This Years Budget Process was NOT Normal
John Sincaglia I recently posted an article on Facebook where I criticized some of the recent actions of the Board of Education. Perhaps the most important job of the Board is the approval of the annual budget. I was quite dismayed at the way that process was conducted this year and sent an email to the 2 Board officers explaining...
Why there needs to be a change in the Board of Education
John Sincaglia I have been a resident of Berkeley Heights since 1988. I had the honor to serve as a Board member from 2004-2016. Both before and during my tenure, the Board functioned collaboratively , even though there were often significant differences of opinion. We always were willing to listen and respond to members of the public, whether it be...
Vote Sai Akiri for BOE; Column 7-2
Sai has proven through her time on the Board that she has the patience, dedication and confidence to serve the needs of our children, our Educators while representing the members of our community. Sai has engaged with residents, parents and stakeholders. Sai not only responds to emails made to the Board but she reaches out to residents to listen to...
Unnecessary “Lawsuits” and The Blame Game
In what has to be the most brilliant irony of the year, Berkeley Heights BOE Member Angela Penna penned a candidate statement which included the following: “Board members are engaging in their own forms of political posturing and grandstanding; particularly when they disagree with their fellow board members.” “We see statements in social media suffixed with “This is my personal...
Berkeley Heights Board Of Education President Michael D’Aquila tells resident to come back next month to finish question
I had the opportunity to watch the most recent Berkeley Heights Board of Education meeting and was both shocked and offended with the way our Board President treated a resident that runs the local Chinese school in town. According to the resident, the local non-profit Chinese school is stretched thin on its budget for the many services it provides to...
BOE Candidate Running As The Parent’s Voice Attempts to Take Down Parent’s Letter…Again
In what is a long-standing practice of some BOE members, resident letters holding BOE members accountable are often taken down; usually one or two hours after being published. The reason for this, I believe, is for the letter to get spread and then taken down as a way of undermining the individual’s credibility. Usually, the objections are ridiculous, and the...
Update On SEC Matter Involving Superintendent
Earlier today I emailed the Board of Education with regard to the ethics complaint filed against Dr. Varley surrounding allegations of Nepotism. BHCW became aware of this earlier this year when the parent who filed the complaint informed BHCW that the attorneys representing Dr. Varley (board attorneys) were attempting to block her access in a meeting with the OAL Judge...
Reset the Board of Education
With Berkeley Heights elections coming up in just a few weeks on Nov 8, I have been following the Berkeley Heights Board of Education. Recently it has been a chaotic and dysfunctional mess. The majority of the Board members have had ethics complaints filed against them from numerous parents. In addition, Pam Stanley, being funded by the Berkeley Heights...
BHCW BOE DEBATE RESPONSES #1, #2 & #3
BHCW has one more question related to the budget and Board functioning out to BOE Candidates due in a couple of weeks but residents have been asking where they can find candidate responses to “tougher” questions than have been asked in other formats. Below is a one stop shop of responses to three of the four questions asked of Candidates...
NATASHA JOLY SHOULD BE ON THE BOE
One of my votes will be going to Natasha Joly, who I met while her husband was coaching my oldest daughter’s softball team last year. I got to know her more during the Berkeley Heights French Revolution. Natasha presents as poised, composed, and informed. The evidence of this exists on tape at BOE Meetings. On Zoom Meetings On Calls for...
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