Brick Board Of Education Candidate: Victor Finamore

BRICK, NJ — There are six candidates vying for two seats on the Brick Township Board of Education — seats being vacated by incumbents Karyn Cusanelli and George White.

We are profiling each of the six candidates. Responses are in their own words, with edits for grammar, spelling and punctuation.

Victor Finamore, 51, has lived in Brick Township since 2002. He is a 1983 graduate of Westfield Senior High School, and received a business management certificate from Union County College in 1986, and a pharmaceutical technician certification from Upsala College in 1990, and has taken various online continuing education courses in management, political science and health-related course work. He has 30 years combined in management-related field services including: research and development, financial, health care benefits administration (retirement plans, teachers benefits, unions) and recently Disaster Recovery —Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, a project base thought the State of NJ. "Currently I am consulting with small business owners between Monmouth and Ocean County," he said.

Over the years he has volunteered various organizations between Monmouth and Ocean counties including Monmouth County Chamber events, Best Day Foundation, benefit event planning and fundraising, networking events, and is a supporter of the Special Olympics, the Red Cross toy
drive, and an active member of Making Brick Better and Brick CERT.

"My experience with children comes from a personal level; from many friends throughout the past 20 years and a couple long-time relationships with family shared. Also including, friends who worked in related fields of special needs, occupational therapy, teachers to professors from a local university and many retired educators," he said. "I shared my personal experiences with children among close friends; regarding upbringing, both public and private schools, sports, and college planning. Observed over the years, the dedication and sacrifices that a single parent takes to push their children forward to succeed; not only in school- also continuing their education at well-known universities into successful careers. I had experienced a good friend of many years; as a university professor, who is career-focused, dedicated to her students, who would oftentimes bring her work home with her – grading papers, test, reviewing reports at the dining room table of countless hours of dedication. As an educator, she would balance her time between her career, her children and family first, before any personal time. One can only express sincere gratitude and appreciation for the work an educator does."

"I have a strong understanding of what life as an educator and single parents go through on a daily basis with children, the sacrifices they take and personal responsibilities, I’ve had combined over 20 years of experiences on a personal level," he said.

What do you feel is the most important quality you would bring to the Board of Education?

My quality would come from 30 years of business experience; working on budgets, funding, government projects. It's 2016, we are putting children though an educational system that is not current with the times.

If you are elected to the Brick Township Board of Education, will you have any conflicts that will force you to abstain from voting? If so, what are they?

There are none, I am without family or relative working in the Ocean County School system.

Property taxes are a huge concern, but there is also significant concern about the state of the facilities, which have been neglected or shortchanged for decades. How would you balance the need to address critical issues with the concern over property taxes?

We should look at it as lessons learned and it is time to move forward. Correct the indifference and take on the challenges that are much needed.

As a single homeowner and resident of Brick since 2002, I have attended many years of both Board of Education and town meetings. As a person who’s been quite active within the community; I have watched
from the audience of the many changes, sacrifices and increases of our taxpayers’ dollars over the years and following Sandy, the spike that has had an effect on every taxpayer (and renters) in Brick.

The prior school board (looking back over the years) had recognized many difficulties that had arisen due to neglect. Yes, many of the schools built more than 50 years ago went neglected for many years. The previous board was able to put into place a plan for work in order to start many of the projects without raising taxes in 2015. What we see today is the result of that processes already planned years ago.

The recent tax increase brought on by the new voices of Clean Slate Team and the Board of Education is from a $150 million school budget for 2016-2017 that raises the tax levy by 3.51 percent to $103.5 million.

Both the budget and tax levy went up, while the 2015-2016 budget was $146.9 million, up .9 percent, and was supported by a $100,000,721 tax levy. (Where did that money go?)

Lessons learned: Many years ago, if the public was fully informed of future planning, its direction, required maintenance cost and needs were in place, perhaps the public would have both understood those needs and the redevelopment benefits from a good school system; a small fractional increase over the years would have been much easier to have managed economically than the pain we are all feeling today.

All parties from the past are to blame for their previous decisions that we are living today. I hope by moving forward this could become a common ground to make positive changes by thinking conservatively.

However, all the years of putting things off had brought us to this pinnacle moment at the cost of the taxpayers and a $150 million budget, although the previous board had recognized these concerns, and had been already working on a plan prior to 2016. That plan (sometime in 2014) was the result of $20 million of needs without a cost to the taxpayer by putting together a plan in motion. ( HVAC systems, Electrical, Transformers, repavement projects) with additional ROD grants to help fund the several million dollars worth of projects for Brick schools, including $1 million for new exterior doors, to move forward, with future plans for those repairs that we see today, just never discussed openly of future planning (transparency).

Today: Now, that the bulk of the needed projects are done, I would review where we’ve been, what we’ve accomplished and how to move forward by the wants and needs to maintain that balance. As part of a board member — to assure the public that these funds by the taxpayer are managed properly – they need a real voice and I hope to be, their (the public's’) voice if elected.

If children are going to succeed, they need the proper tools to achieve personal goals, the current and previous students have been short-changed for years. Will $150 million budget if not raised again in 2017 or 2018? The surplus direction should, allow for a tomorrow and future funds to be accountable surplus for the
continuation of maintenance of the facilities, increasing the technology of our schools for our children to advance and learn at a pace they are comfortable with, not educated by a system already past its time.

With a $150 million budget in 2016, there should be enough funds to give each student a chance to succeed without any additional cost to you or I – the taxpayer.

There has been much discussion about teacher salaries at recent board meetings. What do you propose to balance the need to manage costs while maintaining experience?

If we follow Governor Christie's plan for Fairness formulation, we can see how that would have a positive effect on both taxes and parents who pay either rent or property taxes to live here.

Everybody wins, the opportunities are endless.

For now: What has been agreed with as part of bargain agreement with the teachers union already set in stone – “it is, what it is” – a contract that will be paid first.

Currently, approximately 80 percent of the budget has been previously determined by collective bargaining, signed contracts, and state mandates. With approximately 90 percent already allocated as required
mandatory legislative spending, any increase in spending should be offset with a plan to eliminate waste.

“Teacher salaries make up $58 million of Brick Township Public School’s $146.9 million budget. The new contract will increase the salary pool for teacher pay by 3.41 percent the first year, 3.30 percent the second year, and 3.19 percent in the third year of the contract, district officials said Thursday. The raises will increase Brick’s costs for teacher salaries by more than $6 million over the next three years.

Teachers working in Salem County and in charter schools earn less than Ocean County teachers” – Asbury Park Press, July 25, 2015.

The New Voices of the Board of Education had promised, that the budget would include the creation of a new
science and math academy and uses surplus funds to help pay for the rising cost of medical benefits. Attrition will eliminate more than a dozen teacher positions (replacement at a current salary).

However, it’s a year out and we haven’t seen much of these results (besides the continuation projects of much-needed repairs).

We have already seen an increase of cost in one area and foolish cuts in another from a recent BOE meeting - we still haven't learned – shortchanging students over ice hockey?

What of the “taxpayers money pit" of a promised operational audit in hopes for savings? These are strong areas that are focused upon those who are in the finance committees. With future thoughts of another possible unforeseen tax increase hits in 2017 and 2018 if the funds are not managed correctly or “overbudgeted?"

If the funds are managed correctly over time along, with much-needed public transparency (timeline – where we were, what have we done, repairs and improvements – fixing the problems at hand, focus upon teaching opportunities and advancement. Lead by example; if the teachers achieve and advance – so will the children) — we would be able to balance the employment opportunities of quality teachers and to offer proper benefits for the work they have a passion for with a value in return: a self-rewarding career.

An area of growth that I would like to see much more improvement on, is the continuation of budgeting for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) academies. With much talk of venturing of too
other worlds, math, engineering and sciences will become the next leap and in high demand.

In addition, we cannot forget about our school staff, maintenance workers and drivers who also have great responsibilities, dedication and obligations to parents, teachers and students. This is another area that is quite valued and also a part of our schools.

What in your view is the most important thing that can be done to improve student achievement, and how would you prefer to see that measured?

I may not be a new voice or a part of the machine that has caused an economical impact on both parents and students.

With more than 30 years of business experience, I believe in transparency, future planning 5, 10, 20 years out, proper budgeting for those years, keeping the public informed of where we’ve been, where we are today and where we are going for tomorrow and what that means to you, your family and most important, your children.

Not one person can make this change alone. This would have to be a collaboration of the many, who’s on the board and its committees, with wanting the same vision and plan – simply by – Fixing the problem to move forward. (That’s the business side of me).

The Bottom line: Advancing young minds upon the possibilities may offer a direction and new focus to become more than they could ever imagine. Keeping young minds encouraged and career-focused betters the
chances of achievement, quality of life and better life choices.

Patch graphic; photo provided by Victor Finamore