More Than Just Ethics: The First of Three OPRA Cases Validates Parent Concerns on District’s Costly and Improper OPRA Redactions
The Government Records Council (GRC), also known as the authority on government records, a/k/a documents requested under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), recently confirmed suspicions that the Berkeley Heights Public School (BHPS) Records Custodian (Currently Julie Kot and ‘designee’ Steve Hopkins) inappropriately redacted (to black or white-out) responsive records. This ruling and fact are substantial because Ms. Kot has...
BHCW Night Watch Episode 5: John Sincaglia on Budget, Ethics, Terrible Attorneys & Italian Food
In this episode of Night Watch John Sincaglia – the man, the myth, the legend – joins us to discuss the School Budget Process, Ethics Violations, and our terrible Attorneys. He also gives his opinion on JP’s creative experiments with Italian food and the best Italian food in Berkeley Heights.
A Few HIGH SCHOOL Students From Berkeley Heights Want To Read A Book & It Becomes National News
Ideas and ways of looking at the world – good and bad- are out there and more available to our kids than ever. Is someone asking people to ejaculate on a pillow, asparagus, or whatever the hell that book says to ejaculate on the biggest problem facing our District? With everything that’s gone on in our schools – is a...
Dr. Melissa Varley’s Tax Payer Funded Defense
Questions Remain Unanswered Sai Akiri The text below is my last reply to Dr. Melissa Varley as a response to her answers to my questions on the amount of money the District has spent on her defense against the Nepotism allegation that the proposed settlement agreement appears to demonstrate that she is now admitting to. Please read the email exchange...
BHCW Newsletter 02/12/2023
What’s Important to Know About Berkeley Heights, NJ This Week In this week newsletter, -More Concerns on the use of District Dollars in Shielding the Superintendent and BOE Members -The Mayor Hangs out with the Night Watch Crew and in our regular cast we discuss the second BOE Meeting of the Year -More Discussion on Police in Schools -Questions for...
Eighty-Eight Percent: How The Berkeley Heights School District’s Legal Bills Nearly Doubled in a Year
It’s not entirely possible to pinpoint a single moment in time when things shifted in our school district, but it’s impossible to deny the mistrust and division that has been growing for the past three years. What is a little easier to pinpoint is what has led to a staggering increase in legal bills. Let’s look at how we went...
Meeting With The Chief On Police Presence In Schools
Over the last few weeks, I have had several discussions with friends and neighbors on the issue of school safety – specifically police in schools. One of these discussions led to a meeting with the Chief of the Berkeley Heights Police Department, Jason Massimino, and two other parents who could not disagree with me more on this issue. There were...
Email To The BOE on the Proposed OPRA Custodian of Records PositIon
MORE MONEY OUT OF THE CLASSROOM FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS In an attempt to kill two birds with one stone, the District is trying to add yet another position to the Business office while using the cynical and Machiavellian ploy of blaming residents who are using OPRA to request information from a District that has progressively clamped down avenues...
BUDGET, NEPOTISM & TEXTBOOKS
In this clip, a parents asks questions surrounding three areas: (1) Budget Process: Last year, the Budget Process was the subject of much criticism as the total budget was not disclosed to the public (until BHCW obtained it through an OPRA request to the State) and because there was no public meeting before initial approval. Last year the BOE hinted...
BHCW NIGHT WATCH: Ep. 4- Pam Stanley’s Questions to the NJSBA, Police In Schools & Records Custodian
In this episode of Night Watch, we discuss BOE Member questions to the NJSBA, debate Police in Schools, and question the reappearance of the Custodian of Records position for the Business Office.
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