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Residents urge fair process for Beachwood board vacancy; public criticizes budget handling and asks questions about assistant superintendent
Summary
The board extended the Beachwood board-seat application deadline to Sept. 10 and heard public commenters who questioned the district’s budget process, raised concerns about potential asset liquidation and questioned the role and tenure status of Assistant Superintendent Mr. Thomas.
The Toms River Regional School District Board of Education extended the application deadline for the vacant Beachwood seat to Sept. 10 at 4 p.m. and heard several public commenters who asked the board to allow more time and clarity for applicants and raised concerns about recent budget actions.
Board announcement: The board said previously submitted applicants need not resubmit but will be notified if their applications have deficiencies that must be cured. The board indicated it will advertise the extended deadline and accept amended packets through the new cutoff.
Public questions and concerns: During the public-comment portion, Christa Whitco of South Toms River asked the board to clarify Mr. Thomas’s status and the district’s authority to maintain an assistant-superintendent role in light of funding losses. Whitco said she had reviewed board actions dating to June and July and questioned how the tentative budget was handled, saying the tentative budget that was tabled included what she described as an approximately $770,000 amount and references to liquidation of assets, including specific properties and the bus department. Whitco asked whether the board had a policy for handling a situation in which a non-tenured assistant superintendent could be reassigned and whether that position was mandated by the New Jersey Department of Education when outside funding had been removed.
Whitco further questioned apparent inconsistencies in board votes and the posting of the tentative budget, noting a district letter dated July 24, 2024 from the New Jersey Department of Education acknowledging receipt of a county-approved tentative budget filed July 3 despite the board’s prior public vote to table the budget.
Community process: Anna (public commenter) supported extending the deadline, saying packets already filed were incomplete and that applicants needed the opportunity to amend their materials so Beachwood residents could be fully represented. Christopher (self-identified as a recent applicant) introduced himself, said he grew up in the district, and offered to be contacted by board members.
Board response and next steps: The board agreed to extend the deadline and said it will post advertisements and notifications; the board did not provide a substantive on-the-record response in this session to Christa Whitco’s budget assertions. The seat’s statutory timeline was discussed by a commenter in public comment; the board did not announce a final appointment date during the meeting.
The public-comment segment ended and the board adjourned for the summer recess.
