Bernards Township Board Of Education General Election 2025: Keith Molinari

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Basking Ridge's general election on Nov. 4 has four candidates running for three open seats on the Bernards Township Board of Education.

Board member incumbent Keith Molinari, along with newly appointed Smrithi Mohan, are both running for re-election to the board. Mohan was selected on June 16 to fill a vacancy on the Bernards Township School Board after Csilla Csipak resigned in May.

Nimish Amin, who has served on the board since 2023, did not file to run.

The candidate field includes two challengers: Adam Lefkowitz and Faisal Anwar Chaudhry.

Are you running for office in Basking Ridge? Contact Alexis Tarrazi at alexis.tarrazi@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Basking Ridge Patch.

Keith Molinari

Age: 54

Town of residence: Bernards Township

Position sought: Board of Education

Family: Stacey (wife), Chris (Son), Angela (Daughter)

Education: MBA University of Scranton, BA History/BA Sociology University of Southern Maine

Occupation: Market Access Director, Pharmaceutical Industry

Previous or current elected appointed office: BOE Member, BOE President

Campaign website: molinariforbernardsboe2025.com

Why are you seeking election for Bernards Township Board of Education?

I believe in public education. The education my children have received from our school system has been outstanding. From Oak Street, to WAMS to Ridge, their journey was been enriching and rewarding. My goal is to continue the work I have done on the board to help ensure this tradition of excellence continues. This requires engaged board members who are both willing to listen and learn, but also to question and challenge, traits I have demonstrated in my three years on the board. My biggest motivation is that the young ones just starting their journey have the same wonderful experience my children did and for their parents to have the upmost confidence in the school system their children attend.

School finances and school budget difficulties have been continuously discussed in the district. The district has suggested holding a special election to help raise funding. Would you be in favor of this?

Increasing costs, especially in health care, and large drops in state aid have created financial challenges not just in Bernards Township, but across the state. The Board has had extensive discussions on this topic, especially within the finance committee. The consensus is that for the next budget cycle, the district will be able to make the budget work thru the levies available as well as further consolidation without the need to hold a special election. The balancing act as always is delivering the best education possible to our children at a cost the community can afford.

Do you have any comments or suggestions on how the district could handle its budget?

The district has become more creative over the last several years in handling the budget. Actions have included bringing some services, such as plumbing and painting, in-house to save on union rates, moving district assets to accounts with greater rates of return, as well as moving to triple tier busing which is a substantial annual savings. This last action also had the benefit of maximizing our high schoolers opportunities for sleep, which the science indicates is crucial for that age.

Personnel cost remain by far the largest cost center in the district and going forward this is an area that will continue to require close scrutiny. I feel the district needs to continue to look closely at personnel. The district is still roughly the same size in regards to staff as it was when there were 20 percent more students. While it is not a 1 to 1 ratio scenario, with personnel salaries and benefits being the overwhelming portion of district expenses ensuring we have proper staffing levels is critical to managing the overall budget. This is best approached thru carefully examining whether to backfill positions as they open up, right-sizing thru natural attrition and only utilizing reductions when necessary. This must be a continuous endeavor, ensuring staffing levels are sufficient to provide our students with a thorough and efficient public education while not overburdening taxpayers.

The district recently implemented a phone-free policy in the high school. How do you feel about this?

I have been out front in advocating for this policy from the beginning. Being a parent, as well as a BOE member, I have seen first-hand the impact smart phones have had on children’s attention spans, focus, and social interactions. It has been a privilege to contribute to the district’s stepwise approach, from researching the subject to attending town and BT connect meetings on the matter to participating in book and policy discussions with parents. The results have been very good, with both the Wellness Committee and past and present student government representatives reporting the positive impact of a phone free environment on student focus and social skills.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the school district?

What is going to need to tackled, and the work is well underway, is the district’s approach to artificial intelligence. This is a rapidly evolving area with both positive and negative implications. Balancing the proper and creative use of this technology with huge concerns regarding academic integrity and the importance of person to person engagement is a challenge our local school district, and education in general, is facing and will continue to grapple with for the foreseeable future.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

I have a breadth of experience I feel would continue to be an asset to our district. During my tenure on the Board, I have endeavored to be a good student of education, listening to all stakeholders and taking reasonable positions on the issues, including ones the community has a wide range of views on. I have been board president, served on every committee and have represented the voters of Bernards Township with an approach that prioritizes both our children’s education and the fiscal needs of our residents. Beyond the BOE, throughout my career I have had to rapidly absorb new scientific data and relay it to a wide range of stakeholders. As a Market Access Director at a large pharmaceutical company, I have to lead in a variety of roles, without always having direct authority. This requires listening, meeting others where they are and clearly disseminating information.

These communication skills are vital to building trust with the community, rapport with our staff and working with my fellow board members. In addition, my military service has developed my leadership skills, given me an appreciation and knowledge of a wide range of cultures, and enabled me to cultivate a proven ability to act in a collaborative and respectful manner.

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your campaign?

I am proud of my record on the Bernard’s Township Board of Education. I have been a part of multiple initiatives that have made the district stronger and better equipped to meet the challenges ahead.

These include:

• A renewed focus on our finances and facilities which has led to minimizing the tax burden on residents while improving the learning and working environments for our students and staff.
• Prioritizing school safety, leading to police officers at every district school.
• Promoting student well-being thru minimizing student cell phone use while maximizing their opportunities for person to person interactions thru sports, arts, clubs and the multitude of student activities I have been supportive of.
• Ensuring school curriculum and operations are open and transparent to parents and the community.

These are examples of the approach I intend to continue if given the privilege to serve again. A supportive approach that at the same time looks at issues and proposals with a critical eye as opposed to a rubber stamp.