Survey Shows Voters Engaged Ahead of School Committee Recall Election-August 28, 1978

The upcoming election targets School Committee Chairman Henry W. Diggs and members Richard W. Kief and John H. Chisholm, who face recall after being cited for fiscal irresponsibility by town meeting members for refusing to accept a $618,000 reduction to the school budget. Challenging the incumbents on the ballot are Thomas DiFrancia opposing Diggs, Charles Saraca opposing Kief, and William Pudsey and Paul Poznick both contesting Chisholm’s seat. Meanwhile, a second separate recall effort has emerged targeting the remaining four school committee members over their stance on budget cuts.

Voter Sentiment and Undecided Stand

While the telephone survey was informal, it revealed that most respondents—even those recently returning from vacation—plan to participate in the vote and familiarize themselves with the arguments. However, nearly all contacted residents reported holding off on endorsing specific candidates or positions until the last minute.

Opinions regarding the necessity of restoring the $618,000 school budget cut were evenly split among those surveyed. Several residents noted that conflicting reports surrounding the dual recall drives and complex budgetary arguments added to public confusion, prompting a measured, wait-and-see approach. As one Alpine Road resident remarked, “I think that it requires a great deal of thought. There is so much to be said on both sides of the issue. I want to wait until the last minute before I make up my mind.”

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger