Subject: BOE meeting: Here is my opinion..Mr. Goldberg admitted (and it should be in the minutes) to calling Mr. Carl and giving him some"options" on how this tie could be handled. I believe at the BOE meeting he recited ,"Flip a coin, cut a deck of cards, CONCEDE to the other oponent, or put the township through a long and costly run-off". I don't believe the first two options are even legal in a regulated school board election, and I am disheartened that these options, if not legal are being offered by our most educated leader. I did not hear a legal opinion from the solicitor...but then he missed half of the meeting anyway.A flip invalidates my vote. And giving the option to concede to a first time candidate can be VERY intimidating from someone supposedly knowledgable in school board elections and in a power position such as our superintendant. Although in my heart of hearts I don't truly believe Mr. Goldbergs options to this first time candidate where intended to intimidate him into conceding, the end result,(after speaking to Mr. carl) was just that. As to the political nature of our current board, it has never been more political. Our now defuncto school board president Ms. Hunt has been to many township meetings, representing herself as Mullicas savior as to certain political issues. A resolution to the township committee on the number of house built in Mullica was just voted on By our BOE. She is the head of a very political group, who has been used in the past to get certain family members elected to political positions. Just this year we see 2 committepersons wives running for schoolboard. The BOE was never po;itical when Para was in charge. The post Para board is a Hunt handpicked militia, with the exception of kelly , watson and wild, and I think that Carl would balance out this bunch. And I read the letter/ email that Hunt circulated the day after the BOE meeting. Seemed like a desperate attempt from a very scared woman. Flip a coin...where did my right to vote go. I do understand she has a better chance (50/50) with a flip, but don't turn your desperation into a negative spin on your oponent. Your email shows your weakness. Let the people decide. jp

RESPONSE: HUH? Let's be clear here ... this incident all occurred at the end of the meeting ... and the Board solicitor was there for all of the discussion regarding this matter. He in no way contradicted the options offered by Superintendent Goldberg. No one knows what exactly was said in the phone conversation between Carl and Goldberg...except the two of them. However, Carl claims to have taped it. Play the tape at the next meeting and make it a part of the official record and we can end this ... he said, no, he said dispute.

My understanding of what was said by Carl was that he was asked, and felt pressured to concede by Goldberg. You tell us that he has admitted to you that as a first time candidate he felt there was an effort 'intended to intimidate him into conceding.' I cannot question how Carl felt...but it strains credulity to represent that the effort by Superintendent Goldberg was more than a seeking of a quick resolution to the tie..it was at worst a push for a coin flip, or the drawing of cards to see who would concede. Even you seem to acknowledge that as a first time candidate Carl was so insecure he may have misinterpreted what was happening.

As to the question of the legality of a coin flip, or drawing of cards by the two tied candidates as a possible way of resolving the matter...what was said was that it had been done in the past...but needed to be a private decision. Your 'spin' here that this was not legal...when it clearly is NOT illegal; betrays your prejudices in this matter. The issue of the cost of a 'Special Election' is a valid one and the exploration of 'options' by the school administration, too, is valid.

As to the 'political' nature of the school board...your observation that the present Board has 'never been more political' ... is obviously, too sweeping to stand any kind of close examination. However, I would tend to agree that under the previous Board President (Para) one might argue the Board was less political...but that was because there was no viable alternative to the Mullica Republican Party in town. As wisely noted, to me, at the last Board meeting after all this commotion ... by an intimate of the Carl support group, 'everything is political.'

In that context of everything being political and your raising the issue of the Resolution regarding a study of the impact of developers coming into Mullica and building more than 10 houses and how that would impact the school...how a fair minded person could argue that was an imprudent move seems strange to me. What it seems to reveal is that Ms. Hunt is a strong advocate of maintaining the rural character of Mullica and Mr. Carl an advocate of development. That does not make either individual bad, or corrupt ... it merely is a philosophic difference in perspective of what is good for OUR town. For you to raise this as some kind of political conspiracy is disingenuous and a disservice to the community in my opinion.

Respectfully, the contest to be a member of THE CORRUPT MULLICA 5 AKA IDIOTS R US was won and lost on the issue of more, or less development in Mullica ... keeping the community rural, or re-zoning for dense housing development. It is no secret that Carl supported the dense housing re-zoning and Hunt opposed it. If that is the argument you wish to posit in your support of Carl over Hunt -- should there be a Special Election ... may I suggest it plays better for Hunt than Carl...but that is just my opinion.

I feel badly, that Carl felt intimidated by this process...but don't think less of him as a result of that fact. I suspect that for many residents of Mullica the cost factor in supporting our school is important...and how those limited tax dollars can best be spent is a real consideration. To many...the cost of a Special Election as opposed to resolving the matter with a flip of a coin may make sense. I would respectfully posit that the larger community well being would best be served ... by flipping a coin...that would save scarce tax dollars and would save the community what is sure to be an ugly political contest...and would speak volumes to the sanity and maturity of Mr. Carl ... who seems in his apparent insecurity...is being played by members of the pro-development Republican establishment. Note, the pro-development, or keep Mullica rural debate will NOT be resolved by the Mullica School Board...rather, those decisions rest with the Township governing body.