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Residents urge Cranford committee to extend Birchwood pilot payments to avoid school cuts
Summary
Public commenters told the Township Committee that discontinuing Birchwood pilot funding, which currently provides about $500,000 in shared payments, would force the Board of Education to cut staff and programs. Committee members said they have met with the Board and are discussing options but made no commitment at the meeting.
At the Township Committee meeting on March 25, public commenters urged the committee to extend the Birchwood pilot funding arrangement with the Cranford Board of Education, warning that discontinuing the payments would force the school district to cut staff and programs.
Lisa Carbone, a former member of the Cranford Board of Education, said the five-year pilot agreement was intended to offset costs associated with school-age students from the Birchwood development and that the agreement had been budgeted into the board’s planning. Carbone said the final pilot agreement had been five years at a 55% share to the school and that there was no expectation among board members that the funding would be discontinued at the end of the five-year term.
"Without the funds the board of education would be faced with an impossible situation," Carbone said, telling the committee the school had incorporated the pilot funds into its budget and that losing roughly $500,000 would require "cutting at least 6 full time teachers, along with reducing in programming and services that directly affect our students."
Rich Hurley, a 25-year teacher in Cranford and former president of the Cranford Education Association, told the committee he had no doubt losing "that $500,000 or so" would lead to layoffs and have a negative effect on students and the community.
Mayor Terrence Curran said the committee has met with representatives of the Board of Education and that officials understand the board’s predicament. He said committee members have discussed the matter among themselves and with the board and expect to "come to a satisfactory agreement for everybody," but no formal decision was made during the meeting.
Commissioner Mila Prunty said the committee had met with the board and had discussed the issue in closed session earlier that evening; she reaffirmed that committee members value the schools and will continue conversations. Commissioner Brian Andrews and Commissioner Gina Black also acknowledged the importance of maintaining school funding and said they would work with the board to find a solution.
Clarifying details provided during public comment included that about 40 to 50 students from Birchwood are enrolled in Cranford Public Schools, that the pilot funding share to the schools was 55%, and that the amount at issue was described by speakers as "approximately $500,000." No formal motion or vote regarding the pilot agreement occurred at the meeting.
Ending: Committee members said they would continue discussions with the Board of Education and explore options to avoid sudden program cuts; no specific action or ordinance to extend the pilot was introduced at the March 25 meeting.
