'We Have To Work Together As A Team': Bernards School Board Decorum Discussed

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — After a previous heated and contentious special meeting, the Bernards Township Board of Education discussed proper decorum and governance moving forward.

"Regarding last week, I think we can all agree no matter how anyone feels about the motions that were passed - how we arrived at the end result can be approved upon. There is a topic of board governance on the agenda tonight and it's under Board forum. I think that's worthwhile for both new and old board members that are here," said Board President Keith Molinari at the March 27 meeting. "I think there needs to be proper parliamentary procedure and decorum... I think we have to be able to disagree and debate sometimes vigorously while adhering to both."

Superintendent Nick Markarian said he appreciated Molinari's comments very much and couldn’t agree more.

"We do set the example, we have to work together as a team and focus on communication. For whatever I can do on my part to make it go as smoothly as possible I am committed to doing that," said Markarian.

The topic of Board governance was added to the agenda by Board member Robin McKeon after members argued at the March 20 special meeting when a last-minute motion by Vice President Nimish Amin was introduced immediately after the budget was passed. Read More: No Tax Increase Proposed In Bernards School Budget For 2023-24

McKeon distributed copies of the New Jersey School Board Associations' "Who Does What In Public School Governance?" (See the full document below)

"This is just like one of the shorter handouts that school boards gives at a lot of its trainings for school governance and its basically about the roles of board members and superintendents. So it's trying to clarify, Who does what? Because it is confusing," said McKeon.

Molinari noted that he just went to a governance training and it was exactly like the document McKeon handed out.

"I think it is something we strive to do as a school board. Keep our purview to strategy 30,000 feet up and leave the tactics to the administrations. I think that sometimes there is overlap in those two things," said Molinari. "Sometimes you do have to come down from the clouds and get onto the street level but for the most part, I agree with that. Our job is to set a strategic vision for the district and the administration's job is to carry out that strategic vision."

Board member Timothy Salmon expressed his frustration with some of the Board's actions in past meetings.

"In terms of some things happening recently. It's been a lot of rush and this has to happen now which I am fine with if it's an emergency… I would like to see more of a return to what is happening now and less off-schedule meetings, less subgroup meetings just with [Markarian] and talking about instruction rather than what's in weekly notes so the whole board is apprised of everything," said Salmon. "I would like to hope that we return to more to that regular process of decision making and less kind of like ad-hoc rushed, feeling rushed decisions."

Board member Jennifer White also aired her frustration over the March 20 meeting conduct.

"I think what you saw last week was the complete and utter frustration from people feeling that policy governance is not being followed. … We are not always going to be on the same page but we should never be in the position where groups of us have had conversations prior to the Board and then action is taken," said White. "Because I'll say we did feel blindsided and that's just being 100 percent honest because it was very clear that conversation had taken place that should have taken place at the full board level."

Board member Kirsten Light discussed having the Board meeting minutes more readily available.

"I would actually like to have the Board minutes available to the public before the board meeting on which we are going to vote on any items or read out so that they have the opportunity to ask questions on agenda items and be informed with what the discussions were," said Light.

The decision to change when minutes are available would need to go back to the policy committee to put in a timeline for reporting it, said Markarian.

The Board of Education's next meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 10 at 7 p.m. at the Ridge High School PAC.

New Jersey School Board Associations' "Who Does What in Public School Governance" by Alexis Tarrazi on Scribd

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