Toms River School Board Races All Contested

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Three seats are up for grabs in the Toms River Regional Board of Education election this fall — one each in Toms River, Beachwood and Pine Beach — and each spot is being contested, according to the Ocean County Clerk's Office.

Monday at 4 p.m. was the deadline to file petitions for the school board to be on the Nov. 8 ballot.

In Beachwood, there are three candidates vying to fill the seat currently held by Gloria McCormack, who is not seeking re-election. She ran unopposed in 2013. Seeking to replace her are Daniel Leonard of Spar Avenue; Leslie G. Brown of Pacific Avenue, and Alexander Mizenko of Halliard Avenue.

In Pine Beach, Russell Corby, who was appointed last fall to finish the term of Walter Ramsay, is seeking election to a three-year term on the board. Also seeking the seat is Jennifer Etzkorn of Avon Road. Ramsay resigned in August 2015 after both he and his wife retired and they moved south.

There are four candidates seeking the seat held by James Sigurdsen, which represents Toms River: Ginny Rhine, who was defeated last year as an incumbent, has filed a petition to seek election to this seat, along with Al Caporaso of Corwill Terrace; Janet Bell of Willow Road; and Alfred Schwartz of Michael Drive.

Rhine originally was elected as part of a slate of candidates who campaigned on promises of transparency in board actions in the wake of the arrest and later guilty plea of former Superintendent Michael Ritacco, who took more than $1 million in bribes in an insurance scheme. She and Joseph Torrone were defeated last year when current board members Christopher Raimann and Joe Nardini were elected.

Russell Corby, who was appointed to the unexpired term of Walter Ramsay representing Pine Beach, is seeking election to the seat this year. Karen Wall photo