Seelig Steps Aside To Put Horowitz at Head of Board

A vote for the president of the Watchung Hills Regional Board of Education took a twist when board members divided on which of two candidates should lead the group in the coming year.

And after two tie votes, and considerable discussion on how such matters are resolved, immediate-past board President Paul Seelig withdrew from the race to avoid complicating the matter further.

That left Robert Horowitz, of Warren, as the sole nominee and the board members elected him president (with Long Hill's Peter Falzarano casting a lone dissenting vote).

"I am deeply humbled," Hororwitz said, after taking the president's seat in the center of the dais. Horowitz, and the other members of the board, thanked Dr. Seelig for his leadership over the last four years.

Before the end of the voting, Business Administrator Timothy Stys reviewed the procedure in the event the board is unable to vote decisively at a reorganization meeting. He said the names of the two nominees would be forwarded to the county superuntendent of schools—in the case of Watchung Hills Regional, the Union County superintendent because the Somerset County post is vacant—who would name the president.

Stys said the board could go ahead and vote on a vice-president, which nearly followed the same course when Harold Grossnickle was nominated in addition to Peter Fallon.

Grossnickle won on the first ballot by a 6-4 vote and took his seat next to Horowitz.