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Old Bridge board approves one‑year extension for Superintendent David Citadino after heated public forum and procedural votes
Summary
After sustained public comment and a series of roll calls that briefly produced a nonrenewal, the Old Bridge board reconsidered and approved a one‑year extension of Superintendent David Citadino’s contract; the votes followed weeks of debate over budget shortfalls and governance.
The Old Bridge Township Board of Education approved a one‑year extension of Superintendent David Citadino’s contract on March 18, following a prolonged public comment period and a sequence of procedural votes that at one point produced a nonrenewal.
The superintendent’s fate dominated the evening. Residents who signed in to speak delivered a steady stream of testimony both for and against Citadino, repeatedly citing the district’s fiscal pressures as a reason to preserve continuity or to seek new leadership. “Please put all personal issues aside … That choice would be to renew mister Cedadino’s contract,” one correspondent read into the record in favor of renewal. In public testimony, parents and community members described the superintendent as “the calm in the storm” and urged the board not to pursue an abrupt leadership change during a budget crisis.
Board members debated options for a one‑ or two‑year extension, the legal consequences of nonrenewal and the financial cost of an external search. Board counsel explained the mechanics: if a renewal motion failed and the board did not take other action, state law could cause the contract to roll over into a multi‑year arrangement; if the board nonrenewed the superintendent, Citadino could assert tenure rights and remain in the district in another tenured role. “Those are your options at this point,” the board attorney said during the meeting.
Procedural volatility marked the meeting’s central vote. A motion to nonrenew the superintendent initially passed 5–4, then one board member changed that recorded vote during the meeting to create a 4–4 split. The board subsequently voted to reconsider, held a short attorney‑client executive session to review legal ramifications, and reopened public session. On the revote the board approved a one‑year extension of Citadino’s contract and directed the board president to begin a superintendent search to run during the year.
Citadino, who delivered the superintendent’s report earlier in the meeting, defended administrative decisions cited by the public. He said a structural evaluation and independent review informed school‑closure decisions and that COVID (ESSER) expenditures are posted publicly. “It’s a public document where the COVID money … is on the website,” he said, describing transparency steps the district has taken.
Supporters at the mic cited program successes, fundraising and the cost of hiring an outside superintendent. Critics raised questions about long‑term strategy and succession planning amid persistent state aid reductions. “We need fresh ideas,” one board member said, arguing that multi‑year fiscal pressures required a new approach; other members replied that continuity would better protect operations while the board completes a thorough search.
The board’s action came as the district prepares to submit its tentative budget to Middlesex County amid a multi‑million dollar shortfall; several speakers and board members tied the personnel decision to concerns about navigating that fiscal stress. The board scheduled a budget committee meeting for March 25 to continue work on the tentative budget and related follow‑ups.
What’s next: The board has asked the president to start a superintendent search process to run while the one‑year extension is in effect. The administration will continue to publish budget and COVID/ESSER expenditure documents on the district website as the county reviews the tentative budget.
