School tab passes easily; three elected to board

MILLTOWN - Voters approved the school budget in a 2-1 margin during the April 15 election.

The $13.1 million tab for 2008-09, which will keep the school tax rate stable, passed by a vote of 402-194. New features in the budget include funding for new textbooks, the hiring of a full-time computer technician, additional hours for school counselors, a new math teacher at Joyce Kilmer School, and a Basic Skills Improvement aide, which will be partially funded by a federal No Child Left Behind grant.

The budget will receive $1,411,000 in state aid, up $131,000 from last year.

Also last week, voters elected three members to the Board of Education in an uncontested race for three available threeyear terms. Incumbent Laura McAnn received 413 votes, while newcomers Patricia Payne and Vincent Marano garnered 398 and 392 votes, respectively, according to school Business Administrator Richard Guarini.

Some 596 voters cast ballots, representing 12.1 percent of Milltown's registered voters.