Wyckoff BOE Holds First Work Session

The Wyckoff school board debated the logistics of having a work session at its first-ever public work session, held Monday.

"The goal is to build the agenda for the next meeting," board President Rob Francin said, and "to discuss issues as much as possible" for the public's benefit.

The board had voted last month to increase its public meeting schedule from one per month to two, with a regular meeting and a work session being planned. Member Thomas Giamanco had abstained from that vote, objecting to the structure of the proposal.

Giamanco reiterated his concerns Monday night.

"It's not the idea I'm against," he said. Instead, Giamanco worries about the ability of the public and the board to commit to multiple meetings.

"I don't see the need for a separate work session," he said, while proposing that the board follows the Township Committee model, where work and regular sessions are held back-to-back, on the same night.

"To add an extra night of this ... you're just really adding another session, a public meeting—call it what it is," Giamanco said.

Board members have said adding work sessions where they debate and discuss pending issues will foster greater transparency while also allowing the relatively inexperienced board to hone their working relationship.

"I firmly believe we need as a new board to fully communicate," said member Catherine Runge.

Five of seven board members have only held seats since the spring, with Giamanco and Elizabeth DeGregorio (absent Monday) the only veterans. Francin and board Vice President Lisa Martone were appointed to fill vacancies, with terms expiring in 2011, while Diane Sobin, Jill Mortimer and Runge won three-year seats at the polls.

Giamanco alluded to the events of the spring, when there initially wasn't enough candidates to even fill the open seats. 

"Historically, it has been hard to get people to volunteer and run for the board," he said, expressing concern that the increased time commitment would act as a further deterrent to board service.

However, Runge said that membership consistency would be established "over time," with multiple sessions a boost to that goal.

Customarily, the Wyckoff school board had met once a month at 7 p.m., although members often were engaged in committee and/or private executive meetings prior to the public meeting's start. The public session could often run upwards of two hours, with members often engaging in a private session after the meeting adjourned.

Monday, the board used its time to discuss various facilities, financial, personnel and policy proposals in advance of its next public meeting, planned for Oct. 18.

Members said they remain open to adjusting the meeting schedules.

"It it (work sessions) becomes a redundancy, we can revisit it," Runge said. But "for now, I'm embracing this."

"If we need to tweak this in any way, we will," Francin said.

The board will next meet for a regular session at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 at Lincoln school, with a work session scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Board of Education office, 241 Morse Ave.