By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
School board members balked Monday night on paying interim assistant superintendent Andrew Rinko for his first five days on the job in December.
Mr. Rinko was hired at $575 per day for up to two months while Guy Wheelock, the permanent replacement for the resigned Scott Rocco, winds up his duties in the Montclair school system.
Board Vice President Judith Haas said the board hired Mr. Rinko on Dec. 17 with an anticipated start date of Jan. 2. Yet the agenda listed five days, including one on Dec. 14 before the actual hiring, for payment for Mr. Rinko.
Superintendent Jorden Schiff said the Dec. 14 date was a training session for the new teacher evaluation model. Dr. Schiff said he thought it necessary for Mr. Rinko to attend.
Two days — Dec, 20 and 21 — were overlaps with Mr. Rocco, and Dec. 27 and 28 were days when Mr. Rocco was not in the district, but “important work got done,’ Dr. Schiff said.
Dr. Schiff said it was “a lesson for me” to concentrate on the start day, including overlaps, in the future.
The roll call to pay Mr. Rinko got yes votes from Greg Gillette, Deena Centofanti and Lorriane Soisson and no votes from Dana Boguszewski and Ms. Haas.
Since compensation votes need a majority of the nine-member board, “we will need to return to this motion at the next meeting,” Dr. Schiff said.

