District ready to name new schools chief

MATAWAN - The Board of Education is down to the final candidate in its search for a new superintendent for theMatawan Aberdeen Regional School District.

At the Jan. 28 board meeting, board President Lawrence O'Connell said that the search team has completed its site visits and interviews.

"We are close to naming somebody," O'Connell said. "Currently, we are in the process of having the contract approved by the county [schools] superintendent."

Leadership Advantage, a group that comprises former and current superintendents, is conducting the search for a superintendent.

Interim Superintendent Joel Glastein has been acting superintendent since Nov. 16 and is receiving the $150 per-diem interim superintendent stipend. Glastein continues as the district deputy superintendent, as well.

During the meeting, O'Connell noted that it is "budget season" and the board will be starting from scratch with a zerobase budget, rather than amending the current budget.

"There seems to be a lot of uncertainty around the budget," O'Connell said. "With more state aid coming to our district, it is important for our residents to remain interested during budget season."

O'Connell briefly addressed Gov. Jon Corzine's school aid formula and advised residents to visit the district and state Department of Education Web sites for more information regarding the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District.

"I'm very pleased about the zero-base budget here," said Democratic Matawan Borough Councilman Joseph "Bud" Mullaney. "The board is finally biting the bullet."

O

ther residents in attendance expressed

concern over high budgets in the past and how taxes seem to be ever increasing with the expanding school budgets.

- Erin O. Stattel