Schools
Feasibility study on VOIP in schools to be conducted
Business admin DeMarino anticipates annual savings of $200,000.
Citing significant savings, the Woodbridge Township School District will conduct a $50,000 feasibility study on telecommunications across the district.
The Board of Education voted 5-2 in favor of awarding a contract for a telecommunications feasibility study for Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to TransNet Corporation of Somerville at a cost not to exceed $50,000. Board President Brian Small and Board member John Golden were not present at the vote.
Schools Business administrator Dennis DeMarino said the implementation of VOIP has an anticipated annual savings of $200,000.
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“The study will be conducted over two school years,” he said.
Board members Judy Leidner and Brian Molnar voted against the measure. Both cited economic reasons for their ‘no’ vote.
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“[Also] I feel there was not enough discussion regarding the study,” said Leidner.
Molnar added that he did not feel comfortable voting on a measure that has a shelf life of two years “in these economic conditions.”
DeMarino said Woodbridge Township officials suggested the school district’s move to VOIP. He said he has also been in contact with school officials in districts where they have implemented VOIP.
“[The] Brick Township [school district] has 12 school buildings and saves between $12,000 to $14,000 annually,” he said. “Sometimes you have to spend money to save money.”
In other school news, the Board of Education voted unanimously granting permission for DeMarino to look into whether or not they would want to publicly auction two school buildings that the district currently owns.
The Board of Education recently received approval to auction the district owned property that is located on Outlook Avenue in Colonia. Fleming White Appraisals, Inc. has set the minimum bid for the properties at $1,660,000.
DeMarino said the two buildings — one, which was built in 1906 and one, which was built in 1929 — are not used as schools. If the district decides to move ahead with the auction, DeMarino said the monies that the district receives could go towards the feasibility telecommunications study; however, he said “we have not made any decisions as of yet.”
