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Six Candidates Contend For Three Seats On Brick School Board
By Keith Hagarty
As student enrollment decreases throughout the school district, prompting the anticipated closing of two schools, this year's school board elections mark a changing landscape in the Brick School District.
On Tuesday, April 15, six candidates will be asking for voter support as they each vie for one of three available seats on the Brick Township Board of Education.
The incumbents, Frank Pannucci, Daniel Rosa and Edward McBride, are being opposed by challengers Vicky Leone, Michael Pifko and Kim Terebrush.
Of the three contended seats, two three-year terms are being sought by Pannucci and Rosa, and Leone and Pifko, while Terebrush is challenging McBride for the board's oneyear term seat.
McBride has been filling the remaining term of former board member Brian DeLuca, who resigned in December after being elected to the Township Council. State law requires McBride to run for election this year for the remaining time left on the tenure of DeLuca's former seat, which expires in April 2009.
One of the most pressing issues facing the board over the last few months has been the decision to close both the Primary Learning Center and the Laurelton School.
In his 18 years on the board, Pannucci, 63, said closing the two schools was one of the hardest decisions he's ever had to make.
"That was a tough decision to make," he said, "but it was the right decision to make in my book. I think it's good for the taxpayer too. We've got empty classrooms, and to have an extra building or two with empty classrooms all over the place makes no sense at all."
For Pifko, 52, and Leone, 41, their decision to run for seats on the board came out of frustration over rising school taxes, saying the board's plan to close the two schools was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Speaking at a recent board meeting, Pifko, an attorney and father of three children in the district, blasted the board for its action, saying the direction of the school district is off course, and needs a healthy dose of new, fresh faces.
Upon announcing his candidacy for the board, Pifko, a 24-year township resident, called the board decision to close the two schools the catalyst for him running for a board seat.
"We've been through tough times before," Pifko said, "but we've never had to resort to closing any of our schools."
However, the incumbents insist the board made the best of a no-win situation when faced with a multimillion dollar budget gap.
"We have to tighten our belts one way or another," said Pannucci. "It's either firing people, or closing our schools. In my opinion, the path of least resistance is to consolidate school buildings and nobody has to get fired, kids' programs stay intact and not affected by anything at all. Everything stays intact and nobody loses their job."
A 13-year resident of Brick, Rosa, 42, is seeking his second term on the board, currently serving a three-year term. He was appointed board vice president in January.
McBride, 53, is a veteran of the Marines, a retired police sergeant in Westfield and North Plainfield. He currently works for the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs.
As a member of the Brick Township Economic Development Commission, Terebrush, 48, said her decision to run for a board seat stems from concern over the fiscal direction of the school district, saying it's all about providing the town with an educational system the parents and residents can be proud of.
Establishing a sound structure in the school system can have lasting positive affects in luring attractive tax ratables into town, revenue, she claims, which has not been properly focused on by the current board.
The incumbents scoff at the notion offered by the challengers that the Brick Board of Education needs a host of new faces.
"It's easy to say, 'we need new ideas, we need change, they've been there too long'- that's easy to say," said Pannucci, "but they haven't come up with a single plan … The board should be looking into ways to bring in revenue on its own without depending so much on tax funding," he added. "We need to find revenue sources. That's something we definitely have to do."
In addition, Pannucci said the board's technology initiatives and energy conservation efforts will continue to be key issues in the months ahead, as will the search for a new superintendent, as the contract of interim Superintendent of Schools Melindo Persi expires in November
The search for a new superintendent is scheduled to begin shortly after the election and appointment of the elected board members. The search process is expected to last throughout the summer, with a new superintendent expected to be appointed by September.
Polls will be open throughout the town from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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