The following was submitted by current BoE trustee Monica Stromwall on behalf of the Parents for Progress slate.
Dear Horsey, Progress. Progress is what is currently happening within the walls of our district schools and in the lives of over 2,000 children that attend the Hoboken Public School District schools. For this reason, and to keep the momentum going, we, Antonio Gray, Sharyn Angley and Monica Stromwall are running for the Board of Education. We are Parents for Progress and we would like the community of Hoboken to join us in improving on and continuing the progress that has already been made these past few years. Together we have many reasons why we are seeking election; seven of which are our children that ALL attend Hoboken Public Schools. As parents, actively involved community members and Hoboken Public School PTO members we will continue to improve upon the progress. Education builds a strong community and allows for future successes within our children’s lives. We are excited by the improvement of test scores in all of our schools and will continue to raise the bar and set our expectations high for all of our students. Our students are eager to learn and our professional staff will empower and foster a love of education for the children that spend their days with them. We will continue to support and expand the 14 National Advanced Proficient (AP) courses and electives at the high school by utilizing the change of the 6th teaching period that was agreed upon in the new contract that Monica Stromwall assisted in negotiating this past summer. We are also pleased that so many children are able to utilize the new tutoring time after school that was also part of the new teacher’s contracts’. We will continue to support Response to Intervention (RTI) reading program that has already shown success in the first and second grade children. We are happy with so many of the programs that our children have the opportunity to be a part of and we will look forward to the future. One of the most important jobs a school board member can undertake is the selection of a new superintendent that will continue the progress and provide positive support and encouragement to the staff and students. Antonio, Sharyn and Monica will seek the most qualified superintendent to provide an excellent education for the children in Hoboken public schools. We are proud to note that Hoboken Public School teacher Mr. Mark Mautone, who teaches at Wallace Elementary in the new ABA/Special Needs Center was selected as teacher of the year for the state of New Jersey. He dedicates himself to the children that need the most and we congratulate him in all his success! We are very lucky to have such an outstanding educator in our district. We have dedicated our time and energy working collaboratively to provide all of our students with positive support to achieve success for all students! Please support the progress and help build a better future for all our children; vote Tuesday, November 4th for Antonio Gray (2), Sharyn Angley (3) and Monica Stromwall (5). Educationally Yours, Parents for Progress
Jeff Bell, NJ candidate for US Senate spoke earlier this evening at the Clinton Social outlining his positions on a host of issues and how the US should tackle its abundant problems domestic and abroad.
A key policy player under the last great one of the greatest American Presidents, Ronald Reagan, Mr. Bell had much to say about how a Reaganite prescription can turn around America.
He also had a one word answer on the achievements of his opponent, Senator Cory Booker as mayor of Newark and what he’ll bring with six added years in Washington:
Lots on the plate tonight making this a more substantial meeting in some time. The Planning Board has green lighted the ability for the City and Council to designate the area around Neumann Leather as an area in need of rehabilitation. There’s new owners there who spent $25 million and one can imagine they didn’t spent that amount of coin to retain the status quo.
Beth Mason who was unexplainably absent at the last meeting when her and Councilwoman Castellano’s ordinance for mandatory sick pay was up for first reading is back on the agenda. Will it make it through first reading? There’s many businesses in Hoboken with 10 or more employees who would like to say a resounding “NO!” and they aren’t just in the hospitality business. Motion to table!
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In a broad ranging interview, Perry Belfiore, a decades long player in Hoboken politics who’s served as a Hoboken Housing Authority commissioner and BoE trustee announced further action in his four year political battle focused on Councilman Ravi Bhalla. The latest, a NJ ELEC filing targets a new complaint stemming from campaign expenditures back in early 2013.
The recent controversy surrounding his heated fall 2013 election remarks surprised Belfiore who said the judge has never met him but, “the language against me is stark” suggesting his being “discriminatory against Asians.” Belfiore repeatedly insisted it wasn’t the case and couched the voicing as strictly political.
The unedited original and complete transcript from the July 2nd hearing where Judge James Geraghty throws out the ethics complaint against Councilman Ravi Bhalla is here!
What he says about the complaint, the complainant and the toxic nature of Hoboken politics is a must read.
More to come including an in-depth interview with Hoboken Old Guard politico Perry Belfiore.
First, let’s give the public a chance to read for themselves what the fuss is all about.
This is a public court document available for download.
Hoboken was turned on its ear late yesterday when a NJ administrative judge took umbrage with a now four year old ethics complaint and voiced equally strong reservations about the critic laying the charge.
The after effects of the quake are not being felt; they haven’t even started. So as the rumble is continuing and based on yesterday’s NJ.com story, Councilwoman Beth Mason remains in hiding, here’s a fixing of what MSV has coming next week.
Da Horsey will have more from Hoboken politico Perry Belfiore. He has much to say about the tangle of late and what he may further seek on this and other related Hoboken matters.
An ethics complaint filed back in 2010 is in the news as a NJ administrative judge has ruled that filing against Councilman Ravi Bhalla is frivolous but went much further slamming the complainant as “bigoted” and “malicious.”
As reported just earlier late Thursday afternoon on NJ.com:
An administrative law judge has tossed an ethics complaint against a Hoboken councilman, finding that the allegations of a conflict of interest were “wildly speculative” and made by a “local gadfly” known for launching bigoted attacks.
The “local gadfly” in the article is Hoboken Old Guard politico Perry Belfiore.
Judge James Geraghty tossed the ethics complaint stating Councilman Bhalla had no personal or financial relationship with the attorney in the complaint authored by Belfiore and the charges were “frivolous and unwarranted.”
Last night the Board of Education forum took it on the chin when one of the three slates didn’t appear.
It’s unclear the full details leading up to the final date selected but the word is the Quality of Life Coalition first attempted to hold the forum on the same evening as the monthly Board of Education meeting. Three commissioners on the board are candidates in this election. That meant the date had to be changed.
Parents for Progress stated they were given an alternate date two weeks in advance but no one checked to clear the date. One BoE observer said one of its members was out of town on business making it impossible for the slate to appear.
The following submission comes from BoE trustee Monica Stromwall. She was appointed unanimously by the BoE to replace Carmelo Garcia who by law had to resign earlier this year.
Dear Horsey,
Some
people may be wondering why the Parents for Progress ticket, Antonio Gray,
Sharyn Angley and Monica Stromwall, were not in attendance at the Candidate
Forum on Wednesday, October 8th at the Elks Lodge. Let us explain why.
We
were first notified by mail by the Quality of Life Coalition that a
debate/forum was scheduled for October 14th. Unfortunately, that was
the same date and time as the regularly scheduled October Board of Education
meeting. This posed a conflict for at least 3 candidates that are current board
members and candidates in the upcoming election.
When
the organizers learned of the conflict, a new date was scheduled and was sent
out with 2 week’s notice. But again, this was done without consulting any of
the candidates–at least none of the candidates on the Parents for Progress
team. Unfortunately, this new date conflicts with previous commitments and so
we were unable to participate.
With
the election still a few weeks away, there are plenty of opportunities to get to
know us and ask us questions. The best and fastest way is to contact us through
our Facebook page: Parents for Progress Hoboken or email at parentsforprogresshoboken@gmail.com.
We are committed to improving upon and continuing the progress in the Hoboken
Public Schools.
Educationally Yours,
Parents for Progress
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Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream
No action will be taken but there is a public portion for speaking on the issues on the agenda.
Meeting runs just over two hours including the public portion. Lots of details to consider!