New board members to scrutinize school budget
BY DANIELLE MEDINA Correspondent

BRICK TOWNSHIP - The three winners in the annual school elections will be sworn into office when the Board of Education holds its reorganization meeting on Tuesday.

Vicky Leone, Michael Pifko and Kim Terebush defeated incumbents Frank Pannucci, Daniel Rosa and Edward McBride in the election on April 15.

"I think the general consensus is that it was time for a change," said Terebush, who was elected to the one-year unexpired term previously held by McBride. "I think that people were not happy with the way things have been run."

Leone was the top vote getter in the race for the two, three-year terms, with 4,012 votes. Pifko received 3,728 votes. Pannucci and Rosa received 3,576 and 3,216 votes, respectively. There were 28 write-in votes cast.

Terebush received 3,690 votes to McBride's 3,359 votes for the one-year term created by the departure of former board member Brian DeLuca. DeLuca resigned in December, shortly before he was sworn into a Township Council seat.

The closing of the Primary Learning Center (PLC) on Chambers Bridge Road as an early education facility was a primary concern for voters. Pifko said.

"I think that part of the reason why the budget was defeated was because people wanted to stop the closing of the PLC," said Pifko. "The parents that we spoke to didn't see that as a positive direction for this community and the children of the district."

Interim Superintendent Melindo A. Persi has said that the PLC will close its doors regardless of whether or not the budget passed.

"I think there is still hope to keep it open," Leone said. "I won't turn my back on my promise to try."

Leone, Pifko and Terebush all said that they are prepared to get to work as soon as they are sworn into office.

"Our intention is to go through every line item on the budget," said Terebush. "We think we can turn this around by asking the necessary questions."

Pannucci and Rosa stood by their decision to support the closing of the PLC, even though it apparently played a part in their defeat.

"I believed in what we were doing," Rosa said. "I don't regret it because it's the soundest thing to do. I would like to see if they can keep it open."

Pannucci, who has been a board member for 18 years, said that incumbents going down in defeat in this year's elections seemed to be a trend around the state.

"I think people are fed up and they've had enough," Pannucci said. "Incumbents in general are looked down upon."

Pannucci and Rosa also cited low voter turnout in this year's election as another possible reason for their team's defeat.

"The voters I appealed to didn't turn out in any great numbers," said Pannucci. "The senior communities voted very lightly."

Rosa said that he doesn't rule out another run for the board in the future.

"I have children in the district," Rosa said. "My heart is still here."

But Pannucci said that he has no plans to run for the board, or any other political office again.

"I'm going to concentrate on the rest of my life and my health," he said. "I'm going to leave it to the young people. It's their turn.

As of press time, the reorganization meeting was scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on April 29 at the Lake Riviera Middle School.