Laura’s Notes on the 02/26/2024 BOE Meeting: Board Appointments
Saying this meeting is stacked is an understatement of epic proportions. The Report of the Superintendent will include the Audit Presentation, a Transportation Consultant presentation (regarding bussing), the PowerPoint is available here AND Board Member Training from the NJ State Board Association. Following a third attempt at electing a Vice President, the Business Administrators report will include a presentation (the...
Legal Spending and Searchable Attachments for 02/26/2024 Berkeley Heights BOE Meeting
The Current Board Set to Vote On Huge Legal Tab from Prior Board Our community continues to pay for the consequences of the prior Board’s decisions. This month’s legal bills total $28,320, of which the “legal firm” (lol) of Cleary, Giacobbe, Alfieri, and Jacobs will receive $23,727. We have spent about $2,000 more compared to Feb and Jan of 2023,...
Question #2 on the BHPSNJ Budget and Audit: Enrollment Declines and Number of Positions
The following is the second in a series of articles about questions presented to the Berkeley Heights Public School District Business Administrator on the 2023 Audit submitted to the State of NJ before Berkeley Heights families and taxpayers could review the document and ask questions contrary to state statute and our historical process. Since 2019, enrollment in the Berkeley Heights...
2023 Audit & 2024 Budget Question 1: General Administration- Support Services Spending
Questions on the Berkeley Heights Public School Audit The following is the first in a series of articles about questions presented to the Berkeley Heights Public School District Business Administrator on the 2023 Audit submitted to the State of NJ before Berkeley Heights families and taxpayers could review the document and ask questions contrary to state statute and our historical...
Shauna’s Notes on the 2/13 BHPS BOE (postponed) Meeting Agenda
Audit, Superintendent Search & “XX” This will be a special meeting of the Berkeley Heights Board of Education, so there is very little on the agenda. What IS there is worth a look. William Swisher of Suplee Clooney & Co. will present the audit to the board. This is the audit that the State of New Jersey says should be...
Nothing Occurs in a Vacuum: A Short History Explaining Why The Berkeley Heights BOE Needs So Much Repair
The current Berkeley Heights Board of Education didn’t magically arrive where they are now. There have been a series of events and actions that have led to the situation that exists today, and while one could argue for going back decades, to this author a majority of influences began with the early extension of Dr. Varley’s contract and the reconfiguration...
Firm of Cleary, Giacobbe, Alfieri, & Jacobs Spends 20 Minutes Trying to Protect their Jobs
Revisiting the 01/04/2024 Berkeley Height Board of Education Reorganization Meeting Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel
Three Clear Examples of Why Change is Needed – 01/18/2024 Berkeley Heights BOE Meeting
There are three points in time Berkeley Heights and Mountainside families can look at during the last meeting to understand why many in our community have very strong concerns about Ms. Penna becoming BOE President – aside from an apparent conflict of interest involving largely defunct ethics claims against another BOE Member (Ms. Akiri) and several SEC validated claims against...
01/18/2024 BOE Meeting Part I- Laura’s Notes
A Board that Finally Deliberates in Public! I echo JP’s public comments in commending Mr. Hyman for his ability to effectively and respectfully preside over the 1/18/24 meeting. He controlled the meeting and followed proper procedures. He stopped members when it was needed and he kept the meeting moving along. The entire meeting was refreshing! It was a long meeting,...
Quick Note On the 01/18/2024 BOE Meeting- Jordan Hyman Gets it Done
While there is certainly a contingent that is going to try to spin last night’s meeting as “too long” or “chaotic” it’s important to note that if one considers all the important material the BOE had to vote on last night – several hours is an appropriate amount of time. This is NOT a rubber stamp BOE anymore. Those days...
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