Shared Services with Our Schools Improves Education while Cutting Costs

Across our state, cooperation and coordination between school districts and local governments have increased over the past ten years in response to reduced state funding, high property taxes, and the constraints placed on school boards and municipalities by New Jersey’s two-percent tax levy cap.

The reality is that today, if you want to provide top-quality services to your hometown while controlling overall costs, you must cooperate with other taxing agencies to bring much-needed relief to your taxpayers.

Thankfully, in a survey conducted jointly by the NJ School Boards Association and the NJ League of Municipalities, 80% of NJ towns reported having either a good or very good working relationship between their schools and their governing bodies. I’m happy to say that the Middle Township Committee, for many years and under many mayors, has maintained an excellent working relationship with the Middle Township Board of Education.

The school district and municipality have shared service agreements that save both the district and the township money while allowing for cooperative work. The Township Administrator and School District Superintendent meet regularly to discuss issues such as the tax levy, cooperative agreements, and areas of shared service.

The School Board and Township Committee maintain open lines of communication to address spending challenges, budget priorities, and their annual approach to the tax levy.

Middle Township has developed several partnerships with our school board to meet various needs. These partnerships go beyond a common desire to save money. Programs such as the School Resource Officers, our LEAD anti-drug education initiative, the Summer Youth Camp, and our Handle with Care Program are examples of ongoing initiatives between the municipality and the school board aimed at improving educational outcomes and building shared trust between law enforcement, our youth, and our community.

Cost savings are an important priority. Other areas that are a natural fit for shared services include the use of athletic fields, recreational facilities, public spaces, and publicly owned vehicles and equipment. 

We need to continue seeking savings everywhere, as many budget line items beyond local control increase each year. Without ongoing cooperation and innovative approaches, the Township and the school district would face greater challenges in holding the line on annual property tax increases. The last thing we want to see is increased costs that adversely affect the quality and availability of classroom instruction.

Building positive relationships requires effort from both the school district and the municipality in facing common issues with a united front. At the same time, it is critical to respect the boundaries between two separate elected governing bodies, each with its own taxing authority. Both the Township Committee and the Board of Education have a longstanding history of support and cooperation while publicly staying out of each other’s business and decision-making processes.

I thank the School Board members for stepping up to work toward the brightest future possible for our kids. On behalf of Deputy Mayor Gandy and Committeeman Norris, I pledge our ongoing commitment to creative cooperation and innovative agreements that best benefit our students and our taxpayers.

Chris Leusner

Mayor, Middle Township

September 4th Township Committee Meeting

1. Recognized August Employee of the Month – Joanne Ciccotelli

2. Final approval of Ordinance regulating the use of House Boats

3. Approved four resolutions in preparation for the 2024 Harvest Festival

4. Approved amended contract with Trinity Code Inspections, LLC

5. Approved Change Order for road improvement project at Walsh Ave. & South Third St. in Rio Grande

September 16th Township Committee Work Session - Cancelled

September 16th Township Committee Meeting

1. Final approval of Ordinance amending sewer fees

2. Approved three-year, shared services agreement with municipalities within Cape May County and the County of Cape May for the use of publicly owned equipment

3. Approved a resolution recognizing October 6, 2024, as Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day in Cape May County

4. Approved a resolution calling on the State of New Jersey to hold a public hearing and an official investigation into the recent, unexpected and drastic increases to Middle Township residents’ energy bill

5. Authorized lien on property for five properties for property maintenance

6. Approved change in title and salary for six members of the MTPD as a result of academy graduations

7. Reappointed the Honorable Thomas Keywood to an additional, three-year term as Municipal Court Judge

8. Designated GovPilot as the Township’s online service for requesting public records under the Open Public Records Act

Middle Township residents are encouraged to attend Township Committee meetings to share their thoughts, questions and concerns with Township Committee. 

Visit the Township website for information on meeting dates and times: https://middletownship.com/

1. Middle Township was formed as a precinct on April 2, 1723.

2. The Township's name came from its central location when Cape May County was split into three townships in 1723, Lower Township (to the south) and Upper Township (to the north) were also created at this time.

3. Middle Township was officially incorporated by the NJ State Legislature with the passage of the Township Act of 1798.

4. Middle Township’s original boundaries included Anglesea, North Wildwood, Wildwood, West Wildwood, Avalon and Stone Harbor.

5. Middle Township has a total area of 82.92 square miles, including 70.24 square miles of land and 12.69 square miles of water.

6. Over 50% of the Township’s land mass is preserved open space.

7. There are 140 townships in New Jersey. Middle Township is the eighth largest by area.

8. In the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 20,380, its highest census count ever and an increase of 1,469 from the 2010 census count of 18,911.

9. As of 2020 there were 15,219 registered voters in Middle Township.

10. Middle Township includes six exits on the Garden State Parkway, the most of any town in the state. 

The role of the Emergency Management Committee is to coordinate activities to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from local emergencies and disasters.

New Jersey state law requires every municipality to have a state-approved Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and to appoint a Coordinator. The Cape May County Office of Emergency Management assists the 16 county municipalities in developing their EOP and keeping them current. 

The Local Emergency Management Coordinators, along with members of public safety organizations, fire and rescue, CERT Teams, trained volunteers, and private entities, such as the Red Cross, all have specific roles to play in the event of an emergency or natural disaster. The Office of Emergency Management is charged with coordinating the efforts of these agencies and organizations to protect the health, safety and welfare of the community.

The mayor and committee appoint a Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator, from among the residents of the municipality. The Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator serves for a term of three years. The appointed Coordinator must successfully complete the state-approved training courses within one year of appointment.

“The work of the Emergency Management Coordinator and Committee are vital to guarantee a prompt and professional response to our community’s needs during times of high stress and risk,” Mayor Chris Leusner said. “Preparedness and planning are the keys to success and this board is fully committed to this serious work.”

The Middle Township Emergency Management Committee is currently lead by MTPD Chief Tracey Super. The Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator is responsible for the planning, activating, coordinating and conduct of Emergency Management operations within the municipality.

With input from the Committee members, the Emergency Management Coordinator is responsible for program administration and program development encompassing the four phases of Emergency Management–mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. 

The Committee must ensure that the Municipal Office of Emergency Management is available on a 24-hour basis when necessary. Ensure that the municipality meets all requirements for the FEMA’s Emergency Management Assistance Program and provide the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management with quarterly program status reports, if applicable.

The Coordinator also prepares and submits the annual Municipal Emergency Management budget for review and approval by Township Committee.

The Committee meets on a quarterly basis in the second-floor conference room.

2024 Emergency Management Committee Members

Coordinator – Chief Tracey Super

Deputy Coordinator – Administrator Kimberly Osmundsen

Deputy Coordinator – Deputy Administrator Suzanne Schumann

Deputy Coordinator – Public Works Supervisor Rob Flynn

Deputy Coordinator – Deputy CFO Dan Shustack

Advisor – Fire District One

Advisor – Fire District Two

Advisor – Fire District Three

Advisor – Fire District Four

Township Committee Liaison – Mayor Chris Leusner

Secretary – Kendra Karsten

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