In Secaucus, New Jersey, residents are frustrated with their school district’s spending choices.
For eight months, former school superintendent Erick Alfonso has been on paid leave, and he’s been collecting paychecks without working.
So far, this paid leave has cost Secaucus taxpayers over $106,500, and people want answers.
The big question everyone’s asking is why Alfonso is still getting paid even though he hasn’t worked since March.
And it’s not just this case—Secaucus has had a few other leaders who were paid after leaving their jobs, costing the town even more money.
Here’s what’s going on and why people are calling for change.
- Secaucus superintendent Erick Alfonso has been on paid leave for eight months, accumulating over $106,500 in salary payments despite not working.
- The board’s handling of multiple superintendent exits has led to criticism from Mayor Mike Gonnelli, who highlights a pattern of paid leave without resolution.
- The board’s investigation into Alfonso is still ongoing, with no timeline provided, while Alfonso remains under contract until June 2026.
Why Alfonso Is on Paid Leave and What It’s Costing
In March 2024, the Secaucus school board put Erick Alfonso on administrative leave.
This means he’s still technically an employee but doesn’t come to work.
The board made this choice because of an investigation into complaints against him, though they haven’t shared the details of these complaints.
Under district policy, details about school staff investigations are rarely made public, so the reason for his leave will likely remain a mystery.
Despite not working, Alfonso has kept getting his regular paychecks.
Here’s how much he’s been paid since the leave started:
- $45,000 for the last three months of the 2023–2024 school year
- $61,500 for the 2024–2025 school year so far
In total, Alfonso has been paid $106,500 over the last eight months.
Since he’s still technically employed, he’ll keep getting paid until the board decides to do something different or the investigation ends.
His contract with the school district doesn’t end until June 2026, meaning the school could pay him for a while longer.
Why This Isn’t the First Time
The fact that Secaucus is paying Alfonso to be on leave isn’t a one-time situation.
In recent years, there have been other cases where district leaders were paid even though they weren’t working.
And this pattern of costly separations has frustrated many people in town.
For example:
- Robert Berckes, a former high school principal, was on leave for a full year but still received his $124,000 salary.
- Jennifer Montesano, the superintendent before Alfonso, left suddenly but kept getting paid after leaving.
These situations and Alfonso’s leave suggest a bigger issue in the board’s handling of its top staff.
Taxpayers feel like their money is being wasted on people who aren’t even on the job, and it’s not hard to see why people are questioning the school board’s choices.
Trying to Fill the Gap with Temporary Help
While Alfonso has been on leave, the school district needed someone to fill his role.
To cover this gap, the district asked Charlie Voorhees, the athletic director, to act as the acting superintendent.
Voorhees is getting a small pay bump to cover the difference between his athletic director’s salary and the superintendent’s pay.
Mayor Mike Gonnelli has thanked Voorhees for taking on this extra work without a full superintendent’s salary.
Even though this arrangement saves some money, it’s only temporary.
The district has yet to post the job for a new permanent superintendent, so it’s unclear how long this situation will continue.
Secaucus Residents and Taxpayers Are Calling for Change
With all this ongoing paid leave, residents in Secaucus are wondering how much longer they’ll be footing the bill for leaders who aren’t working.
Secaucus has had six different superintendents over the last seven years, and each change often comes with added costs.
Thus, it’s no wonder people are frustrated with how things are run.
With an election for new school board members coming up, this issue has become an important topic.
Some residents hope the new board members will bring fresh ideas on better managing the district’s leaders and spending.
However, Alfonso will continue to be paid until something changes, and the investigation will continue.
People in Secaucus can only wait and hope they’ll soon see a more permanent solution that will end this cycle of costly turnover and get the district back on track.
