Toms River board swears in three new members, elects Ashley Lam president and James Capone vice president

At a regular meeting of the Toms River Regional School District Board of Education, the board administered oaths of office to three newly elected board members and then elected new leadership for the board.

Board member Kathleen Egan (Township), board member Katie Coyne (Beechwood Township) and board member Kevin Kidney (Pine Beach Township) were sworn in after being called forward for the oath administered by Mister Burns. Each affirmed they met the statutory qualifications and would perform the duties of the office impartially.

The board then moved through nominations for officers. Board member Ashley Lam was nominated for president, a motion to appoint and elect Lam was seconded, and the board approved the appointment by roll-call vote with members present recorded as voting yes: Matarazzo, Juebert, Coyne, Egan, Kidney, Capone and Lamb. Following that vote, James Capone was nominated and appointed vice president in a separate roll-call vote with the same members recorded as voting yes.

Earlier in the meeting the presiding officer noted that the meeting had been announced in the Asbury Park Press on 12/24/2025 and in the Star Ledger on 12/22/2025, satisfying the 48-hour notice requirement under the Open Public Meetings Act. The board also moved to have the election results recorded and affixed in the minutes; that procedural motion was seconded (Capone) and carried.

The board opened the public-comment portion of the meeting, following board policy 0167, but no members of the public spoke. A motion to adjourn was made by Gidney, seconded by Egan, approved by voice vote, and the meeting concluded. The presiding officer noted committee meetings are scheduled for next week.

No formal objections, allegations, or contested motions were recorded in the transcript of the meeting.