BLOOMFIELD, NJ — For the Bloomfield Board of Education election on Nov. 8, the “Together Is Better” slate won a decisive victory. Incumbents Jill Fischman and Benjamin Morse, along with challenger Phyllis Gerber, won the three open seats. BOE member Daniel Anderson did not seek reelection.
County Clerk Christopher Durkin certified the election on Nov. 17; all Essex County results listed came from the clerk’s website on Nov. 17.
With all Bloomfield districts reporting in, Fischman had received 5,762 votes, or 24.39 percent; Morse had received 5,346 votes, or 22.63 percent; and Gerber had received 5,256 votes, or 22.25 percent. The “Strong for Kids” team of Josefina Rosario-Simone and Joshua Trojak did not fare as well, with Rosario-Simone garnering 4,386 votes, or 18.57 percent, and Trojak garnering 2,872 votes, or 12.16 percent.
“I’d like to say thank you to those who voted to reelect me,” Morse told The Independent Press. “It’s humbling and motivating to have people put their trust in me to help oversee such an incredible school district such as ours. I will not let you down. For those who did not vote for me, I hope you keep an open mind and let me earn your trust and vote next time.”
Fischman and Gerber did not respond to requests for comment by press time, but Morse said that, in his new term, he is most looking forward to “developing strategies to improve student achievement.”
“We have a lot of things cooking in the elementary, middle and high schools, and, after the first two and half months of school, we’ve been able to get a good gauge of where the students are and now we take that knowledge to the budget committee and seek to address any shortfalls and lay the groundwork for more programs,” Morse said.
In the Bloomfield mayoral election, incumbent Mayor Michael Venezia ran unopposed. He received 9,787 votes. In the township council election, the three incumbents also ran unopposed. Wartyna Davis received 9,182 votes, Ted Gamble received 8,957 votes and Richard Rockwell received 8,878 votes.
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