BOE Candidates Talk Referendum, a Cornell Alum Speaks Out & the YMCA Steps Saga

This week on The Montclair Pod, Farnoosh Torabi and Mike Schreiber revisit the Pod's first candidate forum, co-hosted with MPACT, featuring the six candidates running for three open seats on the Montclair Board of Education in the Nov. 3, 2026, election. They play two exchanges: how each candidate voted in the March school referendum, and what academic success should look like for Montclair students. Then they talk through what surprised them. Farnoosh also owns up to a Google Form mishap with the councilor-at-large candidates.

Next, longtime friend Allison Fishman Task, a Montclair career coach and former TV cook, joins the show. Her videos went viral after she described what she says she reported about Cornell fraternities as a freshman more than 30 years ago. They come as Cornell University faces a new lawsuit and a reopened criminal investigation. Content note: this conversation involves allegations of sexual assault.

Also this week: a new "What the Hell" on why the YMCA stairs in downtown Montclair were closed for months, NJ Transit's five-week Midtown Direct diversion to Hoboken, a proposed protected bike lane on Glenridge Avenue, the Montclair Township newsletter you probably didn't know existed, and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels of Run-DMC headlining a Montclair Helps fundraiser. Farnoosh recaps her yard sale, which Mike missed.

Board of Education candidate forumThe Montclair Pod: Montclair Board of Education Election 2026: Meet the CandidatesYouTube: The full MPACT x Montclair Pod candidate forumMPACT: Montclair BOE governance reportThe Montclair Pod: Is Our Board of Ed Working? With MPACT's Dan Hafetz

Councilor-at-large raceThe Montclair Pod: Mariana Horta: Seven Questions for Montclair's Councilor-at-Large CandidatesThe Montclair Pod: Antoinette "Toni" Martin: Seven Questions for Montclair's Councilor-at-Large CandidatesThe Montclair Pod: Kyle Porro: Seven Questions for Montclair's Councilor-at-Large CandidatesTownship of Montclair: 2026 General Election (Municipal Vacancy: Councilor-at-Large)

Allison Fishman Task on CornellThe Montclair Pod: A Cornell Alumna Spoke About What She Saw. Now She Wants Parents to Talk About Consent.Instagram: Allison Fishman Task's first video about CornellInstagram: Allison Fishman Task's follow-up videoInstagram: @allisontaskcoachAllisonTask.com: About AllisonIBTimes UK: Cornell Alum Says She Reported Disturbing Fraternity 'Spy Room' 30 Years AgoRAINN: National Sexual Assault Hotline, 800-656-HOPE

What the Hell res