At Bayonne BOE meeting, tension over new trustee's resolutions

BAYONNE -- New Board of Education trustee Michael Alonso is wasting no time in trying to get things done in his new position. And just in case he can't, he's "exploring the possibility" of running for mayor in May.

During a Wednesday night BBOE open public workshop --  just before the regularly scheduled meeting -- trustees were presented with six resolutions, all of which were introduced by Alonso that night.

Alonso, 35, was recently elected to a three-year term on the board. He told The Jersey Journal he's also considering a run for mayor; city clerk Robert Sloan confirmed he has pulled petitions for a run.

Two resolutions involved renaming two school district sports facilities: the Rich Korpi Jr. Ice Rink, and the William "Bill" Broderick Tennis Courts.

Alonso claimed, in the resolution, that the BBOE had chosen to overlook the contributions of Dick Savitt, a world renowned tennis player who was born in Bayonne, and instead named the courts after "an individual from a politically connected family with conflicts of interest within the school system" -- referring to board President Joe Broderick, who is the brother of William Broderick.

"Any hint of nepotism and/or political collusion send the wrong message to students, parents and taxpayers," the resolution reads.

He proposed renaming the ice rink after Tara Lipinski, an American figure skater whose extended family lived in Bayonne.

His other proposals included plans to to hire Jack Butchko, his former campaign manager, as a grant specialist to secure additional funding for the district "at a nominal sum" of $31,000; a resolution to "implement a senior citizens tax relief program for all senior citizens in Bayonne;" and a resolution to solicit a bid for an independent auditor to take another look into the board's finances.

Fellow trustees during the workshop expressed concerns, however, that no one else on the board -- interim Superintendent Michael Wanko and board President Broderick included -- had seen the resolutions until that night.

"Hiring someone that is not of the recommendation of the superintendent ... doesn't seem like it belongs on this agenda, so I move that we table it," said Trustee Christopher Munoz, who was re-elected to a second term on the board in November.

Dennis Wilbeck, vice president on the board, added that since Butchko was Alonso's campaign manager, he thought there was a conflict of interest.

It was uncharted territory for the board, which, according to trustees, usually generates resolutions in committee meetings, and then those get introduced and approved at workshops and public meetings.

An individual trustee abruptly introducing multiple resolutions was unique, but the board's bylaws state that resolutions should be introduced at the open public workshops and have no language concerning who should lay eyes on them beforehand. 

Ultimately, the board moved to table the six resolutions and move them into the appropriate committee meetings in February -- be it the personnel committee or the finance committee. They also discussed the possibility of reviewing the board's bylaws concerning the introduction of resolutions.

Audience backlash

Despite the resolutions being tabled, residents expressed clear disapproval of the resolutions when the meeting began.

Barry Dugan, an Avenue A resident, told the board he thought the resolution to solicit an independent auditor of the board's finances would be "foolhardy and wasteful."

"I don't understand it, why would you consider going out for bid to find out what happened when you've been told over and over again by the superintendent, (Business Administrator) Leo Smith, by the state auditors and by our own auditors," he said.

Other residents had issue over Alonso's resolutions to change the name of the tennis courts.

"It's absurd that I even have to mention this, but Bill Broderick's name is synonymous with Bayonne High School tennis," said Tina Casais, a teacher at the high school. "No one deserves the dedication more than Mr. Broderick."

Broderick founded the girls tennis team in 1977 and he took over the BHS boys tennis team in 1978, His career spanned four decades, with more than 700 victories and 15 county championships.

"Mr. Alonso considers this the work of ... neoptism and political collusion, yet Mr. Alonso wants to hire Jack Butchko to write grants for our district," Casias added. "I think Mr. Alonso's suggestion of hiring his own campaign manager as a grant writer more clearly defines political collusion."

Butchko spoke at the meeting as well, saying the board has "an opportunity, by the courtesy of Mr. Alonso, to name the tennis courts after Dick Savitt," who won the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 1951 at the age of 24, and retired from the sport in 1952. 

In a 2011 interview with the Star-Ledger, Savitt said he was born in Bayonne but grew up in South Orange.

Trustees issue verbal rebukes, however. Trustee Ava Finnerty said that she was "quite impressed" by Savitt's achievements, but she feels the tennis courts are appropriately named after a "tennis coach who has had an enormous impact on so many students in this school district."

"I don't want to diminsh Mr. Savitt, but I do want to ask, what impact has he had on the educational community of this city?" she asked. "That is a BOE tennis court, and it should be named after a BOE employee."

After the meeting, Alonso pointed to the trouble he ran into as justification for his mayoral aspirations.

"Like you saw tonight, there are challenges when you try to get something done," he said. "They didn't even want to hear the proposals ... this is what happens. But if your mayor, that's it.'

"Every mayor that ran got a team -- they fall in line," he added.