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 — yes; Vice President Darrow — yes; President Benamini — abstain. The motion passed.

The appointment drew public comment before the vote. Michael Sheldon, a resident who asked the board to table the appointment, said he had “very serious reservations and misgivings about the wisdom of appointing this particular person” and noted media coverage and a Secaucus school district personnel matter in which the candidate previously worked. Sheldon urged more time for community vetting.

Mike Mignon, president of the Belleville Education Association, told trustees he and the union had expected to be included on the final screening committee and said he had asked the board for representation. The board attorney explained that allowing non-board members onto a superintendent interview panel can jeopardize candidate confidentiality and expose the board to legal risk; he cited the School Ethics Act and the board-member code of ethics as constraints the board relied on while shaping its process.

Several trustees and speakers defended the process and the candidate. Trustee Darrow said the board had “whittled down” candidates through multiple rounds of interviews and phone calls and that he had checked references; he said calls he placed produced uniformly positive responses about Dr. Alfonso. Trustee Massaggio said Dr. Alfonso’s background and ability to relate to students from similar upbringings were factors that stood out for her.

Dr. Eric Alfonso addressed the meeting after the vote. He described his background as the son of immigrant parents, recalled facing financial and language barriers while growing up, and said that community-rooted leadership is his priority. “I believe in leadership that is present, visible, and engaged,” he said, adding he intends to be “at school events, PTA meetings, weekend programs, community events” and to “plant roots” in Belleville.

Discussion versus decision: trustees repeatedly described the district’s vetting process and said community concerns were considered during interviews; public commenters and the teachers’ union asked for more transparency and participation. The board made no changes to the appointment motion during the meeting.

Clarifying details mentioned at the meeting included the number of initial applicants (35), the staged winnowing to 11 then 5 finalists, and the timeline the board cited earlier in the search (they had aimed to seat a superintendent by July 1, 2025). The board did not identify the motion’s mover and seconder in the public record.

The appointment is effective per the board’s personnel calendar and will be followed by customary onboarding and transition activities; trustees said they expect Dr. Alfonso to begin work and to engage with staff, families and community partners.

Votes at a glance: Item 9.26 (appointment of Dr. Eric Alfonso as superintendent) — Approved. Roll call: Gillis, Leon, Muniz, Massaggio, Pacheco, Darrow — yes; Benamini — abstain. Outcome: approved.