Will City Put BOE Elections Back in November?

Rather than try to write about this resolution, I am just publishing it. It's likely that BOE officials will attend Monday's meeting to object to it. The school board allegedly voted in November to move the election back to April, though the resolution has not been made public. (OPRA requests are in.)

A council majority would have to move this resolution to the Jan. 19 regular meeting for a vote. If moved, it would have to be passed by a majority. The specter of litigation may also be also lurking.


RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE PLAINFIELD BOARD OF EDUCATION AS THE FIRST TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY IN NOVEMBER

WHEREAS, on February 13, 2012, the City Council adopted a Resolution to change the election date of school board members from the third Tuesday in April to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:60-1.1; and
WHEREAS, on November 10, 2015, the Plainfield Board of Education adopted a Resolution to return the school board elections to the third Tuesday in April; and
WHEREAS, the Clerk of the City of Plainfield has estimated that the cost of returning the election to the third Tuesday in April would result in costs in excess of $100,000.00; and
WHEREAS, over 20,000 more Plainfield residents have voted in the four (4) school board elections held in November than in the prior four (4) elections held in April; and
WHEREAS, to the City Council’s knowledge, Plainfield’s Board of Education is the only board of
education to attempt to revert its election back to the third Tuesday in April; and
WHEREAS, N.J.S.A. 19:60-1.1 authorizes changing the election date of school board members
from the third Tuesday in April back to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November (the General
Election); and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Plainfield believes that the financial interest of its
constituents is safeguarded by the State’s tax levy cap and the thorough review of the proposed school
budget by the Executive County Superintendent and the Executive County School Business Administrator;
and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Plainfield believes that more citizens will participate in
the selection of school board members at the General Election than on the third Tuesday in April and that
the higher level of participation will foster positive interest in our public schools; and
WHEREAS, adequate notice has been provided to the Plainfield Board of Education of the City
Council’s intention to adopt this Resolution pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:60-1.1; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:60-1.1, the City Council of the City of Plainfield changes the annual election date for school board members from the third Tuesday in April to the November General Election, beginning in 2016; be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, the annual organization meeting of the Plainfield Board of Education will
take place in the first week of January following the November General Election and that the board of education’s next organization meeting will take place in the first week of January 2017; be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that pursuant to P.L. 2011, c. 202, members of the Plainfield Board of
Education whose terms would have expired by May, 2016 will continue to serve in office until the January 2017 organization meeting; be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution be transmitted to the Union County Clerk; the Union
County Board of Elections and/or Superintendent of Elections; the Plainfield Municipal Clerk and school board secretary or secretaries; the Department of State, Division of Elections; the Department of Education’s Executive County Superintendent; and the Department of Community Affairs, Division of Local Government Services; be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution also be provided to the New Jersey School
Boards Association and New Jersey League of Municipalities.
Scheduled by the City Council January 11, 2016