Six Candidates Give Their Pitch to School Board

Six candidates have applied to serve the remaining portion of Charlie Reilly's vacated seat on the Ridgewood Board of Education. 

The candidates – Jim Morgan, Gwen Sullivan, B. Vincent Loncto, Rei Shinozuka, Janice Willett and Eric Gross – answered eight pre-selected questions and followups from the board Monday night hoping to convince the board they're the best fit. The applicant selected will serve through April's election. Should they elect to run again and find themself victorious, the candidate would serve until Reilly's term ends in spring of 2013.

The candidates hit some common themes – all said they've been pleased with the education system in Ridgewood; all spoke of strengthening communication between the board and residents, most in how the board conveys its message; and all spoke of the challenging times and strains "The New Normal" has brought to education.

Make no mistake, this was a diverse list of finance gurus, sharp editors, lawyers, and involved parents.

The board will select the candidate by vote on Nov. 7. Reilly will not participate in the process.

Read below for a bit of background on the candidates.

Jim Morgan

Perhaps known best as the , Jim Morgan spoke of his business background and local education efforts as separating him from the pack. A former auditor, CEO of a public company and past Ridgewood Education Foundation (REF) president, Morgan stressed his ability to analyze complex, convoluted budgets and explain them on a human level to the average citizen. It doesn't happen now, he said, and opposition stems partially from that lack of communication.

"I believe that part of this opposition arises from an inadequate understanding among voters as to how we are spending their tax dollars," he said. "To succeed in the future, we are going to need to be more efficient in how we spend our school tax dollars."

With a background in managing expense budgets "in challenging conditions," he said he believed he could help find the requisite solutions.

Morgan, a Trustee at Hamilton College and at Christ Church, cited challenges in bringing more school children into the district, as well as state aid fluctuations as other challenges.

Still, given Morgan's recent disagreements with the board, he's considered a long shot. 

Gwen Sullivan

On the other end of the spectrum was Gwen Sullivan, one of Ridgewood's most active parents. Sullivan, formerly in fashion publishing and an Orchard mom of two, spoke of a record of prolific volunteerism. Though she didn't lay claim financial wizardry, Sullivan said she'd "work hard" and carefully analyze all situations that would come her way.

“It would be quite an accomplishment to maintain the standing we have now considering these times,” Sullivan said of budgetary constraints and educational expectations. 

Sullivan is familiar with the names and faces – from janitors to students to teachers, administrators and all in between – and knows what parents are concerned with, she said. "I have the time, I have the passion to fill the position," she told the board members.

The former HSA president of Orchard, curriculum commitee member and housewife said she's been to almost all budget and referendum meetings in the recent past.

"I know the ins and outs," Sullivan said. "So coming in there is a learning curve but I feel like I'm on the inside as far as knowing exactly what the limitations of the board are when it comes to mandates, budget trends set for you and I think I understand the thinking of how the board works."

Rei Shinozuka

Like some of the other speakers, Shinozuka brings a sense of perspective. He himself went through the school system in Ridgewood before embarking on a career in finance and moving back to his hometown. Like Morgan, Shinozuka said he was able to take complex, weighty matters and simplify them.

A financial analyst in risk management, Shinozuka said he was applying for the seat "with no agenda," remarking it was time for him to give back to the community.

Like all residents, Shinozuka has concerns with taxes and costs. But Ridgewood, by and large, does a good job of finding balance, he said.

Shinozuka did stress focusing on making complexities more accessible to residents, also recommending executive summaries, making the budget more "transparent" as well as utilizing Powerpoints to break down ideas more fully. 

"I'm fairly convinced we're doing a really good job and I think most people believe that," he said. "But when it comes to things like the budget, I think we could possibly describe it in a more clear way."

Said the husband of a planning board member and HSA secretary with three kids in the district, "A tradition of excellence is more than a motto."

B. Vincent Loncto

A resident since 1995 with five children, including twins at Ridgewood High School, Loncto has a unique professional background to offer the board – a distinguished career as a CFO of major international companies, most recently at McGraw Hill, where he soaked up a great deal of background in educational policy.

Due to work constraints he hasn't been able to serve Ridgewood in a volunteer capacity, but now that he's retired, he's ready and relishes the opportunity, he said.

"It is a balancing act that requires tremendous amount of time and effort, communication," he said of the responsibilities as a board member. "It involves a lot of analysis associated with expenditures, capital expenditures . . . within the school system. That is a task I feel I'm very comfortable with," he said, adding the job is "a very big responsibility."

"I just want to dedicate myself and my talents as much as I can to ensure the success of the school district and achieving the overall goals of elevating the education."

Janice Willett

If the board is looking for a candidate with balance – Janice Willett might have the best shot. She's had successes in the world of finance, been a dedicated parent volunteer in the schools (former HSA president of Somerville), and with a background as an editor, this 25-year resident says she has the communication chops to simplify and soothe the board's various communication efforts.

Willett noted it's easy for board members to become so immersed in what they're doing that they can have trouble communicating the message. In fact, "it's a little too much," she said of the quantity of information sent, suggesting executive summaries to narrow the focus.

Willett also said she'd like to work collaboratively with board members, administrators and others to defuse controversial issues. There's no shortage in Ridgewood, either.

"I want our schools to be the best they can be," the newly-retired Willett said. "We're facing some challenging times. I think we need to be open to new ways of doing things but I don't think we should be making sacrifices that hurt our ability" to deliver a quality education.

Eric Gross

Reilly's departure means the board will miss some legal advice from the current Department of Justice attorney. But Gross, a six-year resident and general counsel for St. Joseph's Hospital in Paterson, could fill that void.

The young attorney said he comes before the board "without an agenda" but with many ideas and an open mind – he suggested the board engage more with media outlets to better focus its message and tout its strengths. And with a one-year-old daughter at one with wife Kristen, he's in it for the long haul.

"I think it's a great opportunity to give back to the community," Gross said, adding he felt , which spurred his interest in public service. "I felt the most important thing I could do to give my opinion to the board about things I felt are important is to become a member," he said.

Unfortunately, because it's a litigious world, his skills would be of good use to the board. "Everything that happens these days has a legal aspect to it. Unfortunately, too much of a legal aspect so I think I can help the board break down those legal issues into something that's more understandable."

"As a board member you have to step back, take in all the information and make a decision," he said.

And that they will.