Long-time Residents Seek Open Seat on Regional Board of Education

When Patrick Gallagher takes the oath of office as the newest River Dell Board of Education trustee for Oradell on January 7, one of two long-time River Edge residents will be chosen to fill the seat left vacant by Vito Acquafredda. Acquafredda successfully won his November campaign for the River Edge Council and will be sworn in January 1 to his new post.

This week, the Regional Board interviewed Anthony Barbary and Chris Ilg to fill one-year of Acquafredda's remaining two-year term. The second year of the term would have to be won during the November 2013 election.

Barbary is a 36-year resident of River Edge, a US Army veteran and spent over 30 years in the education field beginning as a teacher and working his way through a variety of administrative duties including principal, assistant superintendent, interim superintendent and a central office consultant. He spent the majority of his career with the Clifton School District. Barbary previously interviewed for the open K-6 Board of Education seat in August that went to Gyuchang Sim.

"I hope to be able to continue giving back to a community that I think so highly of and work with the Board of Education and administration to move the district ahead," Barbary said. "I want to use my many years of experience in education to keep improving as we go."

The former music teacher and administrator, Barbary also serves on the borough Citizen's Budget Committee and assists in crafting the annual municipal budget with the governing body.

According to Barbary the biggest issue he feels the district is facing is to move ahead with an ever increasing look at test scores, core content standards and making sure that students are more preprared for an ever changing world.

Ilg, who graduated from River Dell in 2004, previously served on the Regional Board from 2006-2010 following a short stint as a borough councilman from 2001-03.

The marketing consultant with Ambit Energy, is a member of the Knights of Columbus andRiver Edge Recreation Committee. 

"I feel this is a good opportunity for me to give more of my time to the Board of Education," Ilg said. "This is something I enjoyed doing and at the end of the day knew it was for the good of all children in the district."

As a former board trustee, Ilg was involved in the negotiation process with the RDEA, was part of the tail end of a referendum to expand the district's buildings and began his term the same time Superintendent Patrick Fletcher joined River Dell.

The Regional Board of Education will announce it's decision between Barbary and Ilg during the January 7 reorganization meeting.

Follow Patch on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to our free daily newsletter.