Mendham Boro Wants Flexibility In Feasibility Study

By a 3-2 vote the Mendham Borough Council approved a resolution Monday night to appropriate $10,000 to fund a feasibility study on the dissolution of the regional school district.

The measure, which was discussed at the last meeting but not voted on until Monday, had specific language designed to give the governing body options going forward. The council agreed to spend $10,000 if they:

• Get a commitment from at least two other communities that comprise the regional school district.
• Contribute no more than $10,000 for the study.
• Study a minimum of two options.
• Agree that the money spent is in the best interest of their taxpayers.

The two no votes were from John Andrus and Lou Garubo, who didn’t want to limit the borough’s flexibility.

“I just think if we have to go that route, we have to get the five towns. I’ve always thought the problem is not the school, it’s the money,” Garubo said. “You want to change the money then you go down to Trenton. I can’t see anyone arguing the education the kids get at this high school is substandard. If we have to go this route I expect all five towns to be on board. That is what I expect.”

Andrus said since the council agreed to set the money aside in the budget, there was no reason for any additional action.

“I don’t know why we have to commit to options. We said we agree with these options and are open to others. If other towns want to study three we should study three. If they want to study one, we should study one,” Andrus said. “What I am afraid is that people are going go out and speak for us and say Mendham Borough has supported these two options and use that as leverage and that is not fair to us.”

For his part, Mayor Neil Henry asked resident Brian Cavanaugh, who gave a presentation at the last council meeting, for an update on his efforts to secure additional funding.  

“Not much has changed since I was here two weeks ago. The only meeting I was aware of was the Mendham Township meeting. They are considering it. We have not yet approached any of the school districts directly,” Cavanaugh said. “We want to approach the governing bodies first because there may not be a need to approach the school district.”

The Chester Board of Education was approached last month, but made the decision not to fund the study. 

Councilmembers Brad Badal and Veronica Daly, who both voted yes, said they didn’t see a need to limit their options of study. 

“While I know what my preference would be because I don’t think we can limit it to just two. I think if we limit it to just two we will end up in a circle right back to where we were,” Badal said. “I think we need to get all five towns on board and I think we need to get all five towns on board with the study.”

Daly said she leaned towards Badal’s stance and took issue with dismissing study options because they weren’t preferable to Mendham Borough.

“I think it is disingenuous. But just because we don’t want it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t study it. Why didn’t we look at the mega K-12? Because we didn’t want it. But what if that was the one that once studied revealed more savings?” Daly said. “We’re not going to be unanimous with two options.”

Cavanaugh said Mendham Borough’s interests are diametrically opposed to that of Washington Township, so the chances of a unanimous agreement of five towns was unlikely.

“I don’t believe there is any reason to work with Washington Township on this,” Cavanaugh said. “We are trying to claw our money back from them.”