In the end, it came down to a short learning curve and two people who have a head start on that curve. On Thursday, Feb. 26, former Bayonne City Council members Raymond Greaves and Mary Jane Desmond were selected to fill the two unexpired terms on the Bayonne Board of Education.
Desmond had previously served on the Board of Education and Board of School Estimate. Greaves had also served on the Board of School Estimate.
Sixteen candidates had applied by Feb. 18 for a chance to fill one of two open board seats, due to the January resignations of Agnes Rymer and Patrick Conaghan. Nearly all of the applicants attended the board’s regular monthly meeting to learn the decision.
Each candidate had been interviewed by phone, interviewed in person by a board subcommittee, and then had addressed the board and public for three minutes at the meeting.
Then it was off to a private session for the seven remaining board members to discuss the virtues of each candidate.
When they returned it was no great surprise to some gathered that the two members with board experience were selected to help lead the charge into an elected school board in the fall, when the public will vote on new members for the first time in decades.
On Nov. 4 last year, the city residents voted to change the Bayonne board from a mayor-appointed board to an elected one. The present board decided to hold off until this year’s general election, instead of a springtime election, to have voters cast their ballots.
All of the current board members were appointed. Christopher Piechocki was appointed by Mayor James Davis after he took office, before the November vote changing the school board selection process.
“I hope they all run. If they do, Bayonne can’t lose.” – Mary Jane Desmond
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“I felt very strongly about serving. I submitted my resume because I have experience, I believe I served well in the past, and I enjoyed it,” Desmond said. “I will say I was so impressed with all the candidates. Everybody who submitted their resumes was qualified. I hope they all run. If they do, Bayonne can’t lose.”
“I was honored to be appointed. There were a lot of good candidates there,” Greaves said. “My goal is to try to bring some healing to the process here between the [city] administration and school board. It’s been a rough ride the last couple of months. Hopefully I can bring a common- sense approach to both sides to work for the schoolchildren and the residents of Bayonne.”
Using experience
Greaves said that he would utilize his backgrounds in city government and labor negotiations on the board. He also hopes to find more state funding sources for the district.
Next step: November
Greaves’s and Desmond’s posts will be up for grabs on Nov. 3, along with the three other board members whose terms are up for election. Both will serve the rest of the calendar year, and until the board’s next reorganization meeting in January.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at JoePass@hudsonreporter.com.To comment on this story online visit www.hudsonreporter.com.