BY LINDA SMITH HANCHARICK AND PATRICIA KELLER
WEST MILFORD — Nine candidates have filed petitions to run for five seats on the West Milford Board of Education in November. However, that field does not include two incumbents, Matthew Conlon and longtime trustee and current board vice president Wayne Gottlieb, who will not seek reelection.
Those who filed are Edwin Gonzalez, James J. Foody, Rodney Robbins, Marilyn Schultz and Louis Muto for the three three-year terms available. Ross Burns, Valerie A. McGuinness, James E. Devor II and Steven C. Drew are running to fill the two two-year unexpired terms.
Earlier this year, board President David Richards and Trustee Donna Richards resigned their seats after moving out of the district. They were reelected last November to a second three-year term. The board appointed McGuinness and Devor to fill the vacancies for the remainder of 2014.
Foody is a former school board trustee who served one term on the board from 2010 to 2013. He did not seek reelection last year, instead opting to run for the township council. He was defeated in that bid.
Schultz is the only incumbent seeking re-election.
Ten-year veteran not running
Gottlieb has served for the past 10 years on the school board, and is currently the board vice president. He told The Messenger he is shifting gears to focus on public education on a larger scale.
"School board service is a serious commitment which I have never taken lightly. Beyond that, it is an incredible learning opportunity that simultaneously tests whatever skills an individual can bring to the board," said Gottlieb in the statement.
“I’d like to thank the voters of West Milford for honoring me with their trust these last 10 years. At this point, though, I'd like to shift gears to focus upon the larger debate surrounding public education in this state and our nation. I regret that not all my hopes for the district have been realized. I have tried to do my best at all times, however.”
Conlon confirmed to The Messenger that he did not submit a petition to run for re-election.
November election
The board of education decided last year to join most other school districts throughout the state and move its election to November. The change to a November board of education election came after the board originally voted in 2012 to keep elections in April. Then the board revisited the proposition and voted in favor of the move, taking effect in 2013. The change to November allows the district to adopt a budget without a public vote if any tax levy increase is kept under the 2 percent cap set by the state. If the levy surpasses the 2 percent cap, a public vote is required.
Tuesday, Nov. 4, is Election Day.