On Tuesday, Nov. 3, voters will go to the polls to elect Bayonne Board of Education members for the first time in decades. Until a referendum changed the process last year, the sitting mayor had appointed all school board members.
This year, five board members will be chosen. There will be three three-year seats that are up for the first time. There are also a single one-year seat and a single two-year seat because of the early resignations of Agnes Rymer and Pat Conaghan earlier this year, according to Board Secretary Dr. Gary Maita.
Going forward there will be only three board members elected to three-year terms each year.
This week, the Bayonne Community News will profile four of the candidates vying for the lone one-year seat: Rafael Augusto, Jack Butchko, Deb Peveler Segura, and David Solari. A fifth candidate for the one-year term, Denis Wilbeck, did not return multiple requests for an interview.
In future weeks, candidates running for the two-year and three-year terms will be profiled.
Rafael Augusto
Rafael Augusto sees himself as a good Board of Education candidate because of his varied experience.
He works for the Jersey City Public Schools as its principal purchasing assistant. He’s been in the Educational Secretaries Association union for 12 years, nine of them as president. He has had experience with budgets, including the $28 million facilities budget which he helps oversee.
Augusto thinks he is a different candidate because of the combination of the three.
“I think it’s a good mix,” he said. “Not everyone is an expert on all three.”
If he’s elected, Augusto will strive for openness and increased communication.
“The clearest vision I have is more transparency,” he said. “I want to see more communications with the parents. I’d also like to see the board more accountable.”
Another top goal would be finding increased funding for the Bayonne schools, which he thinks is the biggest issue facing the district right now.
Augusto is married to Jacqueline and has two children, Christina, 26, and Rafael, 23.
Jack Butchko
Jack Butchko believes his multi-faceted careers of public relations work, governmental consulting, business management, and financial research qualify him to be on the board.
He’s done business consulting for private companies in the United States and abroad and advised members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
He touts his financial acumen. He was a specialist in small business matters while in government, including being assigned to the U.S. Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees.
Locally, he has been the coordinator of federal and state grants for Hudson County.
Butchko earned a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., and a Master’s in Public Administration from George Washington University. He has also studied at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Deb Peveler Segura
Deb Peveler Segura readily admits that she does not know education and business like others who serve or might serve on the board.
“But I do know I have what it takes to get in there and stand my ground,” she said.
A Bayonne native, she attended both public and parochial schools in the city, and believes this gives her grassroots knowledge of what works and what does not in education.
She has been active in the community, with interests in the arts and local politics. She is also the founder of Beautify Bayonne, the group which led the charge on two major cleanups in the city.
Peveler has lived in many neighborhoods in Bayonne.
“I’m known in the community as someone who is reliable, forthright, and trustworthy,” she said.
She hopes to bring board members together to move the city’s educational system forward.
Her motto is, “Equal education for everyone, not just the few.”
She and her husband Lou own a yoga studio in the Bergen Point section.
Pelver received her GED in 1970.
David Solari
David Solari has spent his entire life living in the district where he went to school. He thinks that knowledge of watching that district over the years would give him an edge were he to be elected to the Bayonne school board.
“With two adult children having thrived in the school district, I understand the challenges faced by parents, teachers, students and administrators,” he said.
He also said he could devote the necessary time to the job.
“The amount of work required to sit on the school district board means members must make the time commitment to serve the community,” Solari said. “As a retired professional, I have the time to attend every meeting, lead and participate in several district committees, and represent the public school district on a wide variety of local, state, and national education organizations.”
Solari said residents could expect an active listener, who would allow all parties to voice their opinions.
He points to roles in the Bayonne City Republican Club, the Bayonne Sicilian Club, and positions on numerous committees at Our Lady of Assumption Church as proof of his leadership abilities.
Solari is a Bayonne High School graduate.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at JoePass@hudsonreporter.com.