County executive superintendent chooses him after board tied 6-6 four times voting between Gallelli-Keyes and Newman
OCEAN CITY – After members of the Ocean City Board of Education tied four ties trying but failing to elect a board vice president, the acting county leader opted for someone else who filled the role previously.
It was announced Wednesday, Jan. 18, that Dr. Judith DeStefano, interim executive county superintendent, has appointed Joseph Clark as vice president of the Board of Education for the 2023 calendar year pursuant to 18A:15-1.
Clark was the president of the board from 2014 through 2021 and then vice president under Dr. Patrick Kane in 2022. Kane lost his bid for re-election in November.
At the board’s annual reorganizational meeting on Jan. 4, four votes ended up 6-6 as members tried to decide on new leadership. They had voted 9-3 to elect Chris Halliday as the new president over newcomer Robin Shaffer, but when it came to the vice president they were at loggerheads.
Longtime member Cecilia Gallelli-Keyes and Upper Township representative Fran Newman were nominated, but after three votes it remained evenly divided, with Liz Nicoletti, Catherine Panico, Shaffer, Jacqueline McAlister, Disston Vanderslice and Gallelli-Keyes on one side and Kevin Barnes, Christy Chisholm, Clark, Halliday, Bill Holmes and Newman on the other.
Board business administrator Tim Kelley told members the decision would go to the county if no one got a majority of the vote, and urged the board to try to work it out. A fourth vote, however, was identical to the previous three.
Kelley said state statute 18A:15-1 states the executive county superintendent will appoint a president and/or vice president from members of the board if the board does not elect a president and/or vice president at the reorganization meeting.
“I do not expect the process to take a long time,” he said following the meeting.
After a query from Shaffer, Kelley explained that the acting county executive did not have to choose between the two candidates nominated by the members. She did not.
In a press release from the district, Halliday said, “I appreciate the executive county superintendent’s work with our district and look forward to serving with Mr. Clark as vice president.”
– By DAVID NAHAN and CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
