Toms River School Board Election 2020: Robert Onofrietti Jr.

TOMS RIVER, NJ — When voters go to the polls Nov. 3, they will be asked to choose three people to serve on the Toms River Regional Board of Education.

There are nine people seeking those three seats, which are three-year terms on the board.

Patch asked each candidate to answer questions to give voters information about who they are and their stances on various issues. We are printing their responses in full, unedited except for spelling or punctuation.

Here are the answers from Robert Onofrietti Jr., who is running under the Moving TR Forward slogan. His running mates are Bridget Maillard and Christopher Raimann.

Previous elective office, if any:

Former Board of Education member and Board of Education president

Does anyone in your family work for the school district or in politics?

No

Education

BS in Business and MBA from Monmouth University

Occupation

Mortgage Broker / Business Owner

Why are you seeking a seat on the school board?

The students need to have a voice and come first. The teachers need to be heard and their opinions about the betterment of our students and schools need to be valued. I will help the TRBOE remain focused on our students best interests in the school and in co-curriculars, not on politics. TRBOE members need to be educated and vested in our district. I am uniquely qualified to be a TRBOE member for all these reasons.

The single most pressing issue facing our school district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Bridget Maillard, Chris Raimann and I are the "Moving TR Forward" team. We feel the most pressing issue right now is spending and transparency. The spending in this district is reckless. Over the past five years administrative spending is up approximately 85 percent. Midyear transfers inflate budget numbers and then when the new proposed budget is introduced stakeholders are led to believe there has been a reduction in certain areas which is not the case. True transparency and real cuts need to be implemented immediately so we can finally stop listening to the administration threaten to take away our students' programs, co-curricular activities, and sports.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking to serve on the school board seat?

We do not have the financial backing of a political party unlike the other teams and that was done on purpose. The other six candidates will ultimately have to answer to their political donors. We believe the Board of Education should be a nonpartisan board as it is intended, who answers only to the taxpayers, students, and staff for the betterment of our schools and community.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

We would like to utilize the offer from the township of an employment audit. We have some severely understaffed and overstaffed areas in this district. It is time to provide help where needed. The professional service contracts need to be properly vetted every year. Political influence has seeped into this area and it’s time to have a fresh set of eyes on these contracts. We would also like to increase the lines of communication with our students, staff, taxpayers, and town. Respectful open lines of communication are imperative to the day to day operations of this TR school district and creating this again will be paramount.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you will be effective on the school board?

As stated earlier, I am a past member and president of the TRBOE and understand school board governance as good as any one in this state. The TRBOE needs members that are experienced, educated, and know how to research issues properly before implementation. Now is not the time to be learning on the job.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I learned from my past years on the TRBOE, have gained tremendous experience on and off the board, and have gained valuable knowledge to help the school district going forward. Being a TRBOE member is hard, but fulfilling. It is a position that takes a thorough and dedicated individual, and should not be treated lightly. I plan on saying what I mean and meaning what I say. I will deliver on presenting my campaign pledges to the TRBOE within the first 100 days in office. I would encourage anyone reading and vested in our TR school district and community to go to our Facebook page, where we welcome you. I am always open for a discussion and I intend to again earn this towns trust as a leader and voice for our TR school district and community.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

You have to go out and earn your job every day. Nothing should be taken for granted and children always come first in schools.