Last Wednesday and yesterday, teachers and residents packed the East Ramapo board of education meeting to find out what the board would do about its failed $193.4 million budget.

Both days, nearly two dozen people spoke passionately about their concerns, whether it was to “chop fat” from the spending plan or to keep sports and extra-curricular activities in place.

Like most other school boards, the members simply listened to voters voicing their concerns, not arguing or debating what was being said.

But at the end of the night, when the board members did make their intentions regarding the future of the budget known (the board adopted an austerity budget on the recommendation of the superintendent), one board member not only answered some of the statements made, but chastised the audience as well.

Board member Akiva Feinsod said that both sides that spoke at the meetings ought to show up to board meetings more often in order to get their information correct.

“So many people have such an extreme opinion with such limited knowledge,” he said.

The board has debated the budget since February, he said, and nobody showed up for the meetings. Where were all the suggestions during the budget process? Where were the people wanting to trim the fat when the board debated, line by line, each expenditure? “How people who don’t know if there’s any fat here or not … walk in there making statements baffles me,” he said.

The people championing the arts and sports also got taken to task. Never, in all the discussions, has the board suggested it would cut extra-curricular activities or sports. If people had shown up for the board meetings, they would have known that, he said.

“Be more involved,” he told those assembled.