The Villadom Times Weekly Newspaper Online-Aug 25, 2010 Issue

Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • August 25, 2010 Franklin Lakes Trustees divided on salary cap for superintendent by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes Board of Education recently expressed mixed feelings about a resolution that stated opposition to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s proposal to cap school superintendents’ salaries. The school board failed to pass a resolution that listed a number of reasons for opposing Christie’ proposal because five affirmative votes of the nine member school board are required to pass a resolution, but only four trustees voted yes while two voted no. Board President Kathie Schwartz, vice president Carolyn Reitz, and trustees Joseph Conti and Margaret Bennett voted in favor of the resolution. Susan McGowan and Christine Christopoul abstained, and trustee Lisa Sciancalepore voted against the proposal. The resolution, which was circulated to school boards by Dollar$ & Sense, a Bergen County education advocacy group, is a reaction to Governor Christie’s recently announced reform proposal to cap school superintendents’ base pay. Christie is seeking to cap a superintendent’s salary based on a sliding scale to be determined by the state. The proposal would cap the maximum salary for a superintendent based on the number of students enrolled in the district. The resolution objects to the state’s interference in contract negotiations between duly elected boards of education and their superintendents and further objects to the state’s move to define the quantitative and qualitative merit criteria to be used to evaluate a superintendent’s performance. The resolution also states that the superintendent’s compensation and merit increase should be based on the achievement of district, and the superintendent’s goals should be defined by the board of education. The document also criticizes the proposal for undervaluing the administrative and supervisory tasks required of a superintendent to run an effective and efficient school district. Franklin Lakes Superintendent Frank Romano said he felt some trustees may have been uncomfortable with the resolution, but he emphasized that the resolution is primarily about local control. “It’s not really about money; it’s about local rights,” Helpful Hints Helpful Hints from Pete Says... ome “Do not use paper towels to clean the screen on a flat panel TV. Use only a soft cloth and a cleaner specifically intended for the purpose”. Romano said after the meeting. He explained that, under the governor’s proposal, the “buying power” of the Franklin Lakes Board of Education would be capped at $150,000, while larger school districts would be able to spend more to attract better superintendent candidates. He pointed out that there is more competition today for competent administrators due to charter schools and academies, which draw students away from local public school districts. He also claimed that the governor’s proposal would limit this school district’s ability to compete. “Bergen County loves local control and so this is a vote for local control and the free market,” Romano said. “Efforts like the governor’s proposal take away a board’s ability to attract the best and the brightest. For me, that’s the big issue.” Sciancalepore said she voted against the resolution because it would send the wrong message to the governor and other state officials. “We must recognize that people in New Jersey, including Franklin Lakes, have reached their tipping point,” Sciancalepore explained. “We, as elected officials, must recognize that we can no longer rely on the status quo and practices that have made New Jersey one of the highest taxed in the country. The resolution, in my opinion, was counter to that argument.” Sciancalepore pointed to Governor Christie’s recently negotiated two percent hard cap on property taxes and said (continued on page 27) CIRINO LANDSCAPING Full Service Landscape Company Personal Service Personal Care Free Estimate �� Tom Cirino 27 Franklin Tpk, Waldwick Open Sundays 9-3 201-652-5666 15% OFF ANY SERVICE New Clients Only • w/Coupon • Exp 9/30/10 • Not Combinable �� Call 201-891-0955 For Information �� KEANE FIT & WELLNESS �� 8-18-10 pat/janine Cirino2x2(8-18-10) 2x2” Sheila Keane �� • EDUCATED - MA in exercise science • CERTIFIED - ACSM, NASM, Post Rehab Specialist, MAT Specialist • EXPERIENCED - 15 years one-to-one personal training 201-341-0183 • CALL NOW Fitness, Weight Loss, Bariatrics, Geriatrics & Parkinson’s Programs Waterfront house on Fripp Island, SC (near historic Beaufort and Parris Island). 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