Now that the Board of Education’s choice for the next schools superintendent abruptly pulled his name out of consideration two weeks ago, they will continue their search – but not until after four seats on the board are decided during the April 20 school board election.
It would be impossible to start a new search before the election, said Board President Rose Marie Markle, since two members are not seeking re-election and two others – Markle included – are up for re-election. No matter who wins, the board will certainly be changing.
Thirteen residents filed for four open seats currently occupied by Markle, Carrie Gilliard, Jim Farina, and Irene Sobolov. Farina and Gilliard are not running again.
One open seat will be filled for one year due to the midterm resignation of Phil DeFalco, while the other three seats will be filled for three-year terms.
Markle said she had no intention to hide Romano’s withdrawal until after the election filing deadline.
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The failed superintendent search that landed Fort Lee administrator Dr. Frank Romano took roughly six months, but Romano walked away from the job during contract negotiations. If the board begins a new search in May, it most likely wouldn’t conclude until the fall.
Delay to influence election?
At the meeting, local politico Lane Bajardi alleged that Markle knew that Romano had withdrawn his name on Thursday, Feb. 25 and never notified the full board until after the filing deadline for the board elections on Monday, March 1.
Markle avoided answering the question until after she discussed it with the board and the board attorney in closed session, and only briefly addressed it after that.
After the closed session and in a follow-up interview, Markle said she did receive Romano’s letter on Thursday and was discussing the issue with the board attorney and Romano until Monday. She said she was trying to reengage Romano in negotiations, to no avail.
She sent a communication to the board at 6 p.m. on Monday, she said, two hours after the filing deadline for the board election. Markle said she had no intention to hide Romano’s withdrawal until after the election filing deadline – but some people are not buying it.
Two residents critical of Markle and her board allies said they seriously considered running for the school board, and would have run if they knew the new board will choose the next superintendent.
Saving money in contracts
The board completed negotiations with its custodians’ union, awarding raises but also getting some things in return. Ruth McAllister, a member of the negotiation committee, said the union agreed to phase out a costly healthcare plan in favor of a cheaper, yet comparable one.
The union also agreed to begin paying into their healthcare coverage plan – the first public union in the city to do so, McAllister said – even though the savings for the district are minimal.
The board also saved money by redefining a full-time employee as someone who works 29.5 hours per week, as opposed to its definition of 20 hours per week previously. Full-time employees are entitled to health benefits that cost the district dearly.
Ethics complaints against board members?
Before the meeting, Board Attorney Vito Gagliardi held an informational session on board ethics after hearing behind-the-scenes complaints that board members Carrie Gilliard and Maureen Sullivan had allegedly violated confidentiality requirements when they made some of their objections public over the failed superintendent hiring. But according to sources, no ethics charges have been filed against either board member.
Penn Relays cause debate
And at the meeting, Sullivan had another standoff moment with the board when she objected to sending a handful of high school track and field athletes for an overnight trip to the Penn Relays, the oldest and largest track and field event in the United States.
The trip to Philadelphia will cost the district $3,000, although the students are having a car wash fundraiser to help defray the cost.
Coach Judith Burrell said the competition gives the kids a chance at being recruited, just as she was when she left Hoboken High School for Utah State University years ago.
The board majority voted in favor of sending them.
Board secretary eliminated
The board eliminated the position of board secretary after the pending resignation of current board secretary David Anthony on June 30. The school business administrator will assume the duties of the secretary. Anthony became board secretary after serving many years as a school board member.
Budget notes
The size of the school budget is going down, according to Interim Business Administrator Robert Davis, but the district is waiting for state aid numbers that may cut into the reduction.
The board scheduled a public budget workshop for Monday, March 22 at 6 p.m. and a public hearing on the budget for Tuesday, March 30.
The budget will be voted on by the public on April 20 during the school board elections.
Timothy J. Carroll may be reached at tcarroll@hudsonreporter.com.
250 students to get free laptops
Though the school board is struggling to find a new superintendent and political tensions are coming to a boil as the election approaches, the board made a lot of students very happy last week.
The board approved the purchase of 250 laptops for seventh and eighth graders using federal stimulus money, helping to bridge a “digital divide,” or the gap in access to information and services between those who can afford technology and those who can’t.
Parent Peter Fitzgerald thanked the board in the public portion of the meeting, calling the initiative an attempt at leveling the playing field as far as technology is concerned.
“That’s our world out there,” he said of the digital age, “and the sooner these children get involved in it, the sooner they’ll begin to excel.”
According to the district, students will use the laptops both in school as an electronic textbook and at home as a homework aid and a tool to communicate with teachers and other students. The teachers will preload the computers with educational software and security safeguards and lockouts. School wireless networks will also be setup for the students.
Board member Maureen Sullivan raised concerns because the board’s Technology Committee, which she chairs, never discussed the laptops.
McAllister responded that Sullivan participated in discussions about the laptops as a member of the board’s Finance Committee, and never asked the board to have the Facilities, Transportation, and Technology Committee review the program.
Sullivan voted against the program, citing unexpected costs and the potential to overburden the district tech staff. – TJC