Community Corner

Lenhard, Morgan Mum on School Board Candidacy

Two seats are up in April on the Ridgewood Board of Education.

Two seats on the five-person Ridgewood school board will soon be up for grabs, but incumbents Jim Morgan and Michele Lenhard won't yet say if they'll be courting voters in April.

Asked Monday night about his candidacy, Morgan said he was "still thinking" about running. The retired business executive ousted long-time trustee Bob Hutton last April, pledging to bring a new perspective to the board during his one-year term.

A proponent of "zero based budgeting," he has expressed disappointment in recent months that a majority of his colleagues declined to set a zero percent tax increase as a board goal.

Find out what's happening in Ridgewood-Glen Rockwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Lenhard, on the board since 2008 and a former board president, said a month remained before the filing deadline. She would not discuss whether she would run for another term. Along with board president Sheila Brogan, Lenhard negotiated the new teacher contract with the teachers' union.

It's unclear how many citizens might take on the pair should they run. The appointment for ex-member Charlie Reilly's seat in fall of 2011 generated interest from six citizens. But the April election drew only four candidates for two seats. The prior April election brought three candidates for two seats.

Find out what's happening in Ridgewood-Glen Rockwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The seats of Lenhard and Morgan are three year terms, expiring in 2016. Candidate filing forms must be submitted by 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 25.


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