School Budgets Pass; Unofficial Results Show Van Wagner Topples Gaetano in Close Race

All three local budgets were supported by voters in Wednesday's elections, according to unofficial results posted on the Monmouth County Web site.

Almost 60 percent of voters supported the Monmouth Regional High School budget after it was defeated in 2010. As of 10:15 p.m., newcomer Barbara Van Wagner had edged incumbent Joseph Gaetano out of the Eatontown board position by a narrow margin of 323-317 for a three-year term. Steven B. Seavey was reelected to fill a three-year term representing Shrewsbury Township and Maura Triebenbacher will represent Tinton Fall for a three-year term in an uncontested race.

In Eatontown, over 60 percent of voters supported the 2011-2012 budget. Incumbent board members Donna Mazzella-Diedrichsen and board president Mark Kramer took 27 and 26 percent of the votes, respectively. They will be joined by newcomer John Bennett who received about 23 percent of the votes.

Tinton Falls and Shrewsbury Township voters passed the school budget 912-568. Board president Peter Karavites and newcomer Lisa Luca were elected to three-year terms in uncontested races. Incumbent Paul Ford was elected to a one-year term, also in an uncontested race.