Kevin Doran will be interviewed and probably appointed at a meeting on either Feb. 3 or 10.
By Ruth Luse
The call for candidates for Pennington’s vacant seat on the Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education has yielded just one interested individual.
He is Kevin Doran of Fitzcharles Drive.
John Nemeth, board secretary/business administrator, said Wednesday morning that the board will interview and appoint Mr. Doran to the vacancy created by the recent resignation of Arthur "Ari" Gabinet at a meeting on either Feb. 3 or 10.
Mr. Gabinet’s term runs until the April reorganization meeting, which follows the April 15 annual school election. Reorganization has been set for April 22. Mr. Doran, as the probable replacement for Mr. Gabinet, will serve until that April 22 session.
Mr. Nemeth, on behalf of the school board, recently advertised for candidates to fill the vacancy. Pennington Borough residents interested in the short-term position were asked to submit a letter of application which included the candidate’s qualifications, résumé, and reasons for wanting to become a board member by 4 p.m. Monday (Jan. 27). Mr. Doran was the only taker.
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When the school board meets to reorganize on April 22, Pennington will have only one school board member.
Since the early 1990s, Pennington has had two seats; Hopewell Borough, one; and Hopewell Township, six. Hopewell Township voters filled a new seventh seat at the 2002 election, creating a school board of 10 members for one year. The changes came about as a result of 2000 Census counts, which gave Hopewell Township one more seat and Pennington one less (beginning with the 2003 reorganization meeting).
The person who currently holds Pennington’s second seat is David Goldschmidt, who has not indicated if he plans to seek re-election or not on April 15. At present, no Pennington residents have filed nominating petitions for the one remaining open three-year term.
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Hopewell Township voters will fill two seats on April 15. They are held now by Sally Turner and Lisa Marin Main.
Ms. Turner, who has been a school board member since 1991, already has said she will not seek re-election to a three-year term.
Ms. Main, who won the township’s new seventh seat last April for one year only, has said she will seek a three-year term on April 15. Running with her, according to Ms. Main, will be Linda Mitchell of Pine Tavern Court. Ms. Main is a resident of West Shore Drive.
As of press time, neither Ms. Main nor Ms. Mitchell had filed a nominating petition.
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Those interested in running for the two Hopewell Township seats (three-year terms) and the one Pennington Borough seat (three-year term) must file nominating petitions no later than 4 p.m. on Feb. 24. Information about those petitions and about school board candidacy can be obtained by calling 737-4000, the school district’s new phone number. The caller will be able to connect with the business office, which still can be reached by the old number, 737-1511.
The law requires school board candidates to be 18 or older, registered to vote in Hopewell Township or Pennington (whichever applies), and a resident of the township or borough (whichever applies) for at least one year. Candidates also must be able to read and write and not be directly or indirectly involved in any contract with the school board or have a claim against the school board.
This year, only voters in Hopewell Township and Pennington will pick school board members. Hopewell Borough voters will join them in voting on the 2003-2004 school budget.

