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Metuchen board approves finance package including ESIP-related items, hires high-school football coach
Summary
The Board approved a block of finance, policy and curriculum items on May 20, including finance items tied to an energy-savings project that Mr. Harvey said will require $8.5 million in borrowing; the board also approved hiring Joseph Riggi as head football coach, effective May 27, 2026.
At its May 20, 2026 meeting, the Metuchen Board of Education approved a package of finance, policy and curriculum items and carried personnel motions including the appointment of a new head football coach.
Business administrator Mr. Harvey opened a public hearing segment on the district'9s Energy Savings Improvement Plan (ESIP), explaining the proposal would fund solar installations, retro-commissioning and lighting upgrades and that the district would borrow $8,500,000 to complete the work. "The principal and the interest for those bonds will be paid by the energy savings that we accumulate through the solar panels, through the energy lighting, through the retro commissioning," Harvey told the board, and he said the plan and financing received approval from the New Jersey public finance board as part of the preliminary process.
After noting no members of the public chose to speak, the board closed the public hearing. Finance committee chair Mr. Suss moved to approve finance items B1—B14; board members later approved the finance package by roll call. Committee discussion earlier referenced items 12 and 13 as tied to Mr. Harvey'9s ESIP overview.
During the same meeting the board approved personnel items that included the addition of item A12 to hire Joseph Riggi as Metuchen High School head football coach for the 2026—27 school year, effective 05/27/2026. The motion to hire Riggi was moved and seconded and carried on the board's roll-call vote.
Board members also thanked the Metuchen Education Foundation (MEF) for a donation to replace the auditorium sound system; Dr. Caputo said the donation will fund a "state of the art" professional sound upgrade that will benefit school concerts.
Other routine business carried on unanimous roll-call votes included approval of minutes from May 12, 2026, and adoption of policy items C1 and C2 and curriculum items C1 through D4. The board announced that meeting materials and a fuller accounting of finance items would be posted with the agenda for public review.
Outcomes - Motion to close the ESIP public hearing: passed (no public comment). - Approval of finance items B1—B14 (includes ESIP-related approvals as noted): carried by roll call. - Hiring of Joseph Riggi as Metuchen High School head football coach, effective 05/27/2026: approved by roll call.
Next steps include posting presentation materials and making the full finance-item documentation available for bid and procurement steps related to the ESIP.
