Board of Education member says Brick Township School District spending is not out of control

And so it begins. Recent letters to the editor by residents of Brick Township would have you believe that spending by the Brick Township School District is out of control. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Board of Education recently approved administrative contracts for the next three years with increases that were both fair and prudent, yet those who recently had letters published would have you believe that the increases were exorbitant. The Brick Township School District has for many years been the lowest in administrative cost per pupil for similar sized districts in New Jersey and one of the lowest of all districts. This year when the state of New Jersey publishes the Comparative Spending Guide we will be there at the bottom of spending on administrators again. How can the district pay the supposedly exorbitant contracts and still be ranked as the most frugal in the state? Maybe someone is misleading the public. Last year the Township Council hired an independent accountant to review the budget. He commented that the school district’s spending on administration was one of the lowest in the state. He further went on to comment that the district was not hiding administrative costs based on the fact that spending in all categories were among the lowest in the state. Maybe those who say that the administrative spending is out of control have been misled or are trying to mislead the public. The facts do not support their statements.

Another letter states that the district administrators and particularly [Superintendent of Schools] Dr. [Thomas] Seidenberger are trying to “divide and conquer” the voters of Brick. This writer is the one who would pit the parents against the senior citizens in an attempt to defeat the budget. Dr. Seidenberger has outlined an ambitious schedule of public meetings in an attempt to get public input as to where the school district should go. Is a quality education for the children of Brick a priority worth paying for? Is there more to an education than classwork and books? Does the character building accomplished by co-curricular activities justify spending money or should we limit these programs only to those who can afford to pay extra for them privately? I would suggest that the Brick Township School District is the most cost-efficient educational program in the area, a fact also supported by the New Jersey State Comparative Spend Guide on a yearly basis. Spending less will only hurt the students of Brick be it through overcrowded classrooms, lack of sufficient up-to-date books, or lack of maintenance on facilities. The last few budgets were defeated, this year we are starting to feel the pinch of lack of funds. Does it need to get worse before the voters of Brick decide education is worth paying for?

I am the first to state that the method of paying for public education in New Jersey needs a complete overhaul. Even though the state Legislature approved a constitutional convention, it tied the hands of the members by only allowing them to address revenues while state spending continues to run amuck. Even if this body does create a workable solution, the repair is years away. Brick needs to address its school budget this year. I will, along with other members of the board and administration, try to attempt to create a budget that continues to spend the taxpayers’ money in the same frugal manner that has yearly put Brick on the bottom of the Comparative Spending Guide, while providing sufficient funds to pay for the needs of the district. Neither the state nor the federal government can be forced to pay their fair share of the burden; we can only ask the voters of Brick to open their hearts and wallets to meet these needs.

William P. Boyan

Brick Township Board

of Education member