Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 19, 2013 Franklin Lakes Trustees express opinions on pending legislation by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes Board of Education has passed two resolutions concerning legislation currently pending in the New Jersey Legislature. One of the resolutions expresses the school board’s opposition to bills in the New Jersey Senate and Assembly (S2163 and A3696) that would give non-teaching employees, such as teachers’ assistants, bus drivers, and cafeteria aides, tenure-like protection by forcing school districts to enter into binding arbitration over nonrenewal of employment, and any “disciplinary” action, ranging from reprimands to withholding increments. The school board claims in its resolution that the proposed legislation, which has several sponsors, including Senator Raymond J Lesniak (D-20 Union) and Assemblywoman Connie Wagner (D-38 Bergen/Passaic), would undermine the authority of local boards of education and the public’s elected and appointed representatives by preventing them from negotiating disciplinary procedures to effectively and efficiently manage employee conduct and performance. The board claims that mandated binding arbitration would also require the expenditure of valuable time and resources while placing critical decisions in the hands of arbitrators, who are not accountable to the taxpayers of the community. According to the school board’s resolution, the proposed legislation defines “disciplinary action” so broadly that the term would include non-renewals of employment contracts, thereby bypassing court rulings that have consistently held that the decision not to renew fixed-term contracts of such staff does not constitute discipline. In addition, the board claims the proposed legislation would subject economic decisions, such as a reduction of non-teaching staff due to a budgetary shortfall or enrollment decline, to binding arbitration. Extending binding arbitration to such “disciplinary” matters involving nonteaching staff employees, they say, will have an adverse economic impact on local school budgets at a time when districts must make the best possible use of limited financial resources. The resolution calls on Governor Chris Christie and the New Jersey Legislature to reject any and all measures that would require binding arbitration over disciplinary matters and non-renewal of employment. The legislation was passed in both houses on May 20, and the governor has 45 days from that date to act upon it. The second resolution recently passed by the school board expresses support for companion bills S2086 and A3424 sponsored by Senator Jim Whelan D-2 Atlantic, which would change the filing deadline for school board candidates from June to September. That change would allow the school board candidates’ deadline to match the filing deadline for other non-partisan candidates running for public office. According to a statement attached to the legislation, if enacted into law, the filing deadline for school board candidates would be changed from no later than 4 p.m. the day of the June primary election to no later than 4 p.m. of the 64th day preceding any school election held the day of the November general election. The bills would also change other deadlines relating to petitions of nomination to make those deadlines match those established in current law for candidates for other elective public offices. This legislation would take effect Jan. 1 following the day of its enactment. The Franklin Lakes Seniors will host a six-day trip to Savannah, Georgia Oct. 22 through 27. The travel package will include transportation, five nights of lodging, five breakfasts, a buffet lunch at Paula Deen’s “Lady & Sons” restaurant, two full-course dinners, a riverboat cruise, a guided tour of historic Savannah, and more. The cost per person for double occupancy is $479. The Seniors plan October field trip cost for single occupancy is $638. For more information, contact Mary Ann at (201) 848-1009 or mms764@aol. com. The Horizons, a 55+ adult complex in Franklin Lakes, will visit Mount Airy Casino on Thursday, July 11. The bus will depart from The Horizons on Courter Road. Contact Grace at (201) 891-4337 for further information.