LACEY, NJ — A former Lacey Board of Education president improperly used his position to investigate a fellow board member who campaigned against him, violating the School Ethics Act, according to a decision by the School Ethics Commission.
Shawn Giordano, who no longer serves on the school board, directed the board’s attorney at the time to research the conduct of board member Regina Discenza the day after he lost his bid for re-election, the School Ethics Commission said in their decision.
This resulted in nearly 34 hours of research into Discenza at the cost of $5,085, the Commission said.
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With Giordano no longer serving on the board, the Commission’s recommended penalty was censure.
This is the first of several pending ethics cases. Former school board candidates Gavin Rozzi and Sonia Marchitello have similar cases, along with another complaint that Giordano filed against Discenza.
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“We are committed to ensuring transparency and ethical governance within the Lacey Township Board of Education,” Discenza said in a news release. “No decisions for expenditures should be made behind closed doors without proper approvals.”
Giordano’s attorney, Christopher Dasti, told the Asbury Park Press they would be appealing the decision.
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