Fewer Seats Possible for Jefferson School Board

president Cynthia Scott introduced the idea of cutting back the number of sitting board members from nine to seven at Tuesday’s meeting.

“The paperwork for running for the school board is available at the board office, and so far, not one person has come in to pick it up,” Scott said. “It seems that no one wants to run for a seat on the board.”

The board will next need to place the question of changing the amount of members on the agenda as a resolution for the next meeting on March 24. If the resolution is passed, the question will be placed on the ballot for public vote at this year’s election, to be held on April 27.

Board of education members’ seats are for three-year terms. Three seats are open this year. If voters approve the question, only two seats would be open at the next two elections, bringing the board to seven members through attrition.

According to board business administrator Dora Zeno, if no one runs for seats on the board at the upcoming election, the current board members can appoint new members from applications received from the public.

Petitions for seats on the board of education are due in the board office by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8. Interested parties can obtain a school board candidate kit online from the New Jersey School Board Association at www.njsba.org.