RED BANK — Not everyone is happy that borough politics has seeped into the school board elections, a traditionally nonpartisan contest.
“This is about our schools, our kids and our town’s future, not about politics and the GOP leadership here in town is shameless,” said borough Democratic Chair Ed Zipprich.
“I think they and Sean Di Somma [Republican municipal chair] are out of line politicizing and running candidates that don’t even qualify to be on the ballot.”
But Republican leadership contends the board of education has, in fact, always been politically aligned.
“[The incumbents] are throwing this out there that we are a partisan group. All we have done was recruit some good people to run for the school board,” said Di Somma.
He went on to state that incumbent members of the board have ties to borough Dems through “attending Democratic fundraisers” and even campaigning on their behalf.
“”We have three entrenched Democrats with hostile relationships with our leaders in Trenton,” said Di Somma.
Competing for the three-year board terms up for election are incumbent board Vice President Carrie Ludwikowski and members Fredrick Stone and Ann Rose. They are being challenged by Michael Clancy, Richard Stout Jr. and Irwin Katz.
Di Somma initially announced the party’s support for the three challengers on the Red Bank GOP Facebook page, later retracting the post. In an interview, he explained the endorsement never intentionally included Katz.
“Outside of the accidental Facebook post, we have never endorsed Katz,” he said.
That leaves Stout and Clancy with the backing of the borough Republicans.
Zipprich also was critical of Clancy who, he said, doesn’t meet the one-year residency requirement to qualify to run for the board.
According to Clancy, who said he moved to the borough in January, the residency requirement is “unenforceable” and he plans to sit on the board if elected by voters.
In interviews, board incumbents agreed that the current board’s major accomplishment has been the ability to find creative solutions for a district that has had state aid slashed.
According to Luwikowski, the state has cut almost $6 million in aid to the district.
Another major accomplishment that all three cite is hiring Superintendent Jared Rummage.
“The most important decision a school board makes is in selecting a new superintendent. Last year we hired a dynamic, enthusiastic educator to that post whom we are confident will carry us forward to continuously improve the education of the children of Red Bank,” said Stone, who is running for his second term on the board.
Responding to Di Somma’s claim, he said none of the incumbents has the support of borough Democrats.
The incumbents also cite the introduction of universal Pre-K for 3-4 years olds in the district as well as finding creative sources of funding for the district.
Roseman said she helped establish the Red Bank Education Foundation that has raised thousands of dollars to support the needs of district students.
Challengers cited areas in need of improvement.
Stout, who has lived in the borough for 26 years, said improving communication with the state could help secure more funding for the district.
“It appears that there is minimal communication between the school district and the state of New Jersey with regard to funding and other issues that might affect the school district,” he said in an interview. “Opening up lines of communication and maintaining a rapport with state legislators might put the school district at an advantage.”
According to Clancy, developing a relationship with Trenton is key to trying to bring state dollars back into the district.
“We are going to have a relationship with the state,” said Clancy, who added that he expects state Sen. Jennifer Beck (RMonmouth) to help increase funding to the district.
Katz could not be reached for comment.
The Red Bank School District operates two schools, Red Bank Primary and Red Bank Middle School, and educates 1,224 students, with some 80 percent qualifying for free or reduced cost lunch.