BOE Pays Lawyer To Help Board Member Who Charged Colleague With Ethics Violations

The Barnegat Board of Education recently voted to authorize a conflict counsel to represent one of the board members, who filed an ethics complaint before the State Ethics Commission against another board member.

The entire board voted in favor of the legal representation - including the man whom the complaint is against - Frank Caputo. 

Minutes posted on the board's website, show details of the vote, taken Dec. 18, 2012. The motion read: "New Business Motion #5, to authorize conflict counsel to represent D.P. and/or others as petitioners filing Code of Ethics charges before the S.E.C. against F.C. arising out of  issues as presented and discussed in closed session."

According to sources close to the issue, the counsel was hired to represent Board member Denise Pilovsky, who filed ethics charges against Caputo. Pilovsky declined to comment on the matter, citing confidentiality, and referred questions to the attorney, Adam Steuerman. Steuerman was not immediately available for comment. In board minutes from June, 2012, Steuerman's fee was quoted at $135 an hour. 

Caputo did not immediately return a call for comment.

Superintendent Karen Wood did not immediately return a call for comment.