Community Corner

Week In Review: BOE in Hot Water over Seitz Contract and Freeholder Gets to Review Voting Materials

Top stories from the last week

Just in time for the Fourth, let's have a look at the top five stories of the last seven days.

: The County Executive Superintendent has informed the Parsippany Board of Education that its contract with Superintendent LeRoy Seitz is invalid and illegal. The state is giving the board until July 8 to rescind the contract that was struck in November 2010 that violates Gov. Chris Christie's superintendent salary cap. If this requirement is not met, among other things, the board risks losing state aid for schools and Seitz could lose his certification. Board President Frank Calabria told Patch he will hold a special BOE meeting, likely Wednesday, to address the situation.

: This week, school paraprofessionals received the vocal support of Board of Education member Anthony Mancuso. At the board's meeting last Tuesday, the former board president moved for the BOE to accept a fact finder's report and bring the more than four-year contract stalemate to an end. Other board members protested, saying they needed more time to familiarize themselves with all the issues involved. A vote was not held and as of now, no decision has been made regarding the paraprofessionals. In the absence of board approval of the fact finder's report, contract talks between the BOE and the Parsippany-Troy Hills Educational Support Association will have to go to super conciliation.

: Morris County Freeholder Margaret Nordstrom will be permitted access to voting materials from the June 7 Republican primary election. Superior Court Judge Thomas Weisenbeck granted approval to Nordstrom Friday. This allows Nordstrom to see if she can overturn William "Hank" Lyon, the Montville challenger who defeated her in the primary by six votes. Nordstrom, of Washington Township, has until July 22 to complete her review, and her findings will be reviewed July 25.

: A Parsippany was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to two armed robberies involving Route 46 businesses. Cephas Bacon, 17, is being handled as an adult in the case: In January 2010, he attempted to rob a Shell service station with a knife and then a Quik Mart convenience store with a fake gun. Bacon's attorney asked for leniency for the teen, noting that he was under the sway of a drug abuse problem. Morris County Prosecutor Robert A. Bianchi countered, saying that "if you are old enough to rob someone in this way, you are old enough to face the consequences, as you are a threat to the community." Bacon could have received up to 40 years behind bars. He will have to serve 8-1/2 years in state prison before he will be eligible for parole.

: Patch's Susan Alai, after an extensive three-month search, named Parsippany's Best Pizza: Avellino's, the new pizza and grille restaurant at 59 N. Beverwyck Rd.


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