Few Voice Support For Pascack Valley School Split During Hearing

Only a handful of speakers during a public meeting Monday about Woodcliff Lake's petition to withdraw from the Pascack Valley Regional School District supported the idea, and no representatives from Montvale shared opinions about the plan.

Woodcliff Lake has pursued the issue because they and Montvale pay more money per student in the district than Hillsdale and River Vale. State law requires the funding allocation for regional districts be determined by the total assessed value of properties in the towns.

"Woodcliff Lake has become trapped in the regional school district," Woodcliff Lake Councilman Eric Bloom said while reading a statement from Mayor Jeffrey Goldsmith.

Officials and residents from Hillsdale and River Vale were critical of Woodcliff Lake's petition, saying that the split would increase the cost of education and eliminate some programs which are shared between Pascack Valley High School and Pascack Hills. 

Hillsdale Councilman Larry Meyerson said home owners in Woodcliff Lake and Hillsdale with houses assessed at the same value pay a similar amount in taxes for the regional schools because Woodcliff Lake's portion is partially caused and covered by large commercial properties.

"We must look at the district as a whole without town lines," Meyerson said.

River Vale Councilman Glen Jasionowski said he believed the petition was "an election issue" for Woodcliff Lake officials.

"Woodcliff Lake is shortsighted in its request and its residents will suffer," Jasionowski said.

David Verducci, a retired former superintendent of River Vale Schools, said he believed splitting up the district would be detrimental to the district and make it unattractive to teachers.

Debbie Starr, the president of the Woodcliff Lake Board of Education, said she supported the withdrawal and that she believed the board would be able to handle making accommodations to educate their high school-aged students.

If the split goes through, Woodcliff Lake would likely need to enter into a sending-receiving relationship with Pascack Valley Regional.

The state's Board of Review will hold another meeting August 27 at 2 p.m. to make a decision on whether or not to put the issue on the November ballot as a voter referendum.

Hillsdale Mayor Max Arnowitz said the borough would defend against the school split "as far as it has to go because it's the right thing for Hillsdale to do."