low-income meal assistant? Second, software licenses.

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I often sit with my children and since kindergarten, I have been sitting and I have been looking at the student portal. >> [clears throat] >> The about I talk about the apps and the softwares provided by the district. Most of the time they tell me they don't use

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them. So here are my questions. How many students actually log in and use all of this licensed programming? Do we really need this many apps? Why can't we consolidate? And how much of the budget is allocated to this licenses?

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Free program and communication. It's easy to offer something for free and take it away later, but it comes with the consequences and that's why you have all these people here. If a program [clears throat] is free only because of temporary state or

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federal funding, please communicate that clearly so expectations are set appropriately. Residents should Residents should not be misled about what is permanent and what is not, especially not during the elections.

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Tax levy and program priorities. Anything that you can redirect or optimize will help reduce the tax levy. This is what residents expect and we hope you all will honor the commitments made during election.

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We are still waiting for the list of mandatory versus non-mandatory programs. If BOE team insist on continuing programs that many residents do not support, we are more than willing to seek donations from organizations or group who wish to fund them. They can

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attach their name to these programs and their contributions can be recognized for generations to come. Subscription buses, regarding the changes to the subscription bus program, families need clarity on what has

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shifted and how this decision will affect our daily routines. We also need to consider the increased traffic this will create around the school during the morning drop-off and afternoon pickup. More cars mean more congestion, more

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staff required to manage it, and most importantly, great greater safety risk for our children. I urge BOE team to address this concern openly and ensure that any changes prioritize student safety and the well-being of our

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families. And finally, accountability. I open [clears throat] I hope that tonight we actually receive answers. For the last two meetings, we were told answers would be provided at the end and they never were. We are here in the good

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faith and we accept the same in return. Thank you. Joe Joe Wermana, Edison. Welcome, people. At the end of the day, we're talking about, you know, education.

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I mean, there's people up there that are educators, I know that. Fact of the matter is, the people in the audience here, you're telling them that well, we can cut it. Okay.

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If that's what you want to do, that's fine. When you guys go out with your families, when you go out with your families and you go out to a restaurant, instead of ordering French fries

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for everybody, only order one French fry for your whole family. You're cutting costs. We're talking about subscription busing. I don't worry about it. We'll drop it. Okay. How about preschool?

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I know there's educators up there. I know at least two. Subscription busing or preschool? Preschool is not an advantage, it's a necessity.

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Our teachers know the difference, they see the difference. The people that are part of the preschool program, when those students leave the preschool and go to kindergarten,

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our teachers know the difference. Our problem is is we should make sure that our students those parents those are the parents. They need that help.

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They need that help with preschool. Now, let's talk about there was an assembly of people here. They all got awards. Those people excel in our district. Are we cutting their program?

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You understand that education is well-rounded. I'm not stopping it. I don't think the cut I don't think that cut is well thought out.

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I don't think that everybody here everybody here will have to take and figure out that it's whatever number it is, but I don't think it's enough.

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At the end of the day, as a former board member, I said no. I said no twice. And right now I'm saying no again. Because the parents that are here,

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the parents that are listening to us, they're saying, "Maybe he said no for a reason." So, whenever you guys go out, I know you'll be going out soon, you know, and you only you only order one French

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fry for the family. It's not the way to do it. Our students need every possible avenue to get further

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in life. The problem is simple. If we don't give them a thorough and efficient education starting with preschool, let me rephrase. A thorough and efficient education.

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Now, when every one of you board members run through governance training, the first thing the first sentence was to see that it runs well. So, when you go out to the store

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or to the restaurant and you order one French fry for the family, you know that don't work. Give our students what they need. And just don't give them a number. Cuz we don't know what we need

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until it happens. The issue is simple. I would say no. Because our students need everything that we can give them. And you're not living up to governance.

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Governance. To see that it runs well. Because it doesn't run well when you order one French fry for the whole family. Thank you very much. Vote no.

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Vote no. I need that. Anitha Amarnath, Edison Glen, Edison, New Jersey. First of all, thank you very much to the entire board and uh superintendent, Dr. Aldridge. You've done good work for the

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town. Uh especially some of the things people really appreciate is the academies that you have opened in both J.P. Stevens and Edison High. So, these are one of some of the positive points which I really applaud. One thing I want to open up, which we

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all will agree, I hope. There's a bill I heard in the New Jersey state. It's a 1967 rule for the 2 to 2.5 miles subscription busing. I hope, you know, they bring it down to 1 to 1.5 miles. I just hope so. There's

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a bill there if anybody can advocate for it. Uh I'm here just to give you some thinking cap points. Uh The first thing is, again, I reiterate on the fiscal responsibility. People are really worried.

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Uh board president and board, we are going into the next year with a 352 million budget. We have had some issues last year. We have had a reduction in state aid

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funding. And we had a planned in of 7.7 million expenditure, but we took money from the capital reserve and we spent 38.9 million.

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So, we are trying to build this with the 14.1 million levy. Please, when we go into the next year, we are going to go with a reduced state aid. We have a worry about the policy and

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fiscal responsibility. We do not want to be in the same situation with all the people advocating next year for an increased tax rate. So, please, when we go into the next year,

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we want to see a better fiscal responsibility. The second thing is this brought me to the thought about looking at the line items on the budget. I know that we are reducing by cutting subscription by

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increasing the subscription fees, AC, the pre-K. So, I was looking at the line items and I wanted to bring it to your attention. Line item 29680. There's an increase in the attendance

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and social work. Why are we having an increased there? I think there's an increase in 100k. I was just thinking, is there are we expecting more cases, out-of-town cases to be resolved this

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year? Why is the increase of 100k there? Somebody else brought it up. Textbook spending has gone up consistently 59.4%.

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Right now, it stands at 70.9%. Why? Has there been any new curriculum adoptions? We are doing an online subscription for the textbooks. Is there can we save some money there?

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Because there is increase in expenditure. Is there something we can do there? The third thing is it's just bringing it bringing it to my mind about Edison Township. Uh Our average home valuation has increased

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from 2.5 to 2.7%. And we have a lot of good activity in the town. So, your you haven't increased the levy. Levy has been consistent and this year

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it has gone by 6%. What happened to all the increase in the taxes, the revenue which we are getting with new construction and new businesses? Are we using the money responsibly? Will we

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be able to use that money for the next year as well? This is just a generic question. So, thank you very much. There are a couple of other things which was brought to my notice. The enrollment this year,

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last year has come down by 500, but you have based your increase of student population by 650 students next year. I just wanted to bring this to your attention because last year the

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enrollment has come down, but this year next year you're projecting an increase of 650. So, people had a question in that angle. So, that's about it. Uh We the people are looking out for the best. We have elected you, both

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president and the entire board members. You represent us. We don't have to come here and, you know, give you all the stats, but as responsible citizens, we are here to help you. Please, please, with the economy, the inflation, and I

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as we all said, the grocery prices, please take a look, revisit, see the line items where you can really save money and help us out. Thank you so much for serving Edison. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening Good evening, everyone. I'm

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Viral Desai. I live here in Edison. I think we all live here. I had no intention of coming up and speaking today at all. I was here to just absorb what is going on. And so, I I really don't have a huge going to sway one way or the other with with with what's happening. However, just a little bit background, right?

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My kids are first generation Americans. I wasn't born here. I was naturalized maybe 20 years ago, something like that, right? So was my wife. Both our kids were first generation Americans. And they didn't go to preschool. We didn't have preschool back then. They're

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now in their 20s. Uh And I completely I'm listening to some of the the early childhood educators who spoke. I heard about one of the the private partners that you have talk, right? And like

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a couple of the gentlemen. And I'm convinced that pre-K is a very important program, right? I mean, no question there. Uh However, I think what we do need to think is how are we going to fund it?

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And and the reason I say that is is is is not because it's not important. Let's think about how do we fund it without it becoming undue burden on the taxpayers. Because yes, somebody said it's $30 a month. I I forget. Somebody had a presentation. So, it's at an average

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it's $30 a month per household for whatever. Understood, right? Having said that, this isn't the only thing going up in prices. Somebody talked about gas price going up, electricity going up. It's going up for all of us.

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All of us. Like even in like our homes. Okay? The economy, no matter what these numbers talk about in terms of unemployment rates and what have you and whatnot. Let me tell you, I was employed gainfully for 30 years. I lost my job a

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year and a half ago. I can't get anything that closely resembles my job that I've had for 30 years. Right now, my wife is the only one earning in our household. And we're still living in that house. The fact that the home prices go up doesn't really put money in

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my pocket. In fact, right now it's just simply taking money away from my pocket. So, preschool is important, yes. But then let's fund it in a way that makes sense. I mean, somebody came here and mentioned >> [applause] >> we went from 12 employees somewhere to

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35 employees. Or the the uh the benefits went up $7 million. And notebooks went up like whatever, 60-something percent. I mean, you you guys are much smarter and know way more than what I know, all right? So, I'm not going to stand here trying to tell you what to do. But all

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I'm saying is there's got to be a way to do this. It's This is not easy on any one of us because the taxes aren't the only things going up. They're not. Right? So, to turn around and and to say people who don't have kids in school

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don't want to fund it. No, no, we want to because our kids went through these schools, right? My wife went through the school. His her brother went through the school. I mean, unfortunately, I grew up in India, right? I mean, I did not have the benefit of like the education system here.

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And which is okay, it is what it is. However, with everything we have, we've got to be able to do better with the budget. I mean, I look at this 360 million or 52 million. I mean, it's

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it's not chump change. It's not. Right? So, why can't we reappropriate some of these monies from the benefits and like increasing the staff 300% in 2 years and some people getting like 18-20% bumps or or what

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whatever. Like I mean, I'm sure there is a way you guys can figure this out. I mean, I I don't have the insights that you guys do. Right? And then on on a different note, right? I mean, and there's just something to think about. I don't know. Like I mean, the

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way the world is changing, everything you believed 6 months ago has changed. In the next 6 months, everything's going to change again with the AI and robotics and like like everything else. How are we or you or us as the adults

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of this township making sure that our curriculum stays up with the changing. I mean, think about it. What we teach kids in school today is going to mean nothing in 6 months. Because the world is changing so fast. So, maybe that is something else we we

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focus our energy on rather than like I don't know. Somebody said we're trying to buy like a swamp land for $10 million or something. Like what is that? I mean, no, I don't know what that is. I mean, why aren't we spending that money >> [applause]

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>> to do this? Like again, I didn't come here prepared with anything, but just listening to these people, I feel like like we're taking away preschool so we can like triple our staffing in in some department. I don't know which department. >> [applause] >> Like I mean, [cheering]

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there's got to be a better way. There's just got to be a better way, guys. I mean, and and like I don't have anything So, so the last thing is this, right? I mean, how does how do these sessions go? Is this just people come, speak, and then that's it? Or is there a question answer? Or like So, what

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happens? Like I mean, so every Are you guys taking notes? You're going to go back? Nothing's going to happen. So, everyone's just talking and that's pretty much it. Okay? All right. >> [applause]

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>> Yeah, why here? No, you you. [cheering] Hey, Chris. Anthony Giambrone, Edison. Um Boy, you know, it's frustrating because you guys you guys don't defend yourselves. You guys don't go back and forth and it's tough because

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uh I don't know. It's just that's the approach you guys take. That's fine. Um but Joyce, where's Joyce? Man, she hit it I mean she just on the on the nail. Joyce, you know what's funny? I have a photo. I printed it out today, Joyce. Where is it? Here it is. This is a

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photo. You're in this. Remember this at James Monroe? This is when all the assemblyman, the state senator, the mayor, the governor were taking credit, you know, taking the credit for the state funding about 4 and 1/2 years ago. Joyce is the only one that's here still that's fighting and

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advocating. None of them are here today. None of these other people. Now, meanwhile at town hall they're throwing, you know, ICBMs over here and basically telling you how shitty of a job you're doing and lecturing you. Um

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Does the mayor offer solutions? Does he offer Does he want to come in? Does he want to extend a hand and show us how to do it? Show the You know what? And and the other thing too is I'm sorry. I'm just a little upset. You have general and I understand I respect some of these people that that are upset. There's cuts coming and stuff like that.

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But you know, I I really never knew how a uh a a district ran until I sat at Teresa Ward's house for like 7 hours once and she just she explained to me. And to make cuts, you know, to go through it and say you don't need this job, you

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don't need that job, it doesn't work like that. You know, districts are run a certain way. That's why we're successful here. You can't just cut go ahead and just cut jobs that you just don't feel are are necessary. They're all necessary. That's why we are who we are. So you got to save these jobs, right? But

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at the end of the day like Joyce, you said this. You know what? You know what's funny? Woodbridge is not getting cuts. Right? Who's advocating? Where are these people? Where are our state senators? Where's our assemblyman? Where's the mayor? Where You know, the idea that you guys are not

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paid It's funny. All the people here that are upset, I hope you do go to town council meetings. Do you know what's going on at the town council meetings? All the raises they're giving themselves? The mayor was in office with all the and I'm not blaming the mayor, but he was in office for 2 months and he took credit

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for this stuff. He's not here today. It's the same constituents. They're raising taxes down at town hall this year. I don't feel sorry. You guys elect these people. All right? You got to know this stuff. It's upsetting. Yeah, it's upsetting, but honestly,

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the mayor you know what? And I and I keep saying this and I I don't want to make but the politics in this is it is what it is. And you know, he puts out a video and it's damaging cuz he's got a big outreach. Now, I probably have the second biggest outreach, but he's sur- well surpassed me. All right? He has.

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And he does he causes he stirs this stuff up. But he's not offering solutions. He's safe there. And we can't have a superintendent get into politics. We don't want him into politics. All right? That's not your job. And you guys are in a tough spot. I really do feel sorry for you. You're making you got to make tough

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decisions. All right? But it's not like you guys don't know what all this stuff already. All right? It it's sad and I feel like a lot of this stuff is unnecessary that it happened. Um honestly, I feel some of it's deliberate. I feel like the fact that I

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don't care what the equation and the the math is on this. Are you kidding me? If we wanted fund If he If he had his board his board president here, are you telling me that they wouldn't get funding this year? I don't believe for 1 second you would have the funding this year. I That's just the way it goes.

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And I'm sick and tired of nobody just calling it out for what it is. And I'll defend you know, I I I Listen, we used to you know, when you don't raise taxes for 2 years, I don't know that used to be celebrated I thought. We used to celebrate things like that. Now, I did I I I talked to a couple friends and I educated myself. And I understand

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now, you know, you raise it 1% you put, you know, a little cushion. I get it. I get that. I'm all for that. You should Maybe you should have done that. Maybe that was a mistake made. Understand? You don't get paid though. You're not giving yourselves raises like they are at town hall. You have to explain this to people. You

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have to. These are the facts. Joyce said it 100% right. They worked at you know, in Woodbridge they're working together. It's funny. In Woodbridge they have Coughlin who is the assembly speaker of the state of New Jersey. All right? They got their

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funding. He also happens to be the mayor's attorney here in Edison. We didn't get our funding. Yet the mayor endorses the the governor? We had a former Board of Ed member hosted the would-be governor at her house. They didn't advocate for our

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funding? These are the facts. And it's upsetting. You know, they had no problem taking photo ops here when they did, but they're not sitting here with you because they don't want to sit here with you. Quite honestly. They want to throw bombs and they want to drop it in their laps. And it's unfair You know what? It is

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what it is, but they're elected. You know, he gets to do that unfortunately. And you guys honestly, uh you know, he has a he has a PhD in BS. That's what I think the mayor has. You know what I mean? So it's That's just it is what it is. Because if he wants to come down here and explain to everybody how to do

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a better budget more responsibly, you should host a meeting at town hall and let him educate all of us. It's the They shouldn't be losing jobs out there. It's unacceptable. Nobody should be losing jobs. This did not have to happen. So I feel sorry for everybody, but go down to town hall too

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cuz that's where your voices should be. Trust me when I tell you. All right? Trust me when I tell you. It's It's It's you know, it's it's sad, but I wish you guys the best of luck. I don't know. And uh And that's really it. So

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All right. Thank you. Thank you, Nick. Yes. Yeah. Raj Nagarajan, Heritage Drive, Edison, New Jersey. All right? I know most of you. I've been in this town for 27 years. And I worked on a lot of issues both on

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the BOE and the council side, on the side of all the residents and I'm not expected to run for my lifetime. Okay? I'm here to talk for the public of Edison. You know, first of all, I want to thank

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you all for doing something great. I was part of the referendum, right? We had this referendum in 2019. We said we are not going to borrow 180 plus million dollars. You got all the changes done in JP and everything and I'm very very happy because last time I came here was

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when uh Dr. Bragen was here and I had to fight for the rights of the children and parents with Dr. Bragen, right? Uh because it was a very tough situation with everybody having COVID and stuff, right? I'm so happy to see the new auditorium. As much as possible, I am

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telling all my friends, neighbors to just, you know, get here. This is the good part. The second part is I I heard a lot of these people, right? A lot of the people talk to you and tell you about pre-K. I'm all for pre-K for poor people, people who do not have money. We cannot afford pre-K for

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millionaires. How is it fair that hundreds of seniors, right? Who still trust our township. None of my neighbors are living in the last A lot of neighbors I know, right? In the last 25 years, they have not left. They trust our township. They trust us.

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Edison schools have been very good, right? I I know Jean. I I know what happened to the Board of Education. A lot of you who got elected recently, you don't know, right? Board of Education and the schools were in a you know, there was nepotism. There's a lot of stuff. Okay?

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It was cleared because of involvement of people and wanting to run, right? Get into the board and clean up. And today I'm extremely sad we are going backwards, right? The point here is there is always a need to tax tax tax tax tax, right? But you

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will have to cut somewhere, right? And don't cut for the students from first grade to 12th because we need it to be there so that our schools are good. Even now when I saw on the page, right? Where I saw

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Woodrow Wilson on the best schools, right? I was so happy. Right? I mean you know, there are so many people who go for the number one school district in New Jersey. If Edison is not cutting it, that's not what it is. It's about the quality of education, right? We have been turning out students since the start of

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Edison, right? Whenever Edison was accomplished, right? The point here is we cannot be here all the time to babysit you guys, right? It is not about your existing qualification. You have to spend the time. Right? Somebody like Jean, everybody who was here 15 years ago,

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they spent hours and hours and hours understanding the system and making sure there are checks and balances. Okay? I heard the teachers. I heard the pre-K folks. Okay? But the point is we are all for pre-K, but we have to make sure that everybody pays their fair share. The

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second thing that I'm so annoyed and angry about is you know, I have a child who is 5 and 1/2 years old. Any private kindergarten pre-K I go to, it's messed up. And the reason they are saying it is because of our school's pre-K program because neither I mean, when you got a

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grant, right? You have to make sure it it's gradual. You opened it up for everybody because money was free during Murphy's time, right? We borrowed 4 billion dollars. Now, Cheryl is somebody who is physically conservative. She's not going to dole out the money you want.

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Right? It should have been a more responsible program. You should have cut there, right? And this 28 million would have been like we could have saved a lot of money if you had started a organization. Richard Brecher who was on the board, right, had that idea because he's Brunswick schools, right? They saved like 10 15 million dollars because

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all the companies invest in it. So, at least when the builders build, they can invest in it, right? I I want you to seriously look into it. We've been talking about it for 7 years. These are the situations that that kind of money will help. And there are a lot of corporations within

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uh Edison, right? That can contribute, right? You need to look into it, right? And the third thing I really want to say is when you look at necessities, right? Uh I was so shocked to learn about the land deal, okay? I just got to know a few days ago there's a 1989 resolution

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that will not allow other than a grocery store there in the Talmadge land, which is in a flood zone, right? So, do your due diligence. And the third thing I ask of you is in 2021 we had a uh residence budget committee, okay? Where we signed a non-disclosure and we were allowed to

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review the budget. Some of few were here. So, I I think you should consider that so that this kind of a situation doesn't repeat next year because there are a lot of items you can look at. I know all of you have full-time jobs outside here. Some are in IT, some are in something else, right? That doesn't

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matter, right? You need to have your eyes in. 370 370 million dollars is a lot of money. When I started looking at the budget, it was around 210 million dollars, right? Back like 10 12 years ago, okay? Shannon Peng

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uh you know, Jerry Shi, all of them would know that because, you know, they were there, right? So, please be more watchful, right? I want to really uh congratulate you for what you achieved in the enhancement, right? And please do look into what I told you because these two things can save money.

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You can think about cutting, but you know, when you have a deficit, we need the money from the corporation and the builders because builders cannot officially donate to you. It's against the law. I even looked at it, right? So, the only way to do this is to start a non-profit where we have uh people from

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Edison, big people from Edison, where the companies contribute there, right? Look into it because if you're short by 17 million dollars, you could have got it from there, right? Out of 28 and you could have saved our taxes like anything, right? And next time don't think of increasing it to 15% 20%

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something like 3%. Thank you. Thank you. Dr. Wali, you you want to give some ins Um Okay. So, so Matt, can you hold on a second? Yeah, Dr. Wali, can you give some insight into the education foundation that you've been that you've been working on?

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>> Yeah. Yes, so um the sentiments that the gentleman just talked about is something that was been part of our strategic plan. Um we currently have um probably about four trustees committed, looking for a couple more in relationship to that to uh launch our first meeting within the next couple months. You know, the budget

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and a couple other pieces have kind of derailed um discussions with potential candidates. Um Mr. Glenn has been uh instrumental in assisting me in that process as well, too. Um but, you know, that that information does not fall on deaf ears and it's something that we uh are looking forward to putting forward uh in

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the year to come. Thank you, Matt. Matt Revnak Matt Revnaky, TA president. I think I'm a fairly intelligent individual, but I'm very confused when I come sometimes in here. You know, the board put out a 12% budget,

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none of these things would have been even discussed because nothing would have been cut. Taxpayers complained through social media. I don't do social media, but I heard all about it. Come to board meeting, etc. to make cuts. Well, when you cut almost 15 million dollars, 6% that's approximately what it

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is, what the heck do you think is going to happen? You got to cut programs. You got to cut staff. The reality of it is that. And again, like Mr. Toad said before, and I've been saying this for a while now, this is not a one-year deal.

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This is probably at least a three to four-year deal. And in the future we're not going to have some of these things to cut, which means other things have to be cut. More staff has to be cut. That's the reality. The reality is I got a group of people sitting in the back there, some of which

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are non-tenured teachers. They're here because they're worried they're going to lose their job. Some that are more senior members to support these young people. Some of them have been through it before, including myself, a couple of times in my 38 years here in the district.

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That's the reality of situation. I'm going to put on my teacher cap for a minute. I want everybody in this room, up on stage, everybody out behind me, and even those that are watching via live stream. I want you to close your eyes.

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Come on, close your eyes. Put down your cell phones. I promise I'm not going to come and lift your wallet or anything. I want you to clear your mind. Come on, Vishal, close your eyes. Board attorney, close your eyes. I guess you should keep them open.

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And I want you to clear your mind. And I want you to think about the person that had the biggest impact on who you are right now in your life. And if you're like me, it's probably your parent, maybe a sibling, maybe a grandparent.

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Eliminate relatives from the list. Think of who else had the biggest impact on your life. If you're like me, and I'm sure many of you are, it's probably a teacher, a coach, a club advisor, maybe a clergy person.

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You can open your eyes now. And picture that person was not there for you to become who you are because they were part of a budget cut. That's also the reality here. There's people that in this ranks that are going to lose jobs that won't be

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here for student current students and future students because of cutting budgets and cutting programs. Students that come to school because of some of these programs, by the way. I've had students in the past. Their purpose really for coming to school,

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yeah, they're getting an education, but it was Model UN. By the way, I did this 15 years ago at Middlesex College with state legislators there. Former Former Former Governor Florio was there. I did that same activity and I walked

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out with at that time was Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan, now state senator, and he came up to me and said, "Matt, what you just did was incredible because you're absolutely right. It was a history teacher that got me involved with Model UN and now I'm a state assemblyman."

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Oh, by the way, he was chair of the education committee at the time as well. So, that's the reality of things. You can't have it both ways. You either have to pay for the programs, pay for the staffing to keep the quality

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of education, or you don't pay for it and you're going to have these cuts. And no, you know, no pulling punches, your education system and your programs are going to go to pot.

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I got to watch what I say. It's public. All right, that's the reality of things. Listen, like I said on Thursday night, we're all taxpayers. We all hate to pay taxes. But the demands of the public were cut taxes.

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12% is too high. I get it. Especially with the rising cost of everything. I like Mr. Romano's things about the McDonald's fries, by the way I said that. I don't do Starbucks, but cut off that Starbucks coffee once a week and you probably save what your increase per

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day in taxes are. You know, there's little sacrifices you can make. And that's the reality of things. The kids deserve better. Listen, Dr. Aldarelli and Mr. Toad are top notch. I said it the other night. I

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work along with them. I've worked with a number of superintendents over the years, board members. They're doing their due diligence here. They're doing what you're asking. They're putting out what these are the things to make things work.

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You know, maybe if it's not 12% to 6% 10% maybe 9% you won't have some of these drastic cuts. In fact, I know originally the talk was 6.5%. Just go back from going 6.5 to 6% cost

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you about 1.25 million dollars. Right, Mr. Toad? I can see you shaking your head, yes. That's the reality. A half a percent cost you another 1.25. What does that mean? That means a at a starting teacher salary without the benefits, that's 20

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teachers. That's 20 teachers. That's the reality. So, think about it, board. I know it's a tough job. You're not in a you're not in an enviable position. You have to make tough a tough decision here.

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I still believe because of the duration of what this is going to be, cutting the budget down to 6% not keeping it at 12 or something in between is a mistake. I hope I don't come back and say I told you so again. Thank you. Thank you. Yes.

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No, no, no. One sec. Elizabeth, yeah. You can do after her. Elizabeth Conway, 20 Netherwood Circle. Uh we could be here all night talking about cuts and what could be and what can't be,

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but I always think of it if we take money out of one pocket, it's going to be going into another pocket or if we put money in one pocket, it had to come out of another. Uh this morning, I was getting my nails done and there was a girl sitting behind me

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with her children going to pre-K. And she said it was up to $21,000 a year that she had to pay for her two children to go to pre-K. And I thought to myself, "Whoa."

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I turned around and I said to her, "Wow, my daughter is spend is saving a lot of money because my husband and I watch her children." But, I stayed home to take care of my children until they

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were in an upper grade. So, I didn't go start teaching until later in life and I realized for all those years, I wasn't getting paid. And then when I retired, my pension was

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a lot less than somebody that had the chance of teaching all those years. But, that was my choice. But, what we're coming up against now is we're cutting some spots and it's going to be hurtful to some

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people. But, at the same time, let's figure out how much are we actually saving by making cuts because if you're cutting at one place, the money's coming out somewhere else.

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And my biggest fear right now is if this board votes no for this budget, where does it go for a a decision? And after that, I come back to

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nightmares of many years ago when it voted down and it was brought back that the council of our town made a very big cut even more to our

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budget, which is going to hurt so many other things. So, yes, we have a tremendous increase even at the 12% even at 6% going up. But, we have to realize what is it actually

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paying for. My children aren't in school anymore, but I'm not going to complain because my children went through Edison and it was a good school system and my children benefited from it. So, yes, we we look at

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how much you're paying for this person and that person. I can remember years ago looking at Dr. Cabrera and saying, "It's not a little rinky-dink district anymore, doc. You're going to have to spread your wings and hire more people."

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And as the population grew, we knew we had to. But, Edison has always been on the lower end of our ratios compared to other districts in the state of New Jersey. And we need to take all of this into

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consideration as to where we want to go. When I'm looking at the budget and seeing how much it costs, it's we're a service organization. That's our goal and our service is to

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our children and to our district. And when we look at the assessment of our homes, that's just our assessment for the taxes. It's not what our house is worth.

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And if the town ever decides to reassess our district, we're in trouble. And if the state turns around and says, "Edison, you can't afford it. You can afford to pay more. Look at the

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value of your district. Your value is higher than these other districts." Well, because we're so good, they're almost hurting us because we're good. So, please make a decision that's right

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for our district because remember what happens if you say no to this and what happens if you say no to pre-K? Is anything can be done for the benefit of the children learning?

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I know a lot of people will say, "Well, they only do it for" I've heard a few people say, "Oh, they only want the pre-K because it's free daycare." No, it's really not free daycare. It's an early education that you can never take back.

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So, truly look and see what you can do. I know subscription busting has always been a thorn that it needs to pay for itself. Well, you're going to need to step up and do that because with the price of gas, you

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better jump on it quick because it's well over 400 $4 a gallon now. So, you'd need to take into the consideration even if you raise it, it may not be enough. So, I truly think think about what you're doing.

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What's the best decision? Thank you. Thank you. Uh um Dr. Ali, do you want to address some of the things that you're planning for pre-K? Um I know it's not final. Share whatever you can. Yeah, so I mean

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what we're worried about currently, right, in relationship to pre-K is our current 3-year-olds that are going to be 4-year-olds for next year, right? And the understanding that, you know, they could be potentially without a they will be without a program next year. So, you know, at our upcoming special education meeting, um

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we are going to look to propose some alternative pathways to house these students in some of our integrated programs uh and talk with our talk with the members of that committee in order to hopefully put something forward where, you know, we're still able to

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maintain a semblance of a pre-K program. Not to the scale of what we currently have or to the scale of what the state expects us to. Um but, something that I think that we can maintain and, you know, plan accordingly for next year depending upon how circumstances are.

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Thank you. Moncy. Moncy Mathew, 2 Hider Drive. Thank you, Dr. Ali, to to tell us the program or the plan that you have for pre-K. It will be really really sad that we don't have uh something instead of like not having a

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complete full-blown plan, but if we can have something smaller, it will help. Uh having said that, it saddens me as well as angers me that where we are standing today. Everything was going great for our district. I think in last

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3 years, we have seen such good things happening. We were all having a great time. We were looking at it that it is going well. The last uh year of my son's gradu- by the time he graduated from high school, we even had an excellent up-and-running uh

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app for our school district. Our website, everything is going fine. And now here we are. And why we are here? Because nine elected board members who are and for everybody's education, these elected board members are like

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board of directors for any cooperation. Dr. Ali and and John Toto, who's our BA, is like a CFO. So, all these nine board members are here to work in the best interest or to uphold the best interest

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of all the shareholders and the stakeholders in this on on this platform. Uh and in our case, the stakeholders and shareholders are teachers, kids who go to the school, and the parents or the taxpayers.

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Sadly, they have I think they have uh you know, disappointed or failed all three in this case. All three. Whereas, teachers, parents, and kids, we are seeing program cuts, we are seeing job cuts, we are seeing various things happening here. And why we are here?

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Because the reserves that were there in the school district 3 years ago, they couldn't cup they they couldn't keep up with it. They thought it's a pot of, you know, bottomless pit. We can just put our hands there, grab money, and keep running with it and run a campaign on it

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to sit here on this position. Very very sad. Very sad. As a taxpayer, as a resident, I would I would like request you and also like if you all nine of you can at least apologize to us. Not just to us, but all

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the stakeholders of Edison Township. It's not nice. It's not funny and it's really really, you know, it it shows bad on us. Our schools are doing so well. Our town is known for education. And here we are. From where we go from here, I don't know, we don't know because it

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looks very very dark because program cuts also result in bringing our rating down and breaking our schools down. So, we are here in a big trouble and this is now from 12 to 6, God knows what will happen next year. Thank you. Thank

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you. Next. Yes. Chirag Patel, Nottingham Road. So, we hear two voices today. Uh as she mentioned, none of them are happy. Uh some of uh people are concerned about

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the pre-K, um how it's going to affect the kids, um and taxpayer, of course, about the tax rise. Uh I do agree with both of the sections, but uh none of them are happy. So, what does this mean?

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It means you messed up. You guys didn't do a good job. Uh sorry if you don't like it, but uh that's what it means. Now, there is a narrative created, what I feel here, this is the first time I'm attending such meeting. I'm a new resident.

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Uh narrative created that uh people who are opposing the tax hike is opposed to the betterment of kids. It is not like that. We chose to live here with a so high price of house because of

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education system, nothing else. So, that's not true. It just uh that it is mismanaged. Uh I think it's not well thought, not properly thought of like long back. I'm not sure, but someone told me like

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there was a salary hike. Most of the decision that you guys took affect directly to the students. Uh if it's true, you guys should have told that we going to reverse the salary hike voluntarily because in current situation, most of us are working in a

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private sector. None of us getting the salary hikes, there is a hiring freeze, and even there are a lot of firing. So, we have to understand the current situation and act accordingly in all the avenues. Now, another thing that I wanted to say

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is that no one likes government, that's truth, right? Everyone hates it. There is a reason behind it. And that's what we are seeing right now. Um everyone is using AI. I was never using chat GPT, but nowadays, I started using it in my

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company also. For each department, they have a AI assistant. And they started firing like whole team. So, this is a reality. I don't think we going to avoid it. It will happen. So, did you guys think about using AI

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for a non-essential job to reduce the budget and help us? And I I want to predict something which might be true in future. All the resident will vote in future to have only two members here and rest

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AI assistant. We don't need you guys. If you can't create a good budget which take care of kids' interest, we don't need you nine of member. We just need two people who can oversight it, and we will use AI. >> [applause] >> We will pay good money to chat GPT or

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Copilot or whatever. So, please be conscious, be aware, this will happen. Believe me, after 5 years, we we don't want to see these nine people. If they are not concerned and take a good decisions, we don't need you guys. Okay,

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thank you. >> [applause] >> Next. Okay, motion to close public Motion to close. Motion. First up. Too far back. Oh, sorry. Excuse me, I've been moving between locations.

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You're going to ask me for my address? You know who you are. I'll give you my address anyway. Um currently between two locations, 169 Edison Avenue uh and three Bradford Drive.

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May I speak now? Thank you. Okay. You guys create the problems, then you find the solutions. So, I'm pretty sure next year whoever's running next year is going to run their campaign that they're going to

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fund the preschool cuz you guys do that all the time. But you were ready to spend 12% so you cut 6% out. How much is the preschool going to cost if you fund it as it is? How How much would it cost? Do you know?

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Go through your all your questions and we'll address what we can. You guys aren't answering anyone's questions except Ms. Conway's. Um anyway. I just find it unbelievable you guys are going to do a 12% increase, you cut 6%

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off, but you can't include the kindergarten in there. Is there a reason for that? What What if you included the kindergarten, would it be an extra percent, percent and a half, 2%? How How How much would it would it cost to run the program?

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Didn't Governor Murphy pass a law saying that that you have to fund the preschool program? Doesn't matter. Can you please an- answer my question cuz when you answer my question, it's going to lead to the next question, and I don't want to stand here for 4 minutes and just

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So, can you just answer my question? How much it cost to fund the preschool? Sir, you can continue your comment and use the remaining 3 minutes and 55 seconds as you wish. And they can use use some of my time to answer my question. It's not a hard

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question. Off the top of their head, how much does it cost to fund the kindergarten? Again, you can continue your comment and if the questions can be answered, they'll be answered at the >> doing. I'm making my comment. I don't need the commentary from the lawyer. I'm

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not speaking to you. Um the board obviously doesn't need legal advice from you at this moment. So, can you explain to me what why are you even opening your mouth? Can you explain that to me? I'm not Don't waste my time. You can talk to me after You can talk to me afterward. How

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much does it cost to fund the preschool? You go through all the comments and >> I'm voting for Joe Romano. When When the time comes, I'm voting for Joe Romano cuz he he he wouldn't defund the preschool. Um absolutely disgusting. Of course, these guys want to defund the preschool. I I

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live in a country that we bomb preschools over in Iran. So, absolute I don't care if they don't like to hear that. Um absolutely disgusting. How much does it cost to fund the preschool? 1 million, 2 million, 3 million? How much does it cost?

427
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It It certainly it's not going to cost 6% extra that you guys were were ready. How much does it cost? Is it a small amount, a large amount? Becau- because everyone I spoken to they don't mind paying a little extra for the from for the preschool.

428
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Um It's the town council members I don't want to get a raise. It's Mayor Sam Joshi I don't want to get a raise. Um I want to defund the police, quite frankly. Um not completely, but they keep giving themselves raises they don't deserve it.

429
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Well, quite frankly, they get they get promoted for targeting me. So, if you want to get promoted, just file false charges against me. Um how much does the preschool cost? To fund the preschool, how much would it cost? I I find it a little ridiculous that,

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you know, I come to Board of Education meeting. I haven't come here in like a year, 2 years, 3 years. It's a simple question. It's a minute 36 seconds left, and you can't simply an- answer how much it cost to fund the preschool. It's It's It's not hard. Do any I'm just going to assume none of

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you know it. Um normally when someone knows something, they're very quick to answer. Um Lawyer, do you know? Now I'm talking to you. Do you know how much it cost to >> all your questions here. Through the chair to the lawyer. Lawyer, do you know how much it cost to fund the uh

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preschool? Would you like to answer my question for me? You can choose to continue using your time as you wish. >> And I'm going to do that. I'm going to do that. I'd get better freaking responses from chat GPT than you guys. Um I'm I think it

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it wouldn't even be more than than 1 and 1/2%. Uh How much How much does it cost to fund the preschool? Ask Sam Joshi that question. Well, I don't need to ask Sam Joshi that question because these are the guys that are going to vote upon it.

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And And many of us residents, we don't mind to pay for the pre-K as it is. So, I I hope you guys vote yes to it. I'm I'm a little bit disgusted that we can't simply answer. It's going to cost 3 million. It's going to cost 3 and 1/2 million.

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Um I don't understand it. Thank you. Dr. Old Ralley. Both. Uh yes. >> Cost Cost uh for the board. Where do I Where do I want to say something? I just gave you a >> on. Hold on. Hold on. Let Let him answer, please. I Yes, the uh local share, meaning the

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board's responsibility for pre-K would be roughly about 3.75 million dollars. Thanks. Is it And how much percentage would that be? Percentage-wise, how much would that be? It That's probably about, you know, in that 1.5 1.75%. That's a pretty good

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guess estimate. Mohan, you're next. I'm on. All right. Sorry, I was at the gym. I just got here, so I'm just going to make it brief. I don't know what you guys discussed before, but from the previous meeting, I know you have some Sam's clowns here that came here last time and

438
03:28:58.640 --> 03:29:14.880
basically said, "We don't want this budget. We don't want to pass this." The same clowns that are going to run for Board of Education this year are going to be here trying to advocate for the for the students while you're going to cut their budget. While you're going to cut their programs. While you're going

439
03:29:14.880 --> 03:29:30.600
to cut their kindergarten. While you want to cut their ACEs. That's BS. And I have some board members here that were just complaining last year last week last uh meeting that uh why don't we send this to the county and let them disregard the budget. Let them

440
03:29:30.600 --> 03:29:47.000
do that. You went from 12:00 to 6:00. I commend you for doing that. For the past 5 years, you didn't raise the budget. You had 0% increase for the past 5 years. Now that we don't have the money, you're raising it because you have to. Not because you want to, because you

441
03:29:47.000 --> 03:30:04.240
have to. And the reason why these clowns that come here for Sam and all these guys, they want to put it on your head. You're raising your budget and raising your taxes. They want to put it on your head while they go ahead in closed sessions raise the township rate by 9.5%

442
03:30:04.240 --> 03:30:20.160
and then you want to go You don't go there. Why don't you go to the township and complain there? Why is he raising the budget over there the taxes and you don't want to go complain there because you're getting something out of it. Either a ethic board position or the county

443
03:30:20.160 --> 03:30:35.600
position because you guys are greedy for yourselves. You don't think about the students. You don't give a about the students. Mohan So don't even tell me No, I have to use my time, please. >> language. >> All right. Please address the chair. So he wants to raise the rate at municipal

444
03:30:35.600 --> 03:30:51.760
building at 9.5%. You have some of the people here that are his minions that are going to come here and advocate for that. You should be advocating for the students. The students. That's your responsibility. And if it's 6.5% or 7.5%

445
03:30:51.760 --> 03:31:07.400
it's for the students. The reason why all of you guys moved to this town is because of the education system. Don't knock it when it's needed, all right? The township is wasting your money away left and right, but you don't go and care about that So in conclusion, all I'm going to tell you

446
03:31:07.400 --> 03:31:23.880
is this. Pass the budget. Do whatever you need to do for our students, period. That's the reason why you're sitting in that seat first and foremost. So 6.5% is nothing. For the past 5 years, they raised it to zero. Zero. And if they're asking for 6.5, what does that mean?

447
03:31:23.880 --> 03:31:40.600
The township raised it 14.5%. You didn't do about it. You didn't say anything about it. >> Sir, I'm going to have to remind you. >> I asked. Sir, please just >> have to remind you, please. >> Please. >> So I get I get frustrated because you're here advocating against the students and

448
03:31:40.600 --> 03:31:56.560
that is foul. All right. No. Mohan, please address the chair. Please direct your comments to the chair. No, thank you. Sorry about that. Let's calm down. I'm animated for my students, for my kids that go to these school, all 18,000 students by the time they're done.

449
03:31:56.560 --> 03:32:12.760
You have 19 buildings you got to take care of. 20 21. You're adding to the value of the homes in this town. So if you have to raise it, raise it for the students and that's okay. Your values are increasing because of that.

450
03:32:12.760 --> 03:32:28.480
When you sell your home for a million dollars where is that coming from? It's because of the education system right here. They're moving here because of that. They're spending a million dollars on those homes because of that. You're making the men money out. So stop complaining about it. You want to complain, go to the township where

451
03:32:28.480 --> 03:32:44.040
you have nothing given for you. You have potholes filling the road. >> please direct your comments to the chair. All right. So if you want to talk about increases make sure your your faces are in the township when they're increasing your rate by 9.5%. Will you

452
03:32:44.040 --> 03:33:00.080
say something then? No, because your positions are all in line for that. Cuz you want something from the mayor. You're getting a position here, ethic board there, that. So at the end of the day, do what is right for the students. That's the reason why you're sitting in those seats. Don't be

453
03:33:00.080 --> 03:33:15.000
knocking out because the there's someone that wants to get a position in the township or you're going to run for something else. Monty was right here before. She wants to run for the Board of Education coming up this year. So here she is here and complaining. So enough is enough. Vote

454
03:33:15.000 --> 03:33:33.160
yes to the budget. Thank you. Thank you. Motion to close public portion. All in favor? Aye. So the next one is president's report. So I mean I want to genuinely, you know, thank all the board

455
03:33:33.160 --> 03:33:49.360
members for the time and energy they have spent over last 7 8 weeks. Um I know it has not been, you know, easy. I want to recognize Mr. Jerry Shi who is not here who spent countless hours. Even when I was out of country, he was making calls and and

456
03:33:49.360 --> 03:34:07.280
you know, suggesting ideas to to make this work. Miss Shannon Peng who has spent countless hours. And keep your head up high. It was not an easy choices for us to make and all of us together had made some choices. So keep your head up and and chin up.

457
03:34:07.280 --> 03:34:23.400
I believe this budget protects core instructions, classroom instructions while ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of the district. And I ask all the board members to vote today and make a decision by keeping students' success at the center of it

458
03:34:23.400 --> 03:34:42.120
and stand by it. Thank you. Superintendent's comments. Thank you very much, Board President Patel. Good evening, ladies and gents. Uh just a couple of uh announcements and accolades and a couple items that are on the agenda. First of all, um I wanted to uh wish congratulations to our ACE

459
03:34:42.120 --> 03:34:58.200
Mentor Program team who participated in the uh Construction Industry Roundtable National Design and Construction competition this past Monday in Washington, D.C. Uh special congratulations to Ms. May and the team for their first place finish. Uh in

460
03:34:58.200 --> 03:35:13.400
addition, one of our students actually won the uh it's a the Mark A. Castell Memorial Scholarship Award uh for $10,000. So we're we're thrilled to announce um that our teacher advisor as well, Ms. May, has been chosen to serve on the Board of Directors which will provide

461
03:35:13.400 --> 03:35:28.840
increased opportunities and first-hand internships uh which I know is a uh a mission for this board uh as well as our students. So thank you, Ms. May. Thank you and congratulations on the students. I think they deserve a round of applause in relationship to that, right? We also remember

462
03:35:28.840 --> 03:35:45.440
Yeah. It's great. Thank you so much. Um This week also we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week and National Nurses Week. Uh you know, we recognize these two groups that are essential to the district operation here. Uh

463
03:35:45.440 --> 03:36:00.920
I I want to say something to our phenomenal teachers and our support staff and everybody kind of that makes the uh the wheels go around here in Edison. You are the heart and soul of our schools. Thank you for inspiring curiosity, nurturing the potential in every single student. Your commitment makes a

464
03:36:00.920 --> 03:36:19.080
profound difference in the lives of our children and it's a pleasure to work alongside of you each and every day. To our ex- Yeah yeah that You can clap at that one, too. That's a good one. And to the most popular office in every single school, to our school nurses,

465
03:36:19.080 --> 03:36:38.640
thank you for serving as the a safe and healthy and nurturing learning environment. Thank you so much for the work that you do. And that concludes my report for today, Mr. Patel. >> Thank you, doc. Um next section is

466
03:36:38.640 --> 03:37:09.600
public comments for resolutions only. Anyone? Yep. Yes. Yeah. Thank you. Am I recognized? Name and address, please. Name Now you want my name and address? I gave both I gave you >> it. I missed it the first time. Come on.

467
03:37:09.600 --> 03:37:25.120
I gave two of you guys addresses before and you didn't stop. You want your address again? I'll give you your address. Yes, please. Okay. Um 169 Edison Avenue and uh three Bradford Drive

468
03:37:25.120 --> 03:37:41.960
and sometimes nine Finch Court. When I'm in a good mood, I'm really at nine Finch Recken Court. Thank you. >> Um Hell yeah. That's Jerry's address. Um so >> [snorts] >> hell yeah. Um

469
03:37:41.960 --> 03:37:57.000
where the hell are the resolutions? What page? I don't know what any of the resolutions are, but I I want to talk about them. I certainly want to talk I'm against every one of them. Every freaking one of them. Uh what page are they on?

470
03:37:57.000 --> 03:38:14.640
11. Thank you. God bless you. Thank you so much. God bless you. I can't even tell the freaking page numbers. There is no page number. Just Page two through to the end. Two to the end? Two to the end. Thank God bless you. Thank you.

471
03:38:14.640 --> 03:38:32.000
I'm against all of them except funding the kindergarten. Is the kindergarten on there? Preschool. Preschool, yeah, yeah. Last page. Last page? Well, we're going to fund that cuz we want to fund that. Um 1 and 1/2% increase is not not that

472
03:38:32.000 --> 03:38:50.160
bad. Or rather we increase it on this side than that corrupt mayor Sam Joshi, all right? So let's let's increase on this side cuz the more we increase on this side he's going to be like, "Shit, I can't I can't really increase it as much as I wanted to." So he's going to have to

473
03:38:50.160 --> 03:39:08.280
make some look bad, right? So yes, we want the 1 and 1/2 increase to go to uh preschool. Cuz I haven't heard not one resident say they didn't want it. I only heard you guys say you don't want to fund it.

474
03:39:08.280 --> 03:39:28.040
Um Through the chair to Mr. Toth Mr. Toth, uh uh I forgot. What did you say before? Uh 3 million? You said 1 and 1/2 increase and it was what? 3 million? 3.75 3 That's not bad, either. That's not Do you guys know how much Sam Joshi's freaking spending over there? How much

475
03:39:28.040 --> 03:39:44.800
of money he's wasting over there? No, you don't care. Um 3.75 million's not not too bad. We have 100,000 residents, you know, it's not not that bad. Um

476
03:39:44.880 --> 03:40:03.600
so >> [snorts] >> Eric, I was going to give your address. I don't want to give your address. I don't want to get beat up when I get out of here, all right? So I didn't give your freaking address. Um okay. >> [snorts] >> And

477
03:40:03.600 --> 03:40:20.600
yeah, we can't we can't fund things like the there's a lot of things that I want to say, but I'm limited in saying them cuz I'm somewhat at at a gag order, kind of [clears throat] a gag order. We'll wait 60 days from now. We'll wait 90 days from now

478
03:40:20.600 --> 03:40:38.720
when multiple victories had had my way, but >> [snorts] >> you know, we're losing money on the subscription bussing because you you guys are just people who qualify for the bussing. You're not giving them bus passes. People who don't qualify for the buses,

479
03:40:38.720 --> 03:40:53.520
you give them bus passes. You call them your constituents. You promise their fam uh uh family members votes, okay? And none none of this is theoretical. It's it's all been proven, okay?

480
03:40:53.520 --> 03:41:11.160
No names. Um just So we're losing money on the bussing side because of you guys. Because you guys order certain members within the transportation department just issue freaking bus passes to everyone that doesn't qualify.

481
03:41:11.160 --> 03:41:27.640
Meanwhile, those who do qualify had to wait almost a year even if their bussing issues got resolved and many of them didn't. So you're losing money on that. You're you're com- complaining you don't want to do 1 and 1/2 increase percent increase on the

482
03:41:27.640 --> 03:41:45.200
on the preschool. Um are you guys [snorts] going to reconsider that? >> [clears throat] >> You don't have to answer that till later, but we want it. Um and yeah.

483
03:41:45.200 --> 03:42:02.040
I'm against every single resolution, though. Oh the same town council. All right. All right, just pa- pass the one with the preschool. We're going to pass the one with the preschool. Uh and we're going to remember I'm going to watch when election season comes up and

484
03:42:02.040 --> 03:42:18.280
I'm going to see who's running this year. I don't even know who's running, but whoever is running, I'm pretty sure you guys are going to the first thing you're going to put on your uh campaign promises you're going to fund the preschool. So again, you guys create the problems. You find the solutions.

485
03:42:18.280 --> 03:42:37.320
Um Who's running this year? Who Who's time's up on that board? You know, Michelle. Who's time's up on the board? You don't know? Simple question. Okay.

486
03:42:40.640 --> 03:42:56.040
To the lawyer uh uh chair to the lawyer, what do you think about a 1 and 1/2% increase? Do you have an opinion on that? >> if you have any more comments regarding the resolutions on the agenda, you have 11 seconds to make those comments. You don't have an opinion? You don't have an opinion on the 1 and

487
03:42:56.040 --> 03:43:26.240
1/2% increase? Your opinion wouldn't matter to me anyways. Um I just wanted to Thank you. I'll be back up. Joyce. I would like to speak about two resolutions starting with teacher appreciation week.

488
03:43:26.240 --> 03:43:42.200
I think we should applaud our teachers because teaching is not like it used to be. It's a very hard job. When I grew up whatever the teacher said was right. You went to school to learn. You didn't bring all these electronic devices. You

489
03:43:42.200 --> 03:43:57.200
didn't have all this other stuff going on. So I just want all the teachers to know that we a lot of us believe in you. A lot of us know how hard your job is and we appreciate everything you do. We appreciate the long hours that you do

490
03:43:57.200 --> 03:44:13.400
cuz everybody thinks your job is from like 7:00 to 3:00. They don't understand the hours and stuff you put into planning, the hours and stuff you put into extracurricular, the hours the hours and stuff you spend into talking to some students who would just love somebody to listen to them and pay

491
03:44:13.400 --> 03:44:29.080
attention to them. And I also would like to thank the nurses because the nurses job is much much harder than it used to be and it's going up more and more each year cuz they have to handle more things

492
03:44:29.080 --> 03:44:46.200
than they did in the past. In the past, they may have had a nosebleed or something something small, but right now they have like the heart defibrillators. They have so much other stuff that they have to be aware of. They have to be aware of children's allergies, the

493
03:44:46.200 --> 03:45:02.640
EpiPens, right? So I applaud you wholeheartedly and I I just wish the nurses and the teachers the best of everything. Thank you. Thank you. Next. Motion to close public portion. Second.

494
03:45:02.640 --> 03:45:19.200
All in favor? Aye. Okay. So the next thing is during the caucus meeting we tabled the termination of Talmadge Road acquisition, so we need a motion to untable that. So do I have a motion to untable Talmadge Road acquisition resolution

495
03:45:19.200 --> 03:45:37.160
from last meeting? Yes, motion to untable. I'll second it. Roll call, please. All right, so this is to untable. Mr. Azzarello. No. Mr. Errico. No.

496
03:45:37.160 --> 03:45:53.680
Mr. Ronak Patel. Yes. Mr. Lugo. Yes. Ms. Anjana Patel. Because I last meeting I missed some uh information and I need a more information, so for

497
03:45:53.680 --> 03:46:18.920
untable, no. Ms. White. Yes. Ms. Peng. No. Mr. Patel. Yes. Motion fails. Thank you. Next uh is motion to approve the budget.

498
03:46:18.920 --> 03:46:37.960
Can I have a motion? Motion. I'll second it. Vote, please. Mr. Azzarello. Yes. Mr. Errico. No.

499
03:46:37.960 --> 03:46:53.840
Mr. Ronak Patel. Yes. Mr. Lugo. No. Ms. Anjana Patel. Yes. Ms. White. No, but I would just like to add this.

500
03:46:53.840 --> 03:47:12.720
The reason why I'm voting no is because of the staff reductions. That bothers me terribly and some of the program cuts and that is the reason why I'm voting no. Ms. Peng. Yes. President Patel.

501
03:47:12.720 --> 03:47:32.400
Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Motion to approve personnel. Motion. Okay, second. Second. Mr. Azzarello. Yes. Mr. Errico. Uh yes on everything, no on

502
03:47:32.400 --> 03:47:52.320
Donald Marker. Noted. Mr. Ronak Patel. Yes. Mr. Lugo. Yes. Ms. Anjana Patel. Yes. Ms. White. Yes. Ms. Peng. Yes. President Patel. Yes. Motion

503
03:47:52.320 --> 03:48:10.200
carried. Motion to approve administration, curriculum and instruction, and pupil special services. Motion. I'll curriculum and instruction. I'll second it. Mr. Azarrello. Yes.

504
03:48:10.200 --> 03:48:27.680
Mr. Errico. >> Yes. Mr. Ronak Patel. Yes. Mr. Lugo. Yes. Ms. Anjana Patel. Yes. Ms. White. Yes. Ms. Peng. Yes. President Patel. Yes. Motion carries.

505
03:48:31.920 --> 03:49:00.760
Motion to approve finance. Second. Mr. Azarrello. Yes. Mr. Errico. A question to the board president. Is that number 14? 15. 15. 15 was 15. It's 14. It's 14. I don't see a 15.

506
03:49:00.760 --> 03:49:20.920
See a 14 finance report. Yeah, finance report. Sorry. Finance report. Yeah, it's 14. Yes. Okay, yes. Thank you. Mr. Ronak Patel. Yes. Mr. Lugo. No. Ms. Anjana Patel. Yes.

507
03:49:20.920 --> 03:49:40.680
Ms. White. No. Ms. Peng. Yes. Mr. Vishal our President Patel. Yes. Motion carries. Okay. The next is a public comments.

508
03:49:40.680 --> 03:50:06.000
Anyone? Okay. Do I have a motion to Motion to close. Motion to close. Okay, go ahead, Chris. Yeah, thank you. Sir. Nine Finch Court. I've always lived on Nine Finch Court. Am I recognized?

509
03:50:06.000 --> 03:50:21.720
And name? My name? Yeah. My My name is everybody's name. Am I recognized? Yes. Thank you. Um I really don't understand why why we can spend nine nine billion dollars

510
03:50:21.720 --> 03:50:40.040
on a on a plot of land, but you can't even fund the the preschool. You'd be able to fund that preschool for 2 years, okay? It's not not the Board of Education. You're not the zoning board. Okay, we know Sam Joshi's corrupt. We

511
03:50:40.040 --> 03:50:56.040
know they're building houses everywhere, but they just spend the money that's meant for the kids, all right? So that that nine million dollars was spent was to be spent on programs, um enlarging the classrooms, whatever uh for the teachers, what whatever it

512
03:50:56.040 --> 03:51:12.400
may be. Yet you guys took that nine million to purchase a plot of land, okay? Cuz you you guys didn't want You guys said, "Oh, we were going to have more students." Um but let's be uh quite frank. The majority of you live in North Edison,

513
03:51:12.400 --> 03:51:28.920
okay? And you guys just wanted to use the Board of Education funds so this way apartment buildings weren't weren't built in your neighborhoods. That's what really what it is. So you guys are building many mansions over there, okay? But you guys freak out if there's an

514
03:51:28.920 --> 03:51:45.280
apartment building, a condominium going to be built. You guys say, "Oh, you're they're going to flood flood our schools with more kids." And then you complain that the state cut our funding cuz we we don't have enough kids enrolling in the schools. So it's like we're we're in the twilight zone over

515
03:51:45.280 --> 03:51:59.080
here, you know? Um Did you guys take take the vote for the preschool? Cuz I wasn't really paying attention. Did you take the vote for the preschool? Are you going to fund the preschool? It's a shame that you guys aren't going

516
03:51:59.080 --> 03:52:20.600
to fund the preschool. Um We live in a society today where we would rather cheer bombing little girls in their preschools, okay? Um rather than than funding the preschools for the little kids. It's all right. It's a sick society. It's It's

517
03:52:20.600 --> 03:52:36.560
the twilight zone we're living in. Every day that goes by, more and more Americans are now realizing that the politicians that they've been appointing have been vampires this whole time. Um It's not my opinion. It's It's out in the open.

518
03:52:36.560 --> 03:52:52.600
The government can't cover it up no more. Uh I'm going to wait when there's less I I'm I'm going to wait when when these meetings are almost no parents, whatever, cuz I want I want to talk about what happened in Sarajevo with the Sarajevo High School

519
03:52:52.600 --> 03:53:09.800
general. I'll save that for the for next time. But you know, you guys are very disgusting people. Nine million dollars for for for a piece of land. Okay? That has no function for the school.

520
03:53:09.800 --> 03:53:26.680
Um Even if if you were to to build something on it in the future, no none of the funds for the BOE should ever went to that. None of the funds for the BOE should have ever been built built for the those freaking cricket fields, okay? Um I'm disgusted in those

521
03:53:26.680 --> 03:53:43.160
cricket fields. If I had the choice, I would burn down every freaking cricket field. I would take a bulldozer. I would bulldoze those freaking cricket fields. I wish Jerry was here cuz he really likes the cricket fields. Um I'm just disgusted at what you guys do.

522
03:53:43.160 --> 03:54:01.080
Um And then we have members of the public complaining, "Hey, we have we have too much white people being hired." You know, in society, if you're qualified to do the job, you're going to get hired. Um they just they just want people to be hired with

523
03:54:01.080 --> 03:54:16.920
less qualifications. Let's be quite frank. They they want people to be hired from their own religion, from their own country. They call it DEI. This is racism. This is reverse racism. Okay?

524
03:54:16.920 --> 03:54:35.000
A lot a lot of these teachers that you call white teachers, they've been here before you guys even moved here. And so that's what we're going to do every year. Um We got forced gentrification. We got reverse gentrification here

525
03:54:35.000 --> 03:54:51.080
in Edison, New Jersey, where the whites, the blacks, the Latinos were being pushed out by by certain certain minority group of people. We don't complain about it. We welcomed everybody. But now that you guys become the my

526
03:54:51.080 --> 03:55:07.720
majority, you guys show your muscles when when it's one person, you throw your best friend. When it's two people, they're your best friend. Wait when it's 20 of them. Wait when it when it's 25 of them. Wait when they become the majority, then you're going to see their true face. Then they're going to start showing their

527
03:55:07.720 --> 03:55:23.920
quote-unquote muscles. Um They're going to refuse bus passes to the kids that that are qualified for them, but then the kids that don't qualify for the bus passes, we're going to give those kids the a bus passes. We're going to lose

528
03:55:23.920 --> 03:55:41.320
the money. Why? Because we all go to the same temple. That's disgusting. That's that's that's what racism really is, okay? Um It's discrimination. The Edison Board of Education has has uh

529
03:55:41.720 --> 03:55:59.080
for many years, for all at least seven plus years I've been watching this discrimination go on. And then be be be accused of being uh a racist for observing uh for noticing this reverse racism. I'm sick of it. I'm disgusted by it. Um

530
03:55:59.080 --> 03:56:28.080
And you shouldn't worry if the teacher's white, black, Latino, uh if they're qualified, let them stay. Thank you. No, no, Matt. Not you, Matt. Sorry. Hello, everyone. My name is Nimesh Dave.

531
03:56:28.080 --> 03:56:43.840
Uh 13 Remington Drive. I guess president is not here, so I'm going to address to vice president. Uh Ms. Shannon Peng. Uh the first question and the concern actually I have on behalf of the residents is that many

532
03:56:43.840 --> 03:57:00.760
of us asked several questions. They raised genuine concerns. And they were told that at the end before we vote for whatever you're going to vote, we will be answering those questions or concerns. But I would like to have it on official

533
03:57:00.760 --> 03:57:16.960
record of yours that none of those questions or concerns were answered. And that is very very disappointing. The second thing I would like to bring it to your attention is about April 23rd meeting where a president almost lost us

534
03:57:16.960 --> 03:57:33.360
a million dollar lawsuit. And that is very irresponsible. And I'll explain why and how. The lawyer the attorney who was representing a board at that time, he issued a very confusing statement to an innocent citizen like me that I can and

535
03:57:33.360 --> 03:57:50.520
cannot speak on certain public comments, which made me think that I cannot speak on a Talmadge land. And he very creatively put that statement so that we got confused and we did not ask those questions. In fact, my request to the

536
03:57:50.520 --> 03:58:07.640
board is that you guys have an authority to stop such kind of a behavior. And I sincerely request all of you that next time, please don't hire such attorneys because at at the end of the day it's our money you're putting at stake. And I sincerely request you to keep this

537
03:58:07.640 --> 03:58:23.280
in mind. The third point I would like to bring is about my communication with BA. Now, this question is not directly directed to Mr. Toth. However, this question is directed to the president and the vice president and the entire board.

538
03:58:23.280 --> 03:58:40.240
A conversation email which was forwarded to me pertaining to reclassification of the land where he in fact forwarded me the email of a very casual conversation he had and mind you, I'm repeating my statement, very casual conversational email he had

539
03:58:40.240 --> 03:58:57.920
with Leo, if I'm not wrong, asking him, "Hey, can we reclassify this?" And he responded, "No, under NJ blah blah blah, you cannot reclassify this." My understanding and based on whatever discussion I had with my lawyers and the lawyers of other townships who

540
03:58:57.920 --> 03:59:14.000
represent education board, they said, "This is not the way it works. You have to file a formal petition kind of a thing." I'm for a lack of better term, I'm going to use the word petition. This question is not for Mr. Toth. The question is for the board. I very openly

541
03:59:14.000 --> 03:59:30.040
offered you my services, services of the people of this town that, "Hey, if you cannot make this happen, tell me. I will bring 1,000 people in front of the door of those who can make a decision." Why did you not step up? This is

542
03:59:30.040 --> 03:59:45.560
disappointing. This is absolutely disappointing. So, my question is not to him, my question is to the board. You guys have been voted by us and you are not fulfilling your responsibilities. This is absolutely disappointing.

543
03:59:45.560 --> 04:00:02.520
The third and most important point about a Talmadge Road land $9 million decision, in my opinion, not only just my opinion, but the opinion of thousands of people. I have submitted a petition is that it's a reckless decision.

544
04:00:02.520 --> 04:00:19.520
The land is not developable at all. One of the respected board member here is saying that, "I have not studied it." What was she doing? Was she sleeping from 23rd to 28th? Looks like that. That is That is disappointing.

545
04:00:19.520 --> 04:00:35.840
$30 to $40 million of an additional expense on the top of it. Wow. You guys are simply playing with our money. That is ridiculous. That is absolutely ridiculous. Now, 1 minute and 55 seconds I'm going to use

546
04:00:35.840 --> 04:00:52.760
to chant this thing. Whoever has tabled it, shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you. Resign. Resign.

547
04:00:52.760 --> 04:01:08.320
Resign. Resign. Resign. Shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you. Resign. Resign. Resign.

548
04:01:08.320 --> 04:01:24.880
Resign. Mr. It's It's not productive. I'm sorry. Thank you. One last time, shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next.

549
04:01:24.880 --> 04:01:40.920
Motion to close public. Vote. Motion to close public. Oh. Matt, sorry. I didn't see you. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead, Matt. Go ahead, Moan. Go ahead. Go ahead, it's quick. Okay. We have people coming here trying to tell you what is I'm I'm I'm

550
04:01:40.920 --> 04:01:57.000
addressing you guys. We have people coming here from the township where they're sent out here like minions to come and complain about what you're doing. But what they want to do is put a blind eye to what the township has done to go and increase your taxes.

551
04:01:57.000 --> 04:02:12.520
Every year the township increases $20 million by getting bonds. When you go and get $20 million in bonds, guess what happens? You're paying interest on that. By now, we have over 100 million in bonds that the township

552
04:02:12.520 --> 04:02:29.640
has already taken out and you're paying for it, but none of you guys have gone to the township to complain about $20 million every year that they're taking out in loans by getting those bonds down. But you want to come here and complain about a 6% increase that is happening

553
04:02:29.640 --> 04:02:46.160
after 5 years of 0% increase. Shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you. Resign. Resign. Resign. Why don't you chant that in the township? For the past 5 years they increased your tax by 14.5%. You didn't go there and chant your shame

554
04:02:46.160 --> 04:03:01.600
on you and resign to the sham. But you come here at this board and take it out on our students. The reason why you bought a house in this town is because of this school system. Plain and simple. The reason why your value in

555
04:03:01.600 --> 04:03:17.000
your homes are up is because of this school system. If you don't like it, go to South Plainfield or somewhere else and try to buy a house there. Right? You won't do it because you love the school system here so much that you don't want to spend the money

556
04:03:17.000 --> 04:03:33.520
on it. After so many years, we actually would have made this high school and the other high school and all the other schools so great, but we had board members back then playing politics as well. They refused to build this school when

557
04:03:33.520 --> 04:03:50.600
it was almost zero in interest. We could have saved so much money. We had funding from the state at that time, too. And for $89 million you would have had a brand new freaking high school. But you didn't do it. Then we have we're going to move into Edison High School. Then the four What What did you do?

558
04:03:50.600 --> 04:04:06.840
Instead of building classrooms, you built freaking gymnasiums. You wasted our money then, too. The township wasted their money. They built two turfs for double the cost that you did for one turf.

559
04:04:07.840 --> 04:04:23.680
It is so egregious that you come here and complain about our students getting what they want, but when the sham does all his crap over there in the township, you don't want to go complain because you're fat and happy with your position that you got in the Middlesex County or in

560
04:04:23.680 --> 04:04:39.240
the freaking ethics board or somewhere else. And then you want to come and play politics here with our students because you want to run for an office and this way you have a talking point when you run. That's all BS. Stop playing politics with our kids. Give them what they need, the services

561
04:04:39.240 --> 04:05:02.840
they deserve, and be happy that your values are going up because of the school system instead of whining and moaning about this I will say it. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Should be Allison Court. Uh two things.

562
04:05:02.840 --> 04:05:18.960
First, is there a way that you guys can reduce the volume of the speaker when somebody yells at the mic because it's very hurtful to the ear. Second, um when when people are talking >> Turn, please do not disturb her when

563
04:05:18.960 --> 04:05:33.960
she's making her comment. She didn't interrupt you when you made your comment. Thank Thank you so much. And the second, when a speaker comes and speaks here, you need to remind the speaker that they're speaking to you guys, they're not speaking to the audience.

564
04:05:33.960 --> 04:05:51.160
Um third, and the reason why I came here is that um the placement criteria. It's a very important piece of information that is shared with students and families at the beginning of the year.

565
04:05:51.160 --> 04:06:08.160
And students work very hard through the year to make sure that they're meeting all the criteria so that they can go into the class that they have chosen to or they want to go. Now, especially in middle school because there's a track. When students get into

566
04:06:08.160 --> 04:06:24.000
the pre-algebra track, it's much easier for them to get to that calculus BC in 11th grade, which is so important. All the uh premier colleges look for calculus BC on a child's um resume. Now, if you don't get into the

567
04:06:24.000 --> 04:06:39.560
pre-algebra track, it's becomes very hard to get to that calculus BC. And now, many students in sixth grade are being told retroactively that there is a problem with Edmonton and it went and kind of recalculated,

568
04:06:39.560 --> 04:06:57.000
recalibrated everything and even though the Edmonton score is showing that they should get into pre-algebra, they are being told, "Sorry, you're not getting into pre-algebra." So, if somebody could Dr. Rael, if somebody could take a look and make sure that students who worked

569
04:06:57.000 --> 04:07:14.360
hard to be in a certain level uh if they're meeting all the criteria, they should be able to get into that course. And that's all. Thank you so much. Thank you. I think we're ready. Comments on that? Yeah, absolutely.

570
04:07:14.360 --> 04:07:36.800
Especially in relationship to the the criteria. Thank you for bringing that to my attention and I will follow up in relationship to that. >> Thank you. Matt. I represent BA president. Uh just a couple things of good nature. First of all, last week Wednesday we had

571
04:07:36.800 --> 04:07:51.200
what's called the Friends of Education dinner over with Middlesex County Union and two people from our district were recognized. First of all was our teacher of the year from this year, Pam Ang. But also, and I was very proud to nominate and she was the winner of the

572
04:07:51.200 --> 04:08:08.920
Friends of Education uh ESP Community Award, which was Pat Patricia Coletto. Um not only for what she's given to our district and the county. She's actually been the county secretary for a number of years. But her involvement with the hands of hope program here in Edison.

573
04:08:08.920 --> 04:08:26.160
Um with all the, you know, charitable uh uh events that they have, things like, you know, gift cards for the children and and toys and all for Christmas. And for Thanksgiving, etc. So again, those are the two great people from our district that were acknowledged. Uh this Thursday we have

574
04:08:26.160 --> 04:08:43.360
the ETA Read Across America week ceremony. I know Dr. Aldarelli will be coming. I did invite him as always. So thank you for coming on Thursday, Dr. Aldarelli. We'll give you a couple of minutes to say some things. Um but again, it's a great event to acknowledge our um artists that do the Read Across

575
04:08:43.360 --> 04:08:58.880
America uh in coordination with the reading of the books and all. And uh we have a nice little event 6:00 at Ben Franklin School. Uh we actually give out gift cards to two winners at each grade level. Uh three at the high schools

576
04:08:58.880 --> 04:09:14.400
total. And um we, you know, have some little uh bit to eat, pizza, and stuff like that. So it's a it's a wonderful night. Um next uh on on June 4th, you guys will be getting an invitation. Just to let you know, keep it open. And hopefully you

577
04:09:14.400 --> 04:09:31.360
respond promptly. Um they'll be coming out soon for our ETA retirement dinner. Where we acknowledge all of our, you know, people that are retiring. And not only our ETA members, but we also invite all the members, custodians, administrators, etc. So as always, uh

578
04:09:31.360 --> 04:09:46.680
board members and central administration and all your invites will be coming out very shortly. Finally, I do want to mention again, um thank you again for acknowledging Teacher Appreciation Week coming up and Nurses Appreciation Week. You know, I am

579
04:09:46.680 --> 04:10:03.560
very proud to be the president of the association that represents our teachers, our support staff. You know, which includes our nurses as well. Um as far as I'm concerned, we have the finest group of people that work for us in the state of New Jersey. And it shows with the results that our

580
04:10:03.560 --> 04:10:19.880
people do put out. I did appreciate what um Miss Shipp said before, Shipp Freeman. You know, people don't realize what's involved as an educator. You know, I always said the easiest part of my job was when I was in the classroom. It was all the time and effort that I

581
04:10:19.880 --> 04:10:35.640
put in prior to. And and in the evenings, um preparing for my lessons, getting things together, grading papers, you know, creating projects and worksheets, talking to parents, talking to students. So it's all those other things. And I know a

582
04:10:35.640 --> 04:10:51.200
couple of you up there have been involved or are involved in education. You know what I'm talking about. And for our nurses, as was mentioned, you know, it is the sort of nice place to go, safe place to go. But I always in many schools that I visit, I visit the

583
04:10:51.200 --> 04:11:06.720
nurses. And it's wonderful to see again the relationship they have with the students, especially at the elementary level where they have those little scrapes on their knees on the playground and you know, things like that. So you know, I do thank all of my people I

584
04:11:06.720 --> 04:11:31.760
represent, our teachers and our nurses, and wish them, you know, um and thank them for their time and efforts and wish them a great week in acknowledgement of that. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. Good evening. My name is Carrie Colado and I'm a proud special education

585
04:11:31.760 --> 04:11:46.800
teacher at James Monroe. Teacher Appreciation Week is next week and it feels especially meaningful this year. Since the initial budget announcement in March, our teachers have been carrying a lot more than usual. Our non-tenured staff have been facing

586
04:11:46.800 --> 04:12:02.760
uncertainty about their jobs. Others have been navigating concerns about transfers. And through it all, the rumors, public backlash, and all the noise on social media, they've continued to show up with consistency, care, and heart.

587
04:12:02.760 --> 04:12:17.840
Every single day they walk into their classrooms with patience, resilience, and a commitment to their kids that doesn't waver. They continue to smile, to support, and to give their students what they need, no matter what's happening around them.

588
04:12:17.840 --> 04:12:33.000
So to our staff, I want to say thank you. No matter what happens in the days ahead, please know know that your work is seen, valued, and deeply appreciated. Keep showing up. Keep giving these kids everything you have. You make a

589
04:12:33.000 --> 04:12:56.440
difference. Thank you. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Thanks. Harish. Harish Tatinedi, 45 McKinley Street. Uh so I was watching online. And I think most of my questions were

590
04:12:56.440 --> 04:13:11.240
covered. Regarding the pre-K, uh I forgot to mention in the last meeting. Uh there was one lady who made a very uh sensible point. Is it by any chance possible to continue

591
04:13:11.240 --> 04:13:27.760
the pre-K through the state program only for the low-income group? The underprivileged group. And if so, how much will it cost? So some numbers might have to be run. And my understanding was this, uh that

592
04:13:27.760 --> 04:13:43.240
after the after COVID, there was the study done for early learning loss as they say, and it was most pronounced in the underprivileged low-income group who really need the pre-K. For them, pre-K is a need. It's

593
04:13:43.240 --> 04:14:03.880
not a want. So that is one thing that uh we can uh run the numbers on and see. Again, I don't know the legal issues. I can just throw out ideas. 50% of them might not work. I understand that. Um >> [clears throat] >> I had two, three more. Trying to

594
04:14:03.880 --> 04:14:19.000
remember. So so anyway, um I saw the Talmadge land. We are allowed to talk, right? So I I I mean, I have a completely different take on that. Not many people agreed with me on the social media, but

595
04:14:19.000 --> 04:14:35.480
it is what it is. I mean, see, uh I didn't marry my wife because my greatest enemy was in love with her and I wanted him to uh wanted uh to make him feel bad. I

596
04:14:35.480 --> 04:14:53.640
married my wife because I really liked her. So applying the same analogy, we should not be uh buying Talmadge land to stop the apartments or something of that sort. When it comes to that stage,

597
04:14:53.640 --> 04:15:10.360
we will last time we there were 200 in the council meeting. This time it will be 500. Some people didn't bother to show up for whatever reasons. I don't want to talk about them and their reasons. But uh we had enough strength to make it happen. Same with the Charlie Brown townhomes.

598
04:15:10.360 --> 04:15:25.720
So again, I'll repeat the boring thing which I mentioned on social media several times and most of you read it. Uh some of you may not be aware. We need a proper discounted cash flow analysis

599
04:15:25.720 --> 04:15:42.640
with the right assumptions. To show that whatever project we are picking, let it be the special ed uh for the severe cases where we spend 60k per child for sending outside because special ed as it is, it's very complicated. Not many people can do it.

600
04:15:42.640 --> 04:15:58.280
There is shortage and all those things, transportation, whatever. Or the sports bubble. Or I mean, right now there are like half a dozen ideas floating and nobody knows what's happening. And there's a lot of frustration uh regarding this lack of transparency and all. Uh

601
04:15:58.280 --> 04:16:13.280
So hopefully in the next BOE meeting, we can have a proper uh qualitative and quantitative analysis of whatever project we are trying to do on Talmadge land. Uh I can help with that. Um >> [clears throat]

602
04:16:13.280 --> 04:16:28.360
>> But it it it is a lot of work because we need to get the right comparables, right discount rate. Uh we need to get the right cash flow revenues. Putting in the cost items is much more easier. So we need to do that before we can say yes or

603
04:16:28.360 --> 04:16:44.200
no. That is my take. I mean, as I said, not many people liked my stand. Um Uh most people were thinking that uh this 9 million can be applied towards the operations budget and be reduced to 2%. Which we knew a long time back was not

604
04:16:44.200 --> 04:16:59.280
possible. So the pre-K, the Talmadge, So now that the AC is cut, where's my best friend? He left. Oh, I see him. Okay.

605
04:16:59.280 --> 04:17:16.080
I thought you were ignoring me, John. Anyway. So for 2 years I have been trying to get this thing done. So the fans, somebody's coming. So we are back in business with the fans. So next BOE meeting, can we get the

606
04:17:16.080 --> 04:17:33.000
accurate number? How many ordered? How many installed in which school? Uh I think 50% of the problems are uh due to lack of transparency. And it would be of great help if either the

607
04:17:33.000 --> 04:17:49.080
BOE members or superintendent or BA either in the BOE meeting or on the social media, you guys can answer. Uh that will help you win the trust of the people. When you don't answer, even when you

608
04:17:49.080 --> 04:18:05.240
know the answer, And are thinking, "Oh, that there must be something suspicious he's hiding and one thing leads to other. So, next BOE meeting can we have some more details about this pre-K for underprivileged? How much will it cost?

609
04:18:05.240 --> 04:18:21.440
Is it doable, legally possible? Fans, then the complete pick one or two maximum two projects. And also I I I I believe you guys are already talking to the experts regarding the flooded area, wetlands, and all

610
04:18:21.440 --> 04:18:36.600
that. Whatever grocery deeds and everything, is it even possible? If not possible, there's nothing wrong in backing out. On the township side, when the Comcast came mayor said goodbye to the

611
04:18:36.600 --> 04:18:57.880
municipal broadband and I supported him. Because that is the right decision. We don't want to waste money. If something is not possible, let's cancel it. But if something is possible, you have to be transparent because this time is crucial. Every penny counts. Thank you. Well, you already spoke once, so you

612
04:18:57.880 --> 04:19:14.600
You No, no rebuttal. Sorry. Anyone else? >> Oh, motion to close public portion. Second. All in favor? I. Mr. Mr. Ericco? Yes, I have one uh question. I was probably a little

613
04:19:14.600 --> 04:19:29.800
confused. Um cuz there's two number 14s. And I didn't realize we were voting on 14 through the end of the agenda. I was waiting for the finance report vote. So uh in speaking with the attorney Yeah, did you

614
04:19:29.800 --> 04:19:47.000
I believe that he would like to set forth the motion to amend his vote on that prior motion. I believe just as to section 14F. Right. So, this is now should have been 15, correct? So, item 15, can we have a revote from all the board members on 15 or no?

615
04:19:47.000 --> 04:20:01.880
>> We just need to correct his right. We don't need to Correct yours. Yes, yes. Just to correct yours. >> Okay. So, I'm voting no on I'm sorry. I'm making a motion. Yes, you you're making a motion to change to change your vote to no as to 15F. I

616
04:20:01.880 --> 04:20:18.080
approve it. Go for it. >> on the grants. Yes, so I'm amending my I'm making a motion to amend my vote on the F for grants. I'm voting no on us turning away grant money for preschool.

617
04:20:18.080 --> 04:20:35.120
Thank you, Ralph. I'd like to do the same. Okay. Thank you. I'd like to do the same. Thank you. I do like to say no. Same, no. That's so that's one Okay, so just just to clean this up. All right,

618
04:20:35.120 --> 04:20:50.720
we'll do a motion to rescind the previous order as to as to 15F and then we'll just do a new vote. So, this this the first vote is to rescind the approval of 15F. Got you. Cuz you already approved it.

619
04:20:50.720 --> 04:21:09.400
Right. So, that the first vote is to rescind the approval as to that. See, I I thought the rejection of preschool education was going to be a separate vote. I thought so, too. And I was going to vote no. Okay, so I didn't know if it was carried into I I can't make any motions. Right.

620
04:21:09.400 --> 04:21:25.440
Real Real quick. I want to make a a point of clarification before you rescind or whatever it is you guys are going to do. If this if you rescind and then you vote and you approve the acceptance of the grant you don't have funding in the budget for

621
04:21:25.440 --> 04:21:41.480
the local share, which means that you're going to go have to go back and change the budget. Right. Just so you know that. Yep. Right. So, I'm still rescinding my vote for rejection of preschool education. Okay. So, so we need a we need a motion cuz

622
04:21:41.480 --> 04:21:56.200
everybody wants to vote. >> Okay, so I need a mo- I need a motion to rescind approval of 15F grants. Got you. So, I'm going to make a motion to uh I guess revote on 15F grants. No, no, no, no. Rescind.

623
04:21:56.200 --> 04:22:12.000
>> Motion to rescind Rescind. Rescind the approval of 15F grants. Motion to rescind 15F grants. Second it. So, we have a motion by Ralph. Oh, sorry. Mr. by Ralph.

624
04:22:12.000 --> 04:22:27.640
All in favor? I. All right. We'll roll call. Mr. Azzarello? Yes. Mr. Ericco? Yes. Mr. Ronak Patel? We only removing Right.

625
04:22:27.640 --> 04:22:43.680
the pre-K. Everything else going to be same, right? >> Yes. Yeah, but if you rescind pre-K, the budget fails cuz budget is tied with it. Okay. We cannot approve the budget and rescind the funding both at the same time. Got it. No. Okay.

626
04:22:43.680 --> 04:23:01.920
Mr. Lugo? All right, I have to admit I'm a little confused. My vote is the same as last time. Yeah. So, it's a no. Okay. This isn't the vote on the underlying motion. This is the vote to rescind the approval of the previous motion.

627
04:23:01.920 --> 04:23:19.800
So, this is your you're deciding whether you want to vote again with this vote right now. The to vote again? That's what the the motion on the floor is to vote again. No. Okay. to accept the pre-K?

628
04:23:19.800 --> 04:23:38.120
Yeah, this is on the floor is to vote again. Just to vote again. Yeah, let just vote again, right? I think everybody wants to vote again. So, we're going through the roll call. Okay. Ms. Anjana Patel? Yes. Ms. White? Yes.

629
04:23:38.120 --> 04:23:54.000
Ms. Pang? Yes. Uh President Patel? Yes. Motion carries. Now, we will vote again on uh the pre-K grant and the acceptance of

630
04:23:54.000 --> 04:24:10.640
state aid, which will then Okay. Here we go. Mr. Azzarello? So, so is the motion is to accept the state aid? Correct. Okay. Yes. If you Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. The motion is to reject. The The motion is

631
04:24:10.640 --> 04:24:27.840
written on the agenda is to approve the rejection of state aid. So, if you want to accept the the state aid, you're voting no. No. Yes. Okay. We all reset? Yep. Who Who is making the motion? I I'll make the motion.

632
04:24:28.600 --> 04:25:00.200
I'll second. Thank you. Mr. Azzarello? Now, you got me confused again. accept the pre-K Can we make this clear a little bit more? >> No. So, if if if there is four four on this vote, right? Then that means this

633
04:25:00.200 --> 04:25:15.760
doesn't get passed and also the budget doesn't get passed. Not true. Is that true? Because then means So, so if there is a four four the rejection doesn't pass. No, no, sorry. Rejection passes, right? You need five votes

634
04:25:15.760 --> 04:25:33.880
accept the rejection. Correct. So, if we want to reject it, we're voting no. Or yes? I I just want to make sure If you're rejecting If you If you want to reject, you're voting yes. If you do not want to reject, you're voting no. Right, so But Ms. Pang Ms. Pang for clarity, if

635
04:25:33.880 --> 04:25:50.040
I don't if through the through the chair right now, I think what you're asking is there was a budget vote this evening, which that the budget that was approved Mhm. does not have pre-K in it funding from the local share which in turn which in

636
04:25:50.040 --> 04:26:05.480
turn would be grant funding as well. We are denying not only the grant funding, but also the Board of Education funding associated with that. Is that Does that answer your question? Yes, but is Does that Yes, so does everybody understand that

637
04:26:05.480 --> 04:26:23.760
if you know, once we vote on no on rejecting the grant, it means we are failing the budget as well. We could always increase the budget. Because Correct. At least for for now, we are failing the budget, right? We have until

638
04:26:23.760 --> 04:26:39.400
May 14. Technically, you're not failing the budget. >> Right. You're just telling us to take apples and replace them with oranges. You're going to You're going to need basically $3.7 million. You're going to cut You're going to fund the local

639
04:26:39.400 --> 04:26:56.720
share, but you're going to take it from somewhere else, whether that's I I don't know. You know, that's That's a That's not $50,000. That's a big big move. I mean, so So, so that's okay. Let's vote on it and then we still have more time, right?

640
04:26:56.720 --> 04:27:14.880
Till till figure that out. The preschool should have should have been included with the budget. >> Yep, absolutely. Okay. Okay. So, you vote We're voting yes to reject. Go ahead. If we're voting yes, I'm not saying how people vote. That That's correct. If you If you want to reject

641
04:27:14.880 --> 04:27:32.920
the the the grant money, you're voting yes. Got you. Okay. Mr. Azzarello? No. Mr. Ericco? No. Mr. Ronak Patel? No. Mr. Lugo? No.

642
04:27:32.920 --> 04:27:50.760
Ms. Anjana Patel? No. Ms. White? No. Ms. Pang? This point was What's the point? Don't don't know that cuz there's there's no way this is going to pass then. Yeah.

643
04:27:51.000 --> 04:28:07.960
So, what's your vote? Sorry, for the record. >> No. No. Is this isn't Mr. Uh President Patel? Yes. Your yes. The motion will carry. And now this is

644
04:28:07.960 --> 04:28:24.800
>> So, so in the next meeting we can we we have to we have to go back to drawing board. And next meeting we come back with something we figure out. We have a We have a budget currently. But we'll have to discuss But we're going to have But we're going to The budget budget's passed. from some place else. Okay, we're good. Okay. All

645
04:28:24.800 --> 04:28:41.200
right, thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. The attorney and Mr. Patel. Board member comments. Wait, there's still Oh, we're not done. We're Board member comments. We're not done. All right. Anyone? Yeah, I do. I do. Oh, Mr. Yeah, go for it. I do have a few questions for our

646
04:28:41.200 --> 04:28:56.360
uh business administrator Sure. to help clarify some of the concerns from our community. Um and Joe, I I don't need you to go to details cuz I 100% trust your professional judgment. So, just a brief answer would be very would be sufficient.

647
04:28:56.360 --> 04:29:12.280
Um so, about the land the Talmage land, what is the appraisal value of the land? Uh off the top of my head, I believe the land appraised for somewhere between 10.4 and 10.6 million dollars off my head. Okay, thank you. And we negotiated

648
04:29:12.280 --> 04:29:27.560
down to 9 million dollars, right? >> Yes, the you the agreed upon purchase price with the seller was 9 million dollars. That's correct. Okay. And if this deal is canceled, how much deposit will be lost? You're going to lose a half a million dollars. Okay.

649
04:29:27.560 --> 04:29:43.880
Can So, we're going to get 8.5 million dollars back to the capital reserve. Can this money be used to pay operation no cost such as salaries, books, utility bills? >> Not what None whatsoever. This will go back into capital reserve for the use

650
04:29:43.880 --> 04:29:58.920
for a capital project. We were in in no way, shape, or form does this uh money that comes back at help us with the operating budget. It cannot be used towards the 19-20 million outlay, either, right? >> No. So, if you look at that capital

651
04:29:58.920 --> 04:30:16.000
outlay of that, you know, 20.5 million dollars, 19 and a half million dollars are for capital lease payments. Um short-term payments that are classified under the accounting principles that are less than 5 years are funded They're They're classified as uh current expenses, which are funded

652
04:30:16.000 --> 04:30:32.360
through the operating budget. So, it does not help even with those payments. Okay, thanks. And if the 8.5 million dollars um can't be used somewhere somewhere, can it be in any way,

653
04:30:32.360 --> 04:30:50.480
shape, or form to help cut the 6.6% budget to reduce the 6% tax levy any further? Uh I mean, if if the if the board so choose to um terminate this land deal, that that 8 and a half million dollars is not going to help the

654
04:30:50.480 --> 04:31:06.800
operating budget or any of the budgeted items that we talked about tonight. It will simply go back into the capital reserve and sit there until um the board uh takes action on an item in the long-range facilities plan such as um maybe roofing that, you know, you can

655
04:31:06.800 --> 04:31:23.920
do with that the, you know, 8 and a half million dollars. Okay. But those are great questions. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for clarifying that. Yeah. Um So, I I I think we already heard clearly and repeatedly from our administration team that if we cancel the land deal,

656
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the 8.5 million dollars goes back to capital reserve. And by law, it cannot be used to offset any operational expense. Therefore, it has zero impact on lowering taxes. So, now let's look at the big picture.

657
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Most of our budgets are uh salaries and benefit. And by contract, they increase 3 to 5% every year. And by law, we have to pay for that. And our utility bills keeps going up, too, right? My own utility bill

658
04:31:55.280 --> 04:32:11.600
increased 40% last year. And state aid, uh it can drop another 6% next year. So, what's our plan? Are we planning to have another double-digit tax increase next year or year after that?

659
04:32:11.600 --> 04:32:27.240
We We need to reduce our operational budget. And that's where this land uh comes in handy. It gives us two opportunities. One, it prevents the 250 apartments from being built

660
04:32:27.240 --> 04:32:43.760
and overcrowd our schools. Two, it creates a path for long-term financing for a project such as like a special ed facility. That would cost us about 3 million dollars per year to finance while saving

661
04:32:43.760 --> 04:32:59.960
roughly 15 million dollars annually to help us avoid constant tax increase. Can we ask the audiences to be a little quiet? Um

662
04:32:59.960 --> 04:33:15.320
So, this is is a vision of the board to help the district and the taxpayer in long-term. And this only works if the land is buildable, of course. And let me assure you that I will never vote for

663
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to buy something that we cannot use. I'm sure the board is the same way. But with that said, we still have at least 2 months before closing the deal. No need to rush to act on just based on social media speculations and risk

664
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losing our 500,000 dollar deposit. We have directed our architect and engineer to review all potential issues and confirm whether the land is developable. If it is not, we can cancel the deal anytime. But with the official report

665
04:33:49.881 --> 04:34:05.160
from our the professionals, we would have a stronger case to recover the deposit or part of it, at least. And this is half a million dollars of taxpayer money that we're talking about. It's not a small amount. We have to be responsible to our

666
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children and to our taxpayers. And that's why um we need to take some time to make a careful and a more informed decision. Um Oh, I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate our JP Orchestra team that won national championship.

667
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Very, very proud of them um for the students and their advisors. I hope also hope that they enjoy the new state-of-the-art orchestra room that we built in JP. And earlier I saw some kids playing tennis on our brand new tennis course, too.

668
04:34:37.801 --> 04:34:54.721
Um so, if you guys have time, if you have children, uh tour our new three-story building at JP. Uh this is our new auditorium. And uh you know, ask your kids, um do they see the new classroom? Cuz we have 17 70 new classroom built in the last

669
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few years. And do do they see the new gyms that in all of our middle schools? Um the new kitchens, the lockers. That's where the 147 million dollars state aid goes. In just in case someone asked. You know, like

670
04:35:10.039 --> 04:35:25.119
cuz every everything in our school has a cost. Everything has a price. But I would say seeing our students winning state or national championship titles or forget about winning. I I I'm just working on something that they

671
04:35:25.119 --> 04:35:41.561
love. I I think that's priceless. So, thank you. That's all. Mr. President. Yes. Okay, now that we cleared up what the uh 8.5 million dollars won't do, let's clear up what it can do. So, the 8.5 million dollars and it goes

672
04:35:41.561 --> 04:35:58.961
back into capital, that could uh that could further uh the AC, the air conditioning projects in schools, correct? Yes. Okay, that could put new roofs on uh repairs on roofs on schools, correct? Yes. That could buy or buy brand new

673
04:35:58.961 --> 04:36:15.039
equipment for the equipment that we they just voted to cut, correct? The musical equipment? Yeah. Yes. It could actually help update uh outdated electrical systems or uh in our schools, correct? Yes. It could I It could put fans in our

674
04:36:15.039 --> 04:36:30.520
classrooms, correct? Mm. I well, I don't I wouldn't think we're talking about box fans, but I'm thinking about something that >> maybe like ceiling fans? Yeah, I would I would assume so, depending upon the cost, right? That it's a capital asset. I would I would think so. Okay, what about the playgrounds that were cut?

675
04:36:30.520 --> 04:36:50.801
Will it Could it cover that? Yes. School buses? Yes. So, there's a lot that we could do with 8.5 million dollars. Yes. Anyone else? Excuse me, sir. Anyone else? Board members? Thank you.

676
04:36:50.801 --> 04:37:08.400
No, no, no, no, no, sir. Sir, please do not interrupt the Sir, please do not interrupt the meeting. Board members, any Yes, Ralph, please. Uh couple things. One, to Mr. Logos' point, um I would love to see how he's going to figure out where to put 500 students when those condos are built there. So,

677
04:37:08.400 --> 04:37:24.279
I don't know. That'll cost us at least 20 million, 30 million to build, you know. So, I you know, he can do all those little great things. He was against air conditioning originally. Now he's for air conditioning. Okay? So, you know, we kind of flip-flop a little bit. Um

678
04:37:24.279 --> 04:37:39.520
two good news, though. So, um the Edison High School baseball team uh was crowned the Red Division champs today uh for the first time since 2013. Um they're going to be one of the top seeds in the GMC.

679
04:37:39.520 --> 04:37:55.881
And also the number one seed in Central Jersey Group 4. That's a great accomplishment. Now, those are the team accomplishments, but I know Connor Murphy would like none nothing else but to win a championship. Connor [snorts] was named athlete of the week for pitching a no-hitter against St. Joe's

680
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High School. Great job, Edison High School. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Go Connor. A board president. Please. Uh why weren't these items uh taken care of before? Why are we just worried about bringing 8.5 million

681
04:38:15.721 --> 04:38:30.961
from one one aspect and covering everything now with the Why why wasn't this this taken care of before? What do you mean? Can you explain? I don't I don't get you. As far as air conditioning uh

682
04:38:30.961 --> 04:38:46.760
playgrounds being safe for students during recess and after school. Uh band band instruments. Why weren't these these items taken care of before? Why are we worried about not not not

683
04:38:46.760 --> 04:39:03.320
pursuing a land deal and putting that money to something else? I don't I'm not sure what you're trying to ask me. So, he's Because we need money. Can't do everything without money. Okay. All right.

684
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>> Got answers. Thank you. Anyone else? Yes, Manju. I would like to thank you all recognize student tonight. And my question is I know somebody upset and says I'm sleepy to like I can't take this is because of

685
04:39:19.920 --> 04:39:35.840
my health issue. I didn't attend last meeting. So, I have a right to know what's going on before I vote for something. I need more information. So, I I don't want to hurt nobody's feeling. If I did, I'm sorry about that,

686
04:39:35.840 --> 04:39:52.800
but I need more information to take something right for kids. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? I I do have >> No, I just have one question uh for you know, through you to Ralph. Is that the way it goes?

687
04:39:52.800 --> 04:40:08.200
How do you know they're going to build 250 >> What do you think they're going to do with that property, miss? Well, I >> think they're going to do with that property? Let it sit there? Amusement park? I don't know. It's I know they're going to build there. I think your party >> Can I can I make a comment? I mean >> wonder was wondering how do you know

688
04:40:08.200 --> 04:40:25.160
that? What do they do with land in this town? What do they do with open land in this town? Well, we just heard that that's wetland, didn't we? It's a quarter of an acre out of nine. Well, well So, they'll build on eight and three quarter acres. Well, time will tell. Yes, it will.

689
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And if and if we're not doing doing the right thing by the kids now >> let's not throw stones at each other. We We all We all voted based on our conscience like >> here because we care about the students. We all do, right? >> the students, the parents, the teachers, the faculty, everybody that makes this a

690
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success. So, you know, it's if we if we're not taking care of the students now, we can't find it in a budget and because people are going to complain whether it's 12%, 2%, 8%, it's not right. We really what what matters

691
04:40:58.600 --> 04:41:16.280
is what's what's being done for the kids, for the students and and for the parents and the families and the teachers. It's It's the the pre-K should is a necessity. That should happen. That's That's That's a pivotal point going into kindergarten.

692
04:41:16.280 --> 04:41:32.760
Especially with AI and automation, you know, the kids need really need a a jump ahead jump into kindergarten first grade, you know, and and and it's it's a disservice to the teachers to to worry about if they getting laid off or fired, if they don't have a job.

693
04:41:32.760 --> 04:41:49.840
How could they comfortable comfortably teach when they're worried about their job? And they're still doing it. They're coming coming to work every day. They're teaching. It you know, we really need to start figuring on and voting on what's more important

694
04:41:49.840 --> 04:42:06.800
and what matters and and I think it's the students, the parents, the teachers, the faculty. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? Yeah. Okay. Um Go ahead. Yeah, I was just going to ask Joe you know, I I think yeah, Mr. Lugo says

695
04:42:06.800 --> 04:42:22.680
has a point that you know, yeah, we can spend that $9 million 8.5 million dollars on a lot of things, but it's very soon it's not a lot of money. $9 million dollars is going to run out soon. And after that, what do we do if we want to have you know, um

696
04:42:22.680 --> 04:42:38.480
build AC or repair roofs. So, we would have borrow loans, right? And what how many years of terms loan we can have right now usually? I mean, you >> short term, right? >> Yeah, it's short term. You're looking at five years. Okay. So, it's that's it's short

697
04:42:38.480 --> 04:42:53.520
>> that's very hard you know, we have to pay a lot of money. You pay you pay it back very quickly. But with this nine with this land, we can apply for the energy saving program, which is enable us to borrow a long-term loan, I

698
04:42:53.520 --> 04:43:09.400
understand, right? 20 years loan with like $50 million. Is that right? Yeah, that's accurate. If if we do something in terms of an energy savings incentive program district wide, we will be able to tap into

699
04:43:09.400 --> 04:43:26.520
leveraging a loan that has a much more favorable term and rate in the neighborhood of 20 years. Yeah. And so, let's say we borrow $50 million for 20 years. What's our annual payment for that $50 million? >> ballpark 50 at on a 20-year terms

700
04:43:26.520 --> 04:43:41.720
probably at three and a half, you're probably looking at about you know, $3.6 million a year. Okay. So, it's it's it's just like a buy a house. You paid a down payment of $9 million, but you can get $50 million to use in the next 20 years, but only at

701
04:43:41.720 --> 04:43:57.440
$3 million for for the taxpayers. Am I correct? Correct. Yes. Now, can we take the same $50 million dollar E SIP loan without the land with our schools that we have? We could We could probably

702
04:43:57.440 --> 04:44:13.240
you know, do a secondary E SIP, yes, even without the land right cuz it's a district wide initiative. Yeah, you'd probably be able to do something very similar, yes. >> Okay. So, it did not the purchase of land is not to get the loan. It meets that point. Right? You can get the same loan without

703
04:44:13.240 --> 04:44:28.480
purchasing a land. Okay. Anyone else? Motion to adjourn. All in favor? Aye. Thank you. I feel feel better and