Politics & Government

Dissolution Disagreement, Enrollment Evaluated by School Board Candidates

Chester Township residents answer forum questions in run-up to November election.

Three Chester Township residents sat before a room of about 50 spectators Wednesday night to explain why they should represent the town as a member of the West Morris Regional Board of Education.

And some of their answers were as different as their respective paths and individual backgrounds.

Bruce Sullivan, Gary Lakritz, and Russ Cembrinski fielded 14 pre-selected questions and an additional handful from the audience over the course of nearly two hours at the Chester Library. Queries ranged from how to prepare for the anticipated enrollment decline in the area to offering teachers higher pay rates in a “free market” type of system.

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Of course, the “elephant in the room,” as one moderator described it, regarding the possibility of dissolving the regional school district from what it is today was brought up as well.

Lakritz, a current Chester School District board of education member, and the only one of the three previously elected to public office, said the projections on enrollment decline “are not always historically reliable,” and that the K-8 district is currently seeing the decrease.

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The township resident of a dozen years said districts need to adjust as numbers come to fruition like the Chester district has done in reducing sections (classes) according to appropriate class sizes.

Sullivan, who has lived in the township for nearly a decade and was part of a three-person group to recall current Chester Township representative to the regional board James Johnston in 2011, took a more financial look at the projection.

“It’s not a time for expansion of any kind,” said Sullivan, who currently serves as the president of the West Morris Soccer Club. “If enrollment is going to decline, we need to plan for a reduction in costs. Jobs will be eliminated if the projections are true.”

Cembrinski, the only candidate to have students graduate from the district so far, took a different approach, saying he would defer to the superintendent for recommendations on appropriate actions.

“We’d have to adjust accordingly,” if enrollment declined, Cembrinski said.

Elephant In The Room

The bounced around discussion of making a major change to the regional district, ranging from converting it to a mega K-12 with its corresponding sending districts, all the way down to splitting each high school into their own district, was posed to the candidates as well.

Both Chesters and Mendhams have agreed to fund a feasibility study for data that would analyze the district and how taxpayer money would best suit the current structure and other possibilities. All three candidates had varied opinions on the situation.

“We need the data before making decisions, and not just supporting the dissolution,” Cembrinski said. “What we can’t let it do, though, is distract the kids.”

Lakritz said he wanted to know the impact on the taxpayers before making any decisions.

“The study is certainly needed to gauge the effect on the towns. We need to know, ‘what’s the impact on the taxpayers,’” he said. “Once we have all that, we should let the voters decide.”

Sullivan said he’s heard a lot of interest from neighbors and residents on the issue and, ultimately, should let the voters decide via referendum when enough information on the issue is analyzed.

A question from the audience later in the evening focused on the current per pupil spending disparity between Mendham High School and West Morris Central – one of the reasons dissolution supporters have voiced their opinion on the matter.

One candidate explained how the difference was accounted for, while another said the trend will change in the coming years.

“From what I’ve been told, there’s about a $6 million difference,” Cembrinski said. “But $1.5 million of that is simply in teacher salary differences between the schools. The other $4.5 million can be seen in facilities, bussing, and special education costs.”

Lakritz reiterated his position on the feasibility study, but explained how the salary guide will make a shift toward teachers at Mendham. 

“Right now teachers at Central have more experience, and per the salary guide, are being paid higher,” Lakritz said. “If you look at a splatter chart you’ll see a whole group of Mendham teachers are nearing that level of salary as well. So what we’re going to see is a move toward more parity between the two schools, but it will cost us even more.”

Sullivan expressed concern over the difference in per pupil spending. 

“The $6 million difference was the number given by the district’s business administrator Mr. Pechanec,” Sullivan said. “And if those numbers are accurate, it definitely worries me.”

Transparency, Term Limits, and Exemptions

A questions from the audience regarding term limits on board of education members drew interest from all three candidates, but varying degrees of responses.

While imposing such a policy would likely need to come from the State Department of Education, Lakritz said he wasn’t  “a big fan” of the idea.

“The problem tends to be that no one wants to run for a seat,” he said. “This is actually exciting to have so many candidates trying to fill a seat. I’m afraid if a board member’s term is up, we’d have to pull a resident by the scruff of the neck to fill the position.”

Both Sullivan and Cembrinski said they would support term limits on board members.

“Board members could become stale,” Sullivan said. “It’s good to have fresh ideas.”

One topic all three candidates had no problem agreeing on was the possibility of eliminating physical education classes in favor of a study hall or elective class for students in season with after school sports.

“I certainly support it,” Sullivan said. “I think it’s ridiculous kids spend 10 hours a week on a soccer field and still need to have physical education class. I’d make a case for it.”

“The kids today seem to be drinking from a firehouse,” said Cembrinski, who’s oldest two children played four high school sports between them. “They’re over-exercised and overworked. The hours they spend on the field should earn them enough credit to be exempt from gym class.”

Both Sullivan and Cembrinksi attended the regional district’s most recent meeting, speaking as audience members, when superintendent Mackey Pendergrast’s contract extension was approved despite much public opposition.

A question at Wednesday night’s forum was raised about the transparency of that meeting’s agenda, and all three candidates weighed in strongly. It was also noted Lakritz was unable to attend the regional meeting because of his own local school district duties.

“On the K-8 board we make sure the agendas are out by Friday afternoon,” Lakritz said. “This gives board members time to go over the agenda, ask questions to the administration and be prepared for the meeting. I would recommend the regional district do the same thing.”

Cembrinski noted the entire process was pushed too quickly.

“The (contract extension) was a rush to decision that wasn’t properly communicated,” he said. “There needs to be more transparency.”

Sullivan took umbrage with the process more than anything else.

“The board of education didn’t follow the proper timeline,” he said. “The process was not followed. With an automatic-renewal clause at the end of this three-year contract – which Pendergrast is only 18 months into – why the rush?”

There are three seats up for election on the regional school board this year. One in Chester Township, another in Mendham Borough, where incumbent Jacke Schram is being opposed by challenger Brian Cavanaugh, and one in Washington Township, where Lisa Woodring is running unopposed.

The election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 5. Local polling locations are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.


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