Habel's Denali Up For Sale
Car given to former Wall Super, who lives in Point Boro, now up for grabs
Photos
The Denali that the Board of Education gave to former Wall Schools Superintendent James Habel is up for sale.
Habel lives on Blue Heron Court in Point Borough, which was raided by the Monnmouth County Prosecutor's office on Sept. 13.
Bids are being accepted for the top-of-the-line 2005 GMC Yukon Danali -- which Habel received as part of his contract with the school district, along with a monthly gas allowance of $150.
The loaded black SUV has 117,000 miles, was impeccibly maintained by Wall Board of Education mechanics and has every option available to that model, according to Tom Polo, a district employee.
The SUV is not short on amenities. It has a Bose surround sound system, leather seats, duel climate control, heated seats, rear DVD player with two sets of wireless headphones, a towing package and numerous other creature comforts.
Habel's former car is available for inspection at the bus garage, located behind the Board of Education offices on 18th Avenue in Wall. The necessary forms to bid on the vehicle are available there, Polo said.
Bids will be opened at 11 a.m. on Oct. 4 at the board offices, according to a public notice advertisment.
Habel, who left the district in January for a six-month medical leave before his contract expired in June, is under investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.
No charges have been filed and Acting Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni has been tight-lipped about the scope of the investigation.
Investigators from the Prosecutor's Office on Sept. 13 raided Habel's Point Pleasant home. Days prior, Habel hired fomer First Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Robert A. Honacker Jr. to represent him.
In addition to free use of the car, Habel in 2010 received $14,250 in allowances, $7,600 in stipends, $15,716 in extra insurance, and $49,932 for a pension annuity as well as his base pay of $200,273, according to the Department of Education.
Habel's payout for unused sick and vacation time tops $400,000. School board President John Tavis has said that Habel reported he did not take a sick day during his tenure as schools chief, which began in 2003.
Leave it on the Field
7:29 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Why would any Board of Education approve an SUV for a guy who only had to commute from Pt. Pleasant to Wall Township to his job? 177,000 miles? Was that all school district related travel or did the BOE allow personal use to sweeten the deal? This is fascinating information. Do the superintendents in Pt. Boro, Pt.Bch or Brick get cars or is this a special taxpayer-funded perk reserved for wealthier school districts?
Art Penrose
9:22 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
The members of the Wall Twp. Board of Ed are the ones who should be arrested for complete dereliction of fiscal duty to the taxpayers. It's no wonder the taxes are so high in Wall that people are moving out of town. What a disaster..
Victor
10:23 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
And these people wonder why we have to reign in school expenses. do any of these people have a conscience? and a very nice example for the kids. get rid of all of these useless and tax money draining administrators.
Kriswall
10:08 am on Sunday, September 23, 2012
This car has been a thorn in the sides of most wall residents. Wall BOE members who approved this should be investigated and arrested. Talk about overindulgence. The money from the sale of this car should go back to the residents of Wall and not to help that asshole pay for his legal fees.
z
1:27 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
@Kriswall, Agreed...This A-hole should go to jail along with the BOE members. These problems are happening in other districts. It might not be the same thing, giving cars away or extra insurance but it is other perks. There is many BOE members that use and abuse their power for preferential treatment for their own family members and themselves to advance their own kids,families and friends in the district they are from bouncing other public school kids out. Not everyone gets a fair chance like they claim. Not that I agree with everything that our governor is trying to do. I agree with what he is trying to stop in the public school system. He needs to tone it down a little because he comes off like a bully. What has been allowed to go on in the public schools is wrong.