Middletown Twp. Mayor Tony Perry Proposes New Idea To Save Schools

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Middletown Mayor Tony Perry held an 8 a.m. press conference Thursday to announced a tentative new proposal that he says will keep Middletown's three schools open.

There are two pieces to the town's proposal: First, the Township will purchase a 10-acre parcel of land, owned by the school district, on Kings Highway at Sleepy Hollow Road. It will not be developed; it will be preserved as wooded open space.

It was Middletown parents who first suggested the school district sell the 10-acre lot off Sleepy Hollow Road. Parents suggested it at the most recent emergency budget hearing, held Monday night.

Secondly, the township just "restructured" its agreement with the class-3 special law enforcement offices who patrol Middletown schools. Currently, the school district entirely pays to have the officers, but under this new proposal, the Township will pay for half. It is about $1.2 million a year to have the Class-3, armed police officers in schools, so the school district will save $600,000 in next year's budget.

"Together, these two actions will provide the district with $2.6 million in support of which could keep the schools open," said Perry. "This will give the Board revenue without raising taxes."

That is not entirely accurate: This new proposal brings a 3.88 percent school property tax increase for Middletown property owners,. (Perry may have been referring to another proposal to raise taxes 10.1 percent to keep schools open.)

Also, under this proposed plan, there will still be layoffs this spring: No teaching positions will be eliminated, but there will be "reductions to administrative and duplicate roles" in the Middletown school system, Perry said.

The proposal now goes to the Board of Education, which will vote on this proposal at its next Board meeting, April 8.

"We believe this solution is ready for a vote," said Perry. "This proposal now rests with the Board of Education. Let's get this done. Let's get this for a vote."

Perry said he worked with Board president Frank Capone on this plan. Capone was at the press conference Thursday, and he said he supports the proposal.

"Board leadership has worked hard and will continue collaborating with our legislators and Mayor Perry to address our budgetary constraints," Capone posted to X Thursday morning. "I want to thank Mayor Perry for our lengthy discussions that have resulted in what I believe the Board will approve as a solution for this year's budget, ensuring our schools remain open."

Capone said he will introduce the Township's proposal for a vote at Tuesday night's Board meeting, which will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the High School North auditorium (it will open to the public at approximately 7:30 p.m.). It remains unknown how the Board will vote next Tuesday.

"I want to thanks Capone for the constructive dialogue. I believe this proposal should get serious consideration and should be voted on on Tuesday," said Perry. "I look forward to a unanimous vote on Tuesday."

Perry said it was scores of Middletown residents who told him how badly they wanted to keep the schools open.

"We all know how important it is that our neighborhood schools continue to thrive. So when the possibility of school closures was introduced last month, I heard the same thing from many of you: We have to find a way," said Perry. "Over the past several days the Township Committee worked with the Board of Education to craft a real solution: One that is focused on keeping our schools open."

Watch Thursday morning's press conference:

Middletown school district will begin "strategic planning process" next

The Middletown school district is currently grappling with a $9.8-million budget hole, and superintendent Jessica Alfone and the finance committee of the school board proposed closing two elementary schools (Leonardo and Navesink) and Bayshore Middle School to close the gap. The district also proposed closing additional elementary schools in the future, and to consolidate school buildings.

In his statement to X Thursday morning, Capone did also say the Middletown school district will at some time soon begin a "strategic planning process," where the Board and community will discuss the budget in future years, as the Middletown school district experiences both decreased student enrollment and reduced state aid funding from Trenton.

"I look forward to community participation in the strategic planning process to ensure a sustainable future for the Middletown School district," said Capone.

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