BOE Narrowly Votes in Favor of Election Move to Nov.

The , by a 5-4 vote, decided to move the annual school board elections from April to November. The vote came during at .

With the vote, the school district joined nearly 80 other New Jersey boards to make the switch since Jan. 17, when Gov. Chris Christie signed into law a measure allowing boards of education to make the switch. Under the law, the school district election will coincide with the November general election. 

The move means significant change for the board. 

First, moving the vote to November will save the cost of holding a separate school election.

Additionally, the district's budget will automatically pass if it adheres to the state-proscribed 2 percent property tax cap. Budgets that exceed the cap would require voter approval, as would second questions.

Christopher Cerf, acting commissioner of the state Department of Education, encouraged school boards to make the switch in a letter dated Jan. 25.

"Over the past year, I have heard from many of you that it is unfair for the school budget to be the only governmental budget placed on the ballot and, furthermore, that the new levy cap greatly diminishes the need for a budget vote," Cerf wrote. "The passage of this bipartisan law provides both school budget savings and increased voter participation in the process, and We encourage each of you to act quickly to take advantage of these new opportunities."

Some board members were less than enthusiastic about the prospect of moving the election date.

Gary Martin argued that the present system should stay in place so that the people could have the right to vote a budget up or down.

"Whether it's $1 or $130 million, it's your money. It's your child," Martin said. "This is not good for our children."

Member Deborah Orme countered that boards that keep the April election will find that fiscal and financial budget costs will rise.

Anthony Mancuso said he was fearful of moving the vote to November.

"It's going to create a political scene that I don't want to be a part of," he said.

Co-Vice President Susy Golderer made a statement that gave voice to the tension in the room.

"I wonder how people can trust a board that is so divided," she said.

Several of her colleagues gasped and reacted with outrage, and Board President Frank Calabria called Golderer out of order for the comment. She quickly apologized.

Calabria, who eventually cast the tiebreaking vote for the change, recounted his experiences as a young man who came to Parsippany and sought election to the school board. He recalled the pain of losing the first time he ran and then winning a spot the following year.

"It distresses me because, quite frankly, I remember my mom telling me, 'Don't forget where you came from,'" he said.

Calabria noted the history of school boards and said the notion existed from the beginning that school dealings should be separate from those of municipalities.

"What concerns me is that a person such as myself, if we move this, we have individuals who want to be involved in the community will be forced into a political [arena]," the president said, adding that while traditionally nonpartisan school board elections will ostensibly remain so, he believes politics could take over the process. "Do we want our board to become a politicized thing?"

However, toward the end of the meeting, which lasted more than four hours, Calabria was the deciding factor.

Co-Vice President Frank Neglia, along with members Fran Orthwein, Mancuso and Orme voted in favor of the move. Golderer, Martin, Sharif Shamsudin and Michael Strumolo were opposed. Calabria then broke the tie, voting in favor of the move because he said it was the best move for the community.

Martin appeared depleted afterward.

"This is the end for the little guy who wants to run," he said.