TRENTON – Senator Shirley K. Turner, Chair of the Senate Education Committee, today condemned the severance package of more than $740,000 for the retiring school superintendent in Keansburg, Barbara Trzeszkowski, which was sanctioned by the Abbott District’s local school board in 2003.
“The only good news about this gross abuse of public trust is that it probably can’t happen again. These types of secret deals are now required to be posted on school district websites before they’re sanctioned, under legislation approved last year. Plus, we’ve capped sick time payouts at $15,000 for all elected and appointed officials. At least now, executive county school superintendents can step in and block outrageous contracts like this one.
“ The sickening part of this scandal is that Superintendent Trzeszkowski couldn’t have maneuvered this deal for herself on her own. She had to have collaborators on the elected Keansburg school board who were willing to sign off on this rip-off. These school board co-conspirators should be smoked out wherever they are today and made to explain their rationale for authorizing this unwarranted raid on taxpayers’ money.
“It’s hardly a solace to proclaim this profound arrogance as a thing of the past when the pain will be felt for years into the future. Keansburg residents should remove any school board members who had a hand in sanctioning this spectacular abuse of taxpayers.”
Senator Turner, a Democrat, represents the 15th Legislative District.