district highlights - Barnegat Township School District

asically it is costing the taxpayers almost $20,000 for a program that is 2 hrs and 45 mins. long
each day for four weeks, so it just did not make sense.
Ms. Lally: The Hooked on Fishing Program cost $20,000?
Mrs. Houser: No, the cost of having a DARE Officer work two months in the summer because
he is working on the Hooked on Fishing is costing taxpayers close to $20,000. So, therefore, the
Township recommended like other districts that the officers only work ten months and that they
go out and work in the field and there was also some talk about vandalism going on in Barnegat
and they felt him, especially being a Detective, that would be much more cost effective to the
taxpayer and a betterment to the community and safety of Barnegat if the police officer was
actually out working instead of teaching a class.
Mrs. Lally: OK, that is the reason.
Mr. Houser: That is the actual facts, that is actually what happened in the Committee, it was
actually brought in from the Township Committee, they suggested it and they brought up other
issues as far as police officers and training and things like that. We listened and to be honest
with you when it cam e down to making the financial decisions that we needed to make as a
Board and we will have to make in the future, based on the State recommendations and things, it
just made fiscal sense to do that, to bring somebody else in to teach the class at $25 an hour
instead of paying close to $300.
Ms. Lally: OK, when I walked in here this evening I barely was through the threshold and I was
handed this piece of paper that I would like to read to you. It says, “It seems unusual for the
BOE to have been invited at no cost to the Senior Prom, it also seems coincidental that they are
asking for two cops which is standard from Barnegat to accompany the kids to Carriage House.
A point of interest is the suggestion from Mike Mitchell. Would anyone want to wager that
BHS’ first senior program will be the Linda and Mike Mitchell Show? I think we should prevent
this if we can any suggestions?” Do you have any feelings on something like this?
Mr. Houser: I have no idea what that is about other than I know as far as the senior prom goes
all the Board Members were given invitations. I think I am the only one….
Ms. Lally: Oh, I have no issue with the Board going to the Prom.
Mr. Houser: I believe I put my name down but I am not attending, I am just going to go in for
five minutes say hello to everybody, check it out and leave.
Ms. Lally: No, no, you are misunderstanding my point. The main part of this piece of paper
here is really the second portion, “would anyone like to wager being the Linda and Mike
Mitchell Show and that it should be prevented”. I am sorry, but you should be aware of this
because it was emailed to you by Mrs. Becker. Officer Mitchell has been with these students for
fourteen years, fourteen years he has spent with these kids and if there has to be an officer at
their Prom, who better than the officer that knows them best? No other officer in this town
knows those children better than Officer Mitchell. No other teacher in this district knows them
Barnegat Township Board of Education Minutes - June 10, 2008 28