McCourt's appointment is the fifth item on the agenda. The suspension is down at the end of personnel.

Zoeller's Current Contract ends at the end of June 2013. His NEW Contract begins in July which has already been approved - last summer.

To answer that question a decision to keep him or not has to be made. If they decide to get rid of him it is my understanding they would have to somehow figure out how to get out of the NEW Contract. That Contract I have not seen, I wasn't at that BOE Meeting where in the past they are available to the public nor have I bothered to OPRAH it.

I think the better question is whether the BOE will be paying his salary til the end of the year, and therefore suspending him with pay, or whether they'll suspend him without pay, and in that case will they allow him to use all of his accrued sick leave and vacation time? This way, assuming the BOE can get this new contract terminated, they won't owe him a lump sum come the end of the school year.

Seems to me that a 5 year contract is excessive for anyone to get. Heck, even the President of the United States only gets elected to 4 years! I hope whenever the board hires a permanent replacement, whether it's Mr. McCourt or someone else, that they really re-think this idea of 5 years especially when you consider that 5 years is a significant amount of time that one child's education can be impacted by someone's policies. Just my own opinion.

@ Hardknocks - it has been reported his NEW Contract is for another 5 years... AND @ Lisa B. - after doing some research I found: Superintendents are entitled to receive a minimum of a 3 year contract with the max being 5 years. These limits came about when Superintentents were no longer entitled to receive tenure.

Hardknocks, if you think the BOE are such bozos why dont't you run and do it better, or would you just rather complain about the job someone else volunteers to do and not actually do anything yourself (other than complain)?

@ Gypsy Dog - Do you know WHO "Hardknocks" is, I certainly don't. What I do know is there are A LOT of parents that volunteer, maybe they don't run for the BOE but our School District is FULL of all types of volunteers. I do know BOE members are ELECTED to a job they CHOOSE to volunteer for... It's not too much to expect that they fairly represent the people that entrusted them to the position they hold. When SO many bad decisions have been made these elected officials are going to be held accountable just like ANY OTHER elected official. Being a volunteer does not excuse them accountability. Quite simple. True, no one is ever going to make everybody happy but it seems very few people are happy with the majority of the BOE right now for many reasons. Plenty of people have been running for these positions over the past number of years, what does that tell you? How do you know "Hardknocks" may not have been one of them? Just a thought. Are you a true Gypsy?

Gypsy, maybe Hardknocks isn't a control freak out to push his own agenda on an unsuspecting public. He doesn't have to run for the BOE because he complains about the people who are board members. If they take the job then they have to listen to people take shots at them for not doing their job the way the public would like.

In his current contract it states: This Employment Contract may be terminated by: (a) n/a (b) n/a (c) n/a ; OR (d) for inefficiency, incapacity, conduct unbecoming a Superintendent, or other just cause in accordance with the procedures established by Title 18A, Chapter 6, Art.2, Subpart B, entitled Controversies and Disputes (N.J.S.A. 18 A: 6-9 to 18A: 6-29).

Hardknocks, I just think that Liddy paid Zoeller a king's ransom to do his bidding for him. Liddy saw a pliant individual in an egotistical bully like Zoeller. I really do not believe that Zoeller acted on his own free of scrutiny and direction. I believe that he had the approval of those people who paid him all of that money. They would have kept him, warts, BoyScout wardrobe, and all, if he didn't totally screw up where they couldn't explain it all away any more. Sleazy comments to girls and female employes and kidnapping a generator just could be covered for any more.

Keeping the kids in our schools has to do with EDUCATION not just Sports. Only a few years ago teachers who worked in the District were bringing their kids back into the District from these schools because things were so greatly improved (at least that's what some of them told me). Sports is an important role in the education of the kids, don't get me wrong but as parents we need to work together no matter what we individually have a personal gripe with! It all comes down what is in the best interest of ALL the students within the District. These students consist of athletes (from EVERY sport), Honor Roll Students, Drama & those involved in the Creative Arts, Band & those Musically inclined, average & those struggling academically etc. Yes, "Z" has damaged the sports program in many ways - he recommended & was backed by the Board that Middle School Sports be cut while telling the Public there wouldn't be any teams to play anyway. I was at that Board Meeting, I heard him say it (it's even in my notes from the meeting). Guess what - he lied, there were still teams to play. There were fewer than before but they still did exist. It was all part of a larger agenda...

I understand that the Yurko situation is an interesting one. He didn't do anything to cost him his job except stand up to Zoeller and defeat him. I hear there's a chance that he will be the coach again because the parents and players want him back.

Cerco is easier to get rid of people. "Z" brought him into our District to help him squash Special needs. Why do you think our State Test Scores dumped so dramatically? The State had to get involved. Look at that, when the state gave us an "F" in this area and they had to fix the issue we came back to almost the same school ranking gained from when the previous Administration was in charge. Realize a simple "Speech Class" is considered part of Special Services. Denying any of these students the help they need hurts us ALL in many ways. It's like a family, when you address & attend to an issue it makes the unit stronger.

Louise, correct me if I'm wrong, and I apologize if I am, but @disgusted, what I believe she meant is that Special Needs programs and classes are very expensive for districts, but unlike arts or sports programs that can simply be slashed to save a district money, districts are REQUIRED to have Special Ed programs to serve however many Special Ed students are in the district. Therefore, the only way a district can slash budgets for special ed programs is to show that there isn't the need that had previously existed. By Zoeller bringing Cerco in, the two of them could manipulate the numbers to decrease the amount of money for special ed programs in the budget. It's illegal and unethical, and that's why the State had to get involved.

"Disgusted" - Shannon pretty much covered it... One example: New (non-tenured) teachers sent instructions home with students that they didn't need to be in a specific "IEP" class anymore & no longer had to come. This is not appropriate nor permissable - if a child is to be taken out of any class of this type the parents have to agree & sign off on it. After that, it became nearly impossible to get any help for your child without a mediator or years of meetings & frustration if one wasn't able to afford to pay for a mediator and so on. This is with a diagnosis from a doctor in some cases. I'll end with the best one: a mother was told dyslexia was NOT a learning disability.

"Disgusted"-Hopefully it is getting better now since the State did get involved. Each case is handled on a case to case basis. Initial meetings are held with whichever school the child attends... decisions are made etc. The Director of Special Services is notified & that person reports to the Superintendant. The Superintendant reports to the BOE. Since currently there is a different "Acting" Superintendant and the Director of Special Services (Cerco) cannot be reached, for some reason that no one is privy to, things should be handled in a more positive manner. There are a few members of the Board that DO NOT condone these actions. Just be proactive as a parent & follow the chain of command within the District-with these 2 changes in staff my hope would be better outcomes in general. In the past ("BZ"-before Zoeller) it wasn't as described as "Andromeda" shared above. There was a good while when these problems were NOT a regular occurance. Not sure an article would be possible in this area since if it got really bad for these folks they may have had to bring it to lidigation & if they speak about it publicly before the issue has been resolved it could hurt the outcome for their child. The way to change the way any Board conducts itself is by educating yourself, getting involved and making sure you vote effectively. You may have to start over, I wish you a better if this is the case.

Andromeda my little one has been harmed by them. I'm hoping we have time to repair the damage. I agree with your opinion of Cerco too. I think all the special ed parents in the district need to get together and demand to hold the Board accountable for the crimes committed against our children. I'm not talking about being treated like a beggar when we say our child needs services or our experiences with rude, arrogant staff. That's bad enough, but in many cases like the ones Ms. Miller mentioned above, they are breaking the law and we cannot allow that to continue.

"Disgusted" - I hope you understand I'm just offering you advise of how to help get the services you need. In no way do I think it's easy. Close friends as well as myself have been affected by these issues. I'm sure there are issues greater than my personal ones. That being said, I've spent many years in battle with "Z" already about MANY matters and was involved for years BEFORE that as well, spending unthinkable hours striving to help make changes for the betterment of the Children in our District INCLUDING those with Special Needs. I've been bullied, abused & ignored by "Z" & his cronies - it's been miserable. Now I'm seeing a light on the horizon & I would like to move forward. If "the chain of command" way doesn't seem to be working, reach out to Rory McCourt or one of the Board Members (Joe Blundo & Darlene Mandeville are well versed in this area). My hope is Cerco & "Z" will be gone for good. Again, I wish you the best.

Shannon, I was not giving him a pass at all. Zoeller would not have been able to do what he did without approval from the BOE. They knew what they were getting, no question. But I doubt if his agenda would have been his agenda without it being their agenda first. They wanted him to do what he did. Cerco too. They had a hit list and one by one Zoeller, and Cerco, went down that list until they became part of the list themselves. When it was too embarrassing for Liddy and company, they banished the both of them. No, by no means are certain BOE members free from blame. Sociopaths, I don't know. But self-serving egomaniacs, yes, though not all of them. The whole generator thing raises a lot of questions, frankly. #1 Who knew Zoeller took the generator? #2 How did they know he took it? #3 When did he take it? #4 Who saw the truck in his driveway? Did The Record drive all of the way to Boonton on a hunch? #5 If they didn't, who called The Record? #6 Did a BOE member engineer Zoeller's downfall, just waiting for him to slpi up and then set the whole chain of events in motion? #7 Did they have someone check on Zoeller's house when he went away or did they make the trip themselves? None of the explanations given made no sense. But the answers to these questions would certainly clear the whole thing up. I don't thing this whole sordid affair was an accident. I am sorry about your coffee. I will have to buy you a new one.

"Around the Block" - Just to clear up up a few questions for you: I can tell you for sure is "The Record" got a "tip" & drove all the way to Boonton to check it out. The writer from the Record actually told me that when he called me. First time a reporter has ever called me about a story, it was quite funny... but you know they can't disclose their sources. The Article is what did "Z" in and that's what started the whole chain of events in action. Very simple. Who called in "the tip" - I have no idea! But whoever it is I owe them a TREMENDOUS Thank You!!! I don't think it was an accident either, Zoeller FINALLY pissed off enough people and still thought he could get away with anything - his Ego did him in... AND about Cerco, his troubles are self inflicted, the Board had NO control over his "banishment". Someone else held him out to dry too! Hope this clears things up for you a little.

The new "stadium" came about with the excess money from the referendum. The public was told the excess came about from lower bids than planned on because of the economy & people needing work... That money could only be used towards Capital Improvements or returned to the taxpayers (the use of this $ was approved by the County). The State has to approve Referendums & Budgets - we are audited on a regular basis. There is State Law that prohibits Budgeted Line Item money from one area to be used towards a different Line Item fund (example: Capital Improvement Excess cannot be used towards an Educational Fund etc). That being said, now that we are no longer able to vote on the School Budget, if staying within a 2% cap (which does not include all operation expenses), HOW the Line Items are Budgeted can be questioned. Changing the voting date (the reason why we no longer vote on the school budget as stated above) was an option given to Schools in NJ by the Governor with stipulations in place. It was Mr. Blundo that remarked they should wait a year to see how it worked for other Districts & then decide on doing it, of course as usual he was ignored. The 2% cap is a bit misleading, it sounds good but check your tax bill - the percentage of increase will be greater than 2%. Keep in mind you can OPRA the cost of anything spent by the schools & they HAVE TO get it back to you in a reasonable time period. There are plenty of Accountants... in the area that are parents/taxpayers.