Congratulations Ms. Bradford- It’s Time to Get to Work

Email sent to Ms. Bradford, Board of Education and County Superintendent

Dear Ms. Bradford,

Congratulations on securing the position of President for the Berkeley Heights Board of Education.

It is my hope that moving forward you will act as an impartial facilitator of meetings. I want to present some of my concerns so you can be aware of the guidance Mr. Palmieri (who has no way of enforcing the expectations he outlined) provided in his letter.

First, it would be helpful to keep in mind that you arrived at this position even though not a single BOE Member nominated you. With that said, I am glad that Ms. Penna will no longer be in that role for this year at least.

You can continue to act in this role in the same manner you have during your term – partisan and employing tactics to rob duly elected BOE Members of their right to bring up matters and to initiate a vote. Your support of the 48-hour rule and your actions during the first two meetings this year cause me concern about your ability to be impartial.

The Board does not exist to protect the Superintendent or to ensure that she, Ms. Penna, and Ms. Stanley continue to keep and pay for the attorneys they have hired to go on witch hunts and run interference in meetings. The Board ensures our schools are run properly and, as elected representatives, represent their constituents in decision-making.

You can show good faith in demonstrating impartiality by:

(1) Ensuring the Superintendent Search is transparent and stake-holder informed.  This can include interviewing search firms publicly.

(2) Ensuring the Budget process is transparent and stake-holder informed.  This year, the entire Board and Public can have the necessary documents to make informed decisions, additional meetings to discuss the budget, and immediate access to the final, detailed budget. It can mean that the questions I have presented to the Business Administrator on areas of concern get real answers.

(3) Uncovering the Transportation Issue – I remain highly skeptical that the presentation on this issue will be another marketing front based on a long track record connected to this administration. The Board and Public should have access to the presentation and supporting data prior to the presentation so that they are informed at the time they occur.

(4) Ensure that the District Comply with OPRA and OPMA- The District continues to struggle in this area unnecessarily. There is no reason that minutes, committee presentations, and budget documents cannot be posted publicly. Our attorneys have no reason to pour over every OPRA request in making improper redactions that lead to settlements and potential litigation.

(5) Impartial Legal Counsel- The self-serving and desperate actions of the Board Attorney to protect their role with assistance from other BOE Members and the Administration were cringeworthy and embarrassing. Our stake-holders deserve adults at the table who can behave like professionals and provide good counsel.

(6)  Allow BOE members to Introduce Motions You May Not Agree with- That is how democracy works. Ms. Penna and Ms. Stanley’s attempt to rob elected representatives of their right to represent stake-holders was well managed by Mr. Hyman. I hope you can manage your bias (we are all biased) and facilitate meetings impartially. The Board President is not empowered to prevent motions – if an item is improper or unethical the Board as a whole can decide that with a vote.

(7) Ensure All Stake-holders Have Influence– Groups and organizations have long held undue influence over the BOE. Instead of giving groups and organizations weight or running secretive committees involving only those individuals friendly to the administration and your bloc on the BOE, consider using town halls involving all parents on significant decisions.

While Mr. Palmieri attempted to provide the Board a stern warning to work together, he has, during his tenure, provided no evidence of getting involved when things go South unless he is forced to.

You wanted this role- it is now on you to ensure you execute its duties fairly and effectively.

For the sake of our District, I sincerely hope you proceed differently in this role than you have in the past year. I believe that you can.