Sports

Strumolo: BOE President a 'Dictator' for Allowing Seitz to be Paid New Contract

Says decision to pay superintendent under his disputed contract should have been taken up with the board.

School board member Michael Strumolo called Board President Anthony Mancuso a "dictator'' for informing the board that Superintendent of Schools LeRoy Seitz would be paid a , which takes effect today.

"He was elected board president, not board dictator,'' Strumolo said Monday.

Strumolo contends that Mancuso should have sought an agreement from the BOE before announcing that Seitz's $216,240 salary be paid retroactive to Dec. 1, despite the fact that the contract has been called invalid by county and state officials.

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"You would have thought this would have been brought to the full board,'' Strumolo said. "I'm concerned about what lesson we're teaching our children, to do this in defiance of the governor?''

But Mancuso said the board already approved the contract in November, and there was  no need to approach them a second time.

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"He's being paid under the contract the board approved,'' Mancuso said. "We had an obligation to pay him.''

According to Strumulo, Mancuso sent the other board members a letter dated Jan. 26, announcing that Seitz would be given the salary promised to him under the contract.

But earlier in the month, Mancuso had said during a meeting that the the BOE had been advised by the county to hold off paying Seitz under his new contract. The school board is currently , which exceeds the $175,000 cap for district administrators instituted by Christie.

County Superintendent Kathleen Serafino said the Seitz contract is invalid because she never signed her approval, although the board argues that she approved it via e-mail.

Strumolo said he was mystified by Mancuso's willingness to pay Seitz the new salary when the contract is in litigation and both the county and state have ordered it rescinded.

"What is his motive?'' Strumolo asked. "Who makes that kind of money these days? Maybe Mr. Mancuso and Mr. Seitz aren't living during a recession, but the rest of us are.''


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