MANVILLE: District may name new chief Monday

By Audrey Levine, Staff Writer
   The Board of Education is hoping to appoint a new superintendent — who will replace retiring Superintendent of Schools Donald Burkhardt on July 1 — at the reorganization meeting scheduled for Monday.
   ”We have a need of a superintendent July 1,” said Board of Education President Andrew Zangara. “The contract that is currently in review now would be in effect then.”
   According to Mr. Zangara, the board cannot appoint a new superintendent until after the elections, because the new board must make the appointment.
   The listing for a new superintendent was first posted in October, and Mr. Zangara said interviews were held in December and January. They have now chosen a finalist, he said, and are currently in the process of finalizing the actual contract.
   ”The contract is still in attorney reviews now,” he said.
   Once the contract is finished, Mr. Zangara said, it must receive a preliminary approval from the board before it can be sent to the county superintendent. When it comes back to the board, he said, the final approval can be given.
   ”We are hoping to do a final approval vote during a business meeting in June,” he said. “If we can do it sooner, we will. This is a long, drawn-out process.”
   Right now, Mr. Zangara said, he does not know when lawyers will be finished reviewing the contract, but he hopes it will be within a few weeks.
   Still, if all goes well, the position will be offered to a candidate Monday.
   ”We can still make the appointment (even if the contract is not complete),” he said.