Politics & Government

The Chathamite's Guide to Election Day

What you should know before heading to the polls.

Chatham residents can make their voices heard Wednesday at the polls, when they vote on the new school budget and choose four Board of Education candidates, two in the borough and two in the township. Before you head out to vote, here are some things you need to know:

When and Where Can I Vote?

Polls open at 2 p.m. and close at 9 p.m. Township residents vote at and borough residents vote at .

Find out what's happening in Chathamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

What Am I Voting On?

The district has proposed a $56 million budget up for approval Wednesday, and two seats from each municipality are up for election.

Find out what's happening in Chathamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Tell Me About the Budget

The proposed 2011-2012 school budget totals $56,629,655, with $52,791,296 coming from the local tax levy. It also includes an educational job grant of $99,113 and , or $517,006 (minus a debt service charge of $81,822) more than the district received in 2010.

The budget also includes an additional five new positions to the district, lowering the activities fee at Chatham High School from $150 to $100, adding AP World History at Chatham High, adding Chinese II at Chatham Middle School and Chatham High School, and creating a partnership with Rutgers University for dual enrollment at both CHS and Rutgers for advanced science classes.

The budget also includes $1,618,255 for new classroom construction at Chatham High and another $400,000 for construction and paving an expansion for the high school parking lot.

The district was allowed several exemptions to the two percent tax cap due to growing enrollment and the increases in health care costs. These exemptions allow the board to pass a tax levy that is 3.7 percent over the 2010 levy. The current budget includes an increase of 2.4 percent to the tax levy and a 3.1 percent increase over the complete budget, after federal and state grants and the repayment of debts are taken into account. The attached PDF includes more detailed information about the proposed budget.

A home assessed at $700,000 in Chatham Borough will see their taxes increase by $81 this year, and a township home of the same value will see their taxes rise by $193.

Who Can I Vote For?

Two seats for three-year terms representing Chatham Borough are open on the Board of Education, and four candidates are running: , and .

Two people, and , are running to represent Chatham Township for one available three-year seat. is running unopposed for a one-year seat on the board.

All candidates participated in on April 21, and each spoke to Patch about their backgrounds and concerns for the district.

Those candidates who garner the most votes will be seated with the rest of the board at the reorganization meeting on May 4.

What Are Some of the Controversial Issues?

The proposed parking lot expansion at Chatham High School has spurred comment at board meetings and at the candidate’s forum on April 21.

Residents say that the loss of green space adjacent to the cafeteria could be irretrievable, and that laying asphault so close to where food for four Chatham schools is prepared could be hazardous. They recommend that students park at the overflow lot at Colony Pool or carpool, walk or bike to school.

Students said that they are uncapable of carpooling with more than one passenger because of Kyleigh’s Law, and with Chatham students balancing so many clubs, sports and jobs after school it is difficult to find teens with compatible schedules and destinations.

Superintendent Jim O’Neill and several board members also said that the line item for the parking lot is included so that the board has the option of putting the lot in, but it is not required. If the construction of the four new classrooms costs more than the budgeted $1,618,255, any portion of the parking lot money would go to make up the difference.

The lot would require extensive civil engineering, which, Board President Steve Barna said, is why the amount allotted for it is so high. If bids for the new classrooms exceed the $1.618 million, money from the parking lot would be diverted to pay for the classrooms. The district is not required to expand a parking lot because the money is in the budget, but without putting it as an item in the budget, they would lose the option to expand the lot at all.

The current lot has 253 spaces, 96 of which would be available for student parking. The district predicts 303 seniors next year.


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