Summit Mayor Fagan Set To Name Three New Board Of Education Members

SUMMIT, NJ — During her mayor’s report at Tuesday’s Common Council meeting, Mayor Elizabeth Fagan reflected on the process of appointing Summit Board of Education members, calling the role both a responsibility and a privilege for the city.Fagan said she recently interviewed about 10 residents for three open Board of Education seats, describing the conversations as meaningful because of the important role Summit schools play in the community. The appointments are expected to be formally announced during the Tuesday, May 12 Regular/Reorganization Meeting at the Summit High School Media Center.“Summit’s schools are such an important part of what makes Summit special,” Fagan said. “They’re not only among the top rated in the state, but they’re also at the heart of why so many people choose to call Summit home.”Since taking office, Fagan said she has filled six Board of Education seats, including one vacancy created by an early resignation. Three of those appointments, she said, were reappointments of members originally selected by her predecessor.“With every appointment, I’m looking for people who are ready to give their time, represent our diverse community, bring sound judgment, and genuinely care about our students, families, teachers and staff,” Fagan said.She said the newest appointees bring a range of experiences and perspectives and will help keep the board “transparent, communicative, responsive, analytical, and a responsible steward” of the school district.The appointment process has also drawn public commentary in a recent TAPinto Summit opinion piece by Greg Vartan, chairman of the Summit Democratic Committee and former Summit Common Council president. Vartan wrote that the mayor holds “enormous power” in selecting Board of Education members and said the upcoming appointments warrant “serious public attention.” In the op-ed, he also argued the process should prioritize public trust and warned against appointments he characterized as political in nature.