The Bayonne Board of Education appointed Trustee Mary Jane Desmond president, with Trustee Sam Maggio assuming the role of vice president for 2025.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
A motion was first made to nominate Desmond as president, which was seconded by Trustee Pamela Sclafane. Trustee Hector Gonzalez then nominated President Jodi Casais, which was seconded by Trustee Lisa Burke.
After a brief discussion over how to proceed, Desmond was given the floor to explain why she’d be a good fit to lead the board.
“I appreciate the nomination, if elected I will do so to carry out the job functions to the best of my ability … I do like serving on this board and I do think that we are all in tangent when we put the children first, I think we all agree with that,” she began.
“There’s a few things that I would do different, but I’ve already discussed that with Jodi, I think she’s aware, meeting times and things like that. But I also think that there’s a little more structure needed and decorum, but I’d be happy to serve.”
In response, Casais noted that she served as president in 2023 and 2024 and indicated she felt a lot had been accomplished.
“I’ve done a lot, I’ve been very involved, I think I’ve kept everyone involved in the board as best I can to what we were available with. I’m readily available at all times for everybody, I attend many, many functions here displaying what I’ve done, I show support all over and I would appreciate if you gave me another year again.”
Desmond’s nomination was approved by a 5-3(1) vote, with herself, Burke, Maggio, Scalfane, and Trustee Angela Sanniola voting yes. Godesky-Rodriguez abstained, indicating she didn’t think she had enough information to make a decision.
Maggio was subsequently named vice president by a 6-3 vote, with Casais, Godesky-Rodriguez, and Gonzalez voting no.
Gonzalez and Godesky-Rodriguez were also nominated, but did not make end up receiving a vote since the motion to nominate Maggio passed.
Additionally, Burke, Bechay, and Sanniola, who ran under the “Together We Can” banner in November and won easily in a four-person race that saw former Trustee Michael Alonso seek a school board seat again, were sworn in prior to naming the new leadership team.
