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Chris Evita wins 5–4 vote as board president; Frank Capone elected vice president
Summary
At the Jan. meeting of the Middletown Township Board of Education, the board voted 5–4 to elect Chris Evita board president and later chose Frank Capone as vice president. The meeting featured sharp debate over budget-era leadership and a call for prompt release of a district study report.
Chris Evita was elected president of the Middletown Township Board of Education in a 5–4 roll-call vote after board members nominated two candidates and held separate votes.
The board initially voted on a nomination for Deb Wright; that motion failed, and the board then approved the nomination for Chris Evita by a 5–4 margin. Frank Capone was later elected vice president after a separate nomination and roll-call vote.
The election followed a heated exchange about last year’s budget process. Several members who opposed the Wright nomination said they were voting to move the board forward; members in favor cited experience and continuity. A public commenter told the board the early show of division was disappointing, saying the community expected the board to “be kind to each other” and to work for students.
After the vote the new board president thanked colleagues and asked for an update on a district study the board contracted. “I look forward to working with all the board members, and moving this district forward,” the president said, adding that the study should be released to the board and to the public simultaneously when it is received.
The board’s closely split leadership votes highlighted lingering tensions from the previous year’s budget discussions; several members explicitly said the prior budget process left them feeling excluded and seeking clearer communication going forward. The board did not take further formal action on personnel or budget items at the meeting.
The next procedural step noted by board leadership is to assemble committee memberships and a revised calendar for workshops and voting meetings so the board can begin budget planning and review the district study once it is available.
