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Neal Goldstein, a 20-year Roseland resident with two sons who attend West Essex High School, is running for a seat on the West Essex Board of Education. 

Professionally, Goldstein is the chief technology officer at a financial company. Throughout his career, he has held various senior leadership roles in technology and financial services. In some of these positions, he has managed more than 150 engineers and governed budgets in excess of $100 million. 

Goldstein previously served on the Lester C. Noecker Board of
Education for eight years, from 2010 to 2018, much of that time as the Vice President. At the request of the board, he stayed involved for an extra year to assist with teacher negotiations and tax issues. 

During Goldstein’s time on the Roseland board, the town saw a spike in student enrollment, which was handled with minimal disruption to the school. Under his tenure, the board actively worked to steadily increase academic success as it introduced state-of-the-art technology and STEM programs into Roseland’s ‘gem on the hill’. 

Further, the Board implemented necessary security measures to ensure the children were safe at Noecker. 

As a Board member, one of Goldstein’s defining characteristics was to always make himself accessible to constituents and worked towards harmony and consensus amongst members.  Roseland has been very lucky to be a part of a regional school system as consistently highly rated as West Essex. Working with the great teachers and administrators in place today, if elected Goldstein would increase communication with the community, strengthen the financial position of school, and ensure it continues to produce successful young adults who make an impact in our community. 

Goldstein has loved raising his family in Roseland. His beautiful wife Caroline grew up in Roseland, and they chose to raise their two sons, Sam (age 16) and Max (age 14), in this great town.

Community can be defined in many ways. When presented with the opportunity to help set up a school and orphanage for those affected by the genocide in Rwanda, Goldstein jumped in. Seeing that the school has become a leader in education in Africa gives him great satisfaction.

Goldstein’s commitment to the Roseland community has always been a point of pride. He actively coached more than 15 sports teams over the last 20 years, and these have been some of the happiest moments of his life.

Goldstein is invested in the success of our school system for all of the children in our community. Having two children currently in the West Essex schools will give him a unique and critical perspective as a school board member. His accomplishments on the Roseland school board, decades of professional experience in finance and technology, and his desire to dedicate his time to improving our schools will make Goldstein a great addition to the West Essex school board.

Caldwell Councilman Jonathan Lace 
Nov. 4, 2019
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Local government is the most direct link to the democratic process which maintains our Republic. Every candidate who runs for Borough Council or any other elected office does so because they want the best for their community, regardless of policy differences or political affiliation.

I am happy to endorse Jeff Gates and Fran DePalma-Iozzi for the 2019 General Election for Caldwell Borough Council for the following reasons:

• Jeff and Fran have run on a platform of three big ideas:
  • better accountability
  • better infrastructure
  • better care for the environment in Caldwell
    
    
• They have offered specific policy pledges for each of these three areas.
  
  
• They have walked in each of Caldwell’s 7 districts to listen to the concerns of residents and share their platform.
  
  
• They have demonstrated a commitment to local business by holding all of their campaign events in the Downtown, including 3 Coffee with the Candidates events in which any resident could meet them and ask questions about what they plan do if elected. At the most recent candidates forum, they answered every question posed by the moderator with informed responses and humble awareness of their limitations.
  
  

These are the kinds of policy-centric qualities that Caldwell needs in any potential Council member.

However, there is also another quality that is on the ballot on Tuesday, November 5th: civility. Jeff and Fran pledges at the beginning of their campaign to conduct it with civility. They have kept that pledge:

• They have not made personal insults against any resident. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of their opponents. Capozzoli and Penna have repeatedly made false claims about the public record without retracting them when presented with publicly available evidence to the contrary. They have also insulted Jeff, Fran, and approximately 1,800 of Caldwell’s residents. 
  
  
• In particular, Ms. Penna has even used religious slander against her own neighbors. Jeff and Fran have not resorted to such behavior because they understand that politics should only ever be about policy. There is never a place for personal attacks against anyone because of their party affiliation, nor should faith be used to insult others.
  
  

In the coming year, the Borough Council will have many important decisions to make that will affect the life of every resident. Caldwell needs members on the dais who are committed to fact-based policy making, from parking to plastics.

Finally, at a time when national trends are eroding the norms of civility, Caldwell needs members who have the civil temperament to advocate for all of our residents. For these reasons, I urge you to vote on Tuesday, November 5th for Jeff Gates and Fran DePalma-Iozzi for Caldwell Borough Council.

​Councilman Jonathan Lace

North Caldwell Council President Cynthia Santomauro
North Caldwell Councilman John F. Chiaia
North Caldwell Councilman Francis X. Astorino
North Caldwell Councilman Robert Kessler

Nov 3, 2019  

As members of the North Caldwell Council, we urge North Caldwell residents to vote for Art Rees and Ken Tilton. They respect the opinions of others, even when those opinions differ from theirs which is a hallmark of a good leader.

They listen to the concerns of our residents and are compassionate, approachable and humble. Art and Ken bring their vision, experience and proven dedication to our town and will build a consensus with others. These are the types of leaders North Caldwell needs both now and in the future.

​We ask that you give Art and Ken the opportunity to continue to serve North Caldwell and give them your vote on November 5th for the North Caldwell Council.

Thank you, 
Council President Cynthia Santomauro
Councilman John F. Chiaia
Councilman Francis X. Astorino
Councilman Robert Kessler

Stephanie Fein
Nov. 3, 2019
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My Life Partner, the late Peter Hollander and I moved into North Caldwell 26 years ago because it was an ideal community in which to live. Nothing has really changed that opinion, and in fact we began the North Caldwell Police Foundation six years ago with a select group of trusted Board Members.

Among that small group was Kenneth Tilton, who I have come to know well over the years, and who I highly recommend for people to elect on November 5th to our Borough Council. Ken is a highly energetic man of deep principles, whose primary interests are in the betterment of the community without losing its sense of togetherness. He has comfortable leadership skills and abilities that are geared to inclusiveness.

I totally trust his capable guidance to help us reach the borough goals we currently have set forth, as well as those that will be presented in the future.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Fein

“Dreams Do Come True”

Mindy Opper 
Nov. 3, 2019

I am writing to support Jann Skelton and Jill Marcus in the upcoming election for two seats on the West Essex Board of Education (WEBOE). I am writing as an individual, not as a member or on behalf of the North Caldwell Board of Education (NCBOE) and I have known both candidates personally, and have worked with Jann Skelton on the NCBOE for three years.

In addition to my personal experience on the NCBOE, over the last several months I have attended many West Essex Board of Education (WEBOE) meetings and familiarized myself with the concerns of numerous parents. Like many in North Caldwell, we moved to town because of the strength of the schools. I want to continue that positive trajectory.
 
Jann challenged the NCBOE to think strategically, 10 years into the future, and this has been instrumental in our conversations around future development. A challenge for the WEBOE has been transparency and the engagement of parents as stakeholders.  

Information is power, and while there are proper limitations on what a Board of Education can share with the public, there is a great deal that can be shared. Jann was responsible for engaging the community in a meaningful way. Many decisions were altered and improved because of community feedback. Jann is poised to add immediate value to the WEBOE.
 
I have observed Jill Marcus as a member of our community since she moved here. She is vested in our West Essex schools until 2030, when her youngest will graduate high school. While I do not think it is a prerequisite to have a child currently in district to be a contributing Board of Education member, I do believe it is a valuable perspective. Jill’s background in the private and nonprofit sectors, along with her collaborative nature, make her a good fit as a new member. I am impressed with her willingness to take a risk, jump in this race, research the issues, and how much she values education for our children. Jill will bring all this, and more, to her role on the Board of Education.
 
There is great pride in our community for the West Essex schools, and there is so much to be proud of. Identifying opportunities for improvement and growth does not diminish that pride. There has been fear and some negativity around a contested election for these positions. We should not fear change. Healthy competition forces us to do better. We should not fear high standards. We should not fear people in our community passionate about working in our best interests. We should fear a failure to strategically plan for the future of our schools.
 
Even if you think this election does not affect you because you do not have children in West Essex schools, these decisions do affect your property values. Directly. When I moved to North Caldwell 10 years ago, West Essex was in the top 10% of New Jersey schools. The most recent lists show that it has dropped to the top 35%. Both school decline and progress can take years. Let’s get ahead of the curve. I firmly believe both Jann Skelton and Jill Marcus will help us get there. So get out and vote on November 5th and tell 3 friends too!
 
Mindy Opper
Brentwood Drive in North Caldwell

Robert Projansky
Oct. 30, 2019​​

Open Letter to North Caldwell Residents:

I respectfully ask for your vote to re-elect me to my fourth term as a member of the North Caldwell Board of Education. While I am running unopposed, I think it is important to share my views with you, given the challenges we are facing in our Borough and the West Essex region generally.

For the almost 10 years I have served on the NCBOE (much of it as President) we have focused singularly on student achievement, budgeted responsibly, engaged in deliberative long-term planning and placed a priority on transparency and community engagement.

As a Board, we have been proactive, rather than reactive. We recognized years ago the challenges that would be created by the construction boom that was on the horizon. As a result, we engaged in an iterative long-term planning process that allowed us to prioritize spending of our limited resources. Before any Pulte shovel was put in the ground and well before the sale of
Greenbrook, we had already conducted demographic studies and prepared designs for a possible expansion of both Grandview and Gould if it became necessary. In light of developments at
Greenbrook, we have updated those studies and continued to plan for contingencies.

Recognizing the importance of community buy-in, we have made sure to keep the public informed of these developments. Transparency begins with our bi-weekly newsletter telling you
what is happening both at the Board and in the classrooms. Every one of those newsletters provides the date of our next meeting and where to find our agenda. Moreover, we have already
conducted multiple surveys and held special, well-attended public hearings to share our views and get community feedback.

What you have seen over the last several years is what you can expect from me. I owe it to you – not to mention my own eight children, five of whom are in kindergarten or below – to ensure
that our Board remains proactive and prudent in our future planning and that we are transparent and communicative in our decision making.

Despite what we have achieved, there is no doubt that we still have a number of challenges as a District and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to work with my incredible colleagues
on the Board and the top-notch administration, teachers and staff to face those challenges in the open and careful manner that this community deserves.

Whether this matters to you because it impacts your children, your grandchildren or even your property value, you can remain confident that North Caldwell schools will continue to serve as a
model for student achievement, with a focus on making every student, regardless of level, reach his or her potential.

Once again, thank you for your confidence in me over these years and I would be honored to receive your vote on November 5.

Robert Projansky

I write this in my personal capacity and not as a member, or on behalf, of the North Caldwell Board of Education.

Pete Levine
Oct. 17, 2019

Fellow West Essex Residents:

I am writing to share my support for Neal Goldstein who is running in the upcoming West Essex School Board Election.

Having sons growing up in town together I have gotten the chance to know Neal over the 20 years we have both lived in Roseland.  Whether it was through Soccer and Baseball where we coached together, Cub Scouts, or just around town he is always upbeat and a pleasure to be around.

Neal served 7 years on the Roseland BOE, as VP of the board for three years and being asked to stay on for an additional year based on his financial acumen and negotiating skills.  Combine this with his experience as an executive in the IT Field and you’ve got yourself a proven leader ready to step in and be productive for the West Essex BOE on the first day.

Please join me in supporting Neal as I wholeheartedly believe his presence and steady hand will be helpful in keeping our school district strong for the benefit of all, including, students and families as well as all residents of West Essex who realize how important our excellent schools are to keeping our property values strong.

VOTE NEAL GOLDSTEIN FOR WEST ESSEX BOE!

Sincerely,
Pete Levine
Hillside Avenue, Roseland