BOE Member: I'm Accountable in Seitz Matter

Parsippany school board member Gary Martin has been on the job since May. He participated in the only to discover months later that .

That news led to the looming . And now, after reviewing the situation and searching his own soul, Martin has filed charges with the state School Ethics Commission—against himself.

"When I heard that Dr. Seitz, whom I respect, was making $220,565, which takes money away from the children, I felt sick," he told Patch. "After the board voted to rescind that illegal contract, I should have double-checked to find out what he was being paid. He should have been getting $177,500. I dropped the ball and I should be held accountable."

When told that perhaps any potential error here could have been one of judgement rather than ethics—he still is new to the job, after all—Martin was adamant.

"I've been over the laws and I believe I am in violation," he insisted. "It's up to the ethics commission to do a full investigation of the entire thing. If they find me innocent, so be it. Good. If they find other violations, fine; I will not speak for or about anyone else. But if they find that I am in violation, I should be held accountable."

Martin sent a statement to the commission Saturday after a period of personal reflection.

"I want to do my part to help the American people and Parsippany. I am on the board only because I care about children and their education," he said. "The idea that I might have done something that kept the schools from being run smoothly... It keeps me up at night."

He said he felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders after he dropped a letter to the ethics commission into the mail.

Martin's statement alleges three things against himself:

1. That his "failure" to ensure that the superintendent "was being correctly compensated has resulted in a failure to comply with directives from the state Board of Education regarding Superintendent Seitz's salary. It is very clear that I am guilty of this ethics violation."
2. That this self-described failure "led to the diversion of funds from activities that would have promoted the educational welfare of the children of Parsippany-Troy Hills."
3. That his inaction "conflicted with my responsibility to ensure that Parsippany-Troy Hills school district is well-run." 

"Ethics is camaraderie, working together, being honest," Martin said when asked how he defines the term.  "I didn't do what the people voted me in to do. I did not follow up and check Dr. Seitz's salary, and that was not leadership. That's where I made my ethics violation.

"I messed up," he continued. "We could have had $43,000 more in the school's purse. That could have helped .

On Thursday, the Board of Education is scheduled to meet in closed session and decide whether to comply with County Executive Superintendent Kathleen Serafino's demand to rescind Seitz's contract and cut his pay to $177,500. In a letter to Board President Frank Calabria she wrote that she had the backing of the state education commissioner in making the demands and in threatening to take away state aid to the Parsippany school district.

"I know how I am voting Thursday, but I'm keeping that to myself," Martin said. 

He said that if the board votes to cut Seitz's pay, he isn't sure if the superintendent will retire, collect his full pension and take a position as an interim superintendent in another town or if he will remain in the job.

"If he stays, I will support him 100 percent," Martin stated.

There is also talk that should Seitz walk, the district's new interim personnel director Paul J. Saxton could take the post.

"He would be top-notch and I would support him completely," Martin said. "If the ethics commission suspends me or censures me, I will be back and live up to what I promised to the American people."

Another promise Martin made: He will not run for re-election in any event.

"I promised the voters that I would give the board three years. This job takes a lot of time and it's a volunteer thing," he said. "If I don't get kicked off over this, I will serve my term to the best of my ability until the end of this term. I'm not getting any younger.

"But I was elected to help the schools run smoothly," Martin continued. "They aren't being run smoothly. We are always in the news because of something that has nothing to do with how our children are being educated. That has to change. I want to do what is expected of me and make sure schools are well-run. If they let me, that is what I plan to do."

School board President Frank Calabria said he doesn't believe Martin violated any ethics laws.

"Gary is a conscientious, caring guy," he said. "When he talks about the American people, he really means it. He isn't cynical in any way and everyone knows he is a man of integrity. I'm proud to have him on the board."

School Ethics Commission spokesperson Allison Kobus said the body does not comment publicly on any matter involving filed complaints.

A spokesperson for the New Jersey School Boards Association was not immediately available for comment.