MONROE – The Monroe Board of Education reorganized with veteran board members at the helm.
Steven Riback, who is serving his second term, was nominated to serve as board president at the reorganization meeting on Jan. 2. He previously served as board vice president. Kathy Kolupanowich, who is serving her seventh term on the board and had previously served as board president, was nominated to serve as board vice president.
The board was almost split in selecting the board president and vice president with six “yes” votes – Riback, Kolupanowich, Jill DeMaio, Andy Paluri, Rupa Siegel and Paul Rutsky, Jamesburg’s representative on the board, for Riback and Kolupanowich, and four “no” votes – Michele Arminio, Ken Chiarella, Adi Nikitinsky and Peter Tufano.
Nikitinsky nominated Michele Arminio to lead the board. Arminio, Chiarella Nikitinsky and Tufano voted “yes” for Arminio; while Riback, Kolupanowich, DeMaio, Paluri, Siegel and Rutsky voted “no.”
“There’s a lot of negativity and distrust in regards to the Board of Education and tonight we have a chance to change that,” Nikitinsky said, adding disrespect in any form should not be tolerated among board members and the public.
Along with board president and vice president nomination, Schools Business Administrator Michael Gorski swore in two incumbents and a newcomer to the board at the reorganization meeting. Arminio was sworn in for her third term, Chiarella was sworn in for his fourth term and Nikitinsky was sworn in for his first term.