Lacey Township BOE elects Kim Claus president, Jack Conedy vice president; adopts ethics code and committee slate

The Lacey Township Board of Education on the night of its 2025 reorganization meeting elected Kim Claus as board president and Jack Conedy as vice president, adopted five routine reorganization resolutions including the board’s code of ethics and confirmed committee assignments. The board’s acting superintendent announced a public forum on a March referendum for Jan. 28 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The actions matter because reorganization sets the board’s leadership and committee structure for the year and the code of ethics frames how members must handle confidential and governance matters as the district prepares for a referendum vote in March.

After the board administered oaths of office to newly affirmed members, the board moved to nominations. Kim Claus and Sal Armato were nominated for president. After nominations were closed (motion by Skip Peters), the roll-call vote resulted in Claus receiving five votes to two (Cheryl Armato and Sal Armato voted no), and Claus was declared president. Jack Conedy was the sole nominee for vice president; two members (Cheryl Armato and Sal Armato) registered “no” votes and Conedy was elected by the same 5–2 margin.

The board then considered and adopted resolutions 1 through 5, described on the meeting agenda as the code of ethics for board members; the combined statement of results 2024; parliamentary procedures; board bylaws, policies and regulations; and the meeting schedule. The motion to adopt those resolutions was made by Skip Peters and carried on a 7–0 roll-call vote.

During the meeting the board president announced committee and liaison assignments for 2025. Appointments included Jack Conedy as chair of the Finance and Operations Committee (Facilities, Finance, Food Services, Personnel, Technology, Transportation and Township Liaison) with Skip Peters and President Claus as members and Sal Armato as alternate; Dan Bell as chair of the Policy Committee (Policy, Co-Curricular, Safety and Security, LTASA Liaison) with Jack Conedy and Linda Walker as members and Walker as alternate; Linda Walker as chair of the Curriculum Committee (Curriculum, Health and Wellness, Communications, LTA Liaison) with Sal and Cheryl Armato as members and Conedy as alternate; an ad hoc Negotiations committee for the child study team chaired by Cheryl Armato with Jack Conedy and Sal Armato serving; an ad hoc negotiations committee for the LTEA chaired by Sal Armato with Dan Bell and Cheryl Armato serving; and Skip Peters chairing the Referendum and Superintendent Search committee with Linda Walker and Sal Armato listed as members and Conedy as alternate. The board also named Dan Bell as NJSBA delegate with Jack Conedy as alternate, and Skip Peters as OCSBA delegate with Linda Walker as alternate.

As part of the reorganization meeting the board viewed a brief video overview of the School Ethics Act and the code of ethics for school board members. The presenter summarized the code with what he called “the 4 C’s,” saying, “Those 4 C’s are confidentiality, chain of command, conflict of interest, and communication.” The presenter said the School Ethics Commission enforces the School Ethics Act and provides advisory opinions and adjudicates complaints; he emphasized that individual board members have authority only when acting as a deliberative body and that confidential matters discussed in executive session must remain confidential.

During public comment Regina De Senza of Sunset Drive, Sunrise Beach, asked whether a time for a January 28 referendum information session had been set and noted the district calendar did not list the session. De Senza asked, “Has the time been determined yet for the January 28th referendum information session? I noticed that nothing is noted on the current website calendar for the school district.” Acting Superintendent Zelensky responded that the community forum is scheduled Jan. 28 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., centered around the auditorium, and told the public the district is posting referendum materials at lacyschools.org and on district social channels as the district prepares for the March 11 referendum vote.

The board closed the meeting after brief member remarks and a motion to adjourn.