Berkeley Township Official Lashes Out At Central Regional Superintendent During Meeting

by Patricia A. Miller

Things got heated during an exchange between Township Councilman James J. Byrnes and Central Regional Superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides at the June 27 Township Council meeting.

Parlapanides went to the microphone during the public portion of the meeting to defend the district's use of School Choice money to keep Central's school taxes down.

"We've been very aggressive with our choice money," the superintendent said.

Just a few weeks ago, the all-Republican Township Council passed a resolution asking that Central share use School Choice funds to ease the tax burden on all of the five sending towns.

"It is simply an advisory resolution," Township Council President John Bacchione said today. "The CR District is free to use those funds as it sees fit. We feel it should be earmarked for tax relief, for the Central Regional School District Tax Levy."

Parlapanides said the district has used some of the funds to establish new programs, like ROTC and the Humanities Academy and to pay for needed repairs to avoid going out for referendums. That in turn saves all taxpayers money, he said.

"I know you made some negative comments about Central Regional," he told Byrnes. "I find it a little offensive when you just look at our SAT scores. We have other avenues for our kids."

Brynes angrily denied criticizing the scores.

"I'm glad Dr. Parlapanides came here to debate me and not the rest of the council and the mayor," Byrnes said. "I've been a facilities guy longer than you've been in business. Some of your kids that are going to start graduating can't even use a coloring book."

Brynes told the superintendent that School Choice money is "not a Christmas present" and should be used on teaching staff and reducing class sizes.

Byrnes said he would debate Parlapanides, but not in public.

"I'm not going to pull a Hillary and debate you," he said. "We will go behind closed doors. We will have this debate and not showboat."

Township Council members set a date to sit down with Central Regional Board of Education members to to discuss the matter further.

"I won't be at that meeting," Byrnes said. "I wasn't invited."