| Author | Message | ||
     lumpyhead Citizen Username: Lumpyhead Post Number: 670 Registered: 3-2002  |
The election is in April. These people are in charge of 60% of your taxes. Does anyone know who is running??? | ||
| Reflective Citizen Username: Reflective Post Number: 299 Registered: 3-2003 |
Lumpy, you must mean the Board Of Education election! It is now imminent! Registering to be a candidate is by the end of February. The election is in mid -April. Several candidate packets have been picked up at the BOE, but until they are turned in, there are no candidates. And yes isn't it ironic that 9 invisible elected board members are responsible for driving the economics of this community? The Township should be, but isn't. More to come. | ||
| kathy Citizen Username: Kathy Post Number: 736 Registered: 5-2001 |
Reflective: Why are Board of Ed members "invisible"? As you note, they are elected--after public campaigns. Their meetings are open to the public. They are perfectly visible to anyone who makes the effort to see them. | ||
| Diversity Man Citizen Username: Deadwhitemale Post Number: 622 Registered: 5-2001 |
The required "effort" for those of us who work full time to pay our extortionate taxes is noted. The board is no more "perfectly" visible than the district's budget process is perfectly visible. DWM | ||
| Diversity Man Citizen Username: Deadwhitemale Post Number: 623 Registered: 5-2001 |
Will any sitting members, or those who remember what they said, point out current board member expressed opinions, when running, on the effectiveness of Project Ahead, the necessity for a verifiable assessment tool to evaluate the administration/administrators and their academic and cost effectiveness, on re-registration, on methodology for determining whether or not to vote budget over cap, about removing levelling in grade 5,6,7,...? what are your current opinions: jfburch, robert little, gilmer person, kathy? DWM | ||
| Cynicalgirl Citizen Username: Cynicalgirl Post Number: 386 Registered: 9-2003  |
When are the candidates announced, along with "platform," resume, etc.? | ||
| Nohero Citizen Username: Nohero Post Number: 2852 Registered: 10-1999  |
Reflective wrote: I have to confess, I can't see how it's "ironic". We elect our fellow citizens to be members of the Board of Education. It's not irony, it's self-government. Some towns do have an appointed Board, so that the municipal officials are involved in the selection of BOE members. But here, the members of the BOE are our directly-elected representatives. Sure, we have a school district which covers two municipalities. But, there are separately elected BOE's even in that vast majority of districts which only serve one municipality. Some people seem to view the "two towns" aspect of our district as some indication that the BOE is less representative of the voters. That's nonsense. We get a chance to elect one-third of the BOE every year. The members of the BOE are elected officials, just as the officials of the Township and the Village are. The BOE members we elect are the people with primary responsibility for the school budget, and the school portion of our taxes. The school budget is not the job of the Township or the Village. The BOE is elected by all of us, and those are the people who represent us in this process. They're not invisible, and they are not unaccountable. | ||
| bookgal Citizen Username: Bookgal Post Number: 489 Registered: 7-2001 |
who is gilmer person? And, are both Kathy and Julia Burch running? I am assuming both of them would be very firmly in the Latz/ Horoshak camp. | ||
| kathy Citizen Username: Kathy Post Number: 740 Registered: 5-2001 |
Assume what you want. I am not running. | ||
| bookgal Citizen Username: Bookgal Post Number: 490 Registered: 7-2001 |
Kathy, my apologies. I was surprised to see your name. | ||
| Reflective Citizen Username: Reflective Post Number: 303 Registered: 3-2003 |
This response is for Kathy and also for nohero, whose post allows my response to be clearer. Background on Property Taxes driven by the Bd of Education. About 13,000 registered voters in Maplewood and about 7,000 registered voters in South Orange. Out of approx 20,000 registered voters, maybe 2200/2500 total voters in the School Board election. Readers pls note well: 10 to 12% of all eligible voters are responsible for electing 9 people responsible for 60% of Maplewood's property tax. At the end of February, the candidates become known and campaign selectively to parents and at the so-called debates, which are also not well publicized or attended. By mid - April, we have the elections and new board members. The campaign process is also interesting with certain groups such as the teacher's union, the ccr,the cultural society and the villagers, among others, working actively behind the scene. These groups, are able to motivate their bases to vote and achieve results with relatively few voters. So, nohero, you are right, it is self government and we elect these people. However, if anyone thinks this is a representative election, I have a bridge to sell you. Elections for the Board of Education should be in November, or on primary day (June). This would make the candidates visible and much more accountable. Kathy: by golly you are right about our being able to attend public school board meetings! And even better, we can speak for three minutes to the Board. Too bad their policy is not to respond to the speakers. The board meetings are even televised, but never live. Here is the test: Name all 9 current board members and where they are from. Remember, these 9 elected BOE members are responsible for 60% of our property taxes, do you know who they are? Have you talked to them about the budget? | ||
| Nohero Citizen Username: Nohero Post Number: 2855 Registered: 10-1999 |
Reflective wrote above: So, I point out a fact, and you insult me. Should more people pay attention to the elections, whether for BOE or otherwise? Of course! Does the fact that some people do not do so, make the elected officials any less responsible? NO, it does not. In light of your apparent preference to supplant the decision-making authority of the BOE, it sounds like you'd rather tear down the system, rather than try to make it work. That's where we'll disagree. | ||
| Reflective Citizen Username: Reflective Post Number: 305 Registered: 3-2003 |
NH: We are pretty much on the same page. I'd be much more comfortable with a larger, more representative voter segment electing the the board members. In that sense, I am for strenghtening the system by actually giving elected members a better sense of mandate. And no insult intended. My comment "if anyone..." is my opinion only and was not directed to you. | ||
| lumpynose Citizen Username: Lumpyhead Post Number: 685 Registered: 3-2002 |
I don't think Reflective was advocating tearing down any system. Instead maybe moving it to the normal voting day so more of the citizens could be represented in the vote. They might as well have the election when they know most people will be on vacation the way it's set up now. Is there a way we change change it to November? It would probably save us additional tax dollars as well. | ||
| Tom Reingold Citizen Username: Noglider Post Number: 2110 Registered: 1-2003  |
Are these paid positions? How much time do they entail? Will the ballots have the candidates' MOL names posted?  Tom Reingold the prissy-pants There is nothing | ||
| jem Citizen Username: Jem Post Number: 900 Registered: 5-2001  |
No, they are not paid positions. Most people who are on the school board put many, many hours into what amounts to just about a full-time job. There's a huge amount of reading to do and the meetings are long. | ||
| kathy Citizen Username: Kathy Post Number: 742 Registered: 5-2001 |
Are they paid positions? No. How much time do they entail? Untold hours, not to mention taking endless grief from the local citizenry, some of whom are never happy. As far as I am concerned it is a miracle that anyone ever runs for the Board of Ed, and I honor each and every person who does so. November elections are partisan elections only. That is why local Maplewood elections are in November but local South Orange elections are not; because SO local government is non-partisan. June primaries are also by definition partisan. (SO elections are generally in May.) The date for school board elections is set by the state and is the same for all school districts. | ||
| lumpynose Citizen Username: Lumpyhead Post Number: 687 Registered: 3-2002 |
Oh, too bad they can't be moved. Guess we'll just have to get the people out and vote to break up the tight, well formed little club that has been voting in the past. It worked for the Maplewood TC, it can work for the BOE too. | ||
| bookgal Citizen Username: Bookgal Post Number: 493 Registered: 7-2001 |
CAn you apply for an absentee ballot if you are going to be away? Many people will be away that week and we need to maximize turn out. | ||
| Gregg Betheil Citizen Username: Greggbetheil Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2003 |
Gregg Betheil Maplewood BOE member since April 28, 2003 gbetheil@naf.org 973.762.3474 press 2 to leave a message Not invisible. Can't make it to a Board meeting?Call or e-mail if you have a concern to convey or a question to ask. Additionally, I would welcome face-to-face discussion with any serious candidate about the demands and responsbilities associated with Board membership. I promise no response in this space as I fear it would become all consuming. I do, however, read regularly. Gregg |
