Boards to discuss representation issue Air quality problems being addressed at Millstone school

Boards to discuss
representation issue
Air quality
problems being addressed at Millstone school

In an ongoing effort to achieve equitable representation on the Upper Freehold Regional School District Board of Education, representatives of the Millstone Board of Education will meet shortly with representatives of Upper Freehold to discuss the situation.

Millstone currently is responsible for more than 50 percent of Allentown High School’s population, but because of laws governing the send/receive relationship, can have only one representative on the Upper Freehold board.

Patricia Coffey, president of the Millstone school board and Millstone’s representative to the Upper Freehold regional board, commented at Monday’s Millstone board meeting that a meeting with Upper Freehold could only be beneficial because "they are willing to meet with us."

"They understand that we are attacking laws, not them," she said. "They are bound by the law; otherwise, we probably wouldn’t have this situation."

The Third Circuit Court is currently preparing to rule on an appeal generated by a similar situation existing in Branchburg, where the sending district is greatly underrepresented on the receiving district board of education. That ruling could change the laws, ultimately giving Millstone a greater voice in matters pertaining to Allentown High School, and the budget devised to run the school.

In other business, the concerns about air quality in the elementary school were discussed. Superintendent of Schools Dr. William Setaro commented that, although the air quality report listed problems, none would be considered major hazards, and all are easily remedied.

School Business Administra-tor Brian Boyle explained that the situation was assessed through a series of walk-throughs, interviews and a written survey.

The problems with mold spores will be fixed by removing wall-to-wall carpeting in affected areas and replacing it with easy-to-clean tiles. In some rooms, where it is deemed necessary, easily cleaned area rugs can be added.

In a few rooms, described as "under ventilated" where the levels of carbon dioxide were elevated, exhaust fans that vent to the roof were found not to be in use, and were made operational, correcting that problem.

Also, as the board prepares to work on next year’s school budget, Setaro mentioned last weekend’s Strategic Planning Workshop, at which many participants expressed a serious need to build support in the community for Millstone’s school budget.

Part of the process in forming a mission statement for the district, he explained, was to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the district. Without a doubt, everyone in attendance felt that better communication is needed in the community throughout the budget process.

That concern will be addressed as a result of the work done over the weekend. "The whole purpose is to engage the community. They have the power to make the changes," he said.

Setaro lauded the efforts of the more than 50 participants, expressing gratitude for the dedication and focus they brought to the two-day meeting, in addition to having forfeited their personal time to make the commitment.