April 28, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 3 Ridgewood Village voters defeat school budget by 102 ballots by John Koster Ridgewood voters defeated the board of education’s proposed 2010-11 school budget by 102 votes, with 2,639 voters rejecting the budget and 2,537 voting to support it. Voter turnout was 5,136, or 31 percent of registered voters. The budget of $89,441,565 presented voters with a request for a tax levy of $82,761,789. The budget contained a special revenue fund of $1,168,134, and a debt service item of $3,337,051, with a tax levy of $2,933,183. Both uncontested school board candidates received the voters’ endorsement. Incumbent trustee Michelle Lenhard received 3,216 votes and Charles Reilly, a board veteran returning after a five-year hiatus, received 3,105. Reilly, an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission, is a former trustee and board president who elected not to see re-election five years ago. Lenhard, whose family operates a local business, is an incumbent trustee and was recently appointed to the Environmental Study Committee by the Ridgewood Council. The defeated school budget will now be submitted to the Ridgewood Village Council, which has 30 days to suggest cuts to the budget. Once the council’s recommendations have been made, the board of education may either accept those cuts, or appeal to the state. “This is the first time in a long time that a budget has been defeated, and we have to follow the procedures,” said Deputy Mayor Keith Killion the morning after the election. The problem, he noted, was that Ridgewood’s schools are basically excellent and that any cut areas would also represent hot-button issues. But he concurred that the voters had spoken and something must be done – even as Ridgewood struggles with its own municipal budget, still in the negotiation stage with some job cuts already made and others being considered. Flowers last a week... Memories . e.. last a lifetim ’s Day, This Motherne frame o for Mom! Hours: Tues-Fri 10-5:30, Sat 9-4:30 27 East Prospect St. Waldwick, NJ 201-670-7666 Spring specials available now for a limited time only. Call Robin at 973-636-7000