Seven Candidates Vying for Three Posts Six Candidates Seek Seats On
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Matawan Joint Free , Public Library 165 Main Street Matawan, N. j. q 7747 Vol. 14N0.19 W ednesday, M a rch 28, 1984 Ju d g e rejects bid to disqualify candidate Kisenw ether's petition ruled valid By Regina Frejer said after the hearing yesterday. Ms. Kisenwether’s nominating petition in nominating petition had placed a “ cloud ABERDEEN Asked if she had any doubts about how the court, they said, and sent Ms. Cronin a form over my campaign.” An administrative law judge yesterday judge would rule in the case, she said, “No explaining the procedure to follow. “ The voters are concerned about whether rejected a request to disqualify Ardis doubts.” ‘ “After I received the form from the com or not I’m on the ballot,” she said, “They Kisenwether as a. candidate for re-election “ Now, maybe we can attend to the educa missioner, I called Mike (Kidzus) and asked . say they don’t want to waste a vote.” to the Board of Education. - tional matters of importance instead of this him what steps we should take,” Ms. Cronin Rainone charged that Kidzus and Ms. After a four-hour hearing held at smokescreen,” she added. testified. Cronin had intentionally waited until the Township Hall, Judge Bruce R. Campbell The challenge to Ms. Kisenwether’s can last minute to seek a court hearing on the ruled that Ms. Kisenwether’s nominating didacy named "her, Quinn, and Board At "Everyone was telling me it was a hot petition in an effort to undermine Ms. petition was valid. ' torney Vincent DeMaio as defendants. The potato when I made calls trying to find out Kisenwether’s campaign. „ three received summonses Friday and information,” Kidzus said.. “They sat on their rights of the The nominating petition was challenged “We made several calls to the state and to by board member Michael Kidzus and four Saturday. campaign,” he said. Ms. Kisenwether was represented by an M r. Weiss to try to find an answer, so that After the hearing, Ms. Cronin denied that candidates—Irus Gurdus, Pearl Cronin, we wouldn’t have to come to court,” Ms. Charles Short Jr., and Bernard Starr. attorney, Louis Rainone. Kidzus and Ms. she had attempted to damage Ms. Kisen Cronin said. wether’s chances for re-election. They had argued that the petition was in Cronin also were represented by an at She added that she and Kidzus had ap “ There was no animosity for her from the valid because it had been signed by three torney, Eugene McDonald. DeMaio repre pealed to the Borough Council for help. start,” Ms. Cronin said. “She was not the "— berough residents. Ms. Kisenwether is seek sented the Board of Education and Quinn. At the council’s direction, Borough At issue.” . ing a township seat. Rainone argued that the challengers had waited too long to file a petition seeking to torney James Cleary wrote to DeMaio ask The issue, according to Kidzus and Ms. Ms. Kisenwether has said thatshe asked invalidate Ms. Kisenwether’s candidacy. ing for an opinion on Ms. Kisenwether’s peti Cronin, is whether a borough resident has a Board Secretary Bruce Quinn whether bor Kidzus and Ms. Cronin testified that they tion. right to help nominate a township candi ough residents were eligible to sign her peti waited two weeks after the filing deadline DeMaio said he wrote to Cleary that Quinn date. They had said that if. Ms. tion. for candidates before they took action. did not have the authority to rule on the Kisenwether’s nominating petition were Quinn testified yesterday that he told Ms. First, they said, they asked Seymour validity of the petition. Only a court could ruled valid, it would set a bad precedent. Kisenwether any eligible voter in the dis Weiss, assistant commissioner of education rule on the question raised by Kidzus and Township residents could nominate borough trict could sign the petition. in charge of controversies and disputes, for Ms. Cronin, DeMaio said. candidates, they said. "I’m glad this is over,” Ms. Kisenwether an opinion. Weiss advised them to challenge Ms. Kisenwether said the challenge to the Kidzus is a borough representative on the school board. Ms. Cronin is a candidate for a borough seat. School budget seen as cam paign issue Seven candidates vying for three posts V oters endorse By Judith McGee Feeney The budget has become a campaign issue. board learned Monday that it will receive an M ataw an budget MIDDLETOWN Finnegan, McGrath, and Moon believe the additional $121,091 in state aid. The board Seven candidates will compete Tuesday board should have cut the budget to avoid a voted to use the state aid to reduce the tax ■ M A T A W A N for three seats on the Board of Education. t&x increase. levy, so that the increase would be four By a margin of nearly 2-1, voters yester Three incumbents, Board President Julia Even with a stable tax rate, they said, the cents, to $3.67 per $100 of assessed valuation. day approved the Borough Council’s request Ann Nagy, Terry Troutman, and Stephen budget could have been increased because If the budget fails, the Township Commit to exceed the state-imposed budget ceiling Nolan, are seeking re-election. township ratables and state aid have risen. tee must review it and may cut or increase by $25,000. Challenging them are Leonard Moon, a But the board voted unanimously for the appropriations or keep them the same. The The vote granting permission to exceed former board president; Joseph McGrath, a budget and the three incumbents seeking re board may then appeal the committee’s the cap was 369-184. A total of 533 ballots former township committeeman; Stephen election say the budget should not be reduc decision to the State Dept, of Education. w ere cast. Finnegan, who lost a bid for the board last ed. Ms. Nagy, 15 Nautilus Drive, is seeking Because the $25,000 w ill be taken fro m the year; and Robert Geiger, president of the Geiger has also said that he supports the her third term on the board. borough’s surplus, the results yesterday will Middletown Village Civic Assn. budget. “Under my leadership, the board has not affect the local property tax rate. Kevin Monahan, 159 Park P L, filed a peti The $36 million increase in ratables acted in a dignified manner that brought The municipal portion of the levy is 81 tion to be a candidate but has withdrawn financed $3 million of the $3.2 million in credibility back to the board,” Ms. Nagy cents per $100 of assessed valuation. from the race. crease in the school budget, McGrath and said. Borough voters approved similar referen Township voters will also be asked to ap Finnegan have said. (Continued on Page 1.0J da in 1982 and 1983. prove a $40 million budget proposed by the But Troutman responded that $2 million of board for 1984-85. the increase was financed by increases in If the budget is approved, the local tax state aid. rate for school purposes would increase by The budget questions Tuesday would pro four cents per $100 of assessed valuation. vide for a six-cent tax rate increase. But, the Six candidates seek seats on Keansburg school board By Judith McGee Feeney safety of all elementary school children, and KEANSBURG “ to provide an educational process whereby Six candidates, including two incumbents, more of our children will be able to attend will compete Tuesday for three seats on the higher educational facilities.” Board of Education. Among his accomplishments on the Voters w ill also be asked to support a $6.2 board, Bruno said: _ m illion proposed by the board for 1984-85. • A 10-cent reduction in the school tax If the budget is approved, it would in rate from 1975 to 1981. crease the school portion of the local tax • Staff reductions of 17 teachers and an rate by eight cents per $100 of assessed administrator in the past five years in ac valuation. cordance with enrollment decreases. • State and federal grants totalling Seeking re-election to the board are Jef $613,523 for special projects, in addition to a frey Kegley and Robert Bruno. ‘ basic skills program and adult education Bruno, who is board president, has been a program funded completely by the state and board member since 1974. federal governments. Kegley, seeking a second term, is running • Savings totaling $581,090 since 1981-82 on a slate endorsed by the Keansburg Tax by having a management cleaning service. payers and Civic Assn. with newcomers Dan But reducing the cleaning contract, which Coleman and John McGraner. costs more than $200,000 annually, is one of Also seeking election to the board are the goals of the KTCA school board can Bridget K . Thomas and Thomas P. Cusick, didates. both graduates of Keansburg High School. Kegley was the one board member to vote Bruno, 41 Sunset St., is a market technical against the board’s proposed budget. He consultant with AT&T Communications, said the board could save money by reduc N e w Y o rk . ing administrative and cleaning costs. His goal as a board member, he said, “ is Coleman and McGraner have also advo Powerful experiment to provide a thorough and efficient educa cated those reductions. tion, which is state law, that our borough KTCA candidates say they stand for “the Matthew Shepherd tries out ail electric magnet project at a science lair held last week at can afford.” best possible education for dur children” the Kavine Drive Elementary School, Matawan.