Let the election season begin!!

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Yesterday, I turned in my petition and officially started my campaign for this April’s school board election. As far as I know, mine was the first petition received. Many people will wait until the last minute to turn in their petitions, but I like to get my homework in early.

I’m running for the unexpired, one-year term, and I’m not going to run a traditional campaign—no signs, no flyers, no print ads, no walking door-to-door—that’s just so 20th century. :)

Additionally, I’m not going to accept any money or run on a ticket with anyone. I have no connections to any other candidates. It’s just me trying to do my best for the kids, voters, and community.

The plan is to get the word to voters via this blog. I want to present information that is relevant to education in this town. This is a serious subject. However, there is a lighter side to everything. And, I want us all to have a little fun as well. (As you can see from the below video post.)

This blog format will allow you to post comments. All comments will be moderated (not edited). The goal is to create a constructive conversation that moves the town forward with all topics related to the schools. I have three children in the system—two at Brackman and one at the high school. My personal experience with the schools has always been positive! I am very happy with the education in this town as well as the teachers and administration.

Of course, everything is not perfect; there is always room for improvement which is true of all things. That said, the first things that need improvement are the relationships between members of the Board, the Board as a whole and the superintendent, and the Board and the public. The tension we’ve all witnessed over that past two years is getting worse and worse. This tension leads to waste: waste from legal fees and waste from our administrators and board members having to focus on defending themselves as opposed to educating our children.

So what is the solution?

I think we need to get everyone on the same page—Board members, the administration, and the public. Compromise is the key. Everyone elected this April needs to be on a team. They need to promise to work together and to work to BRING everyone together. I do hereby make that pledge. My goal, if elected, will be to do my best to unite the Board, the administration, and the public.

You may ask, “Okay, that sounds great, but what is your plan?”

Well...I don’t have an exact plan just yet. Part of my draft-plan is to be open-minded and listen. However, I’m hoping you’re going to help me develop a more detailed plan by being active here on this blog. I invite you to ask any question you wish. And, I will do my best to answer.

Let’s start off by responding to the latest poll question about homework (located in the upper-left corner of the page).

Thanks again for visiting!

JUST FOR FUN--video from the past...

This video is the 1984, 108 pound, Region VI finals. It's the Channel 8 broadcast. It's the only video I have from my high school wrestling career and it came into my possession some 22 years later from John Fiorentino (122 pound Region VI Champion and Brackman VP).

I'm the last wrestler to get on the matt wearing blue from Howell. Enjoy!

More Background Information

Scott Bilker, author of the best-selling books, Credit Card and Debt Management, How to be more Credit Card and Debt Smart, and Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt, is the creator of DebtSmart.com.

He is an electrical engineer, with a B.S. from Newark College of Engineering, and a member of Tau Beta Pi (National Engineering Honor Society) as well as the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. Locally, he served for three years (2003-2006) as an elected Board of Education member in Barnegat, NJ.

Scott has spent the past 17+ years finding great credit deals and saving thousands of dollars for himself and others. His credit card advice has been featured in several magazines, newspapers, and online resources including Consumer Reports, Money Magazine (June & August), The Wall Street Journal (9/07, 3/07, 1/07, 1/07, 7/06 & 4/05), Newsweek, The Christian Science Monitor, SmartMoney.com, Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, Reader's Digest, CNN/Money, Kiplinger's Success With Your Money, BankRate.com, CBS Marketwatch, Woman's World, College Bound Teen, The Motley Fool, CBS News (The Early Show), Bottom Line Personal (April & May), Men's Health, DETAILS, Woman's Day, Family Circle, Ladies' Home Journal, Real Simple, Physician's Money Digest, Medical Economics, The San Francisco Chronicle, Glamour, Greensburg Tribune-Review, The Sun, and Valley Voice. Plus, his free DebtSmart^® Email Newsletter is continuously helping consumers find their best borrowing options.

Scott has also appeared on CNN's American Morning with Miles O'Brien & Soledad O'Brien, Today in NY with Roseanne Colletti, CNNfn's Your Money with Ali Velshi, NBC 10 News' Consumer Alert, CBS News, FOX News, NBC 6 News' Consumer Connection, ABC News 7 On Your Side, PBS's Take Note with Patty Satalia, WB 17's Community Close-Up (WPHL-TV Philadelphia) with Dorie Lenz, the Extra Help Channel's In the Money with J. J. Burns (C.F.P.), and CN8's Family Talk with Mary Amoroso.

Plus, he's been interviewed on more than 1,000 radio stations (coast-to-coast, in Canada, and the UK) including National Public Radio's (NPR) Morning Edition with Steve Inskeep, WSJ Radio, The Wall Street Journal This Morning with Michael Wallace, WFAN (NY) with Bob Salter, KFMB (San Diego) with Jeff & Jer, and Talk America Network's It's Your Money with Dr. William Bailey.