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Garfield Board of Education swears in newly elected members, elects George Ramos president
Summary
At its Jan. 6 reorganization meeting the Garfield Board of Education administered oaths to newly elected trustees, moved into a brief executive session, and elected George Ramos president and Julio Angel Quiles vice president. The board also adopted public comment guidelines and members offered remarks thanking supporters.
The Garfield Board of Education administered the oath of office to newly elected trustees and completed its annual reorganization at its Jan. 6 meeting.
The board certified election returns from the Nov. 5, 2024 school-board election and then swore in Aldo A. Munoz, Julio Angel Quiles, George L. Ramos and Daniel A. Taylor Jr. Thomas Dutch, Bergen County administrator, and Hector C. Laura, mayor, administered the oaths at the dais; Bridal Delaney, identified in the meeting as Garfield city manager and city clerk, also swore in a member. After the swearing-in, the board moved into a short executive session and later returned to public session to receive nominations for board officers.
The reorganization matters carried immediate operational significance: the board elected George L. Ramos president by roll call and later elected Julio Angel Quiles vice president. The board also announced a limit on public-comment remarks (five minutes per speaker) and reiterated conduct guidelines for the public forum.
Election results read into the record by the board clerk showed the vote totals certified by the Bergen County Clerk for the Nov. 5, 2024 election. Those totals included: George L. Ramos, 2,431; Daniel A. Taylor Jr., 2,281; Julio A. Quiles, 2,083; Richard Derrick, 2,013; Adrian Diaz, 2,002; Aldo A. Munoz, 1,965; Larissa Ilson, 1,986; Jeanette Cassiano, 1,832; Abdelkader Sardina, 1,831; William Otto, 1,643; Carmen V. Briante, 1,877; Nancy C. Katzep, 1,263 (certified totals as read aloud at the meeting).
After swearing in trustees, the board considered an immediate motion to go into executive (closed) session. The motion carried on a roll-call vote; the board then recessed to executive session for a period the chair set at no later than 6:55 p.m. The board reconvened in public session at 6:51 p.m. and proceeded with officer elections.
During officer nominations, a member nominated George L. Ramos for board president; after a verbal roll call the motion carried with the members present voting in the affirmative. Nominations for vice president produced a second roll-call vote in which Julio Angel Quiles was elected; one member registered an abstention on that vote.
Board members took brief remarks after the organization business. Several members thanked family and campaign teams, welcomed the newly sworn trustees and emphasized a focus on students, teachers and taxpayers. Aldo A. Munoz, upon being sworn in, said, “I can't wait to get to work and continue to move this district forward.”
The board opened public comment under the district’s stated rules (name and address required; five-minute limit per speaker; no disrespectful or threatening remarks). No formal policy actions or budgetary decisions were taken at the reorganization meeting beyond the officer elections and the vote to temporarily move into executive session.
The board adjourned after accepting a motion to close the meeting.
