School board goings-on irk town officials
BY LARRY HLAVENKA JR.
Staff Writer

Lakewood

LAKEWOOD - On Sept. 21, the Board of Education held an emergency meeting to discuss what it believed might be a budget deficit of as much as $1.5 million. The board did not provide a public comment session during which residents could ask questions about the district's finances.

Then, interim school district business administrator Edward Kent resigned. Soon thereafter, assistant business administrator Kathryn Fuoto retired from the district.

At a meeting held on Sept. 28, board members announced there is no deficit.

Thus ended a whirlwind series of events for the embattled school district and board.

When the Township Committee convened on Sept. 28 at Leisure Village East for a regular meeting, the school district's problems were discussed at length by municipal officials.

Committeeman Charles Cunliffe, who serves as the governing body's liaison to the board, said the alleged budget deficit was believed to have come from Kent's failure to file correctly for money due from the state.

Regardless of who was to blame, Cunliffe was fed up with the board's antics.

"The wheels have fallen off the cart over there," he said, referring to the school district. "[Residents say], 'what has gone on with the tax raises?' The five of us [on the committee] wear that [burden]. [Residents say] 'property taxes are too darn high and it's your fault' and we have nothing to do with this."

Cunliffe pressed for a meeting with the school board that would include all five members of the Township Committee.

However, state law would prohibit any more than two members to be present.

As such, Cunliffe asked Township Attorney Steven Secare to look for a way to hold a meeting of both elected bodies.

"Is there any possible way to do some research to have all five committee members present?," Cunliffe asked. "We gave $1 million to the board (when a budget deficit was discovered several years ago). If that was ill-used, maybe we have some recourse. It's beyond the scope and grasp of the board of education. We have to have that meeting with all five of us."

Secare said he would look into Cunliffe's request.

Committeeman Robert Singer also expressed his displeasure with the Lakewood school district.

"I received a phone call saying they would talk about they found money," Singer said. "My frustration goes past that. We have found millions [in the past]. It has happened again. I am baffled these situations continue to haunt them with the taxpayers' money. If I couldn't balance my books, I'd hire a certified public accountant to work for the board. If you don't perform, you lose your license. To have people retire or resign, it's not good enough. I do not believe the board understands the fiduciary responsibility to its residents."

Singer, who represents Lakewood as a state senator, said he has written to the

state commissioner of education and to the Ocean County superintendent of schools, which is the local representative of the state Department of Education, to discuss the issue.

Even more discouraging to Singer is what he called the school board's lack of accountability, holding meetings absent from public commentary, as it did on Sept. 21 and Sept. 28.

Secare said the board is guilty of exhibiting "secret behavior."

As such, Singer said he would draft a bill to require public comment at advertised meetings - even though he said he has never heard of any school district besides Lakewood acting in such a manner.

"There is no school board that doesn't hold public sessions," he said. "I've never heard that complaint from any district in the state. I will do this because we have this rare situation. You have a right to question, to criticize, that's the right of being an American. People are going to ask what town has this problem and I'm going to have to say Lakewood."

Resident Bill Hobday said he has seen the school board act mysteriously on more than one occasion.

"You go to their meetings and they hide until they peek out to see if anyone is left," he said.

As Cunliffe mentioned in his comments, Hobday reiterated when he said he believes the school board tarnishes the image of the Township Committee.

"I know it's not your duty, but you are going to be held responsible for their failure," Hobday said. "Every time this happens Lakewood gets another black eye. In education, we have become a mockery. There's no control, no monitors."

Hobday concluded his remarks by saying that although the district's business office has been overhauled and the alleged $1.5 million deficit has been accounted for, Superintendent of Schools Edward Luick remains in his position.

"The only continuity is that Mr. Luick is the superintendent," Hobday said. "He was there during all of these problems. How can he continue to escape this? How is that possible?"

Cunliffe understood Hobday's concern.

"The very next meeting I go to, I will tell them, strike 1, 2, 3. With Mr. Kent and Mrs. Fuoto gone ... now it's on [the board's] dime. They are to be held responsible."

Resident Alice Kelsey thanked the committee for its stand, but still found it "too charitable."

"I think the board is responsible for its problems," Kelsey said. "It's time to hold their feet to the fire. It's time to say enough already."

The committee will meet tonight, Oct. 5, at 7:30 p.m. at the municipal building. The Board of Education will meet on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. at the school district offices on Princeton Avenue.