November 27, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 3 Ridgewood Village trustees opt for November election by John Koster The members of the Ridgewood Board of Education voted 4-1 to change the offi- cial school election from April to Novem- ber, coinciding with the vast majority of New Jersey communities which hold the school elections on the date of the General Election. Districts that move their elections from spring to fall are permitted to forego a public vote on the school budget as long as the spending plan falls within the state- mandated cap. That cap is now set at two percent. Trustee Christine Krauss cast the lone dissenting vote at a meeting where observ- ers said there was not much dissent. “We’ve been talking abut this for years,” one school official said. Those in favor of the change previously noted that the electronic voting equipment and part-time poll worker staff for the spring election had cost the district about $60,000, which could better be spent on curriculum or educational personnel. Advocates of maintaining an April date asserted that the potential budget cuts, if the budget were rejected, might top $60,000. They said voters should have more of a voice in school spending. Schools get $11,300 The Ridgewood Board of Education has received more than $11,300 in cash and donated items from residents who wish to enrich the educational experience in the public schools. The single largest donation came from the Orchard Home & School Association and consisted of $6,250 to be used for field trip expenses. The Cha family gave the Ridge School a total of $2,000. Lynne Peabody’s first grade class received $500, Jill Marmo’s fourth grade class received $500, Elizabeth Marci and Molly Sher’s research room received $500, and Patricia McVeigh and the speech program received $500. New Players Company at Ridgewood High School gave the school a 46-inch flat screen TV, a Toshiba laptop, and software for streaming New Players photos and videos. These items are valued at $1,140. The Hawes Home & School Association received $1,132 to purchase a MacBook Air for $949 and an Apple Care Protection Plan for $183. The George Washington Middle School Home & School Association received $520 to pay FICA expenses for sixth grade chap- erones for the Fairview Lake Camp field trip. The Ridgewood Football association gave the school a high-definition Sony camcorder valued at $176. DECA, the business education and com- petition group, gave the high school $84 to cover some DECA field trip expenses. J. KOSTER Some observers say that the fact that the state waives the vote on the school budget if the budget comes in within the state- imposed cap has generally been seen as a successful way to stem excessive spend- ing. Ridgewood Home and School Organi- zations and businesses also donate large amounts of money to support specific pro- grams. The resolution establishes the election of Ridgewood Board of Education members as the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November -- Election Day -- and provides that a tax levy over the state-mandated cap be added to the ballot in case the board pro- poses such an amount. The reorganization of the board will take place during the first week of January. The board also approved some person- nel changes and assignments at the Nov. 18 meeting. Lynn Barrett was advanced from 0.4 full-time English teacher to full-time English teacher at Ridgewood High School with a salary increase from $27,569 with an MA at Step 8 part-time to $68,923 full- time with the same credentials. Mandy VerDeursen, formerly the regis- trar at the Ridgewood Community School, was named technical assistant at the Spe- cial Programs Office with no change in the salary of $43,374.