DeLuca trades Board of Ed. seat for Township Council
BY DANIELLE MEDINA Correspondent

BRICK TOWNSHIP - Board of Education Vice President Cynthia McCarthy will become interim president when Brian DeLuca officially resigns next week to take his seat on the Township Council.

DeLuca announced at the Dec. 12 board meeting that McCarthy will temporarily take the helm at the board from Dec. 31 until the next time it meets, which is currently scheduled for Jan. 24.

The six remaining board members will then vote on a new president, who will preside until the board's reorganization meeting in May.

McCarthy, who was elected to the board in April 2006, has served as its vice president since May. She has also chaired the board's policy committee and has overseen a major policy overhaul. DeLuca, who will take the council oath of office on Jan. 1, said the board will begin its search for a new member within the next few weeks. The board will then have 65 days from Dec. 31 to select a new board member.

If the board fails to choose a new member within the time frame allowed, Ocean County Schools Superintendent Bruce Greenfield will pick someone to fill the seat DeLuca vacated.

Although DeLuca's term on the school board wasn't set to expire until April 2009, the new board member will have to run for re-election in April 2008 in order to retain the seat. Board of Education members are elected to three-year terms.

DeLuca has served two terms on the school board and has been board president since May. He was last elected to the board in April 2006.

He was the second-highest vote getter in the race for the four available Township Council seats in the Nov. 6 election. He received 9,551 votes in his first bid for a seat on the Township Council.

DeLuca offered his thanks to his past and present fellow board members, central administration and the district staff at his last meeting as a school board member.

DeLuca also commented on the district's upcoming search for a permanent superintendent, a spot that is currently being filled on an interim basis by Melindo A. Persi.

"If Mr. Persi wasn't retired, he would be my first choice," said DeLuca, who then threw his support behind assistant superintendent Walter Hrycenko

"Walter, you've done some job here," he said.