Days after former Toms River Regional Superintendent Michael Ritacco plead guilty to charges of fraud and tax evasion, the school board now goes full steam into working on a plan to try and recoup the money.

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In 2010 the Toms River Board of Education filed a claim with their insurance carrier, since Ritacco’s guilty plea, the board has hired council to look into getting coverage under Ritacco’s dishonesty policy.

Toms River Regional Board Member Alexander Pavliv hopes Ritacco’s guilty plea will get them closer to a resolution however he notes there are other challenges in the way.

“I think they’re also checking on coverage would actually apply in this case, they’re were proof questions and there were a number of issues.”

Pavliv says issues over proof and what could be proved, means the Board still doesn’t have a total sum in damages to claim.

He admits though insurance companies by their nature are not in the business of giving out money, the board could at least recoup some of the expenses they have incurred.

“I would be hoping that we could recover whatever our attorney’s costs are and something beyond that. Anything is better than nothing. ”

Pavliv says the board is enacting changes to make sure this never has to happen again, noting that they already have shifted insurance policies around.

“I’ve been in favor of trying to end self insurance anyway, a number of proposals just to look for a private carrier to cover the whole deal so this can’t happen again have been proposed.”

In a statement released by current Toms River Regional Superintendent Frank Roselli on Toms River Patch, it stated “”It is important to note that with regards to district insurances, the district has already made considerable changes in personnel, vendors and process in the course of the past 16 months. Long before the resolution of this case, the district worked hard to address areas where internal controls needed to be strengthened”

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