School board hopefuls may pick up nominating petition

MARLBORO - Nominating petitions for residents who want to run for a seat on the Marlboro K-8 School District Board of Education may be picked up in the office of the district's business administrator.

Business Administrator and Board Secretary Cindy Barr-Rague said petitions may be picked up in her office Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The school district's headquarters are on Township Drive, off Wyncrest Road, in the Marlboro municipal complex.

Three seats on the school board - those presently held by Terry Spilken, Cynthia Green and Murray Hoffman - will be on ballot on April 15. Each available seat is for a three-year term.

The board consists of nine elected Marlboro residents who oversee the operation of the school district. During the 2007-08 school year the district is operating with a $78.5 million budget.

The deadline for filing a nominating petition is 4 p.m. Feb. 25. Subsequent to that there will be a drawing for ballot position. The top three vote-getters on April 15 will win the seats and join the board within a week's time.

According to the New Jersey School Boards Association, in order to become a member of a local board of education in New Jersey, a candidate must:

• be able to read and write.

• hold U.S. citizenship and one year's residency in the school district.

• have no interest in any contract with, or claim against, the board.

• not hold office as mayor or member of the municipal governing body.

• be registered to vote in the district.

Residents who go to the polls on Election Day will also have the opportunity to vote on the local property tax levy to support the budget for the 2008-09 school year.

Polling locations for the school election will be at the Asher Holmes School, Menzel Lane; the Frank J. Dugan Elementary School, Topanemus Road; the Marlboro Elementary School, School Road West; Marlboro Memorial Middle School, Nolan Road; Marlboro Middle School, Route 520; and the Robertsville Elementary School, Menzel Lane. The polls will be open between noon and 9 p.m.P

ay rates for election workers were also set at the board's Jan. 22 meeting. Poll workers will be paid $14.29 per hour and $25 for the pick-up and drop-off of voter registration books and materials.

In other business at the Jan. 22 meeting, the board passed a resolution which asks state government officials to restore the principle of majority rule as it pertains to special ballot questions that may be placed on the school election ballot.

A change in state law now requires the so-called second ballot questions to be receive a positive vote from 60 percent of the people who vote in the election in order to pass. The previous law only required a simple majority in order to pass a second ballot question. The 60 percent (supermajority) rule takes effect with the April 15 election.

And, the board awarded a contract to White Beacon Investments (Greenwood Bus Company) in the amount of $27,750 for transportation to and from away games for Marlboro's two middle school sports teams. The amount accounted for 75 away games at a cost of $370 per trip. An additional cost of $370 per trip will be charged if transportation is required for any playoff games.

A contract was also approved between the board and EJK Educational Consulting of Somerset. EJK will provide school psychologist consultation services until June 30 at a rate of $50 per hour, seven hours per day for a total of $350 per diem for no more than 30 days. The total cost of this contract is not to exceed $10,500.

At the start of the meeting students and staff members from the Asher Holmes School gave a presentation to the board about a project that involved analyzing familiar children's books.

Two students at the Marlboro Memorial Middle School were recognized by the board. Mandi Cai was commended for her design of the school district's holiday card, while Andrew Ng was applauded for his achievements as a member of the school's chess team.