Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, December 9, 2010 OUR 120th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 49-2010 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com
[email protected] SEVENTY FIVE CENTS Westfield BOE Seeks to Clarify Its Position on Dolan Contract By MICHAEL J. POLLACK in a process they described as “un- June 2010 that it intended on keeping Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times precedented” and rife with commu- her onboard, and had been in negotia- WESTFIELD – Three Westfield nication barriers. tions with her since May. Board of Education (BOE) members First, BOE President Julia Walker “[Under the language of the state came to The Westfield Leader offices said the contract with Ms. Dolan, statute], we said that we were ‘not on Tuesday morning to recount how agreed upon in 2007, runs from July going to not renew’ her contract,” the board arrived at its decision to 1, 2007 to June 30, 2011. Under New Ms. Walker said. “[We said that] Dr. offer a new contract to current super- Jersey statute 18A:17-20.1, superin- Dolan was the superintendent we wish intendent Margaret Dolan, last month, tendents are entitled to a one-year to employ. Then it became – under while Governor Chris Christie is at- notice of non-renewal of their con- what terms? And those negotiations tempting to rein in superintendent tracts. Since superintendents are non- started before there was any indica- pay. tenured, they are guaranteed, by stat- tion from the governor’s office what- In the wake of the state Depart- ute, three months of notice for every soever that he was going to head for ment of Education (DOE) and Union year on their contract.