April 30, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 Midland Park School budget is approved; incumbents are re-elected Three Midland Park Board of Educa- tion incumbents withstood a spirited chal- lenge to retain their seats on the board for another three years in last week’s election, in one of only two in the Northwest Bergen area. The school budget was approved by a margin of nearly 3 to 1. “The board appreciates the incredible support we received at the polls this past Wednesday from the voting public. I want to thank the parent and citizen groups for the hard work they did this year to edu- cate the public and get out the vote,” com- mented board President William Sullivan. “Together with the administration and staff, the board of education will continue to improve the academic program and facilities in the school district to meet the expectations of this great community,” he added. With about 18 percent of the borough’s 5,000 registered voters turning out at the polls, 691 voted yes on the budget, while 246 cast no votes. Even though the total budget of $21,170,765 is up 2.21 percent over the current year’s, the amount to be raised by taxation is down $606,427, a 3 percent decrease. A house assessed at $392,000, the borough’s average, will get a reduction of $223.94 a year on the school portion of its tax bill. The reduction is due to the fact that the current year’s budget includes a one-year-only expenditure of $955,075 to finish replacing the school buildings’ roofs approved by voters last year. That project had raised taxes on the average house by $359.85. School trustees James Canellas, Mary- alice Thomas and Peter Triolo garnered 641, 623 and 614 votes, respectively. Chal- lenger John Meeks received 364 votes. Canellas, a 10-year resident who has been on the board for six years, is currently vice president of finance and operations for Home Box Office Sports. Dr. Thomas, a lifelong Midland Park resident and a board member for five years. is a student assistance counselor with the Randolph Township Schools in Morris County. Triolo, a 16-year resident who has been filling an unexpired term on the board, is self-employed as a manufacturer’s repre- sentative in the automotive industry. The board’s reorganization meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 29 at 8 p.m. at Highland School.