Smith tapped to replace Reccoppa on BOE.
By: Lea Kahn
Brett Smith, a 42-year-old father of four children in the Lawrence public schools, was chosen by the Lawrence Township Board of Education to fill a vacancy on the school board last week.
Mr. Smith, who lives on Lawrence Road, gained the necessary five votes to fill out the remaining two months of the three-year term of Lawrence Reccoppa. He was expected to be sworn into office at the school board’s regular meeting Wednesday as The Lawrence Ledger went to press.
School board members Philip Benson, Michael Brindle, Carole Drury, Michael Wilson and Michael Winka voted for Mr. Smith.
Geraldine Hutner of Wood Lane Road, a former school board member who sought appointment to the school board, received three votes. School board members Leon Kaplan, Bill Michaelson and Laura Waters voted for Ms. Hutner.
Board member Mark Setaro was absent.
Mr. Smith was chosen from among a field of nine candidates vying to fill Mr. Reccoppa’s unexpired term. Mr. Reccoppa resigned, effective Jan. 13.
The school board listened as two of the nine candidates made their pitch to serve on the school board. Three of the nine candidates were present, and six including Mr. Smith were absent. Mr. Smith arrived at the Lawrence High School library, where the school board meetings are held, after the board adjourned.
The school board went into closed session to discuss the candidates. It emerged after about 25 minutes and the two nominations were made. Mr. Michaelson nominated Ms. Hutner and Mr. Winka nominated Mr. Smith.
Mr. Winka said the field of candidates was "great." He said he wanted to bring a consensus on the candidate who would fill out Mr. Reccoppa’s term, as he nominated Mr. Smith.
Mr. Michaelson, who had nominated Ms. Hutner, said the school board achieved quite a bit of consensus on the candidates. Regardless of the outcome of the vote, "we will get a winner," he said.
After the meeting, Mr. Smith said he was both excited at the prospect of serving on the school board and honored to be selected. He added that he was anxious to prove that he is worthy of that honor.
Acknowledging the tension on the school board between the three board members who were elected last year Dr. Kaplan, Mr. Michaelson and Dr. Waters and the rest of the board, Mr. Smith said he would like to serve as a bridge between the two sides.
"I really am hoping that I can come in ‘new’ and, with Carole Drury, listen to the different sides of the situation and help the one side see where the others are coming from," he said. "I am not interested in joining a faction, but making sure that the children like school and they are getting something out of it."
Mr. Smith, who works in computer networking, has two children who attend Lawrence High School and one child each at the Lawrence Middle School and Lawrence Intermediate School.

