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A community member told the board, “Connie Baker created and submitted an organization chart to the interim superintendent… that recommended by name which district employees should be terminated, demoted, or promoted,” and called for Baker’s immediate resignation. The comment added that the chart had been circulated “unilaterally without board consultation and completely outside her authority as a school board member.”

Former employee Nazan Ambrose said the dispute has real consequences for staff. “I was fired. My life has been affected by this,” Ambrose said, describing lost employment and urging other employees to speak up about working conditions. Rob Scardio, WTEA vice president, praised district secretaries and warned against further cuts to those positions; other speakers described rising workloads, unfilled positions and a lack of consistent special-education staffing.

Board members and other participants disputed some contextual claims during the meeting. One speaker who identified herself as a board member said she and another board member had filed an ethics complaint and that the complaint process should be allowed to proceed. Another board member said board members are permitted to raise ethics complaints.

Several speakers criticized the board’s use of the “doctrine of necessity,” a governance practice invoked in recent meetings, and said it had been applied inconsistently. A public commenter said the doctrine had been “invoked” at prior meetings and questioned whether the board had the required unconflicted votes when it was used.

Teachers and union representatives described a district strained by staff shortages and program reductions. One teacher said kindergarten and preschool teachers were handling heavier workloads and that some special-education supports were missing through much of the year. A teacher who works with emotional-support students said consistency of staff is critical and asked trustees to “please educate yourself in what these programs are doing for the kids that are enrolled.”

Speakers urged greater transparency: requests included publishing committee minutes, using ParentSquare or other district communication tools for agenda notices, posting meeting minutes sooner, and holding a board retreat to build a multiyear plan. Resident James Masati urged “leadership, healing and kindness” and asked the board to find ways to bridge internal divisions.

Several speakers said they feared the district’s reputation and the effect on students if governance and staffing problems persist. Board members pointed to pending ethics procedures and said the board would allow the formal processes to proceed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Washington Township Public Schools Board of Education 4/14/25","oneSentenceSummary","Public commenters and employees accused a board member of submitting an organizational chart naming staff and urged her resignation after the interim superintendent resigned; multiple speakers raised ethics, transparency and personnel concerns and referenced the doctrine of necessity and pending ethics complaints.","taxTitle","Washington Township School District, School Districts, New Jersey","taxId",38343,"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},6272324,"Washington Township board agrees to file application seeking $5.29 million tax-levy increase amid budget shortfall",2121,8012000,10133000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3027925-8fcb24f48178fa457d4c5cfbfc9b1098&start=8012&end=10133","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3027925-8fcb24f48178fa457d4c5cfbfc9b1098/thumbnail_8012000.jpg","/articles/6272324/New-Jersey/Washington-Township-board-agrees-to-file-application-seeking-529-million-tax-levy-increase-amid-budget-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6272324-94f06aa94ac537a8d5def2c7f9da14b4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770417974&Signature=ILVtVvTRPyGGVhTjuzC19Yu6~uG9d8c4VuChOggmeij-u68Op1YSqmAasz6PQQfBWb8Xm3hGcjK1Gs14GhldKbgr6rmgkBa2PBPmxxsdpasZks8g88GItWAZDygUCjX7eNNfon1VpLZKvjq1kJ4QuZQk1kzpJdIOaODjeqpAKkgm0GKPiDe~vOAP-DPgl6g5hg3TdzMWTfKui1xKPHlOF7HGF8dMdbn16QKS0rDND9hEVxNOVnGiszJRqj-E1Yu8YqQb0ivVu5z5LZPyRAcWStzoB1h6hquQg47GkvhB2kGXE7mb08g9awxDCA6kRAa8QGDp7-igxTidYsEd2Y4QwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Washington Township Board of Education agreed to add scenarios to its tentative budget and to file an application with the state commissioner of education seeking a $5,292,000 increase in the district tax levy, a staff member told the board during the public meeting. State calculations showed the district could request as much as $10 million because the current budget was below the state adequacy threshold.

The resolution matters because any approved levy increase would raise local property taxes and could change which staffing cuts or program reductions the district pursues. The board and administrators framed the filing as an attempt to avoid deeper immediate reductions after committees ran multiple scenarios showing painful staffing cuts.

A staff member who spoke about the resolution said, “we were able to increase the tax levy approximately $10,000,000 million dollars” and added the board was “actually asking for a total increase of 5,292,000 and some change,” with the state offering about $252,000 in incentive aid to offset the increase.

Several residents said the budget process has been unclear and pressed for more itemized financial information. “How do you know where the money’s going if you don’t even have your audit yet?” resident Randy Ford asked, saying taxpayers deserved a line-by-line accounting of prior spending and the district audit.

Teachers, support staff and union representatives warned that cuts to intervention services, arts and other programs would harm students. A teacher who described herself as an interventionist said, “these programs are not luxuries… they are proven, high-impact tools that drive student achievement,” and urged the board not to reduce those services. Rob Scardio, vice president of the Washington Township Education Association, urged the board not to cut secretarial staff and described secretaries as carrying substantial added responsibilities.

Administrators described the procedural timeline: the district submitted a tentative budget to the county office in March; the county office was reviewing it; if approved it must be advertised and the public hearing was scheduled for April 29, the staff member said. The staff member also said auditors upload prior-year financial information by Jan. 1, and that audited figures feed into the budget software used to prepare the current budget.

Public speakers recommended alternatives to cuts, including pursuing grants and other revenue sources; some urged a board retreat to craft a longer-term plan that would avoid recurring, reactionary tax increases. Board members who opposed the size of the increase said they feared the request would worsen the district’s fiscal position next year if it did not accompany a multiyear plan.

The board’s public discussion ended with the staff member saying an application would be filed the night of the meeting. The board scheduled the required public hearing for April 29 and will carry forward the scenarios discussed at the meeting.","Board members agreed on scenarios to increase the district tax levy and staff said an application would be filed with the state commissioner the night of the meeting. The move follows a state calculation that allowed up to $10 million in additional levy and triggered public debate about program cuts, staffing and transparency.","actionData","errors"]

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Community accuses board member of overreach; ethics complaints, staff departures and calls for resignations dominate Washington Township meeting

Washington Township board agrees to file application seeking $5.29 million tax-levy increase amid budget shortfall