Rummerfield keeps post as board leader Says contract top priority. P'burg teachers union chief urge moving up date for next talks. Tuesday, May 01, 2007 • By DANIEL HAUSMANN • The Express-Times PHILLIPSBURG | Paul Rummerfield retained his position as school board president Monday night and made securing a new teachers contract one of his top goals. Rummerfield, 52, of Barrymore Street, will spend a second straight year as board president. He picked up 432 votes April 17 and was re-elected for a third-straight term. Along with Rummerfield and Thomas McGuire, new board member Richard Turdo and Pohatcong representative Patricia Babcock also were sworn in. After his contract comment, some 50 teachers in attendance applauded. The board and Phillipsburg Education Association will meet May 31 in their first fact-finding session. Union President Barbara English asked the board to consider meeting before that date. She wants to move forward with the new board. "We are tired of sitting at the opposite end of the table," English said. "Let's put the past several months behind us." English said the association was annoyed at what she called "bogus" ethics charges leveled against Negotiations Committee Chairman Kevin DeGerolamo by Superintendent Gordon Pethick. The state School Ethics Commission tossed the charges. As a result, a divided board gave Pethick a vote of no confidence in the teacher negotiations April 16. English said that situation won't impact future negotiating sessions. "Our feeling is, get the contract done," English said. "We're all working for the same thing." The teachers contract was among a short list of issues Rummerfield addressed after he was reappointed. In the next 60 days the board has to notify Pethick if his contract will be renewed beyond 2008. "The board has some serious discussions this year," Rummerfield said. Rummerfield and others on the board have been critical of the eight-year superintendent. Rummerfield said board members will evaluate Pethick's performance and decide what to do before the end of June. Petchick is paid $141,000 a year. Asked if he has any concern of not being renewed past next year, Pethick said he has no fear and that this is part of the process. "I tell them what I feel; I tell them the truth," Pethick said. Only Steve Zarbatany opposed Rummerfield's and Vice President McGuire's reappointments. Zarbatany called his vote a vote of no confidence. McGuire said the support of the other 10 board members in his reappointment spoke for itself. "It sounds like a personal issue," Rummerfield said. "There's no room for personal agendas." Over the past school year, issues of the no confidence vote in Pethick's handling of the negotiations and the appointment of a labor attorney divided the board on near-identical votes. Rummerfield, Jim Hanisak, McGuire, Sal Patti, DeGerolamo and Bernie Brotzman have been pitted against Zarbatany, Frank Kish, Stan Hughes, Christopher Wittman and former members Robert Brennan and Karen Murray. Reporter Daniel Hausmann can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at dhausmann@express-times.com. © 2007 The Express-Times. Used with permission.