Chester Board of Education Still Has Vacancy

With all of the hoopla surrounding the open board seat for Chester Borough on the West Morris Regional School board, there is another opening in need of a candidate.

The Chester Consolidated School system’s board of education will be shy one member at their next reorganization meeting. Only two candidates filed for three, three-year openings on the board. Incumbent Christine Hofstetter and Carolyn Kleppe-Collins are on the ballot, but the final slot is still open.

Tracy Young and Martin Brown have chosen not to run for reelection.

“We don’t have anyone running, right?” said board president Ray Trevisan at Monday night’s meeting of the board of education.

According to business administrator Maryjane Canose, that would allow for a write-in candidate.

On the regional level, back in 2011.

In exchange, Chester Borough, for the first time in the board’s history, was given a representative seat complete the nine-member body. But no one from the town filed to run by the June 5 deadline for the regional board.

A little over a week ago, Chester Borough Mayor Bob Davis announced that Donald Storms, owner of Chester Lighting, had thrown his hat in the ring as a write in candidate. 

That is one step ahead of where the Chester Consolidated Board sits.

“What happens if no one writes in?” Trevisan asked.

Canose informed the board that the decision would then be made by the county superintendent.

“In that case, the decision would rest with with county supe,” Canose said. “And we’re looking only for ten votes.”

Frank Belluscio at New Jersey School Boards Association confirmed Canose’s statement that if no write-in candidate is established on Nov. 6, the decision will be made and appointed by Morris County Executive Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Serafino.

“But even if there’s just one write-in candidate, and that person meets eligibility criteria and is considered qualified, he or she will be elected to the board,” Belluscio said. “The law states there is no minimum (write-in vote) needed.”

If there is a tie of write-in votes, a special election will then be held, Belluscio said.

In the event of a write-in tie between multiple candidates, a special election will need to be held before a reorganization meeting in January, Belluscio said.

If no write-in votes are made for a qualified individual, a representative will be appointed by the county superintendent.

Board member Heather Ronco said she hoped that a candidate would come forward before the election.

“The board really shouldn’t be trying to find members for the board,” Ronco said.