Board strives to move polls out of schools
Officials say students' safety at risk during all elections
BY JENNIFER BOOTON Staff Writer
The Sayreville Board of Education is continuing in its quest to have voting booths removed from their five elementary schools due to a concern for student safety.

However, another Election Day has passed without the necessary approvals to relocate the polls.

The board began pursuing the initiative about three years ago, and school officials recently met with the Middlesex County Board of Elections and Board of Chosen Freeholders to push for the idea of moving the voting booths to other public facilities in the borough. The booths have long been located at the Arleth, Upper, Eisenhower, Truman and Wilson elementary schools.

"We go to great lengths to try to keep strangers out of the building. When I look at a stranger, I assume there's a risk involved," said Eisenhower Elementary School Principal William Skowronski. "Every day, people have to be buzzed into the building, but on Election Day we let hundreds of people come into the schools."

Phyllis Batko, a school board member and one of the leaders in this initiative, said the borough's elementary schools have their doors locked every day except during elections, when anyone can enter the building to visit the polls.

"It just doesn't fit with protecting children," Skowronski said. "Do we have to wait until there is an issue or can we be a little proactive?"

Another issue with the polls being located in the schools is parking because several of the schools are located on the same road, Washington Road, and limited parking spaces create overcrowded lots.

"There is a big parking issue. There's inadequate parking for the staff, let alone for people coming to vote. If you come to vote and there's nowhere to park your car, then that's a problem," said Board of Education President Michael Macagnone. "But I think by [relocating] the polls we're going to make it easier to vote. We're trying to make the voting locations more voter friendly."

In order to relocate the polls, the county Board of Elections must approve the plan.

But although the school board has pleaded its case to the elections board, it has been unable to receive approval.

"Right now it is up to the election board, but they seem to be reluctant to do it," said Macagnone. "We are waiting right now [for the Board of Elections] and if they say no I want intelligent reasons why, and I've yet to receive those."

School board members have since met with members of the freeholders board to try to gain leverage in convincing the Board of Elections to approve the plan.

"At this point now, we just completed our second visit to the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders," said Macagnone. "We're trying to ask for their help to prodding the election board."

The school board members went to a freeholders meeting last April, and returned with all the Sayreville elementary school principals and several parents for the freeholders' Oct. 15 meeting.

"We're sort of removed from [the issue] at the school board, so it was good to have the parents and principals speak up," Batko said. The school board also delivered a petition with 1,000 signatures from parents of elementary school-age children in the borough who want the polls relocated, according to Macagnone.

"We're responding to the citizenry and their complaints," he said.

The Board of Elections suggested the borough close schools on Election Day so that child safety is not a concern, according to Macagnone. "My response to that was the Board of Education is not in the business of closing schools," he said.

The schools are already closed for five days in November due to Veterans Day, teacher's conventions and Thanksgiving.

Since the polls are located in borough schools, Macagnone said he thinks moving them should be a municipal decision.

"It's our town, it's our schools and we want to relocate the polls and that's been our argument," he said. "We believe that it's our municipality and we should be able to move the polls."

The school board has also approached the Borough Council in an attempt to receive support on the local level.

"We're asking the Borough Council to create a resolution that they support the Board of Education, which they do. I just think the more people that come on line gives us a little more pull," said Macagnone.

School board members have worked with Municipal Clerk Theresa Farbaniec to locate alternate public facilities in Sayreville to house the voting booths.

"We identified some alternate locations that comply with state statutes, but all we need to do is have the election board [approve] that, and as soon as it does we will work with our municipal clerk to make [it] happen," Macagnone said.

Some alternate locations include the Sayreville Recreation Center, first aid squad building and firehouses.

"There are other locations in Sayreville that are suitable to move the polls and have ample parking," said Batko.

But Farbaniec expressed concerns at the Nov. 2 council meeting that changing the locations could be detrimental to voters, and that parking issues will persist no matter where the polls are located.

"As I looked at the alternatives it just didn't make any sense," Farbaniec said.

She said there have never been safety issues in the schools on Election Day, and borough security is sufficient.

"We have a police officer at each polling place that has been well trained," Farbaniec said. The school board is hoping to have its proposal approved by the Board of Elections as soon as possible. Macagnone said the ideal target goal would be for the spring school elections, or definitely by the general election next year.

"We've had encouraging statements by the freeholders, and I am confident some of the schools will be changed, but I hope all the schools will be changed," Macagnone said. Freeholder Millie Scott, liaison to the Board of Elections, and County Administrator John Pulomena could not be reached for comment.

Freeholder Director Stephen "Pete" Dalina said he was unaware of the initiative to remove polls from the Sayreville elementary schools.

"The freeholders have not said they were against it; however, the Board of Elections is the voting body and they are autonomous," Batko said. "Freeholder Millie Scott asked us to send her other suggestions to where we think the polls can be moved. We are sending them off to Mayor O'Brien and the freeholders, then we'll see if we get a response."