“Again, I ask: What is the power of a board? It is to ensure that the actions of bad actors do not stymie the progress of our school district. This also underscores the immense power of a school board: while we can support growth, we also have the potential to thwart progress. That is a sobering reality and a responsibility we must never take lightly.”  

Cripe thanked voters who “entrusted me with this role…I never in a million years thought a kid from Daytona Beach would have been doing things here in Maplewood, but you gave me a chance, and I appreciate the support, the criticism, the calls to to do the right thing, the challenges that have come with being in this role.”

“Public service is rewarding, and I strongly recommend it to everyone in our two towns. We can only improve when we all work together, especially for our children. I wish the best to the students, teachers, administrators, and the incoming and continuing board members. Parents, stay involved.”

“Someone once told me that serving on the Board of Education is about passing the baton—you work hard to keep the District moving forward and to leave it better than when you started. I believe we have done just that. The District is on an upward trajectory, and I am optimistic about the progress still to come.”

From Anne Krohley: Anne Krohley, longtime Director of Maplewood’s iconic New Jersey Dance Center,…

“We didn’t realize the impact that we apparently had here,” said David Germaine, who has operated the business for the last 50 years with his wife Ginny. “The best part of the business is the people. It makes it hard to leave.”

TC member Vic DeLuca said the utility would enable the town to help prevent flooding, fix/add infrastructure, and incentivize residents to reduce impervious surfaces. Some public commenters questioned whether a new utility was the most effective way to deal with challenges.

“The victim was able to make positive identification,” police reported. “Officers then arrested the suspect, later determining the handgun was a fake.”

A staff member said the restaurant is closing before the end of the year; a manager would not confirm.

“Yippee-Kai-Yay” aside, it was otherwise a cozy, traditional Holiday Open House featuring gingerbread, hot cider, harp music, Victorian Santa — and the history of Woolley Fuel.