Community Corner

Week in Review: BOE Candidates Discuss Issues, Fort Lee to Join District 37

A weekly roundup of some of the top local news stories this week on Fort Lee Patch.

The Fort Lee Homeowners Association hosted a Board of Education Candidates Night Tuesday at Lewis F. Cole Middle School. The tightly structured forum provided the opportunity for Fort Lee voters to hear from the six candidates running for three seats on the board on a variety of topics, including the budget, two failed referendums and curriculum issues. (read full article)

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After the six candidates for three seats on the Fort Lee Board of Education made their opening remarks Tuesday at the Fort Lee Homeowners Association’s Candidates Night at Lewis F. Cole Middle School and given two additional minutes to respond to one another, the questions started.

Find out what's happening in Fort Leewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

After two failed referendums last year to upgrade and expand the borough’s school system, and continued talk of a potential third, perhaps the first question the candidates had to deal with wasn’t much of a surprise. As read by moderator Alex Floratos, and submitted by a member of the Homeowners Association, the question was as follows:

“The second referendum for $89 million was heavily defeated by voters in December. It was very similar to the defeated September referendum; yet another referendum is planned for next September. Why do you think the second December referendum was defeated? And why do you think the school board approved the second referendum? We realize that our schools have real needs. In your opinion, what are these needs? And what expenditures would you support for the September 2011 referendum? Please be specific, and explain your position.” (Watch video of all six candidates answering the question)

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Patch then took a closer look at some of the other issues raised Tuesday and the candidates’ positions on them. (read full article)

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In November Fort Lee voters will no longer be casting their ballots for representatives in the 38th state legislative district. Instead, Fort Lee will be joining the 37th legislative district after new districting was announced Sunday by a bipartisan committee. (read full article)

Democratic Assemblywoman Joan Voss of Fort Lee said she was saddened that Fort Lee was “dumped” into Legislative District 37 after redistricting announced Sunday by a bipartisan committee and that she will not run in the borough’s new district. But she also said that at the behest of constituents, colleagues and friends, she’s probably going to run for Freeholder instead. (read full article)

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The attorney for one of the five teenagers locked in a police van overnight late last month told the Bergen Record her client has taken the first step in a potential lawsuit against the Fort Lee Borough and Fort Lee Police Department.

The Record also reported that an attorney representing another one of the five minors, might also file a notice of claim last week. (read full article)

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Fort Lee Police said they arrested three Newark men in Fort Lee last Saturday in what they’re calling a diversion burglary in which the three allegedly posed as repairmen and attempted to rob an elderly couple in their apartment. (read full article)

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Last week, the Fort Lee Bridgemen baseball team traveled to Florida in hopes of playing a few baseball games and learning more about each other, but in their wildest imaginations, no one could have foreseen the events that took place during their plane ride home last Sunday.

Junior infielder Ross Fasman risked his own last-measure resources to help a fellow diabetic and complete stranger, quite possibly saving a man’s life. Fasman is being called a hero. (read full article)

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And for the third time in team history, the Fort Lee High School cheerleaders are national champions.

After wins in 2006 and 2007,  Fort Lee defeated 13 other teams to claim the 2011 national championship in the non-tumbling division at the Eastern Cheer Association Championships in Williamsburg, Va. last weekend. (read full article)

They were also named Fort Lee Patch's "athletes of the week."

The week in review appears every Sunday on Fort Lee Patch.


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