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Candidate Flyer Issue Allowable for Union Distribution, Toms River School Attorney Says

Issue brought up by email, but tipster has yet to respond, superintendent says

 

An individual who decried the distribution of a campaign flyer on school employee bulletin boards has yet to respond to the Toms River schools superintendent, who said a thorough investigation resulted that all came to the conclusion that the flyer was OK and not a breach of campaign ethics.

The flyer, posted on several employee bulletin boards, advertised a campaign fundraiser and "meet the candidates" night for incumbents Gus Kakavas, Jack Reuther and Jamie Jubert in September.

Toms River Regional Superintendent Frank Roselli said he received an email from Gina Thrace about the flyer, but although he responded to the emal and tried to search school databases to contact Thrace further, he has been unable to find any further information about the individual and hasn't receive a response from Thrace.

However, the email complaining about the flyer, sent to media and the state comptroller, prompted an investigation by the comptroller who found no wrongdoing, Roselli reported at this week's Toms River Regional School Board meeting.

School Board Attorney Thomas Monahan said that in his opinion, the distribution of the flyer was not a concern, as it originated from the Toms River Education Association, the teachers union, whose members have the right to use their bulletin board for such purposes, even candidate endorsement. When asked if in his opinion the flyer constituted an official candidate endorsement, he urged the question be directed to the union president, Kathy Eagan.

The endorsement question was asked by Joseph Torrone, one of the challenger candidates in a heated election season. The issue was the second campaign ethics debate for the school board, as Friday a special meeting was held to investigate how 64 employee emails were among a list of thousands of recipients to a campaign message. The matter was considered resolved Friday when Torrone and Candidate Ginny Rhine said the emails were sent innocuously and as a courtesy were then removed from the email list.

The matter of the candidate flyer is also considered resolved, Roselli said. After the superintendent's statement, Eagan used the public comment portion of the meeting to say the flyer was not used innapropriately, that it was not created using school district resources and that it was intended for use on union bulletin boards in a staff area.

Eagan said the flyer was posted to encourage union members to go and learn more about the candidates. She said that although the union regularly makes candidate endorsements, the posting of the flyer should not be considered an official union endorsement. 

About this column: News about the candidates running for school board; and the annual election for Toms River Regional Schools. Related Topics: campaign flyer, school board candidate, toms river education association, toms river regional, and toms river teachers union

Robert Bressman

7:48 am on Wednesday, October 17, 2012

What the District is saying is a joke, what company would allow political electioneering on their property or use of wall space to elect anybody at any level. Do you think, then the Union would be allowed to use the building if they were endorsing the opposition? Whatever dirty trick this administration can come up with won't help their boys this time.

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Martin

8:13 am on Wednesday, October 17, 2012

That's the final straw, the last gasp of Ritacco flunkies. Get rid of incumbent politicians (G.R.I.P.) who let Mike steal millions for years. Vote for the only candidate without a conflict of interest -- at the top of the ballot -- Charlotte Ford Spillane, and take your choice of one of the other two non-incumbents.

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MadDad

12:45 pm on Wednesday, October 17, 2012

No conflict of intrest? She was a school administrator in TR under Ritacco...

1stcav

10:03 am on Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Mike's quick retirement ( resigned ) was an attempt to get into the system , before they new ALL the details and a fight would have ensued to get it reversed. Also he wanted a quick pay day for his sick and vacation days,also before all was known that he in fact stole MILLIONS from the school system through bogus dealings, and no bid contracts So he could brag that he not only stole millions , but the jerks in Toms River also payed him to do it !!!!! Your plan didn't work Mike, how's the room service @ the " Madoff." wing ? Tuna ( in the can ) seems to be the only fish you"ll get Ala Cart from the vending machine these days .Only 10 yrs 330 days to go..Enjoy !!!!!

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MadDad

2:22 pm on Wednesday, October 17, 2012

How long has Thomas Monahan been the school board attorney?

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MadDad

6:41 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012

Then it might be time for some new representation, this guy must have Ritacco stink all over him. How does the board choose its attorney?

joe jones

2:17 pm on Sunday, October 21, 2012

Everyone talks about ending the "Ritacco Era". IT'S OVER. He's paying for his crime. MOVE ON. DO you really care where he is or do you just want to keep his name in the headlines? Give it a rest.

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john biller

2:20 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Fool me once............ fool me twice............Fire the community organzer who couldnt run a koolaid stand. Wonder why our foreign born president wont release his Harvard records.....even for a 5 million dollar donation to charity. Don't forget 4 million dollars was spent defedning his sealed college, passport and birth records....did the Dem party pay for that also?

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