BOE Meeting Highlights

Didn't make it to the Barnegat Board of Education meeting last night? Here's what you missed.

• A big crowd turned out to hear all six district principals and curriculum coordinator Karen McKeon take turns at the mike introducing Barnegat’s teachers and staff of the year and presenting them with plaques. Those recognized were: Jen Brennan, Cecil S. Collins School; Michele Ruddy, Lillian M. Dunfee School; Linda Kilmurray, Joseph T. Donahue School; Kerri Ramsay, Robert L. Horbelt School; Dawn Covell, Russel O. Brackman Middle School; Nikki Kappler, Barnegat High School; Susan Rogers; Susan Penque, educational aide; Robert Padavano, custodian; and Barbara Stanziano, administrative assistant.

• During a short discussion of minutes toward the beginning of the meeting, Board member Lauren Sarno asked that minutes from November reflect a specific point: that she abstained from voting on the approval of Armando Quiroz IV as an interim Board member back in November.

• Board President Lisa Becker thanked soon-to-depart Superintendent Jason Bing on behalf of the board for the work he’s done while in the district, and to wish him well in his new position as head of the Bloomfield school district in Essex County. The Barnegat district may not look much the same to the public since Bing’s arrival, Becker said, “but for of us who get to look behind the scenes … know the operations and teamwork here today are vastly different.” Bing worked tirelessly to introduce new technologies to the district, said Becker, and gave students and everyone in Barnegat’s schools many new opportunities to learn. “We have all broadened our knowledge for our time working with him,” she said.

• District Energy Manager Rich Morrill offered a presentation on the savings Barnegat schools have seen since embarking on its energy plan. Despite a rise in electricity costs since starting partnership with nonprofit Energy Education last year, Morrill said the district has saved more than $400,000 in energy costs by changing the culture of energy usage in the schools – from dimming hallway lights and keeping buildings dark at night to lowering thermostats in classrooms.

• Business Administrator Dean Allison announced that fundraising efforts for a new electronic marquee for the high school have resulted in $16,000 in donations. The marquee will likely cost $26,000, none of which will be paid by taxpayers. Allison recognized those who have donated by name, a practice he said he’d continue at future meetings.

• The Board approved an extra $2,500 for an ongoing genealogy study required to clear up a legal issue with the district’s title to the Edwards School property on Route 9. District Attorney Ben Montenegro said that while the district does have full title to the land, the process by which it acquired the property was complicated. Different families sold off various parcels, and the oldest transactions date back more than 100 years. Somewhere along the line, he said, a deed went missing. In order to clear up any legal doubt of ownership, the school district needs to contact the heirs of the original owners mentioned in the deed, which has proved a long an costly process; including the additional funds approved Tuesday night, the district has spent $10,000 on the search.