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Parents press board on cuts and raises; board defends reallocation and transportation hire
Summary
At the Little Egg Harbor Township Board of Education meeting, parents raised concerns about program cuts, alleged facility mismanagement and a proposed sizable raise; board members defended staffing decisions and approved finance, facilities and personnel packages including a transportation supervisor position.
Parents and former staff used the public-comment period to press the Little Egg Harbor Township Board of Education for transparency over budget cuts and a reported large raise for a single employee.
Tiffany Middle Acced, speaking as a former paraprofessional, said paraprofessionals were being reduced to part‑time to avoid benefit costs while a single employee was being considered for a near‑$10,000 raise. She also alleged poor facilities management, saying phone equipment was stored in a building with a known roof leak that damaged about 300 devices and that mold problems at Frog Pond had been handled by painting over ceiling tiles rather than replacing them.
The superintendent acknowledged facility preparation work but did not directly rebut each specific allegation during the public report; custodial and maintenance staff were later praised for preparing buildings for the school year. The board discussed where the money was coming from and explained that administrative savings from newly created positions that do not offer benefits freed funds to reallocate to other priorities.
Separately, board members debated a proposed transportation supervisor salary. Administrators said the county average for transportation supervisors is about $75,000; the district’s proposal was presented as roughly $65,000 — about $10,000 below county average — and was approved with board members saying the salary must be competitive to recruit and retain qualified candidates.
Why it matters: Public speakers framed the debate as one of priorities — community programs and paraprofessional support versus higher pay for selected positions. The board’s explanation that reallocating savings enabled program restorations may reduce short‑term conflict but leaves some questions about facility remediation and the equity of staffing choices.
Votes and procedural outcomes: Board roll calls approved packaged finance items A–F, facilities A–C, business-administrator items A–N, personnel A–H and superintendent non-personnel A–K. Several items recorded abstentions or specific notations on certain listings; board members indicated they will provide more detail on transportation plans at the next meeting.
What happens next: Administrators will post the reinstated positions and present hiring recommendations to the board; Dr. Antunes is expected to bring a transportation plan to a future meeting.
