Public Talk On Proposal To Elect School Board In Montclair

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Montclair Fourth Ward Councilor David Cummings is inviting the public to a panel discussion on the upcoming election referendum question to decide whether Montclair Board of Education members should be elected or appointed.

The event will be held Monday, Oct. 25 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Glenfield Middle School auditorium at 25 Maple Avenue. Members of the public can attend in person or virtually. Those who attend in person will be required to wear a face mask, and social distancing protocols will be in place.

To watch the panel discussion via livestream, go to the Montclair TV34 YouTube channel (see below). Questions may be emailed in advance to Cummings at dcummings@montclairnjusa.org.

The panelists will include:

• Dan Gill – Glenfield Middle School teacher and 50-year educator in the Montclair Public School system.
• Johanna Wright – South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education member who will speak to her experience working on an elected board.
• Robert Benecke –Township Financial Consultant who has worked with Type I and Type II Districts.
• Erik D’Amato – school district parent and member of Vote Montclair, the group that successfully petitioned to bring the referendum forward.

The discussion will be led by the Rev. Craig Dunn, executive director of the Montclair Neighborhood Development Corporation.

According to organizers, Dunn will provide an opening statement to introduce the participants. He will then open the discussion with questions to the panelists. Following the first set of questions for each panelist, Dunn will open questions to members of the audience.

“I have tried to make my community meetings cover subjects that primarily focus on the Fourth Ward,” Cummings said. “This issue involves the entire town.”

Cummings said the chosen panelists were selected because each brings a different perspective. Collectively, they will be able to provide answers to the many questions residents may have before making a decision on Nov. 2, he said.

Cummings added:

“It is especially important to me that Mr. Benecke participates. He understands the financial impact of elected and appointed boards. As the township’s financial consultant, I have had the opportunity to work with him on the finance committee and his knowledge of municipal finance is unmatched. He will be able to provide what I think is a critical understanding of the two positions, and their potential impact on taxpayers and the township’s finances.”

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