No Decisions Yet On How to Use State Aid

The Matawan Aberdeen Regional School District Board of Education is taking time to evaluate needs within the district before deciding where, when or how to use the in state aid awarded to the district in early July.

Superintendent David Healy said that the board will meet with administrators and he plans to present a revised budget at the August 22 regular action meeting of the Board of Education. If the budget is approved by the board at the meeting, it would then have to be approved by the Monmouth County Department of Education.

School districts have the option to use the money for tax relief or to revise the 2011-12 budget. A certain percentage of the money can also be carried into the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years and applied to the school budget or used for tax relief.

Board of Education Business Administrator James Strimple said at the board's regular action meeting on Monday, July 25 that it would be a poor choice for the district to rush into spending the money.

"I think it is appropriate that the board directs the administration to look at the school district, determine what the needs are and balance that against providing, if possible, relief to the tax payers (next year)." Strimple said. 

He also encouraged the board to use the money for one time expenditures versus repeated expenditures, like hiring new employees.

"There is no guarantee that you are going to receive these additional funds again," Strimple warned.

Healy said at the meeting that he hopes to use the money for technology and literacy programs within the district.

With the additional $584,217 appropriation from the state, the increase from the 2010-11 school year has doubled. In total, the district will now receive $11,235,493 in state aid over the 2011-12 school year.