Mayes ends service on school board
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

CLARE MARIE CELANO Julius Ramsey, president of the Freehold chapter of the NAACP, congratulates Stella Mayes as she bids farewell after completing 20 years of service on the Freehold Borough Board of Education.

FREEHOLD - Board of Education members, friends and family said good-bye to Stella Mayes as she completed 20 years of service on the Freehold Borough school board on April 23.

Board President Jim Keelan said Mayes had worked with four school superintendents and many board members over the years.

"She was involved in passing two building referendums in 1993 and was also involved in the construction of the Early Childhood Center in 2003," Keelan said. "She has passed along her knowledge and a wealth of information based on two underlying principles: whatever was best for the children of the borough and whatever was best for the taxpayers in the town."

Keelan said he knows Mayes will be willing to help the board if she is asked to do so, "or even if she's not asked," he said, with good-natured humor.

Members of Mayes' family and her church, Bethel AME Church, Freehold Township, along with representatives of civic organizations and the Borough Council came to be part of the ceremony. Mayes was presented with flowers, plants and other gifts by various individuals, including Robert Taylor from the United Black Families of Freehold, Frances Washington from Bethel AME Church, and Julius Ramsey, president of the Freehold chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, who presented Mayes with a gift bag and praised her for a "job well done."

"Everyone loves Stella," Washington said. "We don't always love what she says, but we love what she does. She has made Freehold Borough a better place for the children because she always does what she sets out to do."

Also in attendance was Ernie Rivera, executive assistant to the executive director of Check-Mate, a social service agency where Mayes serves on the executive board of directors and chairs the agency's district advisory board.

Amber Mayes-Quiles watched as her mother, normally low-keyed, stood in the spotlight that Amber later said was well deserved.

"I have watched my mom ... as she did amazing things for the school children. And I am very proud of my mother," she said.

In her remarks, Mayes said borough schools are successful. She looked out at the audience, acknowledged many of the people there who had touched her life - people she said were "from many levels and talents," and who were all dedicated people.

"What I see here is hope, prosperity, encouragement and support," she said, adding that these things have been available to her all these years.

Mayes revealed that she needed a bit of encouragement to run for the board the first time around. It seemed that whenever she had doubts about running for re-election, someone was always there to remind her how much she was needed.

"And here I am 20 years later," she said.

Mayes, a native of North Carolina who moved to Freehold in the 1960s, is married to her husband, Jackie. She said she decided to run for a seat on the school board after her children, Amber Mayes-Quiles, 43, of Freehold Township, and Ivan (Rusty), 39, of Newark, were grown.

Mayes holds a bachelor's degree in liberal arts and sociology. On a professional level, she worked for Verizon for 27 years.

She said she came to the school board to try to make the district better for everyone.

"When people are happy you get the most out of them," she said. "I always made it a two-sided deal. I made sure that both sides had their problems heard and that everyone got a fair shake."

Mayes said as soon as she came on the board she was appointed to the personnel committee, which she said was tough.

"I had some experience in negotiations and felt I could do a good job in that area," she said.

Mayes thanked her husband, her family, the school community and borough residents for their support over the past 20 years.

Borough Councilman Marc Le Vine, who has known Mayes for 15 years, said he admires her.

"Stella has been a mentor and a friend. She is one of those rare individuals who gives to her town so much more than she ever expects to get back in thanks. She looks around the community, sees what is needed and volunteers to help make life better for others - especially our children. Others would be wise to accept Stella as a positive role model for dedicated and productive community involvement."

Borough Councilman Jaye Sims said Mayes has known him all his life. Mayes and his mom, Eva, are good friends and were involved in many school activities together over the years.

Mayes said she remembers giving Sims fliers about school events to distribute while he was riding his bicycle.

"She was always trying to get people to participate in school functions and meetings," Sims remembered. "She was the perfect person for the job. She has put a lot into it, too. I know she will surely be missed and I hope that the board continues the work that she did."