[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6625657,"mediaKeyId","2756547-bd4d04c6722c7264cab035bfd7580ccf","parentId",2756547,"title","Parents and mayor press board on field access, safety; security staff report describes 28 armed retired-officer guards","audioSeconds",1197,"startMs",6217000,"endMs",7414000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2756547-bd4d04c6722c7264cab035bfd7580ccf&start=6217&end=7414","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2756547-bd4d04c6722c7264cab035bfd7580ccf/thumbnail_6217000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6625657/New-Jersey/Parents-and-mayor-press-board-on-field-access-safety-security-staff-report-describes-28-armed-retired-officer-guards","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6625657-006f07cba7b1736d239eb276c7fcaa74/orig.mp4?Expires=1770693680&Signature=drAPgL0nutXzVBy~O1-KOOaRzioiOdM7725sFujQvJpCLKFVSZ8gUzQTtxjaLKAIn7kfFTU~~bvp9gOP220BZl81o1lB8OrjCsNgkxxHx5D-2zLutNVrj06hbshBTodmFzMwMRP6emHVpLnKEB4gH9w18SR297MoZvTXcuZh73WhGsKWc4Z2LBpDd8RWOx~j9POynGM6UZtYIYr6lBkX020GfsiEt31CW8dGNYKtjM5tZTscDxDMl0JJBmPodCcwGwq6QFB6CIHL80HFQdK5MZfmre7DzuVsFBNc2382mc0Xb-bFFagTVqNzXjrQjvKcGafYJNzgxE~cmjpNtoWglQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Garfield Public School District","date","2025-03-25T03:13:36.157Z","article","Residents and the mayor used the March 24 Garfield Public School District meeting to press the board about public access to the new athletic complex, parking and safety. Board and staff updates documented ongoing facilities work and security measures.

Safety and access concerns: Several residents and Mayor Everett Garnto Jr. told the board that an outside club has been using district fields heavily and that residents are not getting promised access to walk the complex. \"This is an entity that came from South Jersey ... they're charging astronomic prices ... and it's not even Garfield kids,\" Mayor Garnto said during public comment. Multiple speakers urged the board to reopen portions of the complex to city residents and to address a recent traffic/parking pattern they called hazardous for students.

Security staffing and training: Garfield’s security leadership briefed the board on daily operations and personnel. Glenn Matty, a district safety specialist, and a colleague reported the district’s security staff currently includes 28 armed retired-law-enforcement officers, one unarmed staffer, five part-time staff and two evening staff. They listed training in retired police officer (RPO) certification, active‑shooter response, CPR, Stop the Bleed, behavioral threat assessment and visitor-management systems. The staff said they are transitioning to a cloud-based camera system and replacing analog radios with digital communications.

Facility projects and park ranger role: Facilities updates at the meeting said vendors are secured for gym improvements, a batting tunnel and a backstop extension; the agenda included financing for athletic-complex lighting that would be covered through the approved budget. The administration said a park‑ranger position has been hired to be the complex’s on-site monitor; the superintendent described the ranger role as an unarmed set of eyes to help make daytime and evening public access safer when the district opens portions of the facility.

Board and administration response: The superintendent urged cooperation with the mayor and council on shared services and said he would press for short-term measures while longer shared-service or site-work solutions are developed. The facilities director said the district is filing paperwork with the Schools Development Authority for an additional roughly $1 million in capital funding to prioritize maintenance and upgrades.

Next steps: The board approved facilities agenda items on March 24 for routine work orders and contract actions; administration representatives said they will prioritize short‑term traffic and parking solutions and provide updates on the athletic complex’s public‑access plan once the park‑ranger onboarding and safety protocols are complete.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","GBOE Live Board Meeting March 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Public commenters raised concerns about parking, access and a third-party group using district athletic fields; the district’s security staff described training, staffing and plans for cloud cameras and a park ranger to manage the new athletic complex.","taxTitle","Garfield Public School District, School Districts, New Jersey","taxId",68130,"location","New Jersey","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6625660,"Public and some board members raise procurement questions after Garfield OKs IT contract",4614,7537000,12151000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2756547-bd4d04c6722c7264cab035bfd7580ccf&start=7537&end=12151","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2756547-bd4d04c6722c7264cab035bfd7580ccf/thumbnail_7537000.jpg","/articles/6625660/New-Jersey/Public-and-some-board-members-raise-procurement-questions-after-Garfield-OKs-IT-contract","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6625660-754c27fa229111a1eb37daea09f261d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770693680&Signature=O13sqZtGKNKadofJultozzBKABFKPVHR-u-othFnttlxWfFOaXZeJkE6lB7VKQPVB3OKM8zDMufuJjP6ez4UZQiJ7JmqvmD369XcYnwVHBvunYle14CGwQzEUBYYjve3qL~UEgrjZmcOMbIO88y1AD~VLiS~35S7jRRbRo4rRf59ekR1ADuk7Oy9GTZ7PxGPqWEN8XfL2vNJ-GxjQqENyz2dFxN~Dqi5Jj~5oBPSyavcj6n~5RFFbvdFyrUQSTmcUP9~nySVCL1Bt06skTCDyJ7cAnxgPBBnuF-XtENyrtHNbzlXdfRvF6SJ3UWLjPUhjZ9A9gEV3v-ufJyHqJMEtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Garfield Public School District’s March 24 meeting, the board approved a technology services contract that drew public scrutiny and a subsequent board request to change a previously recorded vote.

What was approved: The finance agenda included an item to contract with MindsEye Technologies LLC for part of the district’s IT infrastructure work. The board voted in favor during the finance section of the agenda. Later in the meeting a board member asked to change his recorded vote on that item to an abstention and the board processed that request by roll call.

Why people asked questions: During public comment Marlena Zawatska said she could not locate the company listed in the board packet and reported that online listings showed the vendor as temporarily closed. She also asked whether there was a political tie between the vendor and a named local candidate. The superintendent responded that MindsEye had performed emergency work earlier this school year and that the contract was processed through a cooperative public procurement offered by the New Jersey School Boards Association, not as a single bid solicited directly by Garfield.

Administration response: Dr. Tomko said the district used a cooperative purchasing vehicle to select the vendor and that cooperative awards follow state procurement law. \"It was also through a New Jersey School Board Association cooperative bid,\" he said during the meeting, explaining that co-ops issue and evaluate bids on behalf of participating districts. He also said he would provide cooperative documentation on request.

Board action and oversight: After public questions and internal discussion, board member Mister Focarino asked to change his earlier vote on the MindsEye item to an abstention; the board required and completed a formal motion and roll-call procedure to record that change. The administration said it will provide cooperative-bid documentation and the procurement record for public review.

What remains unresolved: Members of the public asked for copies of procurement documents and confirmation of vendor capacity and ownership. The superintendent said he would provide the procurement documentation and reiterated that the cooperative procedure is standard for districts wanting to avoid duplicative solicitations.

Speakers who raised concerns included public commenters and several board members; the board moved to provide added documentation in response to the questions raised.","A cooperative bid award for IT infrastructure and related services prompted public questions about the vendor and a late vote change by a board member; the administration said the award was through a New Jersey school‑board cooperative and will be publicly documented.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6625665,"Garfield board adopts 2025–26 budget, raises tax levy 4.5% to add 20 teachers for Title 6A compliance",2552,362000,2914000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2756547-bd4d04c6722c7264cab035bfd7580ccf&start=362&end=2914","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2756547-bd4d04c6722c7264cab035bfd7580ccf/thumbnail_362000.jpg","/articles/6625665/New-Jersey/Garfield-board-adopts-202526-budget-raises-tax-levy-45-to-add-20-teachers-for-Title-6A-compliance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6625665-202bace5c25cbc067d142425c84b9297/orig.mp4?Expires=1770693680&Signature=oj1L2XGj3TbsH9~QcLXdG6LPCb1CvECk1PAcIGenUivpGJQJmLd38IhWgTxWCohdCBkZiB0sEEs3raC1~kImIO0MavTZ2V~lpAhJLekQ4vZud4bjIu06tM06rk1UCPlphc55vBI2eKhnK2P-rPhM5rjGUa4-XRM7MxUhG5woKN~FIxXv3VRM5xF-IH5JCq2qmnzaMIB6EcYKj9aSHKwULs20C477LTGOlKAnXlgx~tvRr1Km-HorcxnJrF7ItwH5SaZgoJ3-3Z7pcLkwjwUM3PlizEMq5OtQfG6lJpINkDGvNsRDs8JEGtlzzrrOl9Mg8tPsp818wV7nd2uqIoEBSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Garfield Public School District Board of Education voted to adopt the 2025–26 tentative budget on March 24, approving a 4.5% increase in the district tax levy after the state awarded roughly $4.6 million in additional aid.

Superintendent Dr. Tomko presented the budget and said the district will add 20 new instructional positions to correct longstanding class-size and certification shortfalls under New Jersey Department of Education rules in Title 6A. \"We're going to add 20 new instructional positions ... to the district so that we stay in compliance,\" he told the board.

Why it matters: The funding move is intended to bring Garfield into compliance with class-size and program requirements for former SDA (Abbott) districts. Dr. Tomko said the district has likely been out of compliance for about 15 years and that hiring will reduce individual classroom enrollments and relieve pressure on teachers.

Key facts and figures: The superintendent said the district’s preliminary tax impact had been 5.5% but that staff and the board trimmed line items to lower the levy to 4.5%. The board’s presentation lists the district’s average assessed home value at $285,000 and a monthly tax impact of about $18.50 for that average home. Dr. Tomko attributed most of the $4.6 million increase in state aid to contractual obligations and rising benefits costs: roughly $2.1 million for salaries and $2.2 million for health-care costs. He also outlined additional budget pressures including charter-school tuition and unpredictable special-education tuition demand.

What the board approved: Board member Mister Focarino moved the motion to adopt the budget; Mister Maleo seconded. On a roll call vote the motion passed, with the minutes recording votes in favor from several board members and at least one recorded dissent. The superintendent said the budget will enable hiring, program expansion in areas such as CTE and JROTC, and planned infrastructure work that the Schools Development Authority and cooperative purchasing will help fund.

Public response at the meeting focused on affordability and transparency. Several residents said they appreciated the goal of smaller classes but questioned noninstructional costs and asked for clearer line-item explanations. Arlene Patiri, a resident, asked whether the district was \"top heavy\" with nonteaching stipends; Alexandra Zampekala pressed the board on charter-school spending; Mayor Everett Garnto Jr. asked why some expense increases were not budgeted earlier.

Implementation and next steps: The superintendent said hiring is already in motion — the budget includes openings for kindergarten teachers, preschool teachers, chemistry instructors, LDTCs, social workers and behaviorists — and that the district will begin summer recruitment and use a five‑year lease plan to spread IT infrastructure costs. He also said Garfield remains, by the state's calculation, millions under an adequacy figure the state uses to measure funding gaps — a projection he said makes long-term budgeting uncertain.

Votes at a glance:
- 2025–26 tentative budget (agenda item 5.1): motion by Mister Focarino, seconded by Mister Maleo; roll call vote recorded as approved on March 24. (Full roll-call names and each recorded vote are in the meeting minutes.)

The board president closed the meeting after committee reports and other agenda business; the superintendent said the administration will post budget line-item details and rationales to the district website and answer written public questions submitted after the meeting.

Speakers quoted in this story spoke during the Garfield Public School District meeting on March 24, 2025.","The Garfield Public School District board approved a $37 million-plus budget that relies on a $4.6 million state aid increase and a 4.5% tax levy to add 20 instructional positions and reduce class sizes to meet Title 6A regulations.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Parents and mayor press board on field access, safety; security staff report describes 28 armed retired-officer guards

Public and some board members raise procurement questions after Garfield OKs IT contract

Garfield board adopts 2025–26 budget, raises tax levy 4.5% to add 20 teachers for Title 6A compliance