Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • April 10. 2013 Midland Park Midland Park is one of the few towns in the Northwest Bergen area to hold the annual school election next week. On Tuesday, April 16, voters will elect three trustees to the board of education and vote on the 2013-14 school budget and an additional ballot question. The polls will be open from 2 to 9 p.m. The three incumbent trustees, Sandra Criscenzo, Rich Formicola and Brian McCourt are running unopposed for threeyear terms. A fourth candidate, Frank Post, had filed by the designated deadline but withdrew from the race. In addition to the annual school budget of $20,290,010, the board is seeking approval for a one-time expenditure of $995,075 to fix the roofs on all three of the borough’s schools. Previous work was done to the roofs in 2004 and 2011, and last summer some work was done at Godwin and at the high school with $484,000 from the operating budget. The referendum defeated last December included $2.39 million for roof repairs, which would have been bonded over 30 years. Midland Park High School alone has 100,000 sq. ft. of flat roof surface, and 43,000 sq. ft. will still remain after any work done if the second question School election set for next Tuesday; roofs on ballot is approved. As a one-time expenditure, the roof project will cost the average house assessed at $392,000, the borough’s average, an additional $352.96. A 60 percent super majority of yes votes at the polls will be necessary for this question to be approved. The operating budget is up $409,593, a 2.06 increase. Within this amount, however, the capital outlay portion has been reduced by $569,859, shifting expenditures from capital to current expenses. The $18,271,356 to be raised by taxation is going up $349,907, a 1.95 percent increase, which is below the 2 percent cap imposed by the state. Taxes on the average house will go up $134.23 per year for the school budget portion only. The proposed budget includes the addition of a full-time technology coordinator, two building aides for security at the high school, science textbooks K-12, and increased funding for professional development. A half-time position is being added to cover additional Advanced Placement psychology electives and English Language Learning instruction. The board also plans to add AP art and music theory and personal finance classes at the high school. Criscenzo, a six-year trustee, said the biggest challenge the board faces “by far, will be trying to find a method for implementing the safety upgrades and facilities maintenance, desperately needed in all of our schools, in a manner that the community is willing to support. To gain that support, the board must make it a priority to demonstrate to the community that updated facilities go hand in hand with the exceptional academic standards already in place. In turn, this will allow residents to continue to be proud of our schools, and make Midland Park an even more desirable place to live,” she said. Formicola, seeking reelection to a second term, said the next three years are going to be a challenging but yet exciting times. “Our schools have been improving in many ways, and I want to keep that process growing. The curriculum has been advancing as can be noted by our upward move- ment in N.J Magazine listing of schools. We are constantly looking to give our children the tools they need to excel in their future lives both in college and beyond,” he said. “The infrastructure is our biggest challenge, and the second question which is on the ballot is a start to upgrade the structure. This will improve town property values and bring pride back to our schools and town,” he added McCourt, also running for a second term, said that getting the facilities fixed up is a major concern. “We need to get the second question passed, then move on to a new referendum,” McCourt said. “I honestly would like to see something done with the fields. It will be a tough issue because of funding, but compared to all the schools in the area, our fields are probably in the worst condition,” he added. Other challenges, he said, will be maintaining a smooth process over (continued on page 31) There will be no contest in the June primary election for the two seats available on the borough council. Councilwoman Nancy Cronk Peet and Councilman Jack Considine, the Republican incumbents, filed for reelection. No Democrats filed by last week’s deadline. “I have been able to assist with community projects such as continuing to strengthen the relationship between the board of education and the borough council, to provide the community with the ability to be heard on issues, and to work in developing the public safety committee,” said Peet on her reasons for running for a fifth term. Incumbents run unopposed “I would be honored to bring my continued experience to the borough council to ensure that we have a thriving, diverse downtown business climate, and to work with our neighboring townships to improving longterm planning and the delivery of vital local services as well as continue fiscal responsibility and transparency. The last three or four months have shown that our borough government needs to be a more transparent process and that we need to work harder to restore the faith and trust of people living and working in Midland Park,” she added. Considine is running for his first full (continued on page 26)