Belleville board appoints Dr. Eric Alfonso superintendent after contested search

The Belleville Township Public School District Board of Education voted May 19, 2025, to appoint Dr. Eric Alfonso as the district's next superintendent, approving the appointment 6–0 with President Ana Benamini recorded as abstaining.

The vote concluded a months-long search that trustees said began with 35 applicants and was narrowed to a small group of finalists. Trustee Michael Muniz, who introduced elements of the board’s public defense of the process, said trustees reviewed and interviewed multiple candidates and sought someone who would be “close enough to this area to spend the quality time needed here.”

The district’s state fiscal monitor, Thomas Egan, who participated in the search process, told the meeting he had attended interviews and that the chosen candidate “rose to the top after beating all these, longer and more experienced superintendents.” The board recorded the roll-call vote as: Trustees Gillis — yes; Leon — yes; Muniz — yes; Massaggio — yes; Pacheco —…