Warren Hills administrators, support staff take wage freeze; teachers anticipate similar action

By Stephen J. Novak
April 16, 2010

Warren Hills Regional School District Superintendent Pete Merluzzi today said that the district's administrative staff and non-contractual staff will be taking wage freezes in the coming school year.

The Warren Hills Regional Education Association on Thursday announced the teachers anticipate forgoing raises, pending some details to be worked out.

Another contracted group, the department chairs, have given a verbal indication that they are also willing to go along, Merluzzi said.

With those agreements, the district would be the only so far in Warren County and the second in the region after Hunterdon Central Regional High School to have all employees agree to a salary freeze.

"If nothing else, we wanted to show that we're going to do our part, too," Merluzzi said, crediting the teachers with making the timely decision. "They really stepped up to the plate and saw the need."

Merluzzi said the agreement will free up enough money in the district's $32 million budget to save eight teaching positions that otherwise would have been cut. The budget still calls for layoffs and the elimination of middle school sports as a result of reduced state aid, among other factors.

New Jersey voters will have the chance to weigh in on their school districts' budgets in Tuesday's school elections.