Schools

BOE Expects No Quick Decision on Lawsuit Against State

Despite State Attorney General Paula Dow's request that the suit be rejected, apellate court must still rule.

The Parsippany school could drag on for weeks, even months, before there's closure, contend school officials.

State Attorney General Paula Dow on Tuesday requested that the appellate court reject the suit, filed last month after Morris County Superintendent Kathleen Serafino ordered the board to rescind the five-year contract of district Superintendent LeRoy Seitz. 

But Board President Anthony Mancuso, who initiated the lawsuit, said the legal battle is far from over.

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"From what I understand, that was just her defending the state's position,'' Mancuso said. "The apellate court still has to look at both sides.''

He didn't know when that might happen, he said.

Find out what's happening in Parsippanywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The board's suit claims that Serafino approved the contract via e-mail, promising to sign it when she came back from vacation. Serafino claims no approval was ever granted.

Seitz's contract exceeds Gov. Chris Christie's proposed salary cap of $175,ooo for school administrators in districts the size of Parsippany. He will be paid $216,000 this year and $234,000 by 2015. in public for attempting to circumvent the cap.

Although Mancuso still held hope that the state would rule in Parsippany's favor, board members who oppose the contract said it's just further evidence that school officials should comply with Serafino.

"We have the governor, the attorney general, the commissioner of education all saying she didn't approve it,'' said board member Robert Crawford, who has introduced three failed motions to have the contract rescinded.

"As you get that message from more people, the more credibility it tends to have. With all those people saying it wasn't approved, I don't see much reason to continue saying it was. But it still has to work it's way through the process.''

Board member Michael Strumolo, who is also opposed to contract said, "Nothing's changed. But I don't want any more taxpayers' money spent on what I think is a frivolous lawsuit.''

Mancuso said at least $8,000 had been spent on the initial filing and he doubted the cost had increased much since then, but he had no exact figures. He also pointed out that the board has a budget for legal issues, and the money comes out of that.

Crawford said he hoped that if the appellate court decides against Parsippany, the full board will vote on whether to appeal. When the initial motion was filed, Mancuso alone authorized it and drew criticism from other board members for not seeking a vote.


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