Lakewood Schools state superintendent suddenly resigns; 2nd monitor in as many months resigns

LAKEWOOD – In a surprise move, one of two state monitors recently appointed to examine Lakewood Schools’ finances as part of a state credit review has resigned.

The move marks the second resignation of a state monitor in Lakewood in less than three months and comes as the school board seeks another multi-million dollar state loan.

Kelvin Smith, who was appointed by the Ministry of Education in July 2024 and signed a contract to serve until August 2025, submitted a letter of resignation to the province on Tuesday, citing his decision to “take a break from work and enjoy my retirement for a while longer.” during.”

Smith, a former Willingboro school administrator, is one of two state monitors appointed this year. The other is former Little Falls school official Louise Davis, who was hired last month and whose contract runs through October 2025.

More: Lakewood school board battles state over monitor rehiring

A state spokesman recently said the duo was hired to “examine the school district’s cash flow” and help determine whether Lakewood qualifies for the requested $104 million state loan. The district still owes about $173 million from previous loans dating back to 2014.

State officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Smith’s resignation.

The appointments of Smith and Davis had drawn opposition from several members of the Lakewood Board of Education, who wanted to retain former state monitor Robert Finger, who was hired in December 2023 and contracted to serve through December 2024.

Finger resigned at the end of August and did not provide a reason for his departure. The school board wanted to reappoint Finger to a new $40,000 consultant position on Nov. 13, but Smith and Davis blocked the appointment.

State monitors are appointed by the Department of Education, but their salaries are paid by the district. Smith and Davis’ contracts pay them $125 per hour, up to $208,000 annually.

When Smith and Davis blocked Finger’s reappointment, Smith said: “The Department of Education has a problem with the amount and the person who would be involved.”

But Smith did not elaborate on specifics at the time and did not respond Wednesday to requests for comment on his departure or the future of the district. Davis also could not be reached for comment.

Superintendent Laura Winters, Board Attorney and Spokesperson Michael Inzelbuch and Deputy Business Administrator Kevin Campbell also did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

More: State orders financial review before approving new loan for Lakewood Schools

Some board members weighed in on Finger when his appointment was blocked earlier this month, saying he was better equipped to help the district deal with ongoing financial problems.

“We believe he will be an asset to the district because he has been with us before,” Board Member Moshe Raitzik told Smith and Davis during the meeting. “He has been in this business before… We think he knows the area very well. Those in and out know how to get things done to support the district.

How did Lakewood schools get here?

The current situation began in July when Smith was hired by the Department of Education as the state superintendent of Lakewood Schools at a salary of $125 per hour for up to 32 hours per week.

At the time of Smith’s appointment, Finger, who had served as the state watchdog since December 2023, was still under contract under an agreement that expired in December 2024.

In October, the state appointed Davis at the same rate as Smith. His contract runs until October 2025.

More: Lakewood Schools leader says district policy is transparent but won’t inform public

Since its first state monitor appointment in 2014, Lakewood has never had two full-time monitors at the same time. Initially, state officials said Davis and Smith were hired to provide support to the district.

But a state education department spokesman recently said they were hired in part to review the district’s “cash flow” to assist state officials in deciding whether Lakewood should receive a requested $104 million state loan.

Lakewood Schools has owed more than $200 million in government loans since 2014. The district is also in a long-running dispute with the state over its annual aid package, which school officials argue is grossly underfunded.

Joe Strupp is an award-winning journalist with 35 years of experience covering Lakewood and various local communities for APP.com and the Asbury Park Press. He is also the author of four books, including Killing Journalism on the state of the news media, and is an adjunct professor of media at Rutgers University and Fairleigh Dickinson University. Reach him at [email protected] and 732-413-3840. Follow him on Twitter and TruthSocial at @joestrupp

This article was first published in the Asbury Park Press: Lakewood schools see second state monitor resign this year