Warren County school board election draws dozens of candidates

More than 80 candidates are running next month to fill nearly six dozen school board seats across Warren County, according to a list released Friday.

With a month to go before the April 21 election, 82 candidates -- including 50 incumbents and 32 newcomers -- have filed to run for 70 seats in 23 school board races. Some school districts are seeing a large field of candidates, while others don't have enough to fill the available seats.

In addition to 14 uncontested races, six contested elections are expected in the North Warren Regional School District and the school districts of Phillipsburg and the townships of Blairstown, Franklin, Frelinghuysen and Hope.

In Belvidere and the townships of Hardwick and Harmony, not enough candidates are running for the open seats.

Three three-year seats are up for election in Belvidere and Harmony, but only two candidates have filed to run in each race. No one has filed to run for one three-year seat on the Hardwick school board.

Patricia Blum, who won a one-year unexpired term as a write-in candidate in Belvidere last year, is not seeking re-election. While Blum is proud of the time she has spent on the school board, she said, the job requires a significant time commitment. No one has filed to fill the pending vacancy.

"It's very difficult to get interested parties for the board positions, at least in Belvidere," Blum said. "It's quite a big responsibility."

Such vacant seats are normally filled by write-in candidates, but if no one comes forward, the executive county superintendent would appoint someone to the positions, according to Frank Belluscio, spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards Association.

In Phillipsburg, incumbent school board members Salvatore J. Patti, James Hanisak and Kevin DeGerolamo are seeking re-election against challenger Cathy Morgan.

DeGerolamo and Hanisak both said the school board's accomplishments included progressing on building a new high school and restructuring the administrative staff. The latter move saved taxpayer dollars and preserved jobs, school officials have said.

School officials announced this week the possible elimination of 43 positions to help close a $2.3 million budget gap. DeGerolamo said the school board and district staff have the knowledge and expertise to get through such challenging times.

Some of the issues going forward include negotiating new contracts for the teachers, custodians, security staff, secretaries and paraprofessionals, DeGerolamo said. Hanisak said he is interested in making sure the district's educational programs work for students.

"I just want to see things get better for the town," DeGerolamo said. "I think we've done a good job so far."

Patti could not be reached for comment due to medical reasons. Morgan did not return calls for comment.

Of the 23 Warren County school board races to be decided in the April 21 election, 14 are uncontested, six are contested and three contests don't have enough candidates for the available seats.

-- Uncontested: Great Meadows Regional; Warren Hills Regional; Washington Borough; Alpha; Hackettstown; and the townships of Allamuchy, Greenwich, Knowlton, Lopatcong, Mansfield, Oxford, Pohatcong, Washington and White

-- Contested: North Warren Regional; Phillipsburg; and the townships of Blairstown, Franklin, Frelinghuysen and Hope

-- Not enough candidates: Belvidere and the townships of Hardwick and Harmony