Make your choice. Vote with ALL the Facts

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Our opponent has a rocky relationship with the truth and providing you facts for informed choices.  This page is here to help you make your vote an informed one so you can make the only choice we think is the right one...a vote for Jason, Sean, and Carole for BoE to Keep East Strong!

The following statements are made in our capacity as private citizens and not in the capacity as board members. These statements are also not representative of the board or its individual members.

Joan's Claim: 50% of your property taxes go to fund the East Amwell Township School.

The Facts: This is comparable to other communities across Hunterdon County. According to the https://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/12460/2025-Tax-Rate-breakdown-PDF, East Amwell is in line with other districts.

What Joan may not fully recognize is that our school provides exceptional value for every tax dollar, being recently ranked as the third-best school in Hunterdon County. (2025, June 13). Hunterdon County’s top performing schools, updated for 2025. See the full list. Retrieved from https://www.nj.com/archives/hunterdon/2025/june/1/.

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Joan's Claim: The school’s annual budget of $11,500,000 is three times the township’s budget.

The Facts: Comparing the school and township budgets doesn’t paint an accurate picture. Our school supports around 395 students with a team of about 85 dedicated staff members, while the township operates with just seven full-time and ten part-time employees. The school’s responsibilities are much broader—educating hundreds of children, maintaining facilities, and meeting strict state requirements. The district’s budget reflects a thoughtful investment in providing a safe, high-quality education for our kids.

Joan’s concerns may reflect a misunderstanding of how education is funded in our county. Interestingly, during her tenure as Board President in 1993, the district’s budget increased by 4%, a full percentage point higher than the most recent board’s 3% increase. That same year, the superintendent also resigned, and the district was held financially responsible for the remainder of the superintendent’s contract. These decisions raise questions about Joan’s track record as Board president and a steward of taxpayer funds.

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Joan's Claim: The school has 377 students (2024), but the principal, superintendent, and administrators received compensation of $658,139.

The Facts: The numbers Joan referenced regarding student enrollment are from the 2023-2024 school year, and although they were accurate at the time, they are no longer current. Enrollment remains between 390 and 400 students per month. 

Regarding the administrative salary figures Joan mentioned, we haven’t been able to verify the source she used. In fact, the district’s reported numbers are around $80,000 lower than what she claimed. Additionally, administrative costs have decreased since the 2023–2024 school year, even as student enrollment has gone up.

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Joan's Claim: The school has one teacher for every nine (9) students, and the Board wants to hire more teachers.

The Facts: The Board is not currently hiring more teachers and this ratio is similar to other districts in our county, for example:

·  Delaware Township: 8 students to 1 teacher

·  Readington: 9 students to 1 teacher

·  East Amwell: 9 students to 1 teacher

·  Flemington/Raritan: 10 students to 1 teacher

This ratio is also misleading, as it is not representative of class size but instead a comparison of the total number of teaching staff to students. Averages for class sizes at East Amwell are:

·  Kindergarten to 5th Grade: Average class size 17.7 students

·  6th to 8th Grade: Average class size 12.5 students

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Joan's Claim: The school has over $4,200,000 in cash reserves, and the Board continues to stockpile cash to avoid resident approval for capital projects.

The Facts: This is incorrect. Our Capital Reserve is approximately $2.5 million, not $4.2 million, and it’s there to fund critical repairs and to qualify for state ROD grants, which save taxpayers thousands. Our Maintenance Reserve is approximately $400,000, which is used for ongoing maintenance and repair expenses. These reserves are not a “stockpile”; they’re needed to make repairs. Joan’s claims show a misunderstanding of school finance and a willingness to mislead the public.

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Joan's Claim: A majority of the Board, including Jason Nelson and Carol McGee, voted against televising the Board’s meetings.

The Facts: This is another distortion by Joan. The Board voted to record meetings via audio, which increases communication without wasting your tax dollars. Televising meetings would cost more, and ironically, further discourage participation in actual live meetings. Our Citizen Advisory Committee is actively exploring ways to enhance community engagement. Joan’s claim ignores the facts and the Board’s ongoing commitment to openness.  

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Joan's Claim: The New Jersey School Ethics Commission found that a current Board member violated ethics rules by voting on matters involving family members. Jason Nelson appointed this ethics violator as Chairman of the Finance Committee.

The Facts: This statement is inaccurate. No findings have been decided on by the New Jersey School Ethics Commission (see recent decisions) to date. Furthermore, after learning that a complaint had been submitted, the board member in question voluntarily stepped down from the committee. Jason Nelson subsequently reorganized the committee.

It’s worth noting that, according to the School Ethics Commission’s FAQ, ethics complaints are kept confidential until a decision is rendered. This raises a legitimate question: how did Joan become aware that a complaint had been filed at all unless she was directly involved? This could suggest an attempt by Joan to negatively influence voters.

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Joan's Claim: Board members believe residents without children in the school should have no say.

The Facts: This is a flat-out lie. Four of our nine current Board members don’t have children in the district. Carole McGee, who's running with us, doesn’t have kids in the district anymore, since her children have already graduated. Our Citizen Advisory Committee also includes residents without school-aged children. Joan’s claim is false and ignores the contributions of community members who contribute to our school’s success.

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Joan's Claim: There are at least 25 students who do not live in East Amwell, whom we pay for.

The Facts: Joan clearly doesn’t understand the New Jersey School Choice Program. These students bring in additional state funding, which helps reduce the tax burden for East Amwell residents. Her claim is not only wrong, but it also risks a program that benefits our community financially and educationally.