SECAUCUS, NJ — Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli will hold a campaign fundraising party this Thursday night, Sept. 12.
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Patch usually does not publicize political fundraising events, but we are writing about this one because Gonnelli said he will make an important announcement Thursday evening: He will endorse candidates for Secaucus school board.
Who will the mayor endorse? We don’t know yet.
Find out what's happening in Secaucuswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Like many mayors throughout New Jersey, Gonnelli usually does not get involved in school board elections. It is rare that he has endorsed a candidate/s in the past. But on Tuesday, Gonnelli said “I have to.”
He refused to elaborate what he meant by that.
Find out what's happening in Secaucuswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
But what Gonnelli is likely referring to is the drama that went down in the Secaucus school district in the past year: First, in January the district revealed it was about to embark on a controversial re-districting proposal, which would have moved around hundreds of students that currently attend Clarendon and Huber Street schools.
Then in late March, all the elected Board of Education members quietly took the stunning vote to place superintendent Erick Alfonso on paid leave, suspending him while still paying his $180,000 yearly salary. The Board never told the public why Alfonso was placed on paid leave. He no longer works for the district.
As if that wasn’t enough drama for the tiny Secaucus school district, in June the district announced it had to cancel its offer of free, full-day PreK, as there actually wasn’t enough money to launch it. This was embarrassing for the school district, as Gov. Phil Murphy even toured Millridge School when it was first announced Secaucus would launch full-day PreK.
Stay tuned for Thursday night to see Gonnelli’s preference for school board. The campaign party will be from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 at Harmony Suites hotel, 455 Plaza Drive. It is a campaign kick-off for Gonnelli and Councilmen Mark Dehnert, Rob Costantino and Bill McKeever.
The Secaucus BOE election will be the same day as the U.S. presidential election, Nov. 5. There are three seats open, for a three-year term.
Secaucus voters will be asked to choose three from the following:
Here’s Who’s Running For Secaucus School Board This Fall (Aug. 16)
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