The Wyoming School auditorium was practically filled for the meeting of the Board of Education on January 9th. Aside from the regular business of the Board, the Superintendent of schools Dr. Richard Brodow alluded to the new plan he would be showing the next night at the Board of Education Center. Because not all of his Administration people and Board Members had been privy to the new plan, he did not want to be too specific at this meeting. He merely gave a brief overview of what to expect the following evening.
Board President Debra Frank discouraged residents from coming to the session the next night saying that no one in the audience would be allowed to speak. Dr. Brodow would have also like residents not to attend the session on Tuesday night but the Sunshine Laws prohibit that and require an open meeting.
The next night January 10th, at the specially called meeting, there were probably only 20 people in the audience including the new Mayor and two new Township Committee people.
Dr. Brodow and the architect presented the plans and asked the Principals and other Administration people in attendance for their comments about the new reduced-in-size-and-scope plan. The Administration people agreed that the purposed plan would satisfy program needs and that it allowed for adequate program growth. Then a debate broke out among the Board Members themselves. It appeared that the three Board Members who opposed the defeated $40+ million referendum said that Dr. Brodow's plan formed the basis for discussion. Other Board Members, who had been "for" the previously defeated bond, debated whether this was in fact a big enough plan. Dr. Brodow said he needed all nine Board Members to agree in principle to this plan before he would move it forward. This is where they were when the meeting ended at 11pm. It is not clear whether the Board of Education will have a consensus and be able to file in time for a March, or April referendum. Debra Frank expressed concerns and said that it would most likely be voted on in September. This however did not appear to satisfy the Superintendent and his timing goals.
The members of WeLoveMillburn.com are currently reviewing the details of the plan. They are attempting to see how the new plan does or does not match up with the formal criteria they presented to the Board and to the media after the $40+ million bond referendum was defeated.
When the WeLoveMillburn group has a point of view, they will again publish their opinion in a document or letter that that can be distributed to all interested citizens, the BOE and the press.
