Boardmember faces charges in connection with election BY DAVE BENJAMIN Staff Writer Scott Sargent JACKSON- A Jackson Board of Education member who was elected to his first term on the panel one month ago, has been charged with two counts of disorderly conduct and has received summonses for two traffic infractions. Scott Sargent, 44, of Knolls Drive, who has been employed by the Jackson Department of Public Works since Oct. 15, 2002, was accused of the offenses in relation to his recent school board candidacy. When called on May 7, Sargent, who was away on vacation, could not be reached for comment. Jackson Municipal Court Administrator Erin DiCristina said on May 12 that a court date for Sargent in regard to the charges is pending. DiCristina said the case may be moved to another municipality because Sargent is an employee of Jackson. A message left for Sargent on May 13 was not immediately returned as the Tri- Town News was going to press. Jackson police Capt. David Newman provided the following account of the incident involving Sargent. "On April 14 at 9 a.m. Jackson Police Officer Brad Reider was dispatched to Susie Lane on a report of a street sign which had been removed" from a pole, Newman said. "Upon his arrival, Reider observed a pickup truck with an attached boat trailer parked on Susie Lane near the corner of Don Connor Boulevard (in the vicinity of Jackson Memorial High School). The boat advertised 'Vote Sargent' in red and black vinyl letters affixed to both sides," Newman said. The owner of the boat arrived and was identified as Sargent, who was a candidate for a seat on the Board of Education. The school board election was held on April 15. Police said Sargent explained that he had removed the street sign from the pole a few days earlier because the pole was in need of repair. Reider checked the pole, which was found to have only a slight lean, Newman said. Sargent then directed Reider to the back of his DPW truck where the missing sign was being kept. The sign read, "No Parking, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. School Days." An investigation was conducted by Jackson Detective Scott Conover and it was learned that Sargent had obtained the red and black vinyl lettering used for the election advertisement from township materials he removed without authorization from the DPWsign shop, according to police. It was also learned that Sargent used a DPW computer and software to craft the letters, police said. The investigation was reviewed by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and was returned to the Jackson Police Department for further action. As a result, Sargent was charged by Conover with theft and removal of a traffic sign. Both are classified as disorderly persons offenses. In addition, Reider issued traffic summonses to Sargent, charging him with parking in a no-parking zone and parking within 25 feet of an intersection. On April 30, Sargent voluntarily arrived at police headquarters and was issued the summonses, according to police. Jackson DPWemployees subsequently reattached the "No Parking" sign to the pole from which it had been removed. Police said the pole required no repair. School board President Marvin Krakower said there will be no comment at this time from the board. School district administrators also declined to comment on the charges that have been lodged against Sargent. Sargent was one of two people elected to the board in theApril 15 school election. Barbara Fiero was re-elected for a new three-year term with 2,451 votes and Sargent received 2,434 votes to win his first three-year term. Sargent defeated the third-place finisher by more than 250 votes.