November 26, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 Midland Park Board considering dropping school budget vote Midland Park voters may no longer have a say in the annual school budget begin- ning next year. The board of education is considering moving the school election to coincide with the general election in November, a move which automatically allows for dropping the vote on the school budget as long as the budget stays within the state imposed cap. Midland Park’s cap has been less than 2 percent since the enabling legislation was adopted in 2012. The board will discuss the proposal at its next workshop meeting on Dec. 2, said board President Dr. Maryalice Thomas. A decision must be made by sometime in Borough to seek grant for Faner Road project Faner Road in Midland Park, a 2/10th- mile stretch often used as a cut-thru between Sicomac Avenue and Cornell Street/Wyckoff Avenue in Wyckoff, may be getting an upgrade. The borough has applied for a Bergen County Community Development low- income grant to improve the street, on which the Veterans Building and Mill Gardens Assisted Living Residence are located. Plans call for reconstruction of the 29-ft. roadway, including drainage, curb- ing and repaving. Borough Clerk/Administrator Addie Hanna said the borough qualifies for the grant based on the income level results from the last census. “We’re very thankful that the county’s CD coordinator told us about this grant. We are looking forward to getting that job done,” said Hanna. The application was prepared by Capital Alternatives, the con- sultant that has completed many successful applications for the borough through the years. Hanna said the fact that the Veter- ans Building and Mill Gardens are on the street is expected to boost the application. A decision on the grant is expected in the spring, she said. Hanna said applying for the income- based grant does not preclude the borough from applying for funds for Community Development Americans with Disabilities Act projects. The bathroom at borough hall was recently retrofitted for handicapped accessibility with a $44,000 grant from that program. The previous bathroom, upgraded in the early ‘90s, was not com- pliant with current ADA standards, Hanna said. February, according to school Business Administrator Stacy Garvey. “We’re practically the only ones left (with the April election),” Thomas said. The election for school board mem- bers would then take place in November, along with the vote for mayor and coun- cil members and other office holders. If the change is made, the terms of trustees Robert Schiffer, William Sullivan, Timo- thy Thomas and which are due to expire in April, would be extended until the end of the year. Dr. Thomas said the change is being considered for financial reasons. She said this year the board paid $15,000 to hold the election, but that figure is going up to $20,000 or more next year. She explained that as fewer districts hold their elections in April, the fixed costs countywide remain the same, resulting in a higher cost for each remaining district. State legislation approved in 2012 per- mitted New Jersey districts to shift April school board elections to November, and most have already made the change. Of the more than 70 Bergen County districts, just nine still hold April elections, including only Oakland and Ramsey, besides Mid- land Park, in the northwest Bergen area.