BOE Voids Seitz Contract; Accepts Paraprofessionals' Fact Finder's Report

The Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education dodged a number of bullets. After its special closed-door Tuesday night session, the board decided to follow the demands of the executive county superintendent and void the contract of Superintendent LeRoy Seitz by a 6-3 vote.

The board voted to give the superintendent a new 4 1/2-year contract that conforms to Gov. Chris Christie's salary cap. It is up to Seitz whether he will accept the deal or take other action.

Additionally, the body approved a motion to approve a fact-finder's report, thereby granting resolution to four years of negotiations with the Parsippany-Troy Hills Educational Support Association, the union that represents school paraprofessionals.

Had the board failed to rescind the previous Seitz contract, the state Department of Education threatened a number of consequences, including the withholding of state aid from Parsippany schools, charging the board with ethics violations and stripping the superintendent of his certification.

Another possible and costly consequence existed: Seitz threatened litigation against the board as well.

Patch will have more details on the story.