I was under the impression that it was the mayor who was supposed to appoint someone when there was a mid-term vacancy on the board, no?

Congratulations to Rogger! Very nice guy, excellent father. Will do the board proud, i'm sure.

Thank you for stepping up Mr. Ortiz, good luck in your service to the town.

I am curious if the rock paper scissors method to determine Mr Ortiz's appointment was employed or is there something, anything, in his background that might uniquely qualify the man for the position rather than what we read here?

When I read the comments in the last post about this and saw it had to be closed, I went and googled these people to see if I could figure out what the hubbub was about. The only one who had anything that qualified him for this kind of position (actually other people and their accomplishments were not even googlable, which is weird) was the guy who is a VP of a college in NYC who was a Mayor of Verona and I figured there was no way he wouldn't be picked. Which is logical since this is a position where you deal with people's taxes and the town's money. It's nice that this guy is a soccer coach, but frankly that is very different than deciding how to manage a budget, which takes other skills than working with kids.

This isn't about if you own a business in Wayne or about working with kids. It's about working with taxpayer money and while I understand that politics are politics, this appointment seems soooo...odd.

He was appointed not elected. We the people must be kept in the dark. We may just be able to follow the money if we are told anything.

I'm so tired of you and your posts Stewart. You are a complete hypocrite! You were saying how you thought the smear campaign about Mrs Kazan was so wrong. Yet your were the person who wrote a letter to the editor about Mr Monteyne and Mr Bubba saying how wrong it was for the them to take an endorsement by the Community for Academic Excellence. I didn't see your name on the list of candidates. How do you know how Mr Ortiz was chosen? You want to see things change put your name on a ballot in November and run.

This is an absolute embarassament to the town. I really hope Wayne residents start to wake up. We are not in control of anything. We are being led by the nose. Waht a shame.

Stewart. Maybe he is giving free haircuts.

W.elk They were all on the net, not just Bob, who also did not run for the position.

I googled this Robert Pignatello. His credentials are very impressive. He is a Senior VP at John Jay College in NYC. His responsibilities include oversight of Public Safety, I.T, Facilities Management, Human Resources, Finance and Business Services, Space Planning & Capital Projects, amongst a few others. Gee, you have to wonder why this guy wasn't selected.

How about someone who actually RAN for office? What a novel idea? I believe that is a premise of the United States Constitution? Oh, I suppose they stopped teaching that by the time you went to school. Did you go to school? In the US? Did you serve your country? Did you shed your blood to protect the Constitution of the US? Has anyone on that Board done so?

Frank, you have consistently avoided my question about serving in the military? Perhaps that is the reason that you cannot comprehend that the public positions are elected not appointed. You never served anyone except your narcissistic, misogynist self.

Frank. Comprehend this: You were never military.

Mr Pignatello was a council member and mayor Verona in the past. Chances are this was just a quick stepping stone for him. The last thing we need on the board is another politician that will jump ship as soon as he got the chance. If you read the resume, see the whole picture not just focus on the parts you like.

Frank. Are you even man enough to have qualified for the military? All the negativity emanates from the agenda you are so miserably failing at. Learn the US Constitution first.

Congratulations R. Ortiz. I'm not sure of your professional credentials, but your qualifications of being a town resident, married, and having children attending our public schools is a vital asset over the board members that don't.
Having professional credentials may help you advance in your career, achieve recognition, and let you stand-out from the competition but,
After all of that, you still have to come home and hear about the things that made you decide to become a Board of Education- Board Member in your hometown. You have to hear from your children, first hand experiences about their teachers, their classmates, their friends and neighbors, their schools, while thinking to yourself " these are my people too" !!! It's a cool place to be. Good Luck.

Frank. There you go again
.deflecting a statement for your own gains. Grow.up.

Frank. There you go. Playing the poor victim. Your sarcasm and deflections are well noted. You are truly a sandbox cyber bully.

Congratulations and good luck Mr. Ortiz!

There are some very strong opinions here on the BOE's decision to fill the unexpired term. The Board has made their choice and everyone is entitled to have their say about it. But it is pretty obvious that some of the comments, whether from those using actual names or creative screen names to conceal their identity, are from those who have an agenda that supports the board's interest in the keeping the status quo. In this world, new ideas and people who might challenge theirs are not welcomed and are actively resisted.

Unfortunately, a few comments on my candidacy and interest in serving are being made without knowing much about me. Why the pre-judgment? Is it politics rearing its ugly head?

For the record, I have lived in Wayne for 18 years. Before moving to Wayne I served as a local official in Verona. My two daughters went through the Wayne school system from elementary school to high school and my step son is currently in middle school. Wayne is a great community. It has much to offer. My family and I have been very happy here for a long time. But, it amazes me how Wayne seems to be under the spell and dominance of partisan politics. The local school board is supposed to be non- partisan. But I'm not so sure. It's apparent that some will work very hard to hold on to maintaining tight control of decision making. That's not good for the rest of us. (cont'd)

For the record, I don’t belong to either political party. My voter registration is "unaffiliated". I don’t have ties to any local special interests, individuals or political groups of any kind. I have not been involved in anything of a political nature for over 20 years focusing instead on family and professional career.

I have experience in managing a large educational institution as a college Vice President for many years. This includes managing a budget of over $90 million, Public Safety, HR (I know a great about resumes and interviews too. I hire people all the time), Technology services and Facilities. I have been successful in bringing down administrative costs while supporting the preservation and enhancement of academic quality and services.

I care deeply about education. It's been my career. To me, helping to prepare high school students transition into college and write their own success story is a great cause to work for. I'm sure we can do even more to strengthen ties with local colleges for our children.

Over the last couple of years it was hard not to hear and wonder about certain questionable BOE practices. And with over half our tax dollars going to finance education and how much we depend on it, this is serious business. I came forward and offered my services because I thought change was needed and that I could make a difference. I offered to help look at district expenses so we can be more efficient, to thoroughly examine management effectiveness, and reduce non academic costs, strive for continuous improvement, hold administrators accountable, to increase revenue in other ways than raising taxes and to keep our schools affordable. I have done this successfully. I thought if appointed I could hit the ground running and contribute.

I’d like to see more transparency and communications concerning board decisions. We need to build more support beyond traditional interest groups. What is the value proposition for Senior citizens, renters, those with no children, those whose children have graduated? Every citizen has a stake in the local education system. But it doesn't always feel that way to them.

I like to ask questions and challenge assumptions. That is clearly not what the board was looking for since candidates who stood for that were passed over. But that's what is needed in my view. In the end, the people will have the final say. That's what elections are for.

I don't think he sounds like a sore loser at all. It's negative comments under this article as well as other articles that are most likely prompting him to make the public understand who he is. I give him lots of credit-1. he uses his real name not like the majority of people on patch including myself and 2. he tried to win a seat even though he would get negative (as well as positive) attention. Not a sore loser in my opinion-just a person trying to do good for our community. He didn't win, but that doesn't make him a loser.

It sounds like he is bashing the board for not picking him, no?

It appears mother superior, the village idiot, chucklehead the clown, and shank gaggler have joined forces with the torch carrying, pitch fork shaking, hangmans noose brandishing crowd who were busy rampaging last night roaming the inter net looking for a release of their hostile aggression as they live in a continuous frenzy of hatred of political enemies and internal traitors, while they vicariously triumph over victories. The discontents produced by his bare, unsatisfying life are deliberately turned outwards and dissipated by such devices as the Two Minutes Hate, and the speculations which might possibly induce a sceptical or rebellious attitude are killed in advance by their early acquired inner discipline…at the threshold of any dangerous thought. It includes the power of not grasping analogies, of failing to perceive logical errors, of misunderstanding the simplest arguments if they are inimical to their collective stupidity, and of being bored or repelled by any train of thought which is capable of leading in a heretical direction, in short, means protective stupidity.

An Adaption of 2 Minutes Hate by Orwell (applied locally)

So basically Mr. Pignatello is a professional in this area. He has the credentials and given his position he has probably aced an interview or two in his career.

Individuals aside, is this kind of thinking really serving the best interests of the town? It's like having an all volunteer legal board in Wayne and choosing a real estate agent instead of a lawyer. It's like having a volunteer Medical Board and instead of picking a doctor, you pick the guy who has a pizzeria.

Seems very irresponsible. I am going to have to pay more attention to the candidates and the elections, who makes up the board and what they are trying to accomplish.

After reading Mr. Pignatello's post, It is abundantly clear why he wasn't chosen. He offered help to look at District expenses so they could be more efficient and reduce non academic expenses. Gee, why wouldn't they want him to do that? He stated he likes to ask questions, challenge assumptions. Question the Board? Are you kidding me? He'd like to see more transparency! That comment had them tossing their cookies. Unfortunately, he said all the right things, things they obviously didn't want to hear. He was apparently too qualified, probably more so than any other trustee on the Board. That scared the daylights out of them. You know who lost here? The children and we taxpayers.

Al,
I agree, that his credentials are very impressive. Does it not make you wonder why the board did not pick him? It seems practically like he could be superintendent. There is something none of us are seeing here, and it is too cynical to simply chalk it up by saying that the board does not want transparency, accountability, etc...

I get the impression - from his posting of his "resume" and his sour grapes statement about the board not wanting to take him up on his offer to be a guiding light - that he went into the interview expecting to be handed the job.

Frank
I don't see where he insulted the board before the interview. What are you reading that makes you conclude that he did?
But I will say, after re-reading his posts, that he opened by charging the board with maintaining the status quo. I don't know what he means by that, and that sounds precisely like the sort of thing that a candidate says when he is trying to get elected. A lot of good has happened in the district the past year, and I think the old, tired charge that the board only wants to maintain the status quo is a bit simplistic (and sour grapes).

Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing. Looks like people had to wash their hands after shaking Bob's.

Frank....I have read Mr Pignatello's comments several times. Where and how did he insult the Board right before his interview? We're you there? Are you a Board member posting under a fictitious name? There is no way you can construe that he insulted the Board members by his comments. If during his interview he offered or suggested something and it "bruised" some egos, which there are plenty of on the Board, then so be it. Maybe they need their egos bruised more often. You're simply posting "stuff" to discredit Mr Pignatello and I'm not sure why! Frank...nothing personal here but something is just not right with your posts. You can try to assure me here all you want. Your here for a purpose and with an agenda! If that's what it is, then so be it. You're certainly entitled to post what you want. It's just very obvious as to the nature of your posts.

If you notice, Cathy Kazan has not jumped into the fray here or posted a comment. She has taken the Board's decision gracefully and with class. Will she be deterred by this result? I doubt it. It wouldn't surprise me to see Cathy still attend meetings, voice her opinion and pro-actively stay involved with Board matters from a public perspective. In fact I sincerely hope she runs again.

Comments must be approved by me, or a member of our editorial staff, before they post.

That's why people on here don't use their real name because a WHACKO like stew will stalk you and give your information out to everyone in the world. And don't say it's not true stew because you wanted to meet me down at the police station one day for going off in your usual tantrum.

Al I agree with Mr Pignatello's credentials but when I read his comments the more I am convinced he would have been out before he was in. I watch and attend meetings all the time and I haven't seen him asking any questions. This was a classic case of political opportunity. He expected to be appointed and while he has qualifications he might have been counterproductive. Go back to when we couldn't hire a superintendent. Part of the problem was there were board members who believed they knew more than they did. I'm not saying we have the perfect administration but at this point we need to see what happens.

What does his pay and other expenses have anything to do with trying to get on the Wayne BOE? It sounds like you know this guy 'Bob'-not the first time you put up the link so anyone who reads comments can see what he makes. However, out of curiosity of what you are talking about, I did look it up through your link but his name never appeared.

C6. I do not know this guy "Bob". Everything is public on the net. As a matter of fact, given enough time, I am sure we will find out why he was run out of Essex County with his tail between his legs????

Justice....if you happen to know something about this gentleman, please share it with us. Making a comment about him being run out of Essex County is unsubstantiated, unless there is something that you can tell us. I'm certainly not beyond making a mean comment, but to say he was run out of somewhere is speculative without backup! By the way, which town were you run out of before coming to Wayne.

Born and raised here. How about you? The question was previously raised as to why a mayor of Verona would apply for a board job in Wayne. Valid question. Perhaps your wife has one of his kids as a student? Or do you consider that a mean question?

The personal attacks and innuendo here don’t do anything to make our schools better,address rising taxes, balance any budget, make us a stronger community or address what we want the BOE to accomplish.I think most people see through it for what it is.
To set the record straight, I have a master degree in management and I am studying for a Doctorate. I sought elective office at the age of 25.That was in 1985. It was a great experience that taught me a lot. I'm proud of the work I did. I ran three times. Won twice and lost once. A few years later we started to raise children. Eventually we chose to move to Wayne for personal and family reasons 18 years ago. You don't make an important life choice like that for political reasons.
I have had no interest or activity in party politics since those days.I registered as an Independent many years ago.I thought that getting involved with the BOE would be a chance to serve again.This time where I could bring my experience in education to bear and work with others to create a better,more efficient and affordable school system – in a non-partisan environment where fair minded people could openly deliberate, disagree and be civil about it.
I have attended a few meetings this year and there is certainly much to observe, learn and absorb.I plan on attending more upcoming meetings.For those of you who are interested in the direction of our schools and would like to talk, I will see you there and look forward to hearing your views.

Mr Pignatello I would suggest you run for a seat on the board in November. There will be 3, 3 year terms and 1, 1 year term. Then it will be in the hands of the town voters not the board.