Basketball program may cost less Milltown’s shared services agreement with school district would save money

Basketball
program may cost less
Milltown’s shared services agreement with school
district would save money

MILLTOWN — Monday night’s Borough Council meeting could mark a slam-dunk victory for families whose children participate in the borough’s youth basketball program.

At that time, the council is expected to vote in favor of an ordinance that would lower the seasonal program fees for children in second and third grades by $5 and for children in fourth grade or higher by $10. Currently, families with children in the lower grades pay $30 and those with older children, $40.

The reduction has been made possible through the establishment of a shared-services agreement between the borough and the Board of Education.

Councilmen Mike Skarzynski and Gary Walters have been working with the school board since August, trying to set up a type of barter system that would allow the borough’s $40,000 recreation bill to be cut in half.

In exchange for the school board charging less in facility use fees, borough officials would agree to provide a number of free services. These services would include borough employees plowing school parking lots during the winter and allowing the school district use of the council’s new grant writers, among other things.

"Lower facility usage fees translate into lower program fees for parents," Skarzynski said. "But we cannot cut out program fees entirely, as they are used to pay for T-shirts, equipment and referees."

Monday’s council meeting will begin at 8 p.m.