Election 2023: Stafford School Board Candidate Gregory Gioe III

STAFFORD, NJ — Election Day is nearing, and Stafford voters will head to the polls to cast their votes for three Township Board of Education seats.

Patch sent questionnaires to all candidates seeking their responses. Here is the response from candidate Gregory Gioe III.

Editor's Note: Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses listed for their campaign provided to the office of the clerk. The responses received will be published between now and the Nov. 7 general election. These responses will be published edited only for style. Candidates who would like to participate but did not receive one (for whatever reason) can contact veronica.flesher@patch.com.

Name: Gregory Gioe III

Age: 51

Education: Bachelor’s History and Bachelor’s Political Science Univ. of Pa.

Family: Wife-Caitlin, Daughter-Emily, Son-Gregory IV, Daughter- Melinda Reilly, Son in Law-
John Reilly

Employment: Program Quality Assurance Specialist for the Council on Compulsive Gambling of
NJ, Inc.(AKA 800-GAMBLER)

No previous public office experience

Why am I running: I want to give back to the community and the school district that has given
my family so much. As a father of three (now grown) children I only want what is best for the
children, teachers and taxpayers of the township.

What separates me from other candidates: I have an extensive background in private industry
of working closely with unions toward common goals. Both as a department head and as a
human resource manager I worked hard to find common ground with the union staff, in an
environment of open communication and mutual trust and respect.

Most Pressing Issue/What I would like to accomplish: I have been observing board meetings
through the live stream that is available and have noticed tension between the administration
and the teacher’s union. I propose bringing in the FMCS (Federal Mediation and Conciliation
Service) to conduct training for both the union and their representatives and the board and
administration on how to communicate and collaborate to achieve common goals. I attended
their training as part of the Showboat and Harrah’s management team back in 2005 and we
reduced union grievances by 60% in the three months following the training, while increasing
productivity. The FMCS website address is WWW.FMCS.GOV if you would like to check it out
for yourself.

What else do I want people to know about me? I am a lifelong resident of Ocean County,
growing up in Barnegat, graduating from Southern Regional High School and settling in Stafford
Township in 2005. I have long and deep roots in the area.