SPRING LAKE — When the Spring Lake Board of Education responded to what Superintendent Stephen LaValva called a flyer distributed to borough households at its Sept. 30 meeting, the author of that flyer was unknown.
The Coast Star requested copies of the flyer from the superintendent and the board president prior to publishing an article in the Oct. 3 edition of The Coast Star. The superintendent said he did not have a copy. The board president did not respond.
The article published in the Oct. 3 edition did not identify the author of the flyer.
Since the meeting, Daniel Jude Maxwell, a candidate for Spring Lake Board of Education, has identified himself as author of the board of education campaign flyer that was hand-delivered to residents of Spring Lake. He believes the board of education was referring to his flyer which included his campaign logo at the top and his signature at the bottom.
Maxwell is one of three candidates running for two seats on the Spring Lake Board of Education. The other two candidates are incumbent board of education members Noelle Giblin and Karen Matuch.
During the Sept. 30 meeting, Giblin was absent and board vice president Michael Moran read a statement during the president’s statement portion of the meeting, according to the agenda. Immediately following the flag salute, Moran said, “Noelle is not here today, but I’m going to make — I guess — a vice president’s statement.”
“Over the past few weeks, several inaccurate statements have been made with incorrect data and bad math. I am here today making a statement on behalf of the board to ensure that the entire community of Spring Lake has the facts,” Moran said.
Following the meeting, LaValva shared a copy of the response read by Moran with The Coast Star by email, and referred to it as a “President’s statement made in response to a flyer that had been distributed to borough households.” When asked to share a copy of that flyer with The Coast Star, LaValva said he did not have a copy.
According to the statement read by Moran, the flyer made several claims stating that the board of education and administration have not been fiscally responsible, the board and administration are spending millions of dollars on construction contracts, administration is “bloated” with high costs, that student enrollment numbers have decreased from 200 to 130, and costs per pupil are inaccurate.
The board of education responded to several claims in the letter regarding fiscal responsibility, student enrollment numbers, cost per student figures.
The statement said, “In conclusion, this board wanted to bring awareness to the community about the untrue statements being made and bring clarity and transparency around the facts.”
Maxwell said in a statement to The Coast Star, that the statement read at the meeting, promoting Giblin’s position in the current school election, constitutes a violation of Board of Education Bylaw 9120. He explained, “This by-law explicitly prohibits any promotional efforts to advance a particular position in school elections or referenda.”
Maxwell also questioned whether or not such a statement made during the president’s report of the meeting would require a formal vote by the board. He said, “The statement was not part of the public agenda and it is unclear whether any other board members, aside from Mr. Moran, were aware or approved of the statement.”
Giblin has not responded to The Coast Star’s requests for comment.
Superintendent LaValva did not return calls from The Coast Star for comment after Maxwell identified himself as the flyer author this week.
Maxwell said, “This is a prime example of why Spring Lake so urgently needs transparency and a commitment to sound governance from the Board of Education. Rather than spending so much time and effort campaigning at a Board Meeting, my opponents—and the Board itself—ought to be directing their attention, energy, and efforts towards proper governance and improving the school itself.”
When contacted for comment on his statement at the Sept. 30 meeting, Moran replied by email on Wednesday and re-shared the beginning portion of his meeting statement, which in part read, “…I am here today making a statement on behalf of the board to ensure that the entire community of Spring Lake has the facts.”
Matuch has not returned calls for comment.
Board of Education Attorney Athina Cornell did not return calls for comment.