Lone Candidate for BOE Vacancy Awaiting Decision

For Bedminster resident Drew Isaacs, he is just looking to contribute to the school district, and he hopes that he can do that with a seat on the board of education—but the board has not made up its mind.

Issacs was the only person to file the paperwork to fill a vacant position left by former board member Jason Anagonstis, who resigned in August. The term would last until December 2013.

But after holding a formal interview at the beginning of Monday’s meeting, and 45 minutes of deliberation by the board in a closed session, the board opted to hold off on its decision while more discussion is held.

A decision is expected soon, board members said.

“I can’t comment on [the deliberations],” Isaacs said of his reaction to the lack of a decision. “I don’t think it’s an issue of fairness, and I would want to better understand the procedure.”

“I was the only person who submitted documentation, and I’m qualified as per the board of education requirements,” he added. “I know my skill set can be well-leveraged to support [the board].”

Isaacs said he is pleased that he had an opportunity to speak with the board about the position itself.

Questions from the board during the interview centered on Isaacs’s commitment to the board, why he wants to join and how he would keep his personal opinions out of board decisions.

And much discussion centered on a letter to the editor Isaacs had written to the Bernardsville News several years ago in which he spoke of talks that had been held about the potential of moving special education out of the district.

Board of education president Louis Casella said during the interview that he would hope Isaacs would not rush to judgment on issues in this way if he were chosen to serve on the board.

Isaacs said these questions seemed to be all about getting to know him.

“I think they wanted to get to know me, who I am, my background, qualifications and interest level,” he said. “I think anything someone has an opinion on is appropriate to ask about.”

As for his qualifications, Isaacs said he has a long history of being active in the community, having volunteered for eight years as a head coach for travel basketball, among other work.

In fact, Isaacs said, he had put his name in the ring for board of education eight years ago, and was asked to run, but found that there was a major time conflict with the basketball team.

“At that point I said I already had a commitment, and it was appropriate that I honor that commitment,” he said.

In the meantime, Isaacs said, he has run for township committee several times, and and spent eight years as one of the elected district representatives for District 1 in Bedminster.

“I was trying to be a voice for accountability for our town,” he said. “I have been active in the academic community as well as the township itself.”

Isaacs said he also has firsthand experience in the school system, with a son who has already graduated from the Bedminster School, and a daughter in the eighth grade. He said he has seen what the transition is like as students move from kindergarten through eighth grade, and then on to the high school.

“This is an opportunity to give back to the community in a different way,” he said. “My vested interest is to help the school be the best it can be. I will no longer have kids in the district, and the only agenda I have is to be an integral part of the continued success of the school board.”