More Silly Sign Wars: BOE Candidates Signs Stolen By Out Of Towner

I've driven all around Middletown over the past couple of weeks noticing campaign signs, I mean they are so prevalent, how can you miss them? On more than one occasion I've noticed campaign signs missing from locations where just a short hour or so ago they where in place. In the silly game of sign wars which takes place in Middletown every year, it's not uncommon for campaign signs to go missing or have idiots sandwich one sign in-between two opposing signs.  Usually the signs that go missing or are being sandwiched are Democratic signs. Very seldom if ever are the Republican signs played with.

Now as election day is upon us, I get an instant message from a friend claiming that the infamous sign wars have spread to candidates for the Middletown Board of Education. Apparently last night a man from Toms River was arrested for stealing and destroying signs of incumbent BOE member Sue Griffin:

"Hey Mike I wanted to reach out to you to see if you could contact Sue Griffen who is running for BOE today...last night a man was arrested in Middletown for stealing and destroying Sue's campaign signs all over Middletown. He was from Toms River, so we aren't sure who asked him to do this or why he would. As you know I follow and work with the BOE regularly and Sue really is one of the good guys from what I see...I think she was hoping you might report something on this...Thanks so much."

At this time, all I can say about this is, it doesn't surprise me. Since the Board of Education elections became politicized last year by moving the BOE elections from April to November, this nonsense was bound to happen. May concern however, much like my friends, is who put this person from Toms River up to coming all the way to Middletown to do this?

I don't have time to track down any more info on this today, I'm busy doing my thing trying to get Democrats elected. But if anyone has anything they wish to add please leave it in the comments.

Now go out and VOTE!!    

Middletown Board of Education Has Filled Vacant Seat; New Member To Be Sworn In And Seated Wednesday Night

Last week the Middletown Board of Education finally got around to conducting interviews to fill the open seat on the board vacated by the sudden resignation of Bob Banta, who was elected to the BOE just this past April.

On Wednesday July 13th, 8 people individually sat down to be interviewed by board members, 3 of those interviewed were individuals that sought election to the BOE this past April but didn't receive enough votes, the remaining 5 were new comers to the process.

Of those 8 individuals interviewed, the one chosen was new comer Sue Griffin, who resides on Holland Drive and has been a regular at BOE meeting will be sworn in as a member of the Middletown Board of Education tomorrow night.

I received this information from Allan Burns, who was one of the 3 who sought election to the BOE this past April.

After Allan Burns learned of the selection of Ms. Griffin, he was a little disappointed to say the least, he expressed to me that he didn't have a problem with her appointment and welcome the choice, but questioned whether she had prior experience or ran for election to the BOE in the past. He felt that if she had never ran, shared her views or answered questions from the public, it was a problem.

I understand that the Board of Education had no obligation to chose one of the 3 individuals that ran for the BOE this past April. Their job was to find, in their opinion, the best qualified person to fill the vacant seat left by Bob Banta's resignation, but I happen to feel that it might have been better if they had chosen either Allan Burns or one of the other 2 individuals that had campaigned back in April for the position.

Burns and the others stood at numerous gatherings and forums answering questions about themselves and their views on education while being vetted by the residents of Middletown. I think that the residents had a right to be familiar with the person that ultimately would have been appointed to the BOE. Residents will not have that chance to vet Sue Griffin themselves until next year when she will have to run for reelection to the Board of Education herself.

I am thinking that one of the main reason why Sue Griffin was selected to fill the vacant seat on the board was simply familiarity.

Ms. Griffin being a regular at Board of Education meetings and often expressing her views and concerns to the board, which I suppose is a good thing, showed that if you're committee enough to attend meetings and express your views to those that sit in authority then you'll have a leg up on others when such openings come up.

I wish her well and hope that she can be a calming and somewhat influential force on the Board of Education. I hear from many people that the current make up of Middletown's BOE is dysfunctional and lacks experience to handle important issues within the Administration.

Personally I would know if that was true or not but if I hear from several others, there must be some truth in it.