Schools

Cranford Passes School Budget By 350 Votes

An above average turnout of registered voters participated in this election.

Cranford voters approved the 2010-2011 Cranford School District budget calling for 48 staff reductions and tax hikes by about 350 votes on Tuesday.

The 2,593 yes and 2,240 no preliminary counts came with a higher than average voter turnout of 30 percent. School elections in Cranford usually see about a 12-16 percent turnout according to Board of Education Business Administrator Robert Carfagno. About 13 percent of registered voters participated in December's referendum decision.

"We're just relieved, thrilled that the voters came out and supported it," said Carfagno. "We were nervous. We knew if it passed it would be close."

Find out what's happening in Cranfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We are all most grateful to the residents of Cranford who value the quality education offered to the children of Cranford," said Superintendent Gayle Carrick.

Votes By District/Polling Place:

Find out what's happening in Cranfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Community Center
95 yes, 71 no

Walnut Avenue School
173 yes, 134 no

Municipal Center
248 yes 198 no

Livingston Avenue School
169 yes 139 no

Lincoln School
227 yes 190 no

Bloomingdale Avenue School
245 yes 225 no

Orange Avenue School
188 yes 160 no (district 9-18)
207 yes 144 no (district 20-28)

Livingston Avenue School
150 yes, 143 no

Hillside Avenue School
149 yes 131 no

Cranford High School
205 yes 168 no

Brookside Place School
170 yes 192 no (districts 17-19)
173 yes, 210 no (districts 22-24)

Walnut Avenue School
194 yes 135 no

These results do not take into account absentee ballots. Carfagno doesn't expect the final tallies to be much different, as Cranford school elections usually see no more than 80 absentee ballots.

"Now we operate next year based on this budget as it was approved," he said. "Things can change, we might get more people back if some retire. We still have contract negotiations going on. [The budget] can only be added to in a good way."

The approved budget includes 48 staff reductions, including: a vice principal, two librarians, all kindergarten aides, three kindergarten through 12th-grade supervisors, eight instructional staff, select special education aides, two clerical/secretarial personnel, one and a half building services positions, and a support employee.

Other school cuts include the elimination of middle school sports and various high school coaches, reductions in co-curricular activities, and cancellation of summer maintenance projects. All school budgets will be decreased by 20 percent.

These cuts come in the wake of $2.5 million in cuts to Cranford's state aid. Cranford taxpayers will also get hit with a $209.84 tax increase (based on an average $181,740 home). Click here for budget details.

Westfield passed its school budget by about 300 votes. Scotch Plains and Fanwood overwhelmingly voted down their budget by about 700 votes. Click here to see what neighboring school district budgets proposed.

The election also marked the start of three-year Cranford Board of Education terms for Mary Catherine Sudiak, Lisa Patella and Jerald Baranoff. The three uncontested candidates gained 2,975, 2,915 and 2,643 votes, respectively.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here