Board of Ed. picks replacement for DeLuca
Edward McBride must run in April to retain seat
BY PATRICIA A. MILLER Staff Writer
Board of Education members tapped a retired police officer and former Marine to fill the vacancy created by Brian DeLuca's departure for the Township Council.

Toledo Drive resident Edward J. McBride Jr., 53, was sworn in and took his seat on the board at a special meeting on Jan. 17.

"My goal and vision in seeking an appointment to the board is simply to provide the best educational services to the students of Brick Township in the most economical fashion," McBride said on his candidate application.

McBride was selected by a split decision. Cynthia McCarthy, Allen Atheras, Frank Pannucci and Daniel Rosa supported McBride, and Virginia Reinhold and Daniel Woska voted for Nagiewicz.

Board members also voted for McCarthy to serve as president. She had been serving as its interim president since DeLuca's resignation on Dec. 31. Rosa was elected to serve as the board's vice president.

McCarthy and Rosa will serve as president and vice president, respectively, until the board holds its annual reorganization meeting in May.

After being honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps, McBride worked as a police officer in Westfield and North Plainfield. He retired as a sergeant. He is currently employed as the lead investigator for the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs.

McBride said in his application that he has spent a "considerable" amount of his post-retirement time in public schools, serving as an Adopt-A-Cop, organizing and implementing school safety programs, participating in elementary-school reading programs in North Plainfield and Berkeley Township, and teaching driver's education to high school students.

"I wasn't a good student, but I believe in public education," McBride told the board.

McBride, who is married with an adult son, has lived in Brick for nine years and currently serves on the township Recreation Advisory Committee. He holds an associate degree in police science from Northern Virginia Community College and a bachelor's degree in administration of justice from The College of New Jersey.

McBride, who ran unsuccessfully for the board in 2003, will have to run for reelection inApril in order to retain his seat.

Three other applicants also applied for the position and were interviewed by the board at the meeting: former board member John Talty, Stephen D. Nagiewicz and Douglas Pickell.

"It's gratifying to know we have four people who appear to be committed to the community and the children of the district," said McCarthy.

Talty, who lost his bid for re-election in April 2007, is a retired laboratory technician and a longtime member and organizer with the Oil Chemical Atomic Workers union. The Forge Pond Road resident unsuccessfully ran for a seat in 2003 before winning in 2004.

Nagiewicz, Timberline Place, is a science teacher at Atlantic City High School and an oceanographer. He owns and operates his own ocean exploration business, New Jersey SCUBA Diver.

Pickell, 17th Avenue, is a salesperson at Diane Turton Realtors in Spring Lake and a former physical education teacher.

The board's next regularly scheduled public meeting is tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Brick Township High School library.