Spending wisely?

Middlesex Borough homeowners’ blood typically starts boiling in August when new property tax bills are in the mailbox. This year, local taxpayers are already annoyed, engaging in their own version of March Madness.

A series of educational decisions and struggles in recent months have seemingly spilled over, fueling added questioning of various school district expenditures.

A popular Hazelwood School principal was reassigned. Local teachers have been working nearly nine months under the terms of an expired contract. Horror stories surface related to unfilled staff positions.

It erupted in a big way at the Board of Education’s Wednesday, March 19 public meeting. Prior to a series of emotional public comments from teachers and parents, School Superintendent Dr. Roberta Freeman gave a presentation on the district’s proposed 2025-26 budget.

“Don’t think dollars and cents,” Freeman advised the board, about a budget that raises taxes by 2%. “We should think about our students. Because that’s our ‘why?’ “

The board majority voted to send the spending plan to Middlesex County for review, in advance of an April 24 public hearing. Not all members, however, bought into Freeman’s advice to forget about the numbers and only consider educational initiatives and improvement efforts.

Board members Shannon Quinn and Thomas Thornton voted ‘no,’ saying they wanted further cuts in the budget. “We’re spending money that we – the town – does not have,” said Thornton. “We can’t keep raising taxes. We have to do more with less and figure it out.”

Anyone with an ear to the ground in Middlesex realizes a growing number of tax-weary property owners are leaning towards Thornton’s way of thinking rather than Freeman’s.

One audience member early in the meeting – who identified herself as a borough teacher and property owner – told the board the newly proposed 2% tax hike is “insulting,” coming after a 4% school tax increase for the current academic year’s budget.

The community’s tax unrest has taken other forms. Various items for which public records can be obtained receive quiet scrutiny. One example is a $1,595 expense for 55 tickets to a Brooklyn Nets game last Nov. 3. Also under the microscope are the takeout meals consumed by board members and administrators in advance of their 6 p.m. meetings.

The group that attended the Nets game against the Detroit Pistons comprised students and families from the Community School, the Middlesex district’s before and after care program for K-7 students.

The Community School is participating in an NBA/WNBA-sponsored math fundamentals program, explained Freeman in a March 17 email. Parents paid for the tickets through their fees to the Community School, she said. No tax dollars were used.

While the Community School is currently self-sustaining, Freeman said that was not always the case.

“Prior to 2022, the district provided financial assistance because the program lacked the resources to operate independently,” Freeman wrote in her email. “At that time, children had access to fewer enrichment opportunities, and some funds were directed toward events that did not fully align with the program’s educational mission. Additionally, families were required to pay extra fees for certain activities and services, creating barriers for some children to participate fully.“

“Today, thanks to its independent structure, the Community School is able to provide high-quality, engaging, and developmentally enriching experiences without placing any financial burden on taxpayers,” Freeman added.

The NBA/WNBA Math Hoops program integrates basketball with fundamental math skills through a board game, digital platform, curriculum, and community experience. The purchase order for the Community School’s tickets notes that two students were to get a “meet and greet experience,” presumably with a Nets player or players.

The pre-meeting meals are allowed by state policy, Freeman noted. For the board’s Feb. 18 meeting, a $120 tab was incurred at L&D’s Sapore Ravioli on Lincoln Boulevard.

“Many board members come directly from work to fulfill their responsibilities, volunteering their time to serve the school community,” Freeman said in the email. “Providing a modest meal ensures they can fully engage in the meeting without the added challenge of coordinating a meal between work and their board duties.”

Those food purchases have raised eyebrows. At a recent meeting of the mayor and Borough Council, one municipal official privately offered an unsolicited comment about the school board’s takeout dinners.

The mayor, council members and their staff, do not get taxpayer-funded sandwiches before their meetings, that official assured Inside – Middlesex.

The state regulation mentioned by Freeman reads that meals can be served when it’s “impractical” for a board member to stop home from work, or if a staff member remains at school after the academic day.

The policy states that the district’s food service provider should be used if it can provide meeting night meals at a lower cost. It adds that the average cost per meal should not exceed $10.

The policy’s $10 pricing provision was largely ignored in the Feb. 18 Sapore order. It included: The Dom ($15.49), two Not So Chicken Littles (total $30.98), Turkey and Cheese ($14.99), Roast Beef and Cheese ($15.49).

“Meals should be carefully ordered to avoid excess,” the policy reads. “Unintended leftover food should be donated to a charitable shelter or similar facility, if at all possible.“

“In accordance with New Jersey regulations, the district may provide light meals,” Freeman said in the email. “This is a thoughtful and measured practice, conducted within state guidelines, to support those who selflessly dedicate their time to the success of our schools.”

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