State Attorney General Wants More Information About Lakewood Board Of Ed Attorney's $600,000 Contract

LAKEWOOD, NJ - Lakewood schools Superintendent Laura Winters is defending the Board of Education's hiring of Michael Inzenlbuch as attorney for $600,000 per year, along with the cost of his healthcare benefits.

The board voted unanimously in June to hire Inzenlbuch - a former legal foe - on the premise that hiring him would lower legal costs. He is to be paid in monthly installments, along with a $350 an hour fee for litigation services, according to a report in app.com.

But New Jersey Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino wants to take a closer look at the arrangement.

The costly contract could violate state education regulations, he said.

"Our initial review of the documents provided suggests that this contract may not be consistent with Department of Education regulations," an Oct. 5 letter from Porrino to Winters and board President Moshe Bender.

New Jersey school districts are required to minimize the cost of professional services. There's also a provision that bans advance payments for legal service. The provision requires lawyers to present invoices itemizing the services they provided.

Winters says the district has saved roughly $70,000 since Inzelbuch was hired. They both have said a state monitor signed off on the contract.

But the Newark-based Education Law Center said the contract is a clear violation of state Department of Education rules.

Education Law Center Executive Director David Sciarra on Monday praised Porrino.

"If the Board refuses to rescind the contract, the Commissioner should do so and direct Mr. Inzelbuch to reimburse the district for any payments he's already received," Sciarra said. "These are funds that belong to the Lakewood public school children and must be used for their benefit."

Porrino is giving Winters and Bender until Oct. 30 to explain how the contract was awarded

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Photo: Patch file photo.