With all the controversies swirling over Montclair BOE's budget, asbestosgate, field improvements, and new school construction, a little transparency might go a long way with residents, and the new guard in charge. Councilman Cary Africk says he wants BOE meetings moved to town council chambers at 205 Claremont Avenue, where the public meetings could be televised.
Africk also recommended broadcasting high school sports on local channel TV34.
Africk, who proposed the plan recently, says he's received positive feedback from Superintendent Alvarez and board members.
In Bloomfield, BOE meetings have been videotaped for a while now - just check this out to see how they're dancing around the issues.
And while many residents have been questioning the chain of accountability and "who's on first" at the BOE, Africk wrote up this school board primer:
"The Superintendent reports up to the Board of Education. They negotiate the employment contract and they have the ability to hire and fire. The Town Council appoints the Board, but is not involved at all in hiring the Superintendent, or any other administrator or staff member.
The Board of Education has an independent reporting structure involving County Superintendents up to the State Department of Education. The Town Council is not in that path at all.
The Council's involvement is financial. The Town Council has three members on the Board of School Estimate, and the Board of Education has two members, and it is that group, the Board of School Estimate, that must approve a school budget."
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Comments (14)
Hey Annette, where'd this story come from?
Surely Baristanet did not get it without help from "real", clothed journalist stalking the streets of Montclair.
(Or perhaps you guys happily where your jammies in public?)
I think we've added a new term to the vernacular: pajama journalism.
Ha Ha Ha, we'll never live this down!
And where you wear your jammies is your choice....
Where=wear
Nice going, Cary.
Agreed. Kudos to Cary. Now please try to follow it up with a reasonable tax increase next year. ;)
Good move to relocate and televise the meetings..I look forward to attending.
With a BOE organization/decision making structure like that, it seems like taxpayers have the weak hand here...which is I guess why we got a 7.4% tax increase this year.
With the district losing students, the economy tanking and construction costs rising, re-evaluating or postponing the new $35MM+ school is in order. The BOE should propose some serious cuts to deliver a reduced budget next year.
Let the games begin!
Councilman Cary Africk says he wants BOE meetings moved to town council chambers at 205 Claremont Avenue, where the public meetings could be televised.
Yes Councilman Africk we televise the BOE meetings and all the games you want. But that stuff is small crumbs and you know it. How about taking on something really important? What we really need you and the council to do is to convene a "Manhattan Project" type effort to reduce taxes. Will you commit your term to this issue and take the lead? It's the issue that trumps everything else. Throwing our hands up in the air and passing tax increases year after year is not a plan. It is mutually assured destruction.
Chicken,
The school is under way. We will do what we can to make sure costs are scrutinized, but the spending was approved years ago.
Grace,
Taxes and responsibe fiscal management are #1 for me!!
Mr. Africk..I believe you are very smart and will do well on the council. But the tax situation needs more than declarations that you are fiscal responible. As I said, the focus of the council MUST be taxes. A full court press. An anti-tax project must begin right away. You would be the perfect chair of this group. What we need is leadership.
I will propose changes but I need the community's support! We can't maintain the status quo. Different ways of doing things, as well as cuts will b e necessary! But we can't cut taxes and at the same time ask for "more"
You'll see the support in 4 years when you run for mayor Cary. Or you can be like your predecessors who were willing to say yes to every project and variance requested.
It is not easy to make tough decisions. The potential privatization of the garbage collection is a perfect example. Although it's a slam dunk that privatization will help keep our taxes in check, (and perhaps improve our service) it will not be easy to layoff the workers who undoubtedly will increase their protests and will most likely get union leaders involved. Fortunately, the choice is theirs to come up with an alternative. Perhaps end Saturday Summer pickup or figure out how to be more efficient. That's what we do in the private sector.
I too think Carey Africk would be a good Mayor in 4 years (and I didn't vote for him) That is why he needs to get out in front of the tax issue NOW. He is the only smart non-egomaniac on the council. I hope he will step up to the challenge.