MATAWAN – A new president and vice president hope to lead the Board of Education in the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District through what the challenging year ahead.

The board named Catherine Zavorskas president and Arthur Fumarola vice president at its April 28 reorganization meeting.

"I see it as a great honor," Zavorskas said.

The president’s role is to oversee communication between the board and Superintendent of Schools Bruce Quinn, she said.

"It’s a person who represents the board to the superintendent," she said.

Zavorskas also will run board meet­ings and pick committee chairpersons and members.

In her one-year term as president, Zavorskas said she hopes "to make sure that the superintendent and board are all in agreement with what we see as the crucial goals in the district for this year and the years to come."

She also faces a failed $51.1 million budget."I’m very upset that it failed, but I am hoping to work with the superinten­dent and a small committee of board members that will work with the super­intendent and councils in a dignified manner so that we don’t have the same situation as last year," she said.

As last year, the failed budget will be sent back to the councils in Matawan and Aberdeen which will make sugges­tions for cuts if they feel it’s fit to do so.

Last year’s budget talks produced some heated debate between the coun­cils and board.

These events did not serve the com­munity well, Zavorskas said.

"I think we all learned a lot from what happened last year," she said.

"I’m optimistic that we are going to come out with something that’s reason­able," she added.

Zavorskas is serving her sixth year as a board member.

Low voter turnout in the elections gave a small amount of residents a stronghold on the community, Fumarola said.

Voter turnout was 14 percent in Aberdeen and 12 percent in Matawan.

The council is obligated by the state to decide on cuts, Fumarola said.

"I don’t approve of it, but as long as the law is there, they are doing their job," he said. "I don’t blame them. What they are doing is following the law."

Taxation is not divided fairly among residents, he said.

"It is not predicated on your ability to pay. It’s predicated on the value of your house," he said.

Fumarola joined the school board af­ter 35 years of community involvement.

"[The board members] are all respon­sible people who are dedicated to the community and Janice Gallo is one of them," he said.

Gallo was a longtime board member who stepped down prior to this term.

"[Gallo] has a strong sense of com­munity," Fumarola said.

Gerald Donaghue was president of the board two years prior to Zavorskas and John Barbato served the three years prior to Fumarola. Both are still mem­bers of the board.

"Cathy has a lot of experience under her belt and I think she’s ready for [being president]," Barbato said.

Fumarola also has a lot of board ex­perience and knows how it runs, he said.

"I think they will complement each other well and we have a good leader­ship team there," he said.

By josh davidson

Staff Writer

Board chooses new officers