INCUMBENT COMMISSIONER ATTENDED ONLY ONE MEETING AS LIAISON TO THE VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL SCHOOLS BOARD

The Democrat incumbents have made claims that the county’s “investment” in the Somerset County Vocational and Technical School is an accomplishment. Indeed their chair pointed to the new cafeteria proves that Democrats know how to govern. The claim itself is curious, especially when one looks at the attendance record of one of the two incumbents when she served as liaison to the Vocational and Technical Schools Board of Education (BOE).

In 2019, incumbent Sara Sooy was appointed as the Freeholder liaison to the Vocational and Technical Schools BOE. According to public meeting minutes from 2019, there were fourteen meetings. Of those fourteen meetings of the BOE, Sooy attended one, which is an attendance rate of seven per cent.

Somerset County Commissioner candidate Amber Murad, herself a member of the Watchung Board of Education expressed her concern about Sooy’s role on the BOE in a statement:

“Somerset County Vo-Tech serves hundreds of Somerset County students,” said Murad, “and its Board oversees a budget of nearly 17 million dollars. My opponent should have attended more than one of the fourteen meetings of that board in 2019.“

“I will always be there for Somerset County residents. I will not pick and choose which committee assignments suit me,” said Republican nominee Amber Murad. “Each part of county government is important.”

Sooy’s attendance on the Vocational and Technical BOE is not the only area of concern. In addition, during her first year on the Freeholder Board (2019), she attended only one of twelve meetings as liaison to the Agricultural Development Board.

Amber Murad is one of two Republican nominees for Somerset County Commissioner. Amber lives in Watchung with her husband and two children. Amber is a member of the Watchung Board of Education, and a business professional. Her running mate, Michael Kirsh is a Township Councilman in Bridgewater, where he lives with his wife and two children.

CONTACT SOMERSET COUNTY REPUBLICAN CHAIR
TIM HOWES
(908) 507-0454