Bayonne Council makes good on campaign promise, elected BOE now up to voters

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Bayonne residents convened at City Hall as the recently-elected council followed through on a campaign promise to make the Bayonne Board of Education accountable to voters.

In a unanimous vote, the council approved a resolution that will place a public question on the November ballot, giving voters the opportunity to switch the Bayonne Board of Education from appointed to elected.

Bayonne resident Leonard R. Kantor spoke to the council about the history of the board of education, while fellow resident Christos M. Genes suggested that potential-elections be held in November, rather than April, to save money and increase turnout.


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3 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you, Michael J. Shurin, for your timely report. We, in WNY, who managed to change from an appointed school board to an elected school board with NO HELP from Mayor Roque or three of his Commissioners (Commissioner Dr. Count Wiley was only member of WNY governing board to help an energized coalition) salute Bayonne’s governing board for doing the right thing.

  2. John R Cupo and Michael J Alonso took an idea for voters rights and changed it from an appointed board to an elected board.
    In early 2013, John R Cupo was a member of a political committee of five who sought to change from the appointment of School Board members to a voter elected School Board.
    This became a reality when the new Mayoral candidate, James Davis supported our political petition.
    After James Davis won the election it was ratified by the newly formed city council. And now we can vote on Nov 3rd.
    Thirty-four years later, in 2014, Bayonne residents voted to change the appointed board back to an elected board.
    Two men, John R Cupo and Michael J Alonso took to task this change by a petition signing. This was done three times.
    Cupo and Alonso collected over 8000 signatures that each were then submitted to the city clerk.
    Then Mayoral candidate James Davis fully supported this idea for change and our efforts to make that idea a reality.
    Cupo was the co-chairman and Alonzo was the chairman of the organization “Bayonne School Board Choice”. When Alonso ran for office, eventually John R Cupo became chairman of the organization.
    We worked on this petition drive during late 2013,2014.
    After James Davis won the election (along with his councill), this idea was further embraced by the new five-member council team who voted for a free school board election.
    In November 2014 the voters overwhelmingly voted in their approval for a voter elected school board.
    The 21 people that have applied for a school board post would not be here if it were not for John R Cupo’s efforts and Michael Alonso and Mayor Davis along with the present city council.
    Cupo is one one the 20 candidate’s for a three year term.
    John R Cupo

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