March 2 is deadline
By Linda Seida, Staff Writer
Persons interested in running for a seat on their local school board have until March 2 at 4 p.m. to file their nominating petitions with the board secretary of their district to be eligible to run in the April 21 annual election.
Four school districts are involved:
• At Lambertville Public School, three seats are open, each for a term of three years. They are currently held by Derek Roseman, Karen Conlon and Grant Miller.
A one-year unexpired term also is available. Craig Voorhees holds that seat. The board appointed him in December to take over the seat formerly held by Elizabeth Asaro, who resigned after winning election to the City Council. The term expires in 2010.
• Similarly, West Amwell Township Elementary School also has three three-year terms and one unexpired term up for grabs.
The three-year terms are held by Board of Education President Cynthia Magill, Peter Gasparro and Christopher Castellano.
The unexpired term was held previously by Patty Barrett, who resigned. The term expires in 2010.
• At Stockton Public School, two seats are available on the Board of Education. They are held now by Vice President James Gallagher and David Shearer.
• Four seats are available on the South Hunterdon Regional High School Board of Education.
Two three-year terms are open for representatives from Lambertville. They are held now by President Robert Campbell and Laurie Weinstein.
One three-year term each is available to represent West Amwell Township and Stockton Borough.
The West Amwell seat is held now by Boyd Hartpence.
The Stockton seat is held by Tom Hendricks.
Candidates must gather the signatures of at least 10 qualified voters from their respective districts. A candidate may count his own signature as one of the 10, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association.
Qualifications to become a candidate include the ability to read and write. Candidates also must be United States citizens with at least one year of residency in their school districts. They also must be registered voters.
The New Jersey School Boards Association will hold free candidate briefings throughout the state in March. The briefings are intended to give candidates a broad view of what will be expected of them if they are elected.
For more information, phone the NJSBA at 888-886-5722, ext. 5213.