Two Fort Lee BOE Candidates Withdraw, Two to Vie for Open Seat
Only one of the two who want to take over former board president Arthur Levine’s seat until January will be on the ballot in November to finish his one-year term. Voters can now choose three of four candidates for three-year terms on the school board.
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The Fort Lee Board of Education announced Wednesday that it has only one candidate who will appear on the November ballot to fill the remainder of former board president Arthur Levine’s unexpired term, that two of the six candidates for three three-year terms on the board have withdrawn their names from the November ballot and that one of two people will fill Levine’s seat until the board’s reorganization meeting in January 2013.
“Per the law, [Levine] resigned from the board in the beginning of August,” Board Secretary and Business Administrator Cheryl Balletto told Patch. “So because it’s 60 days before an election, the Fort Lee Board of Education has to appoint someone to the open seat until the re-org meeting in 2013.”
Balletto previously said people had to send in their resumes for the board to review by Aug. 25.
“The board will review those resumes and interview the candidates, and then based upon the resumes and interviews, the board would then appoint someone into that seat up until the re-org meeting in January [2013],” Balletto explained. “There are only two people who have done that: [Patrick Spina] and [Candace Romba].”
Each of the two candidates will be interviewed at the next public board meeting on Monday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m., according to school officials.
But Balletto said only Romba filed to be on the ballot in November to fill Levine’s unexpired term until the following election.
“She is the only person you can vote for for that one-year term,” Balletto said of Romba, adding that if elected, Romba would fill the seat until the reorganization meeting in January 2014.
In addition, the Fort Lee school board announced Wednesday that now former candidates Tracy Mattei and Steve Byoun have withdrawn their names from the ballot to fill one of the three-year terms, leaving just four candidates for three seats: incumbent John Bang, Esther Han Silver, Holly Morell and David Sarnoff.
“Tracy and Steve won’t be on the ballot,” Balletto said. “As for the others, they’ll all be on the ballot, vying for three-year terms; it will be three of those four.”
Balletto added, “It could be either Candace or Patrick that could fill [Levine’s] seat until the re-org., but on the ballot, it’s only going to be Candice.”
Howard L. Pearl
3:15 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Logically, if Candy Romba is the only individual who will be on the ballot in November for Mr. Levine’s seat, it would only make sense to appoint her at this time and put her right to work. Ms. Romba has previous experience on the BOE which should allow a smooth transition.
William Mays
6:18 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Previous experience? Was she on the Board before? I don't really recall her.
Art Elmers
11:03 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Several years ago she filled a vacated seat then ran and was not elected.
I agree with Howard that the best thing to do would be to appoint Candy now. This will allow for a smoother transition.
Luca D.
11:57 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Often candidates are elected based upon popularity as opposed to qualifications. The Board has the unique ability to select a candidate, albeit temporarily, based upon qualifications, I would venture to say they should use that ability rather than a default selection.
William Mays
4:19 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Or they can just put their friends on.
Tracy Mattei
12:30 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Agreed, she should be appointed, She is a very nice lady and I think she will lend her experience as a teacher to the BOE. I hope she is opened minded and objective as well.
William Mays
12:32 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
What does she teach?
Lisa Salvato
6:32 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
I am leaving a comment and hope that the stalker doesn't reply. If these two are teachers does that mean they can't vote on teacher questions? Questions come up about teachers all the time and union represents them. Contracts too. If the union is negotiating contracts, how can BOE members who are in the same teachers union be voting on the contracts.
William Mays
6:38 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
What stalker? Yes, it means they can't vote on teacher stuff, that would be a conflict of interest.
Lisa Salvato
7:17 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
If anyone at Patch is reviewing, I bet you would have loads of people commenting if you could restrain the stalkers and trolls. IMO
William Mays
7:18 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
I don't think its a stalker thing, I think its a more of a you don't agree with me and you don't want to hear my valid arguments thing.
William Mays
7:33 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
I don't know if you haven't realized it yet, but I wouldn't be annoying you if you hadn't acted immaturely and personally attacked me all these times. I don't recall ever starting any fight with you.
CD Cantelli
12:21 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Do you realize how insane you sound for a grown woman?
William Mays
12:24 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
I'm a guy actually.
Tracy Mattei
8:40 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Lisa, I do not think there is a conflict of interest. What Mrs Romba would offer is a view point of a teacher that may or may not lead to better decisions; just as there are members with law backgrounds, finance background, they all bring a different view point that makes for broader discussions.
Lisa Salvato
9:03 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Thanks Tracy Mattei. I thought they were both teachers.
Tracy Mattei
3:40 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
Yes they are, Mr. Spina could offer his view as well.
Tracy Mattei
8:42 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Billy, I wouldn't get so bent--- you are a ficticious person on Patch; people can attack and you offer response--- they do not know you personally, don't take it that way. I guess its the problem with pseudonyms, you become void of a 'real person'.
William Mays
8:55 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
I'm just annoyed at the fact that instead of actually having a real debate, Lisa results to throwing around insults.
Lisa Salvato
10:17 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
FYI, I didn't attack anyone. I made a comment on another story, and stalker replied to my comment to stop taking cheap shots. That's like Bernie Madoff telling someone to stop cheating at cards.
William Mays
10:20 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Since just like Toni, you like to delete your comments so it looks like you are right, I am going to paste your response.
Lisa Salvato
13 seconds ago
FYI, I didn't attack anyone. I made a comment on another story, and stalker replied to my comment to stop taking cheap shots. That's like Bernie Madoff telling someone to stop cheating at cards.
I replied to annoy you, I'll admit it. I don't appreciate being labeled something that I am not. I don't know why you randomly accuse me of being something that I am not, but it has to stop. If you don't agree with one of my statements, you can say that and reply with facts, you don't need to launch a full on attack.
Lisa Salvato
11:25 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
I have no idea what you're talking about. I didn't delete anything. It's above yours. I can't say anything and you follow me on all the stories. I asked you to leave me alone, you're a stalker. Now you're saying I deleted something that is right in front of you? You're really a crazy person, aren't you?
William Mays
12:22 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
That was actually a mistake, I missed your comment, oops, sorry.
Lisa Salvato
9:13 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Unfortunately I can't fix crazy.
Lisa Salvato
11:45 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
To the sick stalker
9:45 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
The Mothership wants you back. No one wants to touch your balls, calm down.
You're the only stalker on this site that has a reprimand from the Patch editors on profile for the stuff you write. It's disgusting the stuff that you post. This is my last post about you. Stay off my comments
William Mays
5:11 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
That person wasn't a editor, calm down.
William Mays
5:13 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
And the guy I said it to completely deserved it, he was disrespecting the 3k+ people who died on 9/11.
CD Cantelli
12:15 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
BM Angela Diadone works for the Patch. She told you to stop with the name calling. So maybe you should listen to her because I think you're going off the cliff again.
William Mays
12:18 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
I'll use whatever words I would like to. If you have a problem, tell Erik.
Toni M.
11:21 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Seriously? Hey Jackhole, leave my name out of ur delusions and take ur meds.
William Mays
5:12 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
So you don't delete your comments after people reply to them? Because as I demonstrated on the other article, you do.
CD Cantelli
12:07 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
BM, do you want me to post the link to Schoolhouse Rocks That's What's Happening. It will help you understand what people are saying to you.
William Mays
12:15 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
What the hell does this have to do with Schoolhouse Rock? I completely understand what everyone is saying to me, doesn't mean that I agree with it.
CD Cantelli
12:19 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Well last time, you didn't understand how a bill becomes a law, Schoolhouse Rocks is very easy to understand. Since you seem to have anger management issues, I thought another happy video might help you. My favorite is Conjunction Junction. Maybe you should layoff attacking women. Nothing good can come of it.
William Mays
12:21 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
If you ask anyone who knows me they'd tell you that I'm actually one of the calmest people that you'll ever meet. I don't debate people based on their sex, I couldn't care less about whether the person I'm debating is a man or a woman.
CD Cantelli
12:22 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
What you do is not debate.
William Mays
12:23 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
It is debate, you seem to not be interested in having an actual discussion, because all you do is attack me.
CD Cantelli
12:30 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
BM don't you see that you spend most of your time accusing everyone else of attacking you? Maybe the problem is you. Is this how you get people to respond to you? Maybe you're menopausal? It happens as you get older.
William Mays
12:32 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
I've been spending most of my time recently doing that, yes, because certain people on here don't agree with what I have to say, so instead result to trying to insult me. If they were to stop, I would be happy to go back to having normal discussions with them.
William Mays
12:33 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
I'm just as sick of this as you are.
Toni M.
1:08 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Christopher don't bother. I'm fine. He loves to pop his troll head and talk snark, we started our love affair when he talked smack about cops back in 2011. Pass the kool aid.
carol simon
9:31 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
Too bad the meeting was cancelled but the entertainment value of this blog is appreciated.
Ryan
12:45 am on Saturday, October 13, 2012
too bad there is still no principal at the middle school and nothing on the agenda about it...