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Somerville Board of Education swears in members, elects Kimmick president and holds annual ethics briefing
Summary
At its Jan. 7 organization meeting the Somerville Board of Education administered oaths to newly elected members, elected William Kimmick president and Derek Jess vice president, set meeting times and approved routine reorganization items. Board attorney Phil Stern led the annual ethics review on Title 18A and board policy.
The Somerville Board of Education on Jan. 7 administered oaths to newly elected members and completed its annual reorganization, electing William Kimmick as board president and Derek Jess as vice president.
The reorganizational actions followed certification of the Nov. 5, 2024 election results and the formal oath of office for new and returning members. The board also set its regular meeting start time at 6 p.m., adopted standing bylaws and policies for the year, and approved committee and liaison appointments recommended by the superintendent.
The board attorney, Phil Stern, Esquire, led the district's required annual ethics training, reviewing the School Ethics Act and relevant provisions of Title 18A of the New Jersey statutes. Stern told the board that the annual review is intended to “promote trust” and to remind members of the legal distinction between the board’s role to oversee and the superintendent’s role to run the district.
Sharon Burbank, president of the Somerville Education Association and a high school teacher, offered public comment at the start of the meeting congratulating the returning and newly sworn members and praising collaborative relations between the union and the board.
Board members approved the reorganization package, including appointments to committees and designation of legal counsel and delegates, by roll call vote. The board will monitor the new 6 p.m. start time and adjust if scheduling or quorum issues arise.
The meeting proceeded to the business portion of the agenda after the reorganization items and the ethics training, with routine approvals on minutes, personnel and finance following the organization actions.
