Kevin Riordan, columnist of the Philadelphia Inquier, does an admirable job in summarizing the events up to now and the countering views towards the merger study in our community.
Kevin Riordan: In Merchantville, mixed emotions about a merger
Happy Holidays to all!
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39 comments:
Emotions won't save our town. Hard core changes will. Bring them on. The study, shared services, consolidation - whatever it takes. There are plenty of Merchantville residents ready to bring it! So bring it on!
Why does our town need saving? Maybe the exact opposite of what you have written is true, emotions will not bring on consolidation.
The big elephant in the room is the schools. Marvin said it correctly in the meeting that Merchantville has its work to do on the schools. It is time to make the hard decisions, pick yourselves up by the bootstraps and do what needs to be done to get your schools in order. I have lived in Cherry Hill a long time and my children attend the schools. We are stretched due to a lack of state aid. We cannot absorb a population of non proficient children. We cannot save the other towns in NJ. I suggest you find another town for the merger. We plan to make all efforts to stop a merger and are letting our local officials know of our views. We cannot compromise our schools to save another town. Sorry.
anon 7:57, just get out. no one wants you here. stop pretending you are a cherry hill resident, its getting real old.
I tend to think that most of the anons on this blog pretending to be CH residents are just that - pretenders - but anon 12/13, 7:57 may be the real thing. Under the current formulas for state aid, CH does not get much because its "district factor group" is high. If there is a merger with Merchantville, the way the formulas work it could very well turn out that CH overall would get much more state aid than it now gets. That is something for the Commission to explore and I certainly think they will explore it.
While Marvin's thoughts on Merchantville schools have great merit and should certainly be very seriously considered by the Merchantville School Board, those thoughts do not do anything about the high school situation. The high school situation is the principal rub in the overall school situation.
Exactly, Cruiser. Cherry Hill would not be at the table with us if there were no aid to go to their schools from our students. They need it, especially with the Charter school sucking up dollars from the Cherry Hill school budget. Well said. And if that is a Cherry Hill resident that posted, your district wants our money and will take our students, aid and hard core tax dollars. Merchantville Borough and School needs saving and so does the Cherry Hill school budget. It is hard to believe someone would even post as to why our town needs saving? Everyone in the deal here does in some way so let the study define the numbers.
You guys don't get this. There is no way the governor will give us the merchantville school aide. Also, we are busting at the seams at the high school level. You don't even know how many high school students exist in your town. There will be no study because there is no funding. Merchantville and cherry hill have both said they will not contribute funds to the study. No funds, no study, no merger.
There is a great opportunity for additional shared services without merging. This will help both towns. There is no opportunity for a send-receive with the schools.
Where there's a will, there's a way.
Cruiser: Where there's a will, there's a way.
Your saw has a nice ring to it, Cruiser, and it is pure optimism which is a powerful motivator, but you have said yourself in the past that Merchantville could never get out of the present high school send-receive relationship. And that is despite almost everyone's will.
There was a bank once that advertised, "We'll find a way or make one". It disappeared. In a short time we'll know if this does.
Oh, I forgot to compliment you or family on the perfect roof restoration. Wish you neighbor down the block had done the same.
The "way" which now relates to the "will" of the Merchantville community is the prospect of the CH merger. The merger would be an end run around the roadblocks associated with getting out of a send-receive situation.
and cruiser proves my point exactly that this is not about shared services, this is not about saving money. this is about the schools and only the schools.
cherry hill is alive and well at these meetings.
i can tell you what the study will determine. CH HS west and east are at capacity. east did not have enough seats for some children last year. west will not meet ayp with the merchantville population.
we will protect our schools and children.
Indeed, CH should protect its schools and its children. People from Merchantville completely understand that.
My observation is that anon 12/15, 12:06 is thinking within the "box" of the way things are now. The merger will likely require thinking and action outside the box to get a mutually beneficial arrangement and a merger. The thinking and action would have to come not only from Merchantville and Cherry Hill but also from Trenton (the bureauacuracy and the legislature).
Contrary to what anon says, this is not only about the schools. There are significant potential benefits to both communities from a merger. Looking at it from the perspective of Cherry Hill, the major player in this deal, it gets $200 million or so (based on the new assessments) of ratables and it has the wherewithal to provide great government services to the Merchantville area at a cost less than what the services now cost Merchantville. The savings benefit both communities.
come to the next meeting cruiser. initial analysis is that ch will lose $1.4M and merchantville will gain $1.4M. it is a non starter. the study is to be done within 6 months. that's not enough time. this is being rushed through. we don't wok that way in cherry hill.
again it is a great opportunity to discuss other shared services beyond trash. fire and police maybe. however, the schools are a deal breaker for many reasons.
if these ratables are so great, why is merchantville in such bad shape? thanks but no thanks.
Anon, I was at the last meeting and heard the speaker regarding the $1.4 million. Whatever analysis was done in that regard should certainly be considered as part of the study.
If you think six months is too short for a study, how long do you think it should take?
The schools could be a deal maker depending on the effect of Merchantville on the district factor group of the merged community. The study will consider all of that.
Merchantville's ratables are just fine. Merchantville's principal financial problem is that it is not large enough to have the economies of scale to efficiently provide services at a cost which produces a reasonable tax rate. If merged with a larger community such as Cherry Hill, the additional costs of providing services to the Merchantville area would not be much hiher than Cherry Hill is already spending thus there are savings to the merged community. Not much of an increase in expenses divided by increased ratables equals a lower tax rate for all.
Cherry Hill East and West are not at capacity. Cherry Hill has suffered a decline in population due to the economic downturn. There has been no surge in numbers there, just as other communities have suffered. Try another angle, that one's not working at all. Don't you think the people representing the CH schools already know this? Our high school student numbers are small, just like the rest of the community. As for the elementary school, those numbers will shrink because the Interdistrict and out of district students will not go with the Merchantville residents. Our numbers will be even smaller than they show now. The study will show that. The capacity argument is moot.
Oh wow I'm sorry, I thought I was a very involved cherry hill parent. Wait, I am an involved cherry hill parent and I do know the numbers at west. Did you hear the school bd president speaking to some ch and merchantville folks after the meeting. Wow, I did. He stated that the schools are at capacity. East did not have enough desks in some classrooms last year.
You don't even know your high school numbers. Another problem. Many of your kids go to private schools. Please don't bank on the ch schools next year or ever. Keep paying for Camden catholic. They'll take your money. We don't take tuition students. And don't worry there are thousands of ch parents who think just like me...and we're spreading the word.
Anon, you are wrong. If you are such an involved CH parent, why don't you like other involved parents speak up about all of the students who take public transportation outside of the doors of the school? They are not CH residents. You are full of it. However, CH lets this go on because they need the tax dollars. And they need ours too. Money talks...
Does anyone know if there is an expiration date on the send/receive contract with Pensauken HS? They will sue Merchantville just like they did in the past when Haddonfield opened its doors to MES. Would we be in for more of the same???
Brief History of the Merchantville-Pennsauken send-receive arrangement.
My recollection is that the send-receive contract with Pennsauken ended in 1982 (originally it wa a ten year deal from 1972 to 1982). When Merchantville tried to end it in 1982, the Education Department in Trenton said that could not be done. There were regulations regarding the ending of send-receive deals which M had to comply with - it could not end the deal simply because it wanted to. In the mid-1980s Haddonfield agreed to accept M high school students if M could get out of the agreement with Pennsauken. M had a study done and an administrative law judge found in M's favor. Pennsauken appealed the judge's decision to the Commissioner of Education and in 1988 the Commissioner overruled the judge. M believed the Commissioner was in error and would appeal the Commissioner's decision. Around the same time Pennsauken began litigation against Merchantville and Haddonfield in an attempt to increase the difficulty of making a transition. Faced with all of the bother, Haddonfield pulled out of the deal. Without an actual partner, M had no standing to go to the courts to appeal the Commissioner's decision. That is basically where it stands to this day.
M needs for some other district to make a binding commitment (a signed letter) saying that it is willing to take M high school students in the event that M can get out of the send-receive with Pennsauken. After it gets the commitment letter, M has to apply to the state Department of Education to obtain permission to end the send-receive with Pennsauken. If it is successful, M can then enter into a new send receive with the new district.
who else is outraged that our BOE is paying for this study???
yeah I would love to know who else is outraged.....Since it is the biggest issue our town has faced for years, how dare the school board make a decision to attempt to better the education of our children, and improve our town.
I say Koodos to the school board for taking on this fight.
Thank you cruiser. Really Merchantville BOE, it's not going to happen. It will get tied up in litigation again and $30K will have gone to waste. This BOE, like the other folks in the Borough have got to go. Time's up.
If you are referring to non residency issues, all schools are plagued with this. Ch has a department that investigates residency issues. Don't you think pennsauken and merchantville have issues such as this involving camden students?
What is happening with merchantville and haddon heights? What is the status? Do any of you attend the boe meetings?
I live in Haddon Heights and we do not want Merchantville. We already have Lawnside and don't need any more non proficient students. Have you heard of AYP?We are organizing now and you will hear from us soon.
How ridiculous, now all of a sudden there is someone posing from Haddon Heights???!!! The BOE will let you know in Jan., you don't need to know now. HH not a rich school district, get off the high horse. Probably the same imposter as from Cherry Hill! lol
My neighbor works for the Pennsauken school district and she knows for a fact that Pennsauken plans to sue in the event of any attempted change in the send/receive. It may be worth it, but it won't be cheap. The real question is whether Haddon Heights will stick around through the litigation. This might actually cost well over $100K and the outcome is uncertain.
Yes, you better believe the lawsuit from Pennsauken will come. We will be at the next Merchantville BOE meeting to express this concern and what a drain on our limited financial and community resources this pursuit is and will be. It just more waste of what this town can not afford and will rally the consolidation movement with Cherry Hill even more.
Pennsauken has enough problems of their own they will go out with a whimper, I am sure the school board will welcome any comment but if the study was positive I am sure they will pursue
Don't agree, Pennsauken will try to hold on to us just like they did in the past. They were successful and prevailed. What would stop them? They are aware of what is going on and gearing up for it - count on it. They won't take this sitting down and who can blame them. Their current problems have nothing to do with this. They can handle it...
Are we talking about the cherry hill merger where pennsauken will sue to the new haddon heights send-receive?
I've heard that the litigation involved with breaking the send/receive would take years and hundreds of thousands of dollars. What a mess!
amazing no one knows anything about the current send receive and the study, but everyone is willing to make statements without any knowledge. Go to a board meeting and find out what is happening.
Well, what is happening?
What is the cost of this haddon heights study and what were the findings?
Going to the board meeting would only give you the perspective of their study. Pennsauken is not involved in this $30k study our tax dollars paid for - they will sue. It is a mess. We are better off putting our time and effort into a clean break and focusing on the study with Cherry Hill. It just makes sense to do so. A merger would make a clean break and avoid all of this nonsense.
My expectations of the contents of the study are that it will first state that HH's facilities, etc. are capable of handling the expected student count from Merchantville. It will paint a very rosy picture of student life at HH.
Then, more importantly, it will go on to conclude that changing to HH will not have a significant detrimental effect on HH in the three key areas in the law:
- Educational program
- Racial diversity
- Finances
It would be good if the study also concluded that there would be no significant detrimental effect on Pennsauken in these three key areas if M were to leave Pennsauken. (Conclusions of a professional regarding Pennsauken could actually be useful to the CH merger study.) If the HH study does not include conclusions regarding Pennsauken, such will have to be obtained before M could go to the Department of Education requesting an end to the Pennsauken send-receive.
It would be good if the study included information about what is the out-of-district tuition charged by HH to sending districts, along with estimated busing costs to HH, so that this can be compared to the similar current costs incurred for Pennsauken students. If not provided in the study, such information should be provided by the school board and get high visibility.
I hope the study is useful and worthwhile.
Let me switch us to another topic to slow down the one Anonymous who is posting as several.
Those interested in rising property values should be pleased to learn that progress is happening along our West End of Maple Avenue.
The Wellwood Manor purchase is settled. That building will be relandscaped and restored outside and in with a mind towards its historical character, down to its mosiac tiles, brass mailboxes and original two-piece intercom telephones in the foyers (decorataive, not functional).
You might have noticed already that in the same block as Wellwood Michael's Liquor Store has a new facade and attractive awning to match the one uptown on the PNC building.
Our Boro has agreed to allow the two vacant store fronts between Wellwood and the liquor store to open as a grocery/convenience store. A tenant has already signed a five-year lease for that operation.
Down the street on the other side Pennsauken Twp approved changing the dry cleaning storefront now empty 7 years into a residential apartment. The West End Task Force is working with Pennsauken and the N.J. highway department to block off the end of 43rd Street to make that street into off-street parking for that building.
Sprint has indicated it will include in its next five-year plan the closing off of 42nd Street and rehab of that little (blue) corner shop filled with Sprint electronics as part of a new landscaping design.
Down at the intersection with Rte. 130, the tenant of the yellow brick liquor storage building has expressed to the Task Force that he will erase the grafitti.
The West End Task Force applied for a continuation grant to complete its work in getting the vacant white Kawasaki building leveled and turned into parkland with a NJ Transit bus stop shelter along Rte 130.
Camden City has approved a new commercial zoning plan for the block from the liquor storage building (which the Task Force wants moved away from the intersection) down to the Dental building at Myrtle Ave.
Ragan Design Group is the planner that has worked on these changes for the West End. Ragan is the same planner who prepared Merchantville's Master Plan a few years ago.
Sorry for the several typos and misspellings in the last comment. Should have proofread it BEFORE posting rather than after.
While I have your passing attention, let me tell you that the Cape May Christmas Candlelight House Tour was spectacular with 18 sites, thirteen of which were Bed & Breakfast Inns.
I had never before had an interest in seeing a bunch of B&B's but I was impressed with what those entrepreneurs have done in historical interior appointments and furnishings. I heard one owner tell that a refurbishment had cost $300,000. Another claimed there were 50,000 holiday lights on the outside.
The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC) organizes many events year round. This one was FIRST CLASS complete with shuttle trolleys and paid crossing guards at every tour-point intersection around the city.
If you like high Victorian ambiance, put the tour on your next December calendar. It is offered on 3 weekends so as not to interfere with your local events. And the Cape May walking mall was open with end-of-season sales that lured me astray for a few gifts. Great holiday trip!
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