Head to the polls Tuesday
By ROBERT LINNEHAN
The Cherry Hill Sun
4/18/2010

Cherry Hill residents will decide the fate of the school district’s 2010-11 proposed budget during the Board of Education elections on Tuesday, April 20, from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Three seats on the Board of Education will also expire, but only three candidates applied to run for the positions.

The $166.76 million budget will feature an increase in the tax levy by 4 percent and an increase in the tax rate by 9-cents. The average assessed home in Cherry Hill can expect an increase in its tax bill by about $122 next year, Business Administrator Jim Devereaux said.

The budget passed by a vote of 8-1, with Board Member Kenneth Hartman casting the only vote against the budget. Board Member Eric Goodwin and President Lisa Conn cast their votes via Skype, as they were not able to attend the meeting in person.

The District took advantage of a mandate passed by the state last week that would require employees with undecided contracts to contribute 1.5 percent of their salaries to cover their health benefits.

That measure – coupled with further reductions in the estimated ’09-10 teacher salary increases – gave the district more than $820,000 to reinsert back into the 2010-2011 budget or use as tax relief.

The Board voted to use all $820,000 in funds to reinstate eight elementary Spanish teachers, four high school English teachers – which saves the high school English seminar program – and the Mt. Misery program. More than $270,000 was also dedicated for capital projects within the district for ’10-11.

A part-time nurse was also reinstated.

The decades old Mt. Misery program was pulled off of the chopping block at the last minute for the second straight year in a row.

Two new Board of Education members will be elected to the Board this year as well. Three three-year seats are expiring and only one incumbent – Board Member Steve Robbins – applied to run again. Board President Lisa Conn and Board Member Kenneth Hartman chose to not file for reelection.

Residents Sherrie Cohen and Lynette Howard were the only two other candidates to file to run for the open seats.

The Board of Education Elections will be held on Tuesday, April 20 from 2 to 9 p.m.

For a complete list of voting district and more information on the ’10-11 budget, please visit the Cherry Hill School District Web site at Cherryhill.k12.nj.us.