It'll Be All About Money Tonight at School Board, Borough Meetings

Municipal and school budgets will be hot topics tonight at borough and Board of Education meetings.

The Board of Education will likely adopt its 2010-11 budget tonight at a meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Township Hall. The board's Finance Committee met yesterday to discuss the budget, and a formal public hearing on the matter will be held March 29.

Superintendent Jim O'Neill said yesterday he did not want to discuss the budget's particulars before the meeting tonight. The district, however, will be forced to cope with an 86 percent reduction—$2.58 million—in its state aid next school year.

District officials had hoped to add 10 teachers district-wide next year, but O'Neill said last week that such a move could now prove difficult.

There will be a staff meeting Tuesday during which O'Neill will talk about the budget with faculty.

The public will have the opportunity to make comments about the budget during the public comment section of the meeting tonight. Residents will vote on the budget April 20.

Borough Financial Officer Tammie Kopin will also spend some time discussing her municipality's budget at a Borough Council meeting tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Borough Hall. The borough could lose 23.7 percent in state aid next year.

Officials plan to introduce the budget on April 12, advertise it by April 22 and adopt and implement it by a May 10 meeting.

The Council will also vote tonight on whether to approve proposed Business Improvement District that has been opposed by many Main Street business owners, as well as by the Chatham Area Chamber of Commerce and the BID's Advisory Committee. The council is likely to vote down the BID.