NEWARK — Schools Superintendent Roger León on Monday stated that no alcohol was served at a “Superintendent’s Staff Fun Day,” an event for the district’s top administrators and their staff held June 1 at a venue in Warren.
“Taxpayer funds” did not pay for alcoholic beverages because “no alcohol was served,” León said in a phone conversation with TAPinto Newark.
When TAPinto Newark inquired why the cost of alcoholic beverages appeared as “included” on a menu with the invoice attached to the school board-approved resolution, the phone connection was lost.
A May 23 school board-approved resolution authorizing funding for the event states that the total cost is “not to exceed $44,000 as outlined on the attached contract that has passed legal review.” The contract indicates that attendance included 275 adults and 140 children.
Marc Pfeiffer, senior policy fellow at Rutgers’ Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, noted that such events are uncommon among government entities.
“The type of outing they do is often found in the private sector,” Pfeiffer said. “But doing that in the public environment creates perception issues and can be abused. That’s why there is a state law on how public funds can and cannot be used in these circumstances.”
The state Department of Education’s code concerning “Entertainment, Meals, and Refreshments,” prohibits “Receptions, dinners, or other social functions held for or honoring any school district employee(s) (for example, breakfast, luncheon, dinner, or reception for retirees or award recipients).”
It remains unclear how a “Fun Day” event, which is not specifically described as honoring employees, is viewed under the law. A spokesperson for the state Education Department referred TAPinto Newark to the statute but declined further comment.
Pfeiffer mentioned an alternative approach schools could consider.
“One thing schools can do that local governments cannot is have independent foundations that can supplement public costs,” he said. “An alternative to what the district did would have been to work with a foundation that exists to support the district’s work to help fund an outing or other event to thank staff.”
“It’s a challenging issue,” Pfeiffer added. “Practices that are often shown to improve employee morale and performance and common in the private or non-profit sector have been determined to be inappropriate in the public sector. NPS made a choice.”
The Forest Lodge venue has previously hosted events for Newark public schools students such as "Senior Day," according to a contract between the venue and school district showing it was held June 7.
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