archer & Grane, PC iverview Paco 20 Highway 35 ea Sank, W) 07703 732-268-6000 ATTORNEYS AT LAW January 3, 2019 VIA HAND DELIVERY AND ELECTRONIC MAIL ‘Amy P. Gallagher Business Administrator/Board Secretary Middletown Township Board of Education 834 Leonardville Road, 2nd Floor Leonardo, New Jersey 07737 Re: Meeting and Proposed Actions of the Township Committee of the Township of Middletown on January 6, 2019 Dear Ms, Gallagher: As you know, this office represents the Township of Middletown (“the Township” In accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 19:60-1.1(b)(1), the Township hereby provides the Middletown Township Board of Education with notice that the Township Committee of the Township of Middletown will be holding its annual reorganization meeting on January 6, 2019 at 10:00 AM, in the Courtroom of Town Hall, 1 Kings Highway, Middletown, NJ 0748 Please be advised that, at the foregoing meeting, the Township Committee of the Township of Middletown intends to consider adoption of the attached resolution, moving the annual school election for the Middletown Township Board of Education from the November general election to the April annual school election for the reasons set forth therein. Please do not hesitate to contact my office with any questions Very truly yours, ARCHER & GREINER A Professional Corporation _ BY: — Brian M. Nelson, Esq. acdonfil, | Hckensct, MI! raceton | Pda, A | lingo, MS | Red Bk | NewYork, WY | Yingon, DE |Amy P. Gallagher January 3, 2019 Page 2 Attachment cc: Heidi R. Brunt, RMC/CMC, Township Clerk (via electronic mail only) Anthony Mercantante, Township Administrator (via electronic mail only) Lester E, Taylor Ill, Esq. (via electronic mail only) 21S 74998601RESOLUTION NO, 19- TOWNSHIP OF MIDDLETOWN COUNTY OF MONMOUTH RESOLUTION RE-ESTABLISHING ANNUAL SCHOOL ELECTIONS FOR ‘THE MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP BOARD OF EDUCATION ‘TO BE HELD ON THE THIRD TUESDAY IN APRIL WHEREAS, the Township Committee of the Township of Middletown (“Township”) serves as the governing body for the Township of Middletown, a municipal corporation of the State of New Jersey, in the County of Monmouth, State of New Jersey; and WHEREAS, the Middletown Township Board of Education (“MTBOE”) is a body politic of the State of New Jersey, and a public school district serving students in grades pre-kindergarten through twelve (12) from the Township of Middletown, in the County of Monmouth, State of New Jersey; and WHEREAS, on January 18, 2012, the MTBOE adopted 2 resolution moving its annual school election from the April annual school election to the November general election, pursuant to NJ.S.A, 19:60-1.1; and WHEREAS, based upon this action, from 2012 to 2018, candidates for the MTBOE have been elected in the November general election; and WHEREAS, based upon this action, the MTBOE is exempt from voter approval of, its increases to the general tax fund levy, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:60-1.1(a}(2), whereas, returning school board elections to April provides voters with a greater voice on a majority of their property tax bill; and WHEREAS, approximately 65% of Middletown’s property tax levy is allocated to the MTBOE with no refunds being provided when tax appeal judgments are rendered; and WHEREAS, the Township finds that by holding the annual school election during the November general election, school board candidates and education issues have become overshadowed by the concutrent elections for federal, state, county, and municipal offices, and that partisan politics have become inserted into the election of school board members, contrary to the intended structure of a school board as a non- partisan body; and WHEREAS, pursuant to N.L.S.A. 19:60-1.1(b){1), the Township Committee of the Township of Middletown, as the governing body of the municipality constituting the MTBOE, is authorized to return the annual school election from the November general. | | | | | | | | | | | | |