Revised BOE Nepotism Policy Raises Concerns Among Board Members

Board of Education members at their meeting Thursday addressed concerns over the first reading of a new revised nepotism policy, which is part of the New Jersey Department of Education new school accountability regulations.

The new revised policy states the Board of Education, in order to avoid both the reality and the appearance of conflict of interest in employment, will not appoint a relative of a board member or of the superintendent of schools to any employment position in the district.

Board member Judy Leidner said she felt the new revised policy was unfair that a family member would have to go through so much scrutiny even if he or she was the best qualified candidate.

“It is an unfair process,” she said during the Board of Education meeting at the Oak Ridge Heights Elementary School No. 21.

Board member Brian Molnar said it is also important that the new policy does not discriminate against the most qualified candidate.

“We are talking about well qualified people,” he said. “I do not want to see anyone discriminated.”

Board attorney Jonathan Busch said he can assure the board that discrimination will not happen.

“If a [family member] happens to be the best qualified person, then [he or she] will be considered to be hired,” he said. “It will fall under the exceptions of the [new revised] policy.”

The board voted in favor of the first reading of the new revised policy at the meeting. Molnar abstained from the vote.

The new revised policy states that the superintendent of schools shall not recommend to the board any relative of a board member or of the superintendent of schools, unless the person is subject to any of the exceptions [that are stated in the policy]; nor shall any person be considered for employment in any position in which he/she would come under the direct or indirect supervision of any relative.

Exceptions include persons who are employees of the board on the date that the policy becomes effective or the date a relative becomes a board member or superintendent of schools. A relative of a school board member or superintendent of schools may be employed by the district provided that the district has obtained the approval from the executive county superintendent of schools and only upon demonstration by the school district that it conducted a thorough search for candidates and that the proposed candidate is the only qualified and available person for the position.

Per Diem substitutes and student employees are excluded from the nepotism policy.

In other school news, the board voted in 7-2 in favor of awarding a bid to TD Equipment Finance, Inc., Piscataway, for the acquisition and installation of a telephone/data system, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), and related costs in an approximate amount of $2,500,000.

Leidner questioned why the school district is moving forward with the bid without the completion of a feasibility study on the telecommunications across the district.

Schools Business administrator Dennis DeMarino said this award locks in the interest rate that the district would have to pay at 2.17 percent.

“This is the best interest rate right now,” he said. “If we would wait, the taxpayers would have to pay more because the interest rates would go up. We wanted to lock the money in right now.”

In February the board voted 5-2 in favor of awarding a contract for a telecommunications feasibility study for VOIP to TransNet Corporation of Somerville at a cost not to exceed $50,000.

Leidner and Molnar voted no on the bid award. Leidner said she would have liked to see the results of the feasibility study before voting on the measure and Molnar cited economic conditions as his reason on voting against the measure.