No Timeline on McLoughlin Case, but Bills Coming In

It's been nearly six months since the Collingswood Board of Education was publically excoriated over its decision not to renew the contract of basketball coach Joseph McLoughlin.

That choice brought with it allegations of racial bias against district administrators, a public outpouring of support for the coach who took his team to two Group II championships and reports of claims filed with the state attorney general's office by the NAACP.

A lot of noise, but nothing has come since.

Now, almost a half-year later, the lead investigator in the case—Haddonfield Borough Commissioner and attorney Edward Borden—has yet to complete a public report solicited by the school district.

He told Patch on Thursday that there is no timeline in sight, either.

Borden's been working on the case, however. Collingswood Public Schools business administrator and secretary Beth Ann Coleman said he has invoiced the district for 28.7 hours at a district-approved rate of $250 per hour, for a total of $6,737.

The investigation was approved for a maximum of 40 hours and a total of $10,000—so, at least financially speaking, it's two-thirds complete.

"As he’s accruing hours, he sends his bills to our attorney for review," Coleman said. She said she remitted payment for Borden's first bill in November, which arrived in July.

Coleman said that Joseph Betley, who is on retainer for the Collingswood school district, has been in contact with Borden, but that "he’s independent, so I can’t dictate a lot to him."

Coleman also confirmed that, as far as she knew, the district has received no further communication from either Dennis Young, the attorney for McLoughlin, nor from the office of the New Jersey attorney general.