George Broemmer stood up at what had been a routine Secaucus Board of Education meeting on Nov. 30 and asked two questions in close succession.
“I would like to ask the president of the board and the rest of you if you know why Secaucus went to an elected board of officials?” asked Broemmer of Susan Pirro, board president, and the other board members.
“To keep politics out of appointing people,” answered longtime board member Tom Troyer.
Broemmer then made another query.
“Six of you signed this document,” he said, holding up a piece of campaign literature that was disseminated throughout Secaucus before the Nov. 7 election. “Whose signatures are these?”
And with that question, the Board of Ed meeting descended into turmoil.
Flyer breaks political tradition in Secaucus
While politics certainly sits just under the surface of many Secaucus school board decisions, the board has strived for close to four decades to remain non-political. After a 1968 debate and decision by the Secaucus town government, it was decided that all school board remembers would be elected to three year terms, starting in 1969.
Many Secaucus residents had moved from neighboring Hudson County towns, such as Hoboken and Union City, where the ruling administration appointed who they pleased to their respective school boards, angering many residents who saw these appointments as examples of political cronyism run amok. These ex-urbanites vowed the same thing would not happen in their new suburban Secaucus homes, hence the vote.
However, the election flyer to which Broemmer objected seemed to cross an unwritten line in Secaucus. The piece of campaign literature stated that “the leaders of Secaucus Education Community” support Michael Grecco, Robert Kickey and John Shinnick, the slate of candidates supported by Mayor Dennis Elwell, for town council. The flyer then listed six board members, Susan Pirro, Angelo Andriani, William Millevoi, Mauro DeGennaro, Anthony Gerbasio and Mark Bruscino as supporters of the slate. Above their printed names, each candidate affixed their signatures, each signing their first name.
Who signed?
Broemmer, supported by his ally Bob Campanella, vociferously objected to these signatures.
“This has never been done before in Secaucus,” he said. “You guys who signed this thing are basically prostitutes.”
Later in the meeting, Broemmer apologized for this statement, and amended it to say that “you have prostituted yourselves.”
With this comment, the meeting broke out in an uproar, with accusations and counteraccusations flying like verbal missiles back and forth between Broemmer and the council.
“We have the right to express ourselves about an election as we see fit as private citizens,” said board member Angelo Andriani.
“That’s right, but you put the Board of Education in the middle of politics,” Broemmer countered.
“Don’t blame the board members,” said Tom Troyer. “They never should have been put in that position. If some people come to them and ask to sign it, then I think they have to sign it. That’s politics.”
However, it was one particular signature that caused the most contention at the meeting.
“How did you sign this?” pressed Campanella.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” board president Pirro replied.
After repeated questioning, Pirro ultimately revealed that she had signed the word “Mark” for board member Mark Bruscino. Bruscino declined to comment.
Pirro, however, did comment. “I guess I made a mistake,” she said.
Campanella noted that this incident could mark the beginning of a new, rougher phase in both Secaucus politics and the business of the Board of Education.
“This is a dangerous precedent,” he said. “You have brought politics into a system that was not involved in politics.”
Broemmer made his feelings known as to what he believes should happen next.
“I personally think everyone who signed this letter should resign,” he said.
Board member Tom Troyer looked at the possible ramifications of the meeting with a sense of confusion.
“There are a lot of questions to be asked and answered,” he said. “Who put Pirro up to this? Did she do this on her own? Why didn’t everybody in town get the mailing? It’s a slap in the face to me, and I’m on the board.”
“You guys who signed this thing … have prostituted yourselves.” – George Broemmer