MONROE — Come January, three newcomers will join the nine-member Board of Education in Monroe.
Anand “Andy” Paluri recorded the most votes with 6,764, Rupa Siegel received 6,316 votes and Peter Tufano registered 5,664 for the three, three-year seats that were open during the election on Nov. 6.
Former board member Louis Masters, who was seeking a second term on the board, collected 4,610 votes; incumbent Marvin Braverman, who was seeking his seventh term on the board, recorded 4,462 votes; newcomer Richard Gibbons received 4,324 votes; and newcomer Krishna Tekale gained 4,128 votes in their losing bids for a board seat.
Board member Frank Russo did not seek re-election.
During the election campaign, Paluri said he was running because “a voice of reason is needed on the board to bring both sides together to improve communication, coordination and collaboration.”
“I am committed to working towards educational excellence while being fiscally responsible,” he said.
Paluri said he would like to focus on bringing additional funding to the district.
“I have established relationships with elected officials that I can leverage, as I have already done in 2018,” he said. “I will also work as a liaison between the planning board and [school board] to better plan for future needs.”
Siegel said she is excited for the opportunity to serve as a board member.
“I would like to thank everyone for their support throughout the campaign,” she said. “I look forward to working with my fellow Board of Education members on dealing with the overcrowding issues in our schools, and finding a superintendent who will lead us towards academic excellence. As there are many initiatives that we need to accomplish, we have to remain focused on achieving them while remaining focused on receiving the highest rate of return on our investments.”
Tufano, during the campaign, said he ran for a board seat because he does not want the board to fall victim to local politics.
“I am a homeowner and of course a taxpayer,” he said. “I love living in my town and I want the board to be more fiscally responsible. I am afraid it is becoming impossible for some to keep up with their tax bill.”
