Haddonfield Voters Deliver Split Decision in School Board Election

Probably no issues divided Haddonfield more than the failed school board effort to buy the nearly 19-acre Bancroft property earlier this year and the successful effort to install two artificial turf fields at the borough high school.

Yet, the two top vote-getters Tuesday in a race for three seats on the nine-member Board of Education were an opponent of the Bancroft and turf issue and a supporter.

Mary Fagan(1,642) tallied the most votes among six candidates on the ballot Tuesday, followed by David Siedell(1,490), Carlton Chin(1,107) and Amy Keys Shaw(1,088) in unofficial results. Fagan opposed Bancroft and turf; Siedell was a supporter of both. Chin did not say if he supported either initiative and Shaw was against both.

A cross section of borough voters had strong feelings about Chris Christie's successful gubernatorial reelection bid, but most who stopped to speak with a reporter Tuesday said they hadn't put a lot of time into figuring out the school board election.

Many said lawn signs helped to make up their minds, mostly for Siedell.

Kim Haines, 26, a teacher in Haddon Heights, said her mother suggested voting for Siedell, Fagan and Chin. She said she intended to do so.

Both Fagan and Siedell said they feel the election was a validation of their views on public education.

"My message resonated with voters," Fagan said Tuesday. "They recognized what I've already done with the Haddonfield school district and saw the value of what I could continue to add."

Siedell said the biggest part of his platform was rebuilding trust among people.

"There's still that rift in town between those who thought it was a good idea and those who think it's not a good idea," Siedell said about Bancroft. "People are distrustful right now. The board is a great mix of people."