On Jan. 7 the Voorhees Board of Education held its reorganization meeting and first meeting of 2015.
District Business Administrator Frank DeBerardinis opened the meeting by saying it was always a special evening for the board, as it’s when new members receive their oath of office and when the board president and vice president, as well as various delegates, would be elected.
As a result of the November election, incumbent board members Bruce Karpf and 2014 board president Richard Nelson were sworn in for new, three-year terms.
Also sworn in was Marissa Levy, who won election to the board for the first time in November, as well as incumbent Richard Horner, who was elected to fill the remaining two years of an unexpired term.
When it came time for nominations for 2015 board president, board member John Schmus nominated Nelson, and board member Bruce Karpf seconded the nomination.
The vote to elect Nelson board president once again was unanimous among the remaining board members.
Nelson said it would be his third or fourth time as board president, and he said it was something he enjoyed.
“It’s an honor to be a president for the township school district board,” Nelson said. “All my kids went through this school district. It’s a great district.”
After Nelson was elected board president, the board moved to the task of electing a vice president, with board members Barbara Dunleavy and Karpf both nominated for the position.
However, once the votes were counted, the result was a 4–4 tie, with board members Dunleavy, Horner, Levy and Richard Wojdon voting for Dunleavy, and board members Karpf, Amy Lynch, John Schmus and Nelson voting for Karpf.
Board member Denise Kirkland was absent the evening of the reorganization meeting, resulting in the board having only eight members and no way to break the 4–4 tie.
DeBerardinis said that with the tie, the procedure would be to vote again, and if the votes remained the same or still resulted in a tie, then there would be short recess and the board would come back and vote a third time.
If after the third vote there was still no decision, then the decision would move to the county.
“We have to elect a vice president this evening,” DeBerardinis said. “If not, the county superintendent of schools is obligated to appoint one.”
The second vote that took place had the same board members vote for the same candidate for vice president as they did in the first vote, which lead to recess.
After the recess, the board held its third vote, but it mirrored the first two votes, with still no decision being reached.
Nelson said, as he understood it, the county would now appoint somebody to vice president, or it “throw it back” to the board to resolve.
Nelson closed the meeting by thanking everyone for coming and wishing them well in 2015.
“Happy New Year to everybody. I hope 2015 brings lots of happiness, health and prosperity to all of you,” Nelson said.
The next meeting of the Voorhees BOE is scheduled for Jan. 28 at Signal Hill Elementary School.
