Board of Ed. narrowly introduces school budget
Board members remain critical despite passing vote
BY COLLEEN LUTOLF
Staff Writer

BRICK - The votes have changed, but the numbers remained the same.

In a 3-2 vote, the Brick Board of Education squeaked through introduction of a tentative $129,041,426 school budget for the 2006-07 school year at an emergency board meeting March 21.

The board failed to introduce the budget after a 3-3 deadlock vote on March 14, placing the district in violation of a state mandate that requires school districts to submit budgets to county superintendents by that date.

Although budget numbers had not changed since the March 14 meeting, one board member, Catherine Lindenbaum, who had previously voted in favor of introducing the budget, voted against its introduction March 21.

"Last time I voted on passing it," she said. "I'm still unhappy with the budget. I wish we could've tweaked it."

The tentative budget calls for a 13.7-cent increase per $100 of assessed value and a reduction in 46 staff positions.

Board member Daniel Woska joined Lindenbaum in voting against the budget's introduction. Both members' seats are up for re-election April 18.

Board member John Paredes was absent.

Board President Sharon Kight was present but sat in the audience. She is fulfilling a 60-day suspension as directed by the state education commissioner.

Acting Board President Frank Pannucci Sr. and board members John Talty and Daniel Rosa voted in favor of introduction, although all three members said they disagreed with the figures presented March 14.

"There are a list of items in this budget that cause concern," Talty said at the start of the emergency meeting.

He also questioned allocations made to several line items regarding transportation and disassociated the business and finance committee, of which he is chairman, with the budget numbers initially presented March 7.

"This wasn't supposed to happen tonight," Pannucci said of the ongoing budget discussion. "All questions should be answered Thursday night."

Both Talty and Rosa were critical of Schools Superintendent Thomas L. Seidenberger and Business Administrator Nicholas Puleio taking March 16, 17 and 20, as days off, after the budget had failed to pass March 14.

Seidenberger said he was available through his cell phone.

"I don't do business on cell phones," Rosa said. "Maybe that's the way you do business in Peaburg. That's not how we do business in here."

The comment prompted one audience member to shout, "Nice of you to be nasty!"

Seidenberger answered questions about his extended weekend before the meeting.

He said he planned his vacation days earlier in the year.

"We did our work," Seidenberger said. "Our work has been done. I'm a year-round employee. No one calls me and thanks me when I'm here until 8 o'clock at night. Nobody thanked me when I came in on Martin Luther King Day. If they don't like it, they can renegotiate the terms of the contract. I've never heard of anything like it. After I worked two months on a budget, I deserve a day off."

After commenting on the administrators' time off, Rosa asked why Puleio budgeted almost $37,000 more for school elections in 2006-07 than he did last year.

He accused administrators of trying to "mislead" the public.

Puleio said school elections were underbudgeted in the past.

"I'm not trying to mislead the public," Puleio responded. "I don't think I've ever misled anybody."

"There are some tough decisions you have to make that are acceptable to the board and to the community," he said. "...If the board says reduce the budget by half a million, we'll go back and make that reduction. This is a difficult, difficult year for every school district in this state. There is no intention to mislead anyone."

Before voting, resident Brenda Calderone called it "absolutely absurd" that the board was considering allocating $128,000 for two new sports programs in the high school when 46 staff positions, including 16 certified teaching positions, were on the district chopping block.

Rosa, again, said the numbers presented by school administrators were misleading.

"This is fodder for Thursday night's meeting," Pannucci urged again. "All I want to do is get a tentative budget passed."

Timothy Puglisi, president of the local teachers union, suggested the board make decisions that "do not affect people or children."

"We have to get through this process then decide what needs to be adjusted," he said.

After the 3-2 vote, Puglisi said he wanted to reserve comment regarding the 46 possible job cuts until after budget discussions.

"It's too soon to make a comment," he said. "We need to get to the next step."