By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Contested school board races are on tap in the Montgomery, West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional and South Brunswick public school districts — but not in the Lawrence Township public school district.
Monday was the deadline to file for the available school board seats. The school board election is set for Nov. 3, which is the same day as the November general election for federal, state, county and municipal offices.
At stake in the Montgomery Township public school district are three seats that carry three-year terms, plus one seat for an unexpired two-year term. Three of the four incumbents — Adelle Kirk-Csontos, Judy Humza and Humberto Goldoni — did not file for re-election. Incumbent school board member Dale Huff, who was appointed to fill out a vacancy, filed for re-election.
There are seven candidates for the seats that carry three-year terms. They are Paul Blodgett, 139 Grayson Drive, Belle Mead; Richard Cavalli, 83 Cairns Place, Belle Mead; Minkou “Minkyo” Chenette, 21 Heritage Hills Court, Skillman; Shannon Devine, 280 Millstone River Road, Montgomery; Charles F. Jacey Jr., 31 Milford Place, Skillman; Ranjana Roa, 40 Catskill Court, Belle Mead; and Tommy L. Riggs, 91 West St., Belle Mead.
The two candidates for the unexpired, two-year term are Mr. Huff, the incumbent school board member, and Phyllis Bursh. Mr. Huff lives at 19 Labaw Way, Belle Mead, and Ms. Bursh lives at 188 Sunset Road, Skillman.
There also is a contested race in the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District. The three incumbent school board members are seeking re-election. A fourth candidate has filed to run for one of the three available seats.
Incumbent school board members Anthony Fleres, who lives at 12 Mifflin Court, Plainsboro Township, and Rachel Juliana, who lives at 7 Narrowbrook Court, Plainsboro Township, are running unopposed. They hold two of the four Plainsboro Township seats on the school board.
There are two candidates for the sole West Windsor Township school board seat available in the Nov. 3 general election — incumbent school board member Michele Kaish, who lives at 48 Spruce St., West Windsor Township, and Jordon DeGroote of 1439 Edinburg Road, West Windsor Township.
Two of the three available seats are earmarked for residents of Plainsboro Township, and one seat is for a West Windsor Township resident. Because it is a regional school district, the nine-member school board is made up five residents from West Windsor Township and four from Plainsboro Township.
In the South Brunswick Township public school district, five candidates — including three incumbent school board members — have filed for the three available seats.
The three incumbents are Stephen R. Parker, 18 Junction Pond Lane, Monmouth Junction; Barry Nathanson, 40 Dunstone Lane, Monmouth Junction; and Peter St. Vincent, 16 Rochell Drive, Kendall Park. Also, Ankilkumar C. Patel, 43 Anderson Way, Monmouth Junction, and Sonia C. Bhutra, 706 Southridge Woods Boulevard, Monmouth Junction, have filed for election.
There is no contest in the Lawrence Township public school district. There are three seats available and three candidates have filed to run for them — including incumbent school board members JoAnn Groeger and Kevin Van Hise. School board member Thomas Patrick is not seeking another term.
Ms. Groeger, who lives on Temple Terrace, and Mr. Van Hise, who lives on Federal City Road, will be joined on the Nov. 3 ballot by Joyce Scott. Ms. Scott lives on Drift Avenue.
