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Board questions legal bills and an investigation into a leaked student record; moves to executive session
Summary
Board members asked for detailed legal invoices after a jump in attorney fees and raised concerns about a prosecutor-led investigation and a board-authorized inquiry into a leaked student-related flyer; counsel and the president said an investigation had been authorized and the prosecutor had active information; the board moved to executive session for confidential follow-up.
A Millstone Township School District board member pressed for details about a sharp increase in legal fees and questioned whether taxpayer funds were spent on matters not approved by the board, including an investigation tied to an election flyer that implicated a student’s free-and-reduced-lunch status.
The board member said they had requested legal invoices through May and found an approximately $9,200 increase in legal fees between April and May, expressing concern that some invoices appeared to pay for investigations “that this board did not approve” and for matters described as election-related and therefore private. The member said they would “begin voting no on all of our legal fees unless I get the complete listing of what we are paying our attorney,” and asked that the board see the full invoices monthly before approving payments.
President Ziko responded that the board had previously authorized an investigation into a leak of confidential student information and that, separately, the prosecutor’s office conducted an investigation and “they have the information” about who sent the flyer. Ziko said he had asked district administrators and counsel to look into the matter and that guidance had been provided to the board member seeking answers. Board counsel Patrick said the legal work related to the release of confidential student information was a board concern and described the attorney services used as a “reasonable use of Attorney Services.”
Board members also questioned whether routine committee practice should include prior review or initials from the superintendent, business administrator and board president on attorney invoices before billing appears on the full agenda. One speaker noted that earlier practice required initials from district leadership on legal bills and suggested reinstating that process.
The board held a broader discussion about whether outside counsel needs to attend every committee meeting. Several members said the district will rely on a pro bono or member-provided attorney for some committee work (naming Phil M. Castro and Bill Mastro as outside resources discussed in the meeting) to limit costs.
With members seeking a closed-door update, the board voted to enter executive session to discuss two confidential student matters; the meeting notice said action may be taken after that session.
