MARGATE – The Board of Education held its annual reorganization meeting Thursday, May 16, appointing two members to three-year terms, electing its leadership for the year and setting out some goals for the upcoming school year.
The board members unanimously elected Cathy Horn to serve as president and Tracy Santoro to serve as vice-president. Board members Joel Frankel and Jack Sorenson were reappointed to three-year terms of office. All board members were assigned to serve on committees and the Board of School Estimate.
The board honored outgoing board member Lisa Youngblood for her four years of service. In addition to serving on the board, Youngblood served on several committees formed to oversee the hiring of principals and the superintendent.
According to a proclamation, Youngblood was honored for her “unselfish dedication in service to the children of the school district and the entire Margate City community.”
The board appointed Jennifer Germano as business administrator and board secretary for one year. It also appointed Eric Goldstein of Nehmad, Perillo, Davis & Goldstein, PA as board solicitor for one year at a fee of $140 per hour, plus expenses. It appointed Spiezle Architectural as the architect of record based on a fee for service schedule, and Siracusa-Kaufmann Insurance Agency as the school district’s insurance broker.
Innovative Risk Solutions was reappointed to serve as the district’s health benefits broker with a 4% commission for medical and prescription benefits. In a previously agreed to arrangement, Brown and Brown Insurance will receive 2.5% of the total commission paid to IRS. Ford-Scott Associates of Ocean City will serve as the district’s auditor for a fee of $17,200.
Board members agreed to take turns attending Board of Commissioners meetings to keep abreast of the community’s opinions about the schools, city government and other “hot topics” affecting the community.
Interim Superintendent Thomas Baruffi said that budget considerations require the district to consider curriculum and staffing needs for the 2019-2020 school year. He said the district would consider instituting a pre-school inclusion program by the opening of school in September. The district will also consider accepting tuition students in kindergarten through fourth grade.
He said the district would review existing policies that apply to tuition and develop an advertising campaign to promote the concept to the community.
