The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Dear Fellow Franklin Township Residents:
I would like to address the misinformation that has been posted and spread about me.
My opponents and their community supporters have been spewing slanderous and false allegations about me, I promise you that none of what they are saying is true. I do not feel the need to retaliate against them in such a manner because I am a woman of integrity and my word and my actions are my bond. Please examine the facts and the motives of those who feel the need to campaign in such a way. I ask you, are they really the type of example we want for our children or leadership for our board and most importantly our district?
There is no fiscal responsibility demonstrated by the Superintendent or the three individual board members (Rob Trautmann, Richard Seaman, and Delvin Burton) in question when an excess of $30,000 as reported at the last board meeting has already been expended on ethics complaints filed by them with additional complaints, according to them, pending. Keep in mind that each complaint filed has a $5,000 deductible that the district must pay. It was also reported that in addition, any additional cost above the district’s $100,000 limit as per our insurance policy must be borne by the district. The attorney fees are mounting, and we’re told more charges are pending? Such actions are irresponsible.
Please keep in mind, there have been no formal ethics charges determined by the ethics commission and these complaints may be dismissed or dropped because they have no merit to them. These complaints are provoked by anger resulting in retaliation and bullying and are politically motivated.
What the Superintendent and the three board members in question are doing to me and several other board members is part and parcel and gives validation to the complaints that have come to the attention of the board by parents, community and staff members for years. Using our district budget dollars in such an irresponsible way has already impacted our students and staff and wasted taxpayer dollars. It is critical that our district and community take a good look at what is really going on.
Effective and Solution-Driven Leadership is imperative to move our school district forward. I have certainly strongly supported all of the programs and initiatives that will improve student achievement for ALL students. It is the responsibility and obligation of the board to ensure our leaders are accountable, relational, team-building leaders. It is equally critical to ensure that methods and strategies mandated by the State of New Jersey are effectively planned, go through the required approval process, and are implemented according to state and federal laws as well as board policies and regulations. Cutting corners creates confusion, misinformation, mistrust, poor implementation and disregard for law and policy. This hurts the district and our students.
Voting for my three opponents will only support more of the same as stated above, and the district remaining status quo ignoring the concerns raised by parents, community and staff over numerous years.
I may be last on the ballot but I have been and will always be FIRST FOR CHILDREN!
I ask you to stand with me on Solution Driven Leadership: “Putting Our Children First”
VOTE TO RE-ELECT DR. JULIA M. PRESLEY TO THE FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP BOARD OF EDUCATION ON NOVEMBER 5th.
Ready, Willing and Able to Serve.
