19% of Voters Turn Out for School Elections

A look at the numbers after Tuesday's election.

Voter turnout in the school election Tuesday came in at 18.51 percent, with 2,531 of 13,676 registered voters showing up at the polls or mailing in their ballots. Participation in school elections has see-sawed in recent years, ranging from about 30 percent in 2010 to 14.21 percent in 2012. The year in between, 2011, was comparable to this year with just more than 19 percent of registered voters casting ballots. Mail-in ballots were especially high this year, thanks in part to a campaign by Education Counts pushing residents to vote early by mail. Nabil Mouline, head of Education Counts, said the group distributed over 2,000 applications for mail-in ballots. About 170 mail-in ballots were requested from Morris County; 136 mail-in ballots …

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Letters to the Editor

BOE Candidate Thanks Voters, Residents

Edward DiFiglia offers his congratulations to Phil Franz.

Dear Neighbors, I am writing today for a few reasons. First, I’d like to offer congratulations to Phil Franz on winning re-election to the school board. I wish him the best of luck while he continues to serve. Secondly, this letter is to thank all of you who listened to -and supported- my ideas and thoughts on how to make the school board better. But most importantly, I'd like to thank those of you who shared your concerns with me: From the oft-repeated concerns about rising taxes, to concerns on topics such as world languages, gifted and talented programs, ranking standings, curriculum, community outreach, facilities, and everything in between. Many of you voiced concerns and ideas that have not been brought before the board for one …

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Security Question Passes with Slim Majority

Election results Tuesday night show the budget and both the extra questions passed in the public election.

Chatham voters voted to approve the proposed 2013-14 base budget and two extra questions in Tuesday's elections. The question of security enhancements passed with the slimmest majority of all questions on the ballot, which passed by only 83 votes overall. In Chatham Borough, the second question for enhancing security in Chatham schools failed by 35 votes. in Chatham Township, the question passed by 118 votes. The final vote was 1,292 to 1,209. The question of whether to pay for counseling enhancements passed by a wider majority, with 1,401 voters approving it at 1,105 voters casting ballots against it. In Chatham Township, the question passed by 218 votes. In Chatham Borough it passed by 78 votes. The tax impact for the 2013-14 school year…

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Alan Routh

11:50 am on Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Dear kjchat: Property values are a byproduct of a high-quality, low cost/student educational system, not the end-game. However, for those with no children in the public school system, property values can be viewed as a return on investment in property taxes. Cost per household probably provides similar value to homeowners as compared to other similar towns. There are towns with lower cost houses …   more ›

A Chathamite's Guide to 2013 School Elections

What's in the budget, who you can vote for and where you can vote.

Chatham residents are among those in 41 school districts who will go to the polls on April 16 for the annual school elections. The 2013-14 school budget, two additional questions and four seats on the Board of Education are up for a vote. Before you head out to vote, here are some things you need to know: Polls open at 2 p.m. and remain open until 9 p.m. Chatham Borough residents who are registered to vote may do so at Chatham Middle School. Chatham Township residents may do so at Chatham High School. The district has proposed a base budget of $65,131,111 for the 2013-14 school year, $55,409,234, or 85 percent of which, will be raised through local taxes. Voters can vote for or against this budget. The state allows for up to a 2 percent …

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Franz Sees Budget Discipline, Student Welfare as Ultimate Goals

Phil Franz is running for the board as an interim incumbent member.

Phil Franz is running for a seat on the Board of Education representing Chatham Borough. He currently sits on the board as an interim member, appointed in November to complete Stephen Barna's term on the board. While on the board, Franz has served on the Personnel Committee and the Policy Committee, and has sat in on other committee meetings. "At the end of the day, obviously, our responsibility is ultimately to the students in the school system," Franz said, but he recognizes residents of town who may not have children in the district still need to be involved. "What I hope to do is continue to build on that interaction, that cooperation, that sense of community," he said. Franz moved to the borough in 1999 with his wife Christine. …

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Resident Urges 'Yes' Vote on School Budget

Alan Routh, a former Board of Education member, writes to encourage residents to support the proposed school budget.

School Board Candidates Debate 2% Cap, Public Outreach

Phil Franz and Ed DiFiglia discussed their goals for the upcoming term on the Board of Education, where they see room for improvement and what the district's most important facets are.

Board of Education candidates Ed DiFiglia and Phil Franz answered questions from the public at the Candidate Forum held Tuesday at Chatham High School. The two were asked their thoughts on the upcoming school budget vote, which includes two additional questions, one for school counseling and one for school security. Franz said in crafting the budget, "you have to identify what you need today" and put that in the base budget. The additional questins he said, were for "valid" needs that "the kids would benefit from," but it was the community's decision whether to pay for them. DiFiglia said he too thought they were both worthwhile questions, especially the first question to enhance school counseling staff, but he questioned the need for an …

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Borough BOE Candidates Meet, Debate Tuesday

The League of Women Voters will organize the debate.

The Morristown Area League of Women Voters will host a candidate forum for the two Chatham Borough candidates for the Board of Education of the School District of the Chathams. Phil Franz, currently an incumbent member of the Board of Education, and Ed DiFiglia will participate in the forum. Louise Murray of the League of Women Voters will moderate the forum. The two incumbent candidates from Chatham Township, Matt Gilfillan and John Nonnenmacher, are unchallenged in this election. The forum will take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the media center at Chatham High School. Each candidate will give opening and closing statements, and will answer questions provided by the moderator. Each question will include an answer one candidate and a …

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