FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – The Freehold Township K-8 School District Board of Education is preparing to fill a vacancy following the departure of a longtime member.
Christopher Marion, who had served on the board since 2006, resigned from his position on May 30. Marion had been serving as the board’s president for 2017.
Marion, who was previously employed as the township administrator in Old Bridge, was hired as Monmouth County’s deputy administrator this year. He said a condition of his new job is that he cannot hold elected office – which precludes him from serving on the school board.
“It was tough to leave the board after 11 years, but [deputy county administrator] is an exciting new opportunity,” Marion said.
The board put out a notice on May 26 seeking candidates to fill the vacant seat. According to the notice, the term of the person who is selected by the board will expire at the end of the year. The one year remaining in Marion’s term will be on the ballot in the November school board election.
Applications for the vacant seat were accepted until June 13. In order to apply, candidates had to be a U.S. citizen, a resident of the school district for at least one year before being appointed, able to read and write, registered to vote in the school district and not disqualified as a voter.
District administrators said they did not know when the vacancy would be filled.
Jason Levy, who had been serving as the board’s vice president for 2017, succeeded Marion as president, according to Business Administrator Robert DeVita. Board member Michelle Lambert succeeded Levy as vice president.