Vicari Will Hold Off on Making Personnel Decisions Until After School Election

Joe Vicari comes cheap.

Vicari, 64, is back at the helm of the Berkeley Township school district after a nearly two-year absence.

He had originally agreed to return for free, until the Board of Education settled on a permanent superintendent. But state law requires that certified school administrators be paid a salary. Vicari's one-year contract calls for him to be paid the minimum - $18,500, with no benefits.

"After taxes it's exactly $48 a day," Vicari said in an interview at  his office this morning. "I have no benefits, no expense account, no pension costs, no hospitalization, no E-Z Pass."

And while some in town have questioned his motives for returning, Vicari said there aren't any that will benefit him financially.

"I came back because Berkeley Township is in a financial crisis," he said. "By me coming back, I will save teaching jobs, programs and taxes will be reduced. I was let go illegally and unfairly. I love working in Berkeley Township with the kids, and that's why I came back. I have no other motive other than helping the kids and the teaching professionals."

And there's no truth to the rumor that his state pension credits will increase because of his return to the district, Vicari said.

"There's no earning credits," he said. "It has nothing to do with my pension or future earnings. The only thing I get at the end of the day is $48 a day. There's no credit at all."

Vicari — who is also a longtime Ocean County freeholder — hasn't wasted any time getting back into the routine. He's been at his desk at 7 a.m. every day this week.

"It feels good," he said. "I enjoy coming to work everyday. I wasn't ready to retire."

Vicari's return marks the end of the Board of Education's nearly two-year search for a new superintendent. Former interim superintendent Arlene J. Lippincott held the post from June 2009, when Vicari's previous contract expired, until April 1, when Vicari returned. Lippincott returns to her job as principal of the Bayville School.

Vicari and his supporters on the current board contend that a previous board's decision not to renew his contract in 2008 was illegal because it was done in closed session. Vicari left the district in 2009, when his contract expired. He had served six years as superintendent when his contract was not renewed.

Vicari was at the 2008 meeting when the previous school board decided not to renew his contract in closed session. Vicari has said that then-board attorney Guy Ryan allowed the vote in closed session and allowed board member Thomas Guarascio to vote, even though he had a conflict of interest because his wife worked in the school district.

The state School Ethics Commission later ruled that Guarascio had violated the state School Ethics Law in several instances — including participating in the closed session — and recommended that he be censured, according to the decision.

Vicari also said the contract vote was politically motivated by the Democrats who had the school board majority at the time and the local and county Democratic organizations.

But for now, he is concentrating on getting the district's tax levy portion of the $32,022,145 budget passed in the April 27 election. The budget calls for a $1.7 million decrease in the amount to be raised by taxation, which translates into a 52-cent decrease on a home assessed at the township's average of $204,000.

"If there was a learning curve, it would be hard to do," Vicari said. "I've done the budget six times in the past. I hired a lot of the teachers. The message to the taxpayers is simple. No tax increase. My goal is the continuation of the services we have in our schools."

But he's not happy that up to nine staff members could lose their jobs, according to the proposed budget.

"I have a responsibility to make sure they are treated with respect," Vicari said. "I don't hire good teachers. I hire outstanding teachers."

He sees his return to the district as a volunteer position.

"At this time my family and I have made a commitment for one year," he said. "I am not planning on staying for more than one year. Somebody has to set an example. I'm doing what a lot of other people are doing. I don't expect to get accolades. I'm not looking for a full-time job. I will not accept a full-time superintendent position."

The only way he would possibly consider staying on longer than a year would have to be "a combination of community support, teachers and administration," Vicari said.

Vicari has no assistant superintendent and no administrative assistant to help him run the four-school district, which currently has 2,041 students and 361 staff members..

"I do it all myself," he said.