During the public comment segment, Jonathan Almeida, a 2003 graduate of Union City Schools, alleged that Marina engaged in inappropriate behavior during his time as a coach. Almeida described incidents where Marina allegedly exposed himself to students during football huddles and humiliated those who looked at him by labeling them as the “gay kid for the day.” Almeida claimed that these incidents were not isolated, as many students had similar experiences, including one who witnessed the behavior at the age of seven. He emphasized that Marina’s alleged misconduct has persisted for over two decades without sanction.

Almeida expressed frustration with the Union City School officials’ response to his allegations, noting that he faced backlash and was ignored by the authorities, including Mayor Senator Brian Stack, who refused to suspend Marina despite the allegations. Almeida detailed how his attempts to meet with Sylvia Abbato, the superintendent of schools, were repeatedly thwarted, and he described being forcibly removed from a Board of Education meeting when he tried to present his concerns. His efforts to address the issue led to a criminal charge for disrupting the meeting, which he claimed was part of a larger pattern of harassment aimed at silencing him.

In response to Almeida’s allegations, a representative from the Board of Education asserted their commitment to child safety and reiterated the board’s comprehensive measures to protect students. They highlighted ongoing training for employees regarding healthy relationships and consent but noted the limitations in discussing ongoing litigation or actions taken by other districts.

The board also addressed several inquiries about the school budget raised by a public commenter named Arthur. He questioned a $9 million variance under appropriations, seeking clarification on the health and safety evaluations conducted at schools. Additionally, Arthur inquired about a planned $262,000 expenditure for the Board of Education house and a $1 million total planned expenditure for school facilities. He expressed skepticism over a $6,000 expense for a rooftop unit and questioned the necessity of recurring asbestos inspections conducted by ABS Environmental if no asbestos was found.

Arthur’s concerns extended to the district’s spending on copiers, which he estimated to be around half a million dollars annually. He suggested exploring cost-cutting measures for copiers and inquired about a $162,000 expense for secondary electrical replacements, questioning whether it was covered by insurance, particularly in relation to damages from Superstorm Sandy. Arthur further questioned a $120,000 annual expense for storage services from File Bank and a $50,000 expenditure for classroom furniture categorized under “general supplies.”

Board members provided responses to some of Arthur’s concerns. They explained that the district had transitioned to a more efficient copier model, reducing costs and improving efficiency. The File Bank storage decision was attributed to legal obligations to retain certain documents, and the transition was deemed more efficient for document retrieval. The “general supplies” expenditure was confirmed to be for new classroom furniture, part of an effort to replace old and broken items regularly.

The meeting also covered updates on educational initiatives, such as a workshop on integrating Holocaust lessons into the curriculum and curriculum work related to cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. The board announced the formation of an ad hoc facilities committee to review the district’s physical infrastructure and the commencement of the budget process for the 2026-2027 school year.

Public comments concluded with personal accounts of abuse. Edward Van Skinwick shared his experience as a victim of abuse, emphasizing the importance of institutions listening to individuals who have experienced trauma. Another commenter, Leroy Truth, discussed his work investigating alleged corruption involving a local politician, citing issues related to abuse and cover-ups within the system.