A calm board of education meeting that honored the district’s talented and gifted students, recognized the dedicated Aramark workers for their hard work and commemorated a recently retired women’s basketball coach turned to chaos at the drop of a hat.
Monroe Township board of education member George Caruso made a motion to give interim superintendent Richard Perry a three-year contract in the waning minutes of the meeting.
“Our existing superintendent has done everything we asked. He got the kids back in Holly Glen, he’s moving the district forward,” Caruso said. “The longer we delay, the longer it’s going to hurt the kids.”
This motion was seconded by Barbara Chamberlain, but was met with immediate backlash from Tony Ayres, who believed the motion should be tabled for a future meeting. Board president Fred Powell spoke about his ideal course of action.
“I proposed a month ago we go through a process to hire a superintendent that was with the state board of education,” he said. “I also have no question whatsoever who applies for this position. At the time of hiring an interim superintendent, we only interviewed interim superintendents. It’s my belief as a board we should now go through school boards and interview all applicants, for that position, who apply.”
Caruso disagreed with Powell’s statement.
After consulting Robert’s Rules of Order, solicitor Sanu Dev ruled the motion would not be tabled and the board would vote on Caruso’s motion.
Board members Jeff Simpler, Therese Bonmati, Powell and Ayres voted no. Board members Brian Cummiskey, Joe Rumpf, Caruso and Chamberlain voted yes. Board member Frank Torcasio abstained.
With a 4-4-1 vote, the motion did not pass and the district will continue its search for a new superintendent of schools.
