We're going to call this meeting to order. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Adequate notice of this meeting was advertised in the Asbury Park Press on May 2nd, 2025 and by posting the notice on the Lacy Township School District website in Fork River Post Office and the Lenoka Harbor Post Office and by filing a copy of the notice with the Lacy Township Clerk as required by the
Oakland Public Meeting Act. Roll call, please. Mr. Armato, here. Mr. Peters, present. Mr. Bell is absent. Mrs. Armado here. Mrs. Walker, here. Mr. Conny, here. Mrs. Mrs. Claus here. Okay. Now, we're going to move on to our
superintendent report, the amended uh tenative budget report. Thank you. I'm going to move to the podium tonight. I know it's not my usual, but I will I'm sorry while I got It's funny or ironic. 21 years ago was my first time I stood this podium.
My boss, who's the principal here, you had to go to the Eagles game. You never miss the Eagles game if you knew the old school high school. I remember being so nervous up here like I'm going to lose my job. Let's see how I do tonight. You guys are crazy. You send me an email. All right, Tom's going to turn us on
first. Is the mic on, Tom? Yes. All right. Couple things. Good evening, everybody. I'll make it and then I'll show you the uh the amended uh tenative budget. Um, so good evening again, members of the board of
education, staff, families, and community stakeholders. Tonight, I come before you with a sobering sense of responsibility and clarity. The budget being presented is not ideal. It is a compromise, not a solution, and certainly not the budget I would
recommend under normal circumstances. Yet, I stand here tonight to submit this tenative budget for one reason, to retain local control of the Lacy Township School District. This budget reflects immense sacrifices. Sacrifices that will directly affect our
students, their families, and our dedicated staff. Any increase in this year's budget comes despite severe reductions and is driven not by our pro programmatic expansion, but through increases that are out of our control. Let me be very clear. This does
not This budget does not fix our problems. It is a stop gap measure. It is a way to allow the district to retain agency over its future and prevent the imposition of deeper, more harmful cuts that would be made if the state were to assume control. I cannot I cannot
emphasize this enough. If the state assumes control of the Lacy Township School District, we face an uncertain and deeply concerning future. We have already made difficult cuts to programs and services, and the quality of education has already begun to feel that impact. If the state takes over, we
anticipate even deeper reductions, potentially more drastic than anything we've seen to date. While we can't predict every consequence, the risk of further erosion to educational opportunities is real. And that is a direction we must do everything in our power to prevent. A compromised
solution, which I'll present tonight, is better than no solution. And tonight, that is what's being presented. It's a tenative budget that keeps our noses above water, not thriving, but just above the water line. While we explore every opportunity to recover state aid and pursue a tax incentive aid package,
it's important to note that tonight's resolution authorizes tonight's resolution authorizes submission of an application, an application to request the tools that we need to stabilize the district and keep the door open for future sustainability. I continue to believe that the original proposal, which was a
14.24% increase, was the most responsible long-term plan for the community and our children. It would have allowed us to preserve essential services, maintain class sizes, and protect the quality of education that parents and students have come to expect. However, tonight, the path
before us is one of hard choices made with heavy hearts. I ask you to support the submission of this application and tenative budget, not because it's the best option, but because it's the best option we have at this moment to protect our district's future. And I will get to it. All right. All right. Amen. Tenative
budget. and Sharon, wherever she is sitting or standing, will interrupt. Make sure I don't mess anything up here. All right, you've seen these slides before. Um, couple things that are worth noting. Uh, and also keep in mind that
this budget that I'm presenting tonight has come out of our budget committee. Um, this is the one that they are presenting forward. Um, and they will vote on it at the end of the evening. I'd like to note here just in the operating budget side of things which is
very noteworthy and we all know what our personal finances look like and what inflation looks like that the new budget is only $1.4 million more than last year. That's how many cuts we've made despite all the increases that are
coming our way. That's pretty amazing. All right, so that's an interesting I'm going to post all these. By the way, you'll have access to these tomorrow. Uh if you go on the board of education, you can see these things. Okay? If you want to take pictures, you all right? Right. The outstanding
debt continues to decrease over time. We've said this before. That's because we had a failed referendum. So, our debt service has gone down by quite a bit. Okay. The property tax levy. We'll go over these all right quickly. Okay. Okay, the operating budget property tax
levy, we add on that the statutory 2% increase, okay, which gives you a total there of 59 million and change. Okay, the debt service, which actually is a drop, gets added to that. There's a health waiver because our health costs have exponentially gone up as all
districts are experiencing. Okay, that's not unique to us. There's a bank cap waiver that is statutoily allowed to be added into there. And then the last piece of the puzzle is the tax levy incented incentive which will be additional
revenue which of course will be part of the tax levy if it's approved. Okay, you total all that up. Okay, the presentation tonight is going to be a 7.57% net tax increase. Let it sink in.
Okay. Again, we break this down further. And remember, I'll post these things for you afterwards. Board of Education, front of you have seen these things. They have more detail in front of them that you have. Okay. The state aid of course went
up. They capped us at 6%. Okay. We're hoping that there's going to be a bill that will restore the rest of the state aid that they owe us, which amounts to about 1.6 6 million. Is that correct? Because now we are so underfunded that they owe us more money. Okay. But that's
going to have to come before the legislature. It's not there yet. I don't even think it's out of committee yet. Okay. Other aids, some more adjustments going on. Um some things obviously we can't take advantage of. So you're looking really at the far left column. Those are the numbers that we have for this year. Okay. The property tax
application, other revenue, that's part of the application that we're voting on tonight. and the tenative tonight, not the final tonight. Okay. Part of that is that they will give us $135,000 in state aid for making the application. That's also part
of that. There's miscellaneous revenues, the normal grants that we always get in entitlements that we get. The debt service state aid, which is much reduced because our debt service payment is much reduced for the totals that you see in front of you. Okay? only a 2% change
over last year total amount. Total. What does all this mean? Well, it's going to mean something because it's a lot less money than what I feel like we really need to operate. So, there's going to be some changes if this is approved. Okay, here's the
changes. in order to to let staff go, which remember is the bulk of our budget, 85% is staffing and benefits. Okay? We're going to restructure all the elementary schools to save that money. Cedar Creek will
become the first grade in autism program. For River School, second and third grades, and our ERRI program, Lenoka will be fourth and fifth grades in the MD program. Huge changes. huge changes to how our kids go to school, changes in how they go from school to
school over time. This is budget driven at this point. Class sizes will range from 33 to 35 in grades 1 through 5. Okay? There'll be a mix of numbers in there. And then the cuts are at the bottom. It will require 10 teacher and
certificated staff cuts, one administrator at that level. we feel the grade banding, we'll be able to survive with one less. And then we have a note there under the asterisk just to always keep people informed that 173 certificated staff positions in over
eight years have been cut from our budget. That's a huge number. All right? It's not limited to the elementary schools. There's going to be secondary cuts as well. And remember, when you get to the middle school and the high school and you're talking about
a matrix of a schedule, okay, it's a little different because you feed the matrix, then you run the matrix. So, we estimate the class size that you see. The middle school's a little bit lower because the middle school is so tight with so many kids in it. They all have to have a place to go all the time. So,
that's why you see a slightly lower class size average. You'll see some bigger ones and some smaller ones, mostly bigger. And then the high school, okay, we run that total on English classes. They'll be exceeding 38 in some of the grades. The staff cuts will be 15
teachers and excuse me, and certificated staff. And it may result in the elimination of some of our higher programs, advanced placement courses, and some of the electives. We'll certainly have to look at very closely if we can't have the staff to feed those
master schedules, which are very complicated, especially at the high school level. that that is this is all if it passes. Okay, so those are the changes there. Additional cuts that have to take place in order to
make this budget work. Okay, those who live in the walking zone, you know who you are if you're in the audience or you're at home watching this. Okay, it'll be the elimination of the rest of the courtesy busing. Okay, we currently courtesy bus prek to five in the walking
zone. Okay, which is north of Lacy Road and which is west of Route Nine. That is the basically the walking zone. Okay, all grades will walk. Obviously, the younger kids will have to be walked by a parent or neighbor. Okay, so the
elimination of that. We will delay bus replacements. We feel like we can make do with the older buses for one more year. So, we'll delay I think it's two buses and a couple of vans was were the ones that we really wanted to replace. Okay, they do age out over, excuse me,
over time. Support staff cuts, two custodial, three full-time power professionals, four grounds workers. Some of these you already know about. Okay, this budget does not contain any salary raises for the bulk of our employees, our teachers, child
study team members, support staff, all of them. It does not provide for that. That is, as you would say, kicking the can down the road. How far? I don't know. That's part of a negotiated process. Okay. But this budget is going to be that tight that it will not provide numbers for that. Okay. We're
also going to use again, we did it last year. We're hoping that the state will let us do it. One-time use of our free balance monies, which I've always asked what that is. In layman's terms, that's your savings account. When things go wrong, okay, you need to have a savings
account. School districts are no different. We're going to bleed that down even lower. We're already below the recommended 2%. We're going to be down under one, right? We'll be down under 1%. Very dangerous for any organization, any
business. And a school district is an extended business, of course. All right. Here's the tax implications of this. Okay. I have the 288 906. That's the new average assessment. It's up a few thousand dollars from last year.
Property values continue to increase in Lacy. This 757 will generate a 1.619 tax rate. You multiply it times your assessed home value, which kicks out your total school tax. Okay, these are estimates. When
when it's applied, it's not always an exact science. Okay, because it's a large town. Even a small town, it's not always the same. I say tax increase on the average assessed home, $616. We included the half a million dollar home. It'll be about a little
over $1,000. School tax increase from 2425. And then on the right column, obviously, we broke it down by month. So that's the tax implications for 7.57. If it was up from there, you obviously saw larger numbers when we
proposed the 12.24. Okay? And anything in between would be different numbers as well. All right, so that's the big slide. Everybody got the picture? Okay. All right, that's it. All right, we're going to move into
public comment. Okay, can I just give them the flow? Yep. All right, so we have two podiums tonight. All right, we're going to this podium will start it. Get to that podium. Kind of set yourselves up that way. As one person leaves, next person come down. President Claus won't call on anybody. You come to the podium, but be ready to get there
and ready to go when they end. just in the essence of time, keep things moving. You know, channel 12 doesn't have to edit so much when they're done, right? It might be kind of interesting. Okay? I thank you for your attention, okay? When you grade me on how I do at the podium, you'll send me an email, please. Uh, all in all, tongue and cheek aside, this is
very serious business. Okay? And the words that I put out earlier are very serious. All right? So, we'll certainly have more comment later after the public portion and we'll get there. So, thank you for your attention. Thank you, Mr. Thank you very much. Okay. We're going to start our public comment session. Any audience member wishing to make a
comment will raise his or her hand and when called upon state their name, address or affiliation and intention to make a statement. Comments will be addressed to the board president. Comments will be made one issue at a time. Comments will be limited to five minutes. No audience member shall be recognized twice until all who have
wished to comment have been recognized. This portion of the meeting is for public comments only. There will be no questions answered. The purpose of this meeting is to to perform our business in public. Everyone is entitled to a public comment. If there is a question for the board, there is an established chain of
command to follow. Okay, we can start. Let's start over here and someone else can come down here. Go ahead, Mr. Le. Anybody else? Whoever's next line up just get up and come come to it. You can just start of time. Good evening, President Klouse, members of the Lacy
Township Board of Education, and acting superintendent, Mr. Zalinski. My name is Jessica Cholini. I'm currently the president of the Lacy Township Administrators and Supervisors Association. As well as being a lifelong Lacy Township resident, I'm a proud graduate of the Lacy Township School
District, which has empowered and impassioned me to serve as both a teacher and administrator for this district for the last 28 years. As the current supervisor at one of the elementary schools, I'm here this evening to be a voice for the voiceless, our current and future young learners.
I'll be addressing two matters I believe are crucial to the future success and well-being of all of our students. The urgent need for immediate reduction to class sizes in our schools and the continued funding of our extracurricular programs. Tonight, I want to outline the significant benefits of reducing class
sizes and respectfully urge the board to prioritize this investment in our children's education. The advantages of smaller class sizes are well documented and profoundly impactful. Smaller classes allow for increased individual attention for each student. Our teachers are incredibly dedicated, but with
upwards currently of 30 or more students, it has become increasingly difficult to truly understand and cater to the unique learning style, strengths, and challenges of every child. In a smaller setting, teachers can spend more one-on-one time, provide targeted support, and ensure every student
receives an educational program best suited to their needs. Smaller class sizes also foster stronger teacher student relationships. When teachers have fewer students, they can build greater rapport, creating a more trusting and comfortable classroom environment where students feel safe to
ask questions, take risks, and actively participate in their learning. Furthermore, smaller classes have a direct positive impact on academic performance. Research consistently shows students in smaller classes tend to achieve higher test scores and demonstrate greater academic growth.
This isn't just about numbers. It's about a deeper understanding of concepts and a greater ability for our students to engage with the curriculum. When teachers aren't stretched thin managing a large group, they can implement more innovative teaching strategies and provide better learning experiences.
Beyond academics, smaller classes contribute to better classroom management. With fewer students, there's naturally fewer distractions and behavioral challenges. This allows teachers to spend more valuable instructional time teaching and less time managing disruptions. Finally, I want to emphasize the long-term benefits
of investing in smaller class sizes. Now, by providing a strong foundation in the early elementary years, we're setting our students up for greater success in all of their future academics. While we rightfully focus on academic excellence, I believe it's equally important to recognize and invest in opportunities that extend
beyond the classroom. These activities nurture creativity, build essential life skills, and foster a stronger connection to our school community. They offer a platform for exploring interests and talents that are not fully addressed within our standard curriculum. Whether it's science club igniting curiosity or
bander core is fostering teamwork. These activities allow children to discover and cultivate their unique abilities. Students learn about teamwork, cooperation, communication, leadership, and perseverance. Furthermore, extracurricular activities foster a stronger sense of school connectedness
and community. When students participate in clubs or teams, they build relationships with peers who share similar interests, creating a sense of belonging and camaraderie. This can be particularly beneficial for students who may not always find their place within the traditional classroom setting.
Moreover, these activities contribute significantly to the social emotional well-being of our students. Finally, extracurricular programs also positively impact academic performance. Studies have shown a strong correlation between participation in extracurricular activities and improved attendance,
higher grades, and a greater motivation to learn. Therefore, I respectfully urge you, the board of education, to seriously consider prioritizing the reduction of class sizes and the continued funding of all extracurricular activities for all students in the
upcoming budget. Let's empower our teachers and provide our learners with an optimal environment to thrive. Thank you so much for your time and consideration of what I feel is a vital matter. Thank you. [Applause]
I just have Yeah, just guys keep coming to the podiums, but um thank you Mr. Chini. Um just one footnote too, this budget does restore all sports and co-curricular. That is one thing that it does restore among I know among all my cuts I kind of lost that but that it is a restoration of all those programs. I see some of our young people in the
audience. It restores sports and co-curricular. Okay guys, sorry. Brienne and Mendes, Lacy Township. Um, I don't have anything prepared, but I do want to point out while my roots are in Lacy and I want our schools to stop having these traumatic ends to the year. Um, I have
been on social media highlighting how it's happening throughout the state and that we're are not alone in what's happening. I've had people reach out saying, "Please highlight Hpacon, Manalapan, Rockaway, Winslow, West, Milford, Vernon, Washington Township, South Jersey, Ringwood, Little Egg,
Little Egg just raised their taxes 32%. Jackson, Tom's River, the largest reductions, Long Branch 20% decrease. Cherry Hill 20%, Lenipe 20%, Jackson Township 16%, Neptune, Asbury, Renee,
Lacy 30%. Tom's River 2.8 million, a 9% decrease. The largest percentage reductions, Kate May, 67% of its aid. Wildwood 53% of its aid. Oceangate 38% of its aid. Seaside 33% of its aid. This
is not just a Lacy Township problem. It's happening statewide. And it needs to be addressed higher than just this board. And we need to come together as communities throughout our state to bring this to Trenton, to bring it to our Senate budget committee hearings, our assemblymen budget committee
hearings, and to have our governor address what he has done to our schools and our communities. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Jen Bentley. I am a teacher at Loka Harbor School. I'm the vice president of the LTA. I am also a resident of town and a
proud graduate of Lacy. Usually I'm here up giving you the good news, but tonight I need to ask for your help. So tonight I'm appealing to you, our board of ed, to vote yes on the proposed budget presented before you. It is critical for a yes vote to push forth this budget. In order to apply for the state budget
application relief, you need to fulfill your role as an elected Lacy Township Board of Education member. Your legal and fudiciary responsibility is to act in the best interests of the students making decisions that promote their educational welfare. In addition, you
are bound by the code of ethics for school board members which emphasizes decision-making in the best interests of the children. The board's responsibility is to provide a high quality education for all students. In New Jersey, board members are tasked to focus on policymaking, planning, and oversight of
the school district and budget. All of these are your responsibilities as outlined by the New Jersey School Board Association. With that being said, your job is to ensure that our 4,000 students are given the opportunity to have the most thorough and efficient education. Overcrowded classrooms, outdated
curriculum, lack of services, and outdated buildings are not providing our students. Please tonight vote yes for our kids education. As an elementary school teacher, the proposed realignment of the elementary schools is not beneficial for our students. We will lose lose our community feel at our
Cedar Creek, Fort River, and Lenoka Harbor schools. Students will be forced to ride buses for longer amounts of times. Our buses will be using more fuel and no new buses are budgeted at this time. Siblings may not be attending school together at the elementary level. I know, for example, my son and daughter
liked being to school together. My son was actually his sister's bus safety, and that was something they still talk about today. We are going to lose that if we rely on our schools. Scheduling multiple conferences in different schools and attending community events at schools will be difficult for parents. And how about the families
whose children attend before and after school programs? Also, how do you propose the movement of teachers and materials to the different schools? You just voted last month to eliminate four members of our Lacy Township School District's buildings and grounds crew. What an undertaking this would be
without their help. More importantly, our class size and our safety. An elementary school class size of 33 to 35 students is unthinkable. Research researchers have come to a general consensus that smaller class sizes produce positive social, emotional, and
academic results. Smaller class sizes also result in higher test scores, produce fewer dropouts, and provide equitable learning opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds, including lower income families. Safety is a major concern with larger class sizes as well. fire drills, lockdowns,
moving in the hallways, and just day-to-day routines are harder to manage with that many students. We are already feeling the effects of larger class sizes right now, and the realignment would continue to add to our class numbers. In closing, I remind you all that your priority is our students. You
need to vote yes and fulfill your duties as a member of the Lacy Township Board of Education. Thank you very much. [Music] [Applause] Good evening. My name is Alyssa Hick and
I am a junior in Lacy Township High School. Today I would like to discuss the message that you are sending to these students by getting rid of our school sports, clubs, and teachers. In my leadership and humanities 3 class, we have been discussing becoming a good leader and making a positive impact on
our community. Part of our assignment was to look at Lacy Township High School's mission statement. For those who don't know, a mission statement is a concise statement that defines an organization's purpose and reason for being. It is stated that Lacy Township Trip High School's mission is to have a
school community built on strong values and a lasting tradition is to ensure a customized learning experience designed to fortify students with resiliency, compassion, and a commitment to lifelong learning in the everchanging world. With these cuts, Lacy's mission will not
succeed. For starters, by cutting teachers and putting over 30 students in each class, including special education classes, customized learning experiences will no longer be available. Special education students will no longer have the class environment many of them need to thrive, and educational programs such
as STEM and LH potentially be cut as well in order to ensure all educational requirements are met. This leads to customized learning becoming non-existent if these cuts do happen. Along with this, resiliency and compassion are skills that are learned from our sports and clubs. Students
learn compassion with their teammates through sports. They also learn compassion through our volunteer-based clubs such as Interact, Surf Rider, and student government. Resiliency is learned through winning and losing games in sports and overcoming challenges in a club that that clubs may face. The
mission also states that Lacy strives for a long legacy. However, this will never happen with said cuts. Many students come into school every day because of their sports or clubs. Without sports and clubs, students will not have a motive to go to school, especially if they aren't strong in the academic field. Along with this, there
have been numerous students that have stated they will leave Lacy and go to other schools such as Central if sports are cut from Lacy. Not only will this affect attendance and student population negatively, but the future generation of Lacy will be gone as well. Finally, one of the most important traits,
commitment. How are students supposed to learn commitment when the Lacy schools is are forcing them to give up their sports and clubs? Colleges look for students who are committed to their sports and clubs. But without them, then students will have a massive gap in their resume, which will make it look like they can't commit to anything. So,
I leave you with this. Do you really want to be known as a school who went completely against not only their students wishes, but the mission statement they made themselves? Thank you. Thank you. Good evening, members of the board, educators, parents, and concerned citizens. My name is Jess Franson of
Orchid River. I stand before you today not just as a community member, but as the union president for the LTCSTA, also a Lacy graduate, too. Um, I have also served as a school social worker in the district for 20 years. I would like to speak to you about speak
to you as someone deeply concerned about the future of our most vulnerable students. The recent and proposed cuts to our funding in our district are not just numbers on a spreadsheet that represent a direct threat to the equity, dignity, and potential success of our students. Special education is not a
luxury. It is a legal and moral obligation. It ensures that students with disabilities, whether learning, developmental, physical, or emotional, receive the individualized support they need to access the same quality education as their peers across the state. When we cut funding to the
district, we are effectively saying that our students matter less than others and that is unacceptable. The child study team is a group of specialized professionals which consists of school social workers, school psychologists, and learning disability teacher consultants. These individuals play a
vital role in ensuring that students with disabilities receive the services, support, and advocacy outlined in their IEPs. While our team may be small in comparison to most districts, we have 14 team members. Together, we case manage a total of 901 special education students,
which gives us an average of 80 to 100 students per case manager, which is double the state average. Last year, our team completed 529 evaluations. In addition to our case management responsibilities, our school social workers and school psychologists have
the additional responsibility of providing the district with mental health support, social behavioral lessons, crisis intervention, and counseling services. These cuts impact real lives in tangible ways. Fewer teachers mean larger class sizes, less individualized in attention, and more
burnout. When general education classrooms become overcrowded, teachers struggle to provide the individualized attention that all students need, especially those that are struggling academically or behaviorally. It becomes harder to distinguish between a student
who may have a disability and one who is simply overwhelmed by the lack of support. This will misdirect special education resources and can lead to overidentification of certain student groups. It also delays help for students who truly do need specialized services
because the system is overwhelmed. Power professionals are the backbone of our support in classrooms. They are not assistants in the background. They are essential educators. They are the ones helping non-verbal children communicate, guiding a student with behavioral challenges through a difficult moment
and ensuring that children with significant needs can be meaningfully accessed their education alongside their peers. Let's be clear. Cutting power professionals is not a budget decision. It is a decision that sends a message that supporting students with disabilities is optional. That inclusion
is conditional and that the needs of some are less important than the needs of others. We cannot build an equitable and effective education system on the backs of those we undervalue. The services offered through special education doesn't give students an extra
boost. These are foundational supports. A student with autism may lose a structured environment that helps them feel safe. A child with dyslexia may go without the tailored instruction to learn to read. A teenager with emotional challenges may not receive the counseling that keeps them in school in
school instead of dropping out or other mental health related crises which our district knows all too all too well from last year. The effects ripple beyond the students directly impacted. When stu when schools are underfunded, our classrooms will feel the strain.
Teachers will be stretched too thin. Students with unmet needs will struggle behaviorally and academically and the entire learning process will suffer. In addition, when we fail these students now, we will pay for it later. And remedial services, mental health crisis,
loss of potential. But when we invest in these students, we will see gains not only in academic success, but in confidence, independence, and long-term societal contribution these students have to offer. So tonight, I urge you, let us not balance the budget on the
backs of our children. Let us lead with compassion, with justice, and with the recognition that all students deserve to be seen, supported, and valued. The strength of our district lies not in test scores, but in how we care for every single child. Let's ensure we live up to that promise. Thank you.
[Applause] Hello, my name is Brian Flurry. I'm from Fork River. Uh I have a plan uh that will save taxpayers additional money for the school tax, not just Lacy, but the
entire state. It won't cut teachers jobs or support staff. Will not cut programs. Will not force the selling of assets, school buildings, land, etc. Will not force classrooms to be overloaded because of state aid cuts. And will not close libraries. The plan would have New
Jersey take a small portion of the money that they've allocated towards Ruters University budget for 2025. And I will explain. Ruter's budget for 2025 is $5.8 billion. of that New Jersey taxpayers,
all of you paid 21% or 1 bill167,500 uh dollars towards that budget. That does not include a quarter billion dollars of state and federal aid that uh or does it include the grants, contracts, and tax breaks that your tax
dollars are paying for? Over the years, additional funding has been granted to Ruters and just most recently uh for their budget funding. Just most recently, $300 million aid package for capital improvements. Of that, $100 million of upgrades of indoor basketball
buildings, $159 million for new medical schools in New Brunswick, $50 million for research complex. Added to the $300 million was a $25 million tax uh break. Ruckers University has an endowment of
over two billion dollars. That's at the end of 2024. Now, the reason for all this, the state of New Jersey funded all the local schools, Lacy and the entire state schools that were shorted from their budgets with some of the monies
allocated for Ruters University and provide the money to all the schools. Ruckers in turn can use some of their endowment interest, investment income monies, subsidies from their loss of state funding. They get Rutgers also has uh
from their budget and this all all this information is from Ruter's site. uh their gifts and contributions, $53 million this year, $140 million what they call other sources of income, auxiliary revenue of 386 million, and
grants and contracts totaling 674 million. That totals up to a money that they get from other sources of one and a4 billion. So you see, they're not hurting for money. There is $70 million
being forwarded left over from last year's budget to this year's funds from Ruters. This is $70 million of your taxpayers money that could have been used towards our this year's school budget. Um we could have funded and gone
to all the schools throughout the state. There is also an increase of 60 this year. Their budget increased 68 million 68 228 for the from 24 to 25. It's an increase and this is the state's paying
and it's your tax dollars. Money that could go to funding the state schools. Just these two line items is $138 million that could be going to everybody here and throughout the state. And then that's not counting all the other monies that I just got done talking to you
about. All of this Ruckers all with all of this [Music] uh Ruckers will not have to sell any of their 6,000 plus acres of land. They will not have to sell any of
their 960 buildings or close any of their 30 dining halls or 25 libraries or lay off 29,000 plus employees. None of that. As you can see, the state taxpayers have been very generous over the years supporting
Ruters. And as you can see, funding for the local school and state schools with this money should have little or no effect on Ruter's bottom line. It also strengthens the future of our of all our state students academically. By the way,
82% of uh New Jersey residents uh are enrolled in uh in Ruters. This would be a win-win. There's 18% are listed as out of state and out of country and your tax dollars are paying for part of these
people. Okay, this is what, like I say, it's a win-win. It's not too late to get this done. You need your help. We need to get it out. It's nice to see all the young people here tonight. Social media, get it out. Um, and like Mr. Zinsky
said, "This is a tentative budget that they're sending down to the state so that they can get some additional funding. It's not an end. It's not an end budget. So, if we get this out, talk to everybody, talk to your friends, talk to the people in the state, get this out. I tried uh I sent this over to uh
Legislator Rump." Okay. Are you almost finished? Yeah. Five minutes. Legislator Rump and to Mr. Have not heard back and I'm just asking all to uh consider it. Thank you. Thank you. Mrs. Alinski. Mrs. Alinski, are we are we cutting sports or
are we not cutting sports? We're not. If this budget passes, sports and co-curricular are restored. Okay. Can we get I did say that. Can you say it again? Okay. Can we say Mr. Mr. Armada wants me to say again that if this budget is voted for, we will restore
sports and co-curricular all Okay. All levels. Just want to make that clear again. Thank you, Mr. Arman. You can start. Great. Hello everyone. My name is Tatiana Febles Perez and I'm the executive board president of Student Government Association. Today I'm starting first because the ticking time bomb over there really screwed me over
last time. But here I am. You call it the clock of doom. Thank you. Yeah. Really for her. Yeah. First I want to say thank you to everyone for being here. I stand I stand before you again not just as a voice for the students but as someone who deeply believes in the value of our schools and the people who make them thrive. Right now we face
difficult decisions. decisions shaped by budget constraints that threaten the heart of our educational community. I know these challenges are real and I understand the pressures our administrative administrators and decision makers are under. But I urge us to all remember this. Schools are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. They are
living communities built on relationships, support, and opportunity. When we talk about budget cuts, we are not just trimming expenses. We are altering lives. Cutting staff means fewer mentors, fewer safe spaces, and less individualized attention for students who need it most. Cutting programs mean silencing passions
specifically in the advanced academics like STEM, LEH, and APs. These aren't luxuries, they are lifelines. They inspire engagement, belonging, and growth. Our educators already go above and beyond, often spending their own money and working beyond their hours and
driven by dedication to students. To ask them to do more with less is not sustainable. It's not fair and ultimately it undermines the future we all claim to care about. Because at the end of the day, an investment in education is an investment in every student, every teacher, and in the
future we share. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, hold on one sec. We're going to reset the clock. Oh, okay. Thank you. Don't worry. Mine's short this time, so I I I adjusted this time. Someone else can head down. Whoever's next, head down to the podium, please. Let's keep this moving, please. Uh, my name is Cooper. I currently serve as the junior class
president, and next year I will serve as the senior class president. Um, and I want to talk about how, as we all know, these budget cuts will have or has already caused a tough crisis for our community. Over the past few weeks, our district has been reeling with the thought of what could be for next year. With class sizes being significantly too
large to properly educate and learn, and the immense amount of staff cuts that are vital to our students, the school is at risk of losing our sense of belonging, pride, and tradition. However, if this crisis has shown us one thing, it is how united and strong our community is towards the Lacy Township School District. Our town has been
centered around Lacy schools since the beginning of our town's history or at least the beginning of this district's history. And without this without this district or excuse me with the budget cuts that are being imposed um our town will lose a lot of the sense of belonging that we currently have right
now. Um the strength of this community has been shown not only tonight but throughout the past few weeks. As I have uh stated during the workshop a few weeks ago, so many programs are at risk of Lacy of being eliminated like Tatiana just said with the STEM and LHME. And while tonight has released uh the
relieved the thought of those being eliminated for many of those, it is just a drop in the bucket for the current situation that our town is going through. Something that has been undermined is the academic impact that this will have on our students. Dozens of teachers are being at risk of being let go. Uh these teachers are the ones that have a direct impact on our
students. And frankly, it is disrespectful to the educators and faculty, many of whom are sitting right in front of you now, to think that they deserve to have to deal with teaching their curriculum to 38 teenagers in one room. They have worked their whole lives not just to be an educator, but to be an individual mentor. With this proposal,
students will lack the ability to establish connections with educators and rather introduce them to lecture hall style learning that you would find in a university. Please put the interests of your students first in the community. Thank you. Thank you. Whoever's next, come down to this
podium, please. Hi, Jen Managna. Good evening, everyone. We are all aware that budget cuts are on the horizon. These financial decisions, while perhaps necessary from a fiscal standpoint, come with very real real consequences. consequences that will directly affect
our curriculum and most importantly our students ability to succeed. Curriculum lies a clear and powerful purpose to equip our students to become successful learners, confident individuals, and responsible citizens. It's about laying the foundation for academics and their
future in the 21st century. Let me be clear. When funding decreases, opportunities shrink. Budget cuts mean fewer resources for our classrooms, outdated textbooks, reduced access to technology and limited supplies. The enriching activities that students
engage in at the school will be eliminated. No more mothers or fathers crafts or even an exciting adventure through an awesome hands-on science experiment. These consequences also mean larger class sizes that come with safety
issues. Our town just experienced a fire that needed people to evacuate their homes. Can you imagine a fire drill with 35 first graders needing to evacuate a building? Teachers will not be able to provide individual attention to students
who need it most. This also means that the potential elimination of essential programs and advanced coursework, these are not luxuries. They are truly critical components of our well-rounded and balanced education. And what's at
stake? Our students, our children. I urge you to think about the faces of our students and the potential harm that you will inflict upon our students if you do not move forward submitting a balanced budget. The choices that you make here
tonight are either going to nurture or neglect our children here in Lacy. You as a board members are the ones that are shaping the town's future. And let me just say, as a teacher of 27 years, I've loved every single day of my job with
the headaches and all of the other stuff that go with it. But by eliminating all these programs and the arts, you're really doing a very big disservice to the students and the community and to to just about everybody. Thank you. Thank
you. [Applause] Coco regular back in. I don't know where the program is going to go. I can't say that. I don't know. Hold on. My name is Charles Schwalam. I'm a driver for the township. Oh, I'm sorry. Can you repeat your name again? I didn't hear. Charles Schwalum.
Uh, I'm unsure of the parameters of the walking zone now or what you're proposing, but the thought of our students walking one more step than they have to is terrifying. These roads around here are crazy. And our
drivers have the students safety first and foremost. So, I don't know what percentage points you get by letting kids walk a little longer. But I don't think it's worth it. Thank you. That's it. I don't Charles. Um, just so you're
aware, I believe the walking zone is posted on our website and it's something that we've adopted in the past. Um, so it it is a law. I find that terrifying. Yeah, we're not extending the actual zone. It's just within the zone. It's
okay. Would anybody else like to speak? We won't. Okay. Okay. I'm going to close public comment. Oh, you have to get up and guys. Listen, we want you at each podium to keep it moving. Come down. Stand at the podium. And when it's your turn, you'll go. None of this sitting down. Let's go. Please.
I want to hear from everybody tonight. It's a big room. So, whoever's next, please come down to this podium. Hold on, Miss Denza. Who's next? Nobody else wants to talk. Mr. B, please. That cut, sir. By the
way, it saves 140,000. Regina Desenza, Sunset Drive, Sunrise Beach. I got questions more than a comment. Um, what's going to happen next year is number one. Number two, last year the taxpayers were promised no more
large increases. Last year was 9.9% and it hit very hard. Number three, does the salary increase issue or lack thereof leave the district open to breach of contract? I don't know if you will be able to answer these
questions, but please know that the 9.9% has forced the sale of many homes in this town and it's constantly choosing making people choose food, taxes or medicine. And that is not a
nice choice for people to have to make. There's 28,000 people in this town, 4,000 students. You do the ratio. Thank you. Okay, Mr. Bendik, Mr. Bnick, you can start. One second. Go
ahead. Quiet, please, guys. Uh, good evening. Richard Bidnik, Lacy, Citizens for Responsible Government. Good evening board members and citizens of our
community. I've heard the word sacrifice spoken this evening to translate what you mean the taxpayers are to sacrifice. I was looking at that budget.
So you would be able to take in at your 2% cap of $1.6 6 million and then you want to go over the cap with another $2.2 million in extra tax revenue which brings it well over
7%. That is $3.8 million tax increase on the residents of Lacy Township. You also I also heard tonight about oh the reductions in staff over the years, but you didn't say that
you've had over a 25% reduction in the student body. So it makes sense that you would have some reductions in the staff. You can't possibly keep a staff at that level with 5,000 or more students when you only have 3,700 really in the
school. What about step increases and longevity increases? they're part of the employment contract. So that's not really correct that there's no increases because you have a contractual obligation to have to pay those step and
longevity increases. So some of the teachers here will continue to receive those increases even if there's no cost of living increase. I just want everybody to be very much aware of that. Um, now what sacrifices is the teachers
union and the administrators willing to make? You expect the taxpayers to sacrifice just like we had to endure a 9.9% tax increase last year. You refused to do any givebacks. And all the money
is going to you, your salary and your benefits. This is a fact and a very inconvenient truth. You all talk about empathy. Do you really have empathy or selective empathy which is more geared toward
yourselves? I speak this honestly, but we could balance the budget on your backs. What are you willing to do? Last year, almost all members of of you said that you would never vote. Mr. Bennett, can you just direct your to me and not
the public? Thank you. Okay. Last year, almost all members of this body said that you would never vote for a large tax increase again. So now we're going to find out who's honest and who isn't
and who lives by deceit and who lives by their word. Where is the legally allowed 3.15% budget and why isn't it being presented tonight? A reminder, Lacy is not only about this
school district. 70% of our households do not have children in our schools. Yet, you expect that 70% of this town who have really no ownership of this school to have to do another major
sacrifice. Mr. Zalinski, in my opinion, is not qualified to be advising this board on a budget of such magnitude. I'm going to let you finish, but I'm going to address that when your minute and a half is up. Go ahead. Excuse me. Go ahead. Finish your
comment. Thank you very much. Okay. I I have to address what was just said because, you know, I'm brand new here. I'm an outsider. I'm getting the lay of the land. I understand that people have different views. These are
competing priorities. But I need everybody in here to understand one thing. This board is not in a position to manifest new revenue sources out of thin air. And it is patently unfair to take your acting superintendent who's been in that role for a few months as I understand it and treat him as though or
your business administrator or any of these board members quite frankly as though they're solely responsible for the convergence of factors that led to this budget gap. There are so many factors that have led to this. No one person is responsible. Look, in my world, I'm young as a board
attorney to be the main guy, but one thing I stand for, if there's anything, is standards in public discourse. And, you know, they don't change overnight. But they start with mutually respecting one another and not indicting people's characters when this board is patently
forced to choose between the least of several evils. And they are all bad options. all bad options. You guys asked for transparency. This is what it looks like. You asked for responsiveness. Last meeting, everybody said, "Keep working. Keep trying." You want to see what
they're forced to do? The least of all evils that they're forced to choose if they have to close this budget cap with the revenue streams available to them. Those cuts are astronomical. This is halfway to where we were last time. Last time there was something on the agenda to make you whole and one fell swoop
through taxes. You saw how well that did. went down six to1. So yes, there is virtues to an incrementalist approach. No, everybody is not going to be happy. I've settled hundreds of cases all in the the realm of education. You talk about special education, I could teach
lectures. I do. I presented many times at the across the state on that. I presented at the Lehigh conference at Lehigh University. I understand all the intricacies of the facets behind the concepts that are being thrown around here and they're all important. We want everybody to have their say, but just
understand nobody up here is being dishonest if they vote yes. Nobody up here is being dishonest if they vote no. I really truly believe every one of these members is voting their conscience. But these are competing priorities. You're not going to know what the state's going to do until you
get to next level. And if you can't pass a balanced budget, you're rolling the dice. See what the county office is going to do. Thank you. Just as a real time Just as a real time fact check, in the last eight years of S2, we've lost 10%
of our student body, yet lost all the teachers that we've talked about, over 173. Just a real time fact check. And if anybody in the audience needs my resume, please contact my office and I'll share it with you and I'll show you how qualified I am. Yeah, let let me add that. You know,
what makes you qualified to be a chief school administrator is possessing a school district-wide administrative certification issued by the board of examiners, New Jersey Department of Education. That's why he's qualified. The BA is qualified because she possesses the cert. It's that simple. Thank you. Okay, we're going
to go ahead John, you can start. John Satello Noa Harbor. First thing I want to say is I want to congratulate Lacy Township High School Jazz Band for winning This is the first time in school history that that has happened. That is amazing.
It's amazing. These are the activities that we stand up here and we fight for. This is what we fight for. Okay. If you want to talk about the way that the schools are funded, why don't you go to Trenton? Why don't you go to DC? Why don't you ask them to come up with another way of funding it? Until that
happens, taxpayers pay the money. That's the way things work. And to stand up here, to sit in that chair, and to listen to somebody else up here say that they're comparing how many kids are in the school district
compared to how many kids are how many people are in the township. That's even more absurd. It's It's ridiculous. It's ridiculous. So that being said, so what are we looking at here? We're looking at a little bit
over 7% in increase, right? So again, taxpayers paying this money. Where else is the money going to come from? The state of New Jersey. What did they do? They screwed us. They took $14 million away from us over the last eight years. They took, and Mr. Zalinski, you just
said that perfectly, right? We lost 10% of our students, but we lost 60% of our state funding. How does that how does that work? How do the numbers work on that? There's some in this community that sit here and will say it doesn't matter. Programs don't matter.
Activities don't matter. It's the taxpayer. It's all about the taxpayers. That's ridiculous. Okay, taxpayers have a say in things, obviously. Do I want my taxes raised? I don't want my taxes raised. I could see a vested value in increasing the taxes to keep the class
sizes down to keep the activities running in this school district. Like I just said, the the the jazz band, we have marching band, we have all football teams, we have we have programs left and right here. I couldn't imagine the
children in this district not having something to do when they leave school. What are they going to do? Right? Right? We hear about the trestle all the time. What's going to happen there? That's going to get worse. We're going to have we're going to have more
catastrophic things happening in areas that that are hidden back in the trees. Right. So, I think I'm just asking you to do the right thing, right? Do I want the taxes? Do I want my taxes
raised? No, I don't want my taxes raised. But what's the alternative? The alternative to what we have here is not approving the budget and having the state come in. What's going to happen when the state comes in? The state's going to tell every taxpayer here, you want to talk about taxpayers, they're going to tell every taxpayer the hell
with you. They're going to tell you, "We're going to raise your taxes 29%." They're not going to give you their money back. They're not going to do anything for you. They've already told us that. They've already said that to us. So, what control will we have if the
state comes in? zero, nothing, absolutely nothing. So, that being said, you have to approve this budget to keep the state out of Lacy Township. Thank you. Thank you. Hi. Um, my name is Carrie Opitz. I live
on Thomas Lane in Fort River. I've lived in Lacy my whole life. um graduated from this district. Um I have three school age kids. Um I wasn't planning on talking so I'm a little emotional, but um I know I'm not special that I have three school age kids, but they will
literally be in three different schools at all times. I work full-time, my husband works full-time. It's literally unmanageable to do six different bus stops, like three different pickups, three different drop offs. Um I don't know why Murphy thinks like Lacy is
Beverly Hills where we're rich, but we're not. And now he made the town, you know, the district poor. So I wish there was a better option. That's all I have to say. Thank you. We do. [Applause]
Anybody else? Or should I close public comment? Okay, I'm going to close. Oh, I saw one hand. Go ahead. Mhm. Hello, Kim Wlands. Um, Cole Gab and Little Carver. Um I spoke last year and my sentiment is
still the same that um we have an obligation to the children in this town and I understand that there's 70% that you know don't have children in school but as a society we have an obligation to give these children a full and equitable education
and that's what it comes down to. if you take away their activities, if you take away their sports and you take away the um classes uh for LEH and for um uh the STEM program, you're not affording these children a proper
education. I'm sorry, I don't want my taxes to go up either. I mean, we all live within a budget, right? So I think what it comes down to is our obligation as adults in this society is to take care of our children so that the
next generation could be better than we are. Right? So if we're not affording them an equal an equitable education, then we're doing them a huge disservice. And unfortunately, we're dealt the cards that we have and we have to do what we can with those. So I'm uh imploring that
you all pass this budget so that our children can have a fair and equitable education. Thank you. Jim Wyland, 703 Colgate Avenue, Lenoka Harbor. Um we're talking a lot uh this evening, but I want to talk a little bit
about um what an unfunded school looks like as a community because this is what is going to affect us all. When we do not, you know, a wise woman once told me, it was my mom, idle hands do the devil's work, right? It's a an old proverb. When kids don't have
options, they find things to do. When the schools do not have programs, when we are not able to offer programs, vandalism will go up. Okay? As vandalism as vandalism will rise, you
will see a decrease in the quality of life in Lacy Township. Okay. Much like the people who are selling their home now, I don't I don't know the number you quoted, but you said there was a lot of people that were putting their home was on the market. I I didn't catch it, but
um thank you. Those people will get significantly less money when your homes drop $75,000 when they're not valued anymore. So, I would much rather spend more in taxes now versus losing $100,000 in my
home's equity. That's how I feel. It's a choice we have to make. Nobody willingly wants to pay high taxes, but you know, I feel I have an obligation to the the current students, my students included. I'll have an
obligation to the next generation of students. That's the idea of community. My parents paid before I was born, as I went through the schools, and as I left and went on to my college career, they continued to support. That's the way it
is. That's what a community does. I know we have gone almost divisive in this whole um process, but I think the thing that we have to remember, there's no easy answer. And the gentleman put it best by
saying this is the lesser of the evils. So when we're voting tonight and all the people that you know have um voted down referendums in the past and things, what does winning look like? Just what does winning look like?
Because if it looks like this, I'm going to vote on the side of losing. So, I'll gladly spend more money in taxes if it means the schools can get to a point where the students have
opportunities. Thank you. Thank you. [Applause] Hi, Amy Simmons. Um, for River, also Lacy Township School graduate, Lacy Township School teacher, parent of Lacy Township School kids. really disheartening to hear so many people in the community who don't want
to support our kids because I really do think every single child I have worked with, I have 77 this year, talk about class sizes, I've had over 1,800 in the past 18 years I've worked in the district. Every single one of those kids is worth me opening my wallet and paying
more in taxes. Even if I don't want to, even if my own kids have bills and things they want to do, it's still so important for me and all of these kids in Lacy to have those opportunities. So, no, nobody wants to pay taxes. But every single kid I have ever looked at in the
face that I've ever talked to, that I have ever held their hand while they're crying to be their support system, while I've sat there and had lunch with them because they needed somebody to talk to. Every single one of those kids is worth it to me. That's all. Thank [Applause]
you. Okay. All righty. We're going to close public comment. We're going to move on to superintendent comment if you have anything else. I do. Okay. When when do I not? All right. So, just a couple bullet points on my earlier presentation
just I guess to drive it home. All right. This is a compromised budget. It's not the ideal. Okay. and not one that I would normally recommend, but it is necessary to preserve local control of the Lazy Township School District. Let's be very clear on that. The proposed budget reflects deep sacrifices
already made and more to come. It will impact students, families, staff, and the overall quality of education. We're still cutting, not expanding, programs and services. State takeover remains a serious risk. And while the full impact is uncertain, we know further program
elimination, service losses, and overcrowded classrooms are very likely in that scenario. Tonight's resolution is a step towards applying for a tax incentive aid package, and continuing to seek state support, not state intervention, and keeping our district's
future in our own hands. That's it. Thank you. Thank you. That's Thank you very much. Okay. Now, we're going to move on to board member comments if there are any. We'll start with Mrs. Armano. Thank you all for coming out tonight. This is very difficult for I think everybody in this town. We're hearing a
lot of from parents tonight and teachers. There's also a huge portion of taxpayers that you're not hearing from and a lot of seniors. And um when I'm running around town, they do grab me. And just like kids are suffering, there's a lot of senior suffering. So
this is not going to be easy. You're not going to like this, but I'm going to have to say this. So tonight, I want to remind this board and the public of a critical truth. This board already voted no on the tax increase. The vote was 6-1. Since that decision, nothing has
changed factually. The only thing that's changed is the pressure to now meet in the middle on a tax increase we already agreed as a board not to support. And that's not compromise. That's backtracking under pressure. It's being packaged as a solution when it's actually manipulation.
We were told great news. The state extended our deadline to submit a tenative budget with the waiver. But this board was only presented with one path. Raise the tax levy and resubmit. In my eyes, that's not leadership. That's forcing the board's hand. That's manipulation. Plain and
simple. If decisions can be reversed simply because pressure increases, we are not leading. We are surrendering. It sets a dangerous precedent. It weakens this board's independence and erodess public trust. Last year we raised taxes
9.9%. Now we're being asked to raise them again 7.5 7.57%. That's 17.57% in just two years with no end in sight. It's going to happen again next year and the year after. And let's stop pretending this is
a one-time fix. It's a pattern, a habit, a shortcut that kicks the can down the road again. Taxes will increase anywhere from 600 to over a,000 per year. And I know we're saying it's just numbers. It might be some num numbers for certain people, but it's medicine for people.
It's food for people. People have kids in in school. People have kids in other curricular activities. People just want to eat. So this tax increase, it doesn't go down. When the tax resi uh when the t when we raise the tax levy, we're not
solving a temporary problem. We're permanently increasing the tax base. So, just if you don't understand that, if your taxes are 10,000 and they go to 11,000 and next year we need more money. You are now starting at 11,000, it doesn't just go back down because that
money's gone. That never goes back down ever for the time you own your home. It just keeps going year after year getting higher. So, it's a one-year band-aid becomes a long-term burden on working families. The 2% cap exists for a
reason. Financial analysts warn that unpredictable, excessive tax increases destabilize communities. They don't say that because of politics. They say it because it's true. These kinds of increases damage property values, push homeowners to the brink, and hollow out
towns like ours. If you don't know what you're paying every year, how do you budget for it? If it goes up 29%, 14%, 10%, and you're expecting 2%. And let's not forget the children we say we're protecting live in those homes. What good is preserving a program if
we're pushing the families out of the district? We've also been told we can't cut any further without violating the mandate for a thorough and efficient education. But the state has never provided a clear definition of what that actually means. No rubric, no standard, no guidance. We're being threatened with
legal language, but handed no blueprint. We have no choice but to make cuts because the state failed to give districts the tools to provide to protect both education and taxpayers. And let's talk about the state threat. We're being told if we don't pass this budget, the state will step in, install
a monitor, raise taxes even higher. But the truth is, we don't know exactly what the state will do. We don't. If the state acts, then let the state own that decision. Why are we doing the dirty work for them? Why are we raising taxes on on our taxpayers? We don't know what
they're going to do. No, we're being we're being told sports will be cut if we don't pass this increase. And that's not budgeting. That's blackmail. Let me be clear. I'm not voting to cut sports. I'm voting to restructure how we fund them. Dozens of New Jersey districts have implemented paytoplay. Booster
programs fund students that can't afford it. And there's also volunteer coaches. Where is our plan? and why wasn't that presented as a serious option for us? The same goes for busing. Last year, we talked about courtesy busing with fees. Maybe we can revisit that again. I know
that's a lot of money for for parents, but it's four years based on long-term that taxes never go down. And that brings me to the biggest failure of the night. The only budget that should have been presented was 3.15 with 2% cap plus the health benefit waiver we all agreed
to. That budget minus the land sale with real responsible cuts. As painful as they are is what we owe this community. It's not going away. Next year and the year after, if we don't address it now, we're going to at some point have to address these cuts. We're not going to escape it. Families across Lacy are
being forced to live within their means. They're cutting back. They're making sacrifices. They're working two, three jobs. They're finding a way to stretch every dollar. Our district should be doing the same. We can't keep coming to the taxpayers every year with threats and ultimatums. If we keep doing that, this town will break under the weight of
just one more year. I ask our board to stand firm and vote no and honor our original vote. Show this community we are not here to bend under pressure. We're here to protect them. Even if they don't understand that right now, we're here to protect them long term. And that's all. Thank you. Thank you for your time,
Mr. Peters. Skip. Mr. Peters comment. Thank you for the noner. Thank you. Okay, let's move on. Um, let's go. Mr. Bell, please if you have any comments, you can not have any if you
want. Okay, Mr. Armato. Yeah, I do. Um, I can't support a tax increase tonight of any size but 3.1%. Not because the teachers and students don't deserve it. But even with a targeted increase of 14.2%, you were
getting nothing but an opportunity to open the door for one year. One year, that's it. Next year, we'll be back here. Ironically, or not ironically, somehow someway they're going to get to 29%. And if you think
it's it's going to stop there, you're wrong. It's not going to stop because cost of living is going to go up. This is going to go up. That's going to go up. And instead of saying the state's got it covered, they're going to say the people of Lacy got it covered. So next year when we sit here and we try to get
to 29% by taking it let's see 91 17 another 12% next year request the year after that it'll be a 7% increase and the year after that maybe a 5% increase and the year after that and the year after that and the year after
that I'm sorry I I can't sit here and fund something for the rest of my life for a one-year opportunity to keep the doors open. I value education. That's why I sit on this deis. I value the people that make up this this school
district, the teachers, the faculty, the administrators, the coaches, the everyone. But somehow someway, the same piss and vigor that we have tonight is something that we need to to send to
Trenton and take that fight out with them. That's the fight that we need to take. We're doing what we're asked to do. But for me, I've been a fighter my whole life. I've never gotten anything handed to me. And I'm willing to fight
this fight to the very end. But to sit here and ask you to give me if your house is worth $500,000 to say, "Hey, give me $85 a month for the rest of your life here now that you live here in Lacy, but for one year. Next year it'll probably go up to 100 and then it'll go
up to 160 and then 224 and 200 and $300 a month." A month. There's been a lot of lot of ideas that have been shared with this committee, this board, and none of
them were really taken any seriously because they didn't result in quick action. There's been a lot of ideas to shared where if we do a little bit of this and a little bit that and we hire more volunteers and and we do this and that, it could help us, but it doesn't
bring the money in fast enough that we were told. So, we were told to bring ideas and then the ideas got shot down because they didn't relinquish quickly. 85% of our budget goes to the
payroll. The New Jersey state average is in the low70s. Let that sink in for a while. Okay. So, we got a lot of work to do, but it's not the fault of the people in the stands, and it's not the fault of the
people on the deis. It's the fault of the people in Trenton. And I think it's time to stop pointing fingers at this table and that table and we join together and bring the fight to them. By getting on your knee
and saying, "Yes, I will raise taxes again." I can't I can't do that. I can't do that to 70% of the of of of our of our town and I don't want to do it to the other 30%. I'm very involved in this town. That's why I sit on this
basis. That's why I volunteer my time because I want to be involved. My father told me once upon a time, if you want to open your mouth in the town that where you live, you better get involved and do stuff. And if that means you got to
volunteer and do something for no money, do it. If you don't like it, look like you love it. And this is what I'm doing today. 3.1% is what we were supposed to go and do. This is what I'll vote for tonight. I can't vote for anything over
that because my obligation is to everyone in this town. Yes, this is a school district and we're responsible for the school, but this district is made up of everyone that lives here. Everyone. Because even though those people that don't have kids in the
district, have kids in the district, excuse me, they still got to pay. So what? They're not, they don't matter. Just give us your money. I think we could do more. I think we could do better. I hope that the rest of the days feels the same way. And uh
those are my comments. I'm very glad that you the guys that play sports and then the arts and all the extracurricular activities are are not lost. I'm very glad that's back. Um but we can do more. Yes. All right, guys. Let's let him finish. Sally, you almost
done. If it gets voted on it, it'll be back. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, [Music] Mrs. Walker. Go ahead, Linda. Okay. Okay, good evening everyone. Um, as I look around the room tonight, I
see many faces dedicated to our community and worried about the future of our children. We're here to address a dilemma for which the state bears significant responsibility. Lacy is a wonderful community where education has always
held great importance. I want to express before I go on to a gratitude to those who reached out to me whether by phone, email, or during chance encounters at Shopright, CVS, or catching up to me while walking my dog.
Your concerns and support demonstrate that this community deeply cares about our schools and students. Whether you're a current parent, grandparent, or someone who once had children in our schools, our school serves as a
cornerstone for our town. Many families choose to move here because of the quality of our schools. This crisis doesn't just impact the approximately 4,000 students who may not yet vote, but are affected by what we do. It affects
our entire community in Lacy Township. We all know though, or we should know, we must work together to ensure that our schools receive the support they need to continue thriving and to maintain the pride of our community that we all
cherish. Tonight, we're voting on a preliminary budget, one that we voted against last week. Yes. Due to concerns that the state might take control of our schools. I want to extend a sincere thanks to Mr. Zalinski, Mrs. Zornsby and
Mrs. Claus for taking our executive county BA calls all during spring break and working on this budget. After numerous phone calls, the county business administrator, essentially acting on behalf of the state has granted us an extension to finalize a
preliminary budget by tomorrow. This is our last chance. So, I've been involved in the budget process for many years and have seen various boards navigate these challenges. Despite our disagreements during committee and board meetings, we
have historically found ways to compromise. While I have often left those meetings feeling disappointed for not securing everything that I deemed important, I recognize the value of compromise in moving the budget forward.
I strongly urge this board to reach a compromise so we can approve this preliminary budget. And believe me, this is not over after this budget process. I agree with Mrs. Mendes and a few others who spoke about, you know,
working um with the state. We must continue as a community to fight Trenton to restore our funding and secure fair share in future budgets for our students. I cannot in good conscience support the proposed cuts that would deprive our
students of the education they deserve. Eliminating all curricular activities is something I simply cannot endorse. Reflect on the activities that you participated in when you were in high school, whether it be in the 50s, 60s,
90s, or current beyond. These experiences motivated many of us to maintain good grades and for some to stay in school. They contributed to our development as productive adults. Colleges look at these
activities in and out of school to see the well-rounded student to partially determine their eligibility for acceptance. I also disagree with cutting our curriculum that was in the budget. Curriculum, the heart of education. Yet,
no one mentioned that until tonight, and those of you who did, thank you. I do not agree with the proposed realignment of grades and sincerely hope that we can find alternative solutions to achieve the desired outcomes of smaller class
sizes. I stand firmly against any cuts that would directly harm our children's educational experiences. So, in the spirit of compromise, I am committed to working towards a resolution. Ideally, I would love to see
9% to just bring everything back, but I'm willing to support the what's on the agenda tonight. It helps to meet our goals for our students, but truly invest in our excuse me, but let's truly invest in our children's future and continue to
fight for the education they truly deserve. And thank you for um your suggestion about Ruckers. I think that is I want [Applause] to thank you. Right. I'm going to hold
my public comment for tonight. So, we're going to move on to Jack. Jack, have fun. Mr. Cony, you're um for the family, for the kids, putting students first. Students
always first commitment with integrity, passionate, dedicated and determined. These are some of the slogans that we have ran
on with the common theme of the students and the kids of the district. As the only member with kids currently in the district and plan on being so for a long time
still decision tonight is a very tough one. Three weeks ago I voted no to apply to the state to to not having many answers to the whatifs.
I laid my voting note tonight that will gut everything that my kids, your kids, and many others have worked so hard for over their time here at Lacy. Or a vote
yes and potentially raise taxes couple dollars a month, which I fully understand is a burden on many, myself included. either vote is not going to be a popular
one. After some thinking and talking to many, one thing kept coming to mind. His voting no and turning Lacy over to the state taking
the easy way out. Had any of the current board members solely put us in this position? Absolutely not. Either way this goes tonight, don't get it misconstrued. There's still going to be cuts, but
it'll be our job to sit and to continue to work out what they may be. I know I don't get a 7% pay increase at work. So, in my opinion, there's no right answer. Some people are totally okay with saying
let's just let the state come in and whatever they do they do. Are the seven of us up here perfect? Not by any means. Is the district? Nope. Not by any means.
I do believe that the seven of us can agree on one thing that none of us on any of these proposals presented to be the answer. There have been many suggestions floated amongst us over
the past couple weeks and none of them will be overlooked. Some are contractually negotiated and I leave that up to the respective negotiation committees to work out. Some are suggestions that
the finance committee will continue to work and we'll try to find a way to implement if they make sense. Call it fear-mongering or whatever it is that you would like. But personally, I have a bigger issue with the state coming in and either taking
everything out in one shot, increasing taxes to 14.25% to balance this year alone and leave us to deal with it again next year or even worse coming in and
potentially increasing taxes to 29% in one shot so we don't have to talk about this again next year. The unknown is the worst part of all of it. People come to the mic and take to social
media and tap that this board has done this and hasn't done that. It's easy for some to sit on the other side of the table and say that you need to do X, Y, and Z as did I. But when it comes
to it, it's not as easy as it seems. I'm trying to find a middle ground tonight and keep local control and I hope that my fellow port members agree. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, everybody. We're going to move on
to new business. A1 adoption of the amended tenative budget for 202526 school year and the application submission additional expenditures and tax incentive aid. Can I have a motion please?
Second. Roll call, please. Mr. Armada, are we voting? Yes. No. Mr. Peters, yes. Mr. Bell, yes.
Mrs. Mrs. Armato, no. Mrs. Walker, yes. Mr. Connelly, yes. And Mrs. Claus, yes. This has passed. [Applause] Thank you. So, our next steps is to
submit this to the county um county office. We'll hopefully get approval and then we'll be back again in about a week or two for the final budget hearing. We we'll probably do it at the regular May meeting. Okay. We'll all be together. We'll announce that up on the website. Okay. Thank you. Motion to adjurnn.
Motion. Second. I got this.