Security plan in schools up to the voters

Date: 31/03/2005
Source: wkbn.com
Author: MARIA VOGEL-SHORT

HARDING TWP - Voters will be asked in the Tuesday, April 19, school referendum to approve spending $25,000 to develop a computerized key card and three-camera security system for the schools, the school board administrator said Monday.

In addition, voters will be asked to approve spending $55,000 for a cistern.

Also, on the ballot, voters will decide on the proposed, 2005-06 $7.7 million school budget. Two incumbents also are unopposed in seeking re-election.

The polls will be open from 2 to 9 p.m. at Kirby Hall on Blue Mill and Sand Spring Road in New Vernon.

The cistern and the security system, which combined are projected to cost $80,000, would result in an additional tax increase of $4 per $100,000 more or $40 more for a home assessed at $1 million.

The proposed budget would boost taxes by 3 percent. It would mean a tax of 38.5 cents per $100 value or $3,850 per $1 million of value. The current, 2004-05 rate is 37.6 cents per $100 or $3,760 per $1 million of assessment.

The security system is designed to comply with the governor’s initiative for safer schools.

School Board Administrator Mary Jane Canose said the system would provide video monitoring at three of the main doors of the school to view who is coming in and out.

“This is a component system,” said Canose. “You can add and enhance as you go. So, we’d be able to add more cameras or cards as our budget allows.”

Visitors would push a buzzer to be allowed inside and teachers and staff would have an identification card they could flash to gain access into the building, Canose said.

The security system would comply with the governor’s initiative to make all schools safe, officials said.

Governor’s Plans

In January, Acting Gov. Richard J. Codey unveiled plans to create a comprehensive school security checklist with security audits for each school by next fall, offer security courses for school personnel, and made plans for law enforcement to visit each school to assess vulnerability to terrorist activity.

Citing how terrorists used a construction project to hide weapons and explosives in an elementary school, Codey said law enforcement would visit every school construction site to prevent the destruction that occurred in Beslan, Russia.

Codey’s plan was also touted after officials were told that building plans for two New Jersey schools were found in Iraq. This spring, Rutgers University will host a forum on school security so schools can create models to protect their children.

The governor’s “model school” program provides for such security systems, school officials said.

School Superintendent Dennis Pallozzi said the school needs to be active in providing added security in this day and age.

“We can’t take anything for granted,” said Pallozzi. “In 2005, the security precautions aren’t the same as they were 30 years ago. To protect our school today, video monitoring is just a way of maintaining a safe environment.”

Police Chief Kevin Gaffney said public safety organizations have a responsibility to keep schools safe. State Police are helping train local police to maintain safer schools and a checklist will be prepared by Labor Day to ensure safety in Harding schools, said Gaffney.

Pallozzi said safety training would be required for teachers and staff sometime in April.

“We’ll get information on this checklist and anticipate any school security field audits when they take place,” Pallozzi said.

Four companies have given information and pricing to the school for the security system: Honeywell of Herndon, Va., Bermuda-based Ingersoll Rand, Best Access Systems of Indianapolis, Ind. and Singapore-based PanUnited, said Canose.

If the system costs less than $25,000, the township will elicit quotes but need not entertain competitive bids, said Canose. If the cost is more than $25,000 the school will publicly put the matter out to bid and advertise in the newspaper, said Canose.

The incumbents running for re-election to two, three-year seats on the board of education are James Novotny and Kim Macaulay.

Novotny, 41, of New Vernon, was a one-year replacement for Joel Harris, who resigned last year. Novotny is a technology department supervisor at Livingston High School.

Macaulay, of Silver Brook Road, was appointed to the board on Dec. 6, replacing Robert Mathews, who resigned on Oct. 25 to retire to Point Pleasant.

Macaulay, a former stockbroker turned homemaker, served on the PTO Executive Board for four years with three years as president.

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