Candidates Are Set for Matawan Aberdeen Regional School District Elections in April

 Matawan Aberdeen Regional School District elections are coming up on 20 April. The deadline for declaring one's candidacy was 1 March. Four candidates have thrown their hats into the ring for the three available three-year posts this year -- two for Aberdeen and one for Matawan. APP provides the following names and addresses for the candidates:

• Anissa Esposito, 21 Annmar Drive, Matawan. 
• John Delaney, 804 Parva Place, Aberdeen (Cliffwood Beach)
• Pat Demarest, 35 Ingram Circle, Aberdeen (Strathmore)
• Thelma Gattis, 216 Delaware Ave, Aberdeen (Cliffwood)

Ms Esposito, coordinator of a parent group with Parents of Special People , is running unopposed for the Matawan position. She happened to be quoted in The Independent back in 2006 at a BOE meeting regarding an issue with Milu bus service and was thanked as a parent volunteer at Ravine Drive school in 2008. Larry O'Connell, who is not running for re-election, has been on the board since April 2000.

Mr Delaney, a county education official whom the board appointed to fill the unexpired term of Catherine Zavorskas last April, is vying for one of two available Aberdeen seats with Ms Demarest, a former school board president here, and Ms Gattis, who serves as pastor of St Mark AME Zion Church in Cliffwood. Dr Tom Gambino, who has served on the board since April 2007 and is current Vice President of the BOE, is not running for re-election.

Someone will have to tell me how the new Student Representative is chosen to replace Andrew Monagle, whose term is only one year. I'm unfamiliar with the process.

Here are the remainder of the board members, as well as their districts and terms:

• Charles Kenny (2008-2011), Matawan, current President of the BOE
• Jan Rubino (2008-2011), Aberdeen
• Martin Ruprecht (2008-2011), Aberdeen
• Gerald Donaghue (2009-2012), Matawan
• Joey Warren (2009-2012), Aberdeen
• Elizabeth Loud Hayward (2009-2012), Aberdeen