CENTRAL JERSEY: School board candidate kits available

By Joanne Degnan, Staff Writer
   Citizens interested in running for any of the board of education seats that are open this year in Robbinsville, Millstone, Plumsted and the Upper Freehold Regional districts can now pick up their candidate kits at local school board offices.
   A potential candidate must obtain the signatures of at least 10 registered voters and return the nominating petition to their local school board by 4 p.m. March 8 in order to be listed on the ballot in the April 27 school election. All candidates must be able to read and write, be a registered voter and U.S. citizen, and a resident of the district for at least one year to be eligible to run for a seat on the board of education.
   School board members serve three-year terms; however, in some districts there also are elections to fill unexpired terms caused by the resignation of a board member. In the latter situation, replacements were appointed by the board to serve until the 2011 election.
   Annual school elections in New Jersey are traditionally held on the third Tuesday in April, but former state Education Commissioner Bret Schundler moved the election this year to eight days later — Wednesday, April 27 — to avoid a conflict with the religious observance of Passover.
Upper Freehold
   In the Upper Freehold Regional District there are four seats available: two representing Upper Freehold and two representing Allentown.
   Both Upper Freehold seats are for full three-year terms; one of the Allentown seats is for a full three-year term, and the remaining Allentown seat is for a one-year unexpired term.
   School board members whose terms are expiring include Joe Stampe and Chris Shaw, both of Upper Freehold, and Gregg Barkley and Eileen Heddy, both of Allentown. Mr. Stampe, who has served two terms on the Board of Education and is now its vice president, said recently he did not intend to seek re-election.
Robbinsville
   In Robbinsville there are three full terms and one one-year unexpired term available.
   The board members whose terms expire in May are: Matt O’Grady, the board’s vice president; Sharon DeVito, Carol Boyne and Vincent Costanza. Dr. Costanza was appointed to the board to fill the unexpired term of Melissa Foy, who resigned last summer, so that seat is for a one-year term.
Millstone
   In Millstone, there are three full three-year terms and one one-year unexpired term available in the April 27 election.
   The incumbents whose terms expire in May are Board of Education President Kevin McGovern, Holly Deitz, John Saxton and Salvatore Casale.
   Mr. McGovern, Ms. Deitz and Mr. Saxton all said last week they had not made a decision yet on whether to seek another term.
Plumsted
   There are three seats available in Plumsted; two are for full three-year terms and one is for a one-year unexpired term.
   The school board members whose terms are expiring include Board of Education President Harry Miller, Sandra Soles and Barbara Wig.

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   For further information about the duties of school board members and the legal requirements pertaining to candidates, go to the New Jersey School Boards Association website at www.njsba.org and click on the link for the 2011 School Board Candidate Kit.