Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Litigation And Experts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lakewood board authorizes legal action and hires consultants in response to Alcantara matter and NJDOE/PCG review
Summary
The board approved resolutions authorizing legal counsel to pursue actions concerning the long-running Alcantara litigation, approved retaining consultant Robert Finger (not to exceed $20,000) and directed counsel to address alleged inaccuracies in the NJDOE/PCG review; some items were noted as under State Monitor advisement.
The Lakewood Board of Education on Jan. 8 authorized legal counsel to take actions in the district's long-running Alcantara litigation and approved related expert support to assist the district's financial and legal response.
In a resolution, the board directed counsel to monitor and, if necessary, pursue litigation and other measures to protect district interests in Alcantara v. New Jersey Department of Education. The motion also authorized allocation of funds for legal and expert expenses connected to the matter; the board recorded that the item was under advisement for further review by the State Monitor.
Separately, the board approved retaining education financial consultant Robert Finger at $110 per hour with total compensation not to exceed $20,000 to provide financial expertise tied to the Alcantara matter and budget preparations. The agenda notes Finger's prior testimony in Alcantara and frames the consultant's role as advising on the 2025–26 budget, loan requests and responses to analyses by the Public Consulting Group and state reviewers.
The board also discussed a March 1, 2024 "Comprehensive Review of the Lakewood School District" conducted by the New Jersey Department of Education with Public Consulting Group input and adopted a resolution authorizing legal action to address alleged inaccuracies and misinformation in that report. The resolution named specific individuals and organizations in the agenda (the NJDOE, Kimberley Harrington Markus, Assistant Commissioner Cary Booker and PCG) and directed counsel to take steps ranging from communications to litigation if warranted; this action also was placed "under advisement" per the State Monitor.
Board members recorded that legal and expert expenditures may be necessary; the board directed counsel to monitor the status of related matters and report back. The minutes show the State Monitor reviewed or flagged certain items for further review, and several resolutions were approved subject to that oversight.
The board framed these steps as efforts to protect district finances, compliance and reputation while officials prepare the upcoming budget and respond to external reviews.
