Toms River board accepts resignation of member Payla Pascarella after ethics allegations

The Toms River Regional Schools Board of Education on Feb. 18 accepted the resignation of board member Payla Pascarella, effective Feb. 18, 2026, following remarks by the presiding officer that the member had been slated for removal.

The Chair told the board that Pascarella had been given notice of removal and alleged that “Miss Pascarella knowingly lied on her personal financial disclosure by intentionally omitting almost $300,000 in income paid to her family by the township of Toms River,” and that she had “violated the code of ethics on multiple occasions” and missed four consecutive meetings. The Chair also said Pascarella submitted a resignation “at the 11th hour.”

The resignation was included on the personnel portion of the agenda; a motion to approve the listed agenda items (which included the Pascarella personnel item) was made and carried by roll call. The motion to approve the personnel item was moved by Contessa and seconded by Egan. During the roll call the board recorded affirmative votes and the item was approved.

Board members had earlier received the district’s annual ethics training during the meeting, and the training material and code of ethics documents were provided to members at the session. The ethics training, presented earlier in the meeting by attorney William Burns, emphasized conflict-of-interest rules and the requirement that board members recuse themselves when they or immediate family members have a direct financial interest.

The board did not take additional public action on the alleged omissions beyond accepting the resignation during the meeting. The resignation creates an open seat the board will need to fill according to its policy and applicable New Jersey procedures.