Following on Peter's comment in a previous post, there will be a special meeting of the BoE.
BCCT, Saturday, December 29: "Notice is hereby given that the Borough of Morrisville School Directors will hold a Special Meeting on January 2, 2008 at 7:30PM at the Morrisville Middle Senior High School, 550 West Palmer Street, Morrisville PA.
The purpose of this meeting is to consider adopting a resolution promising to keep real estate tax increases under its designated percentage.
William Hellmann, President
Joseph Kemp, Secretary"
OK, you don't need to have a meeting for such a purpose -- there's nothing really to vote on here. So what's the underlying purpose? What's getting cut?
So what will they be discussing? Adopting a resolution to keep the tax increases under the 4.4% maximum inflation budget rise cap.
As arcane and convoluted as accounting is, governmental proceedings can be very confusing, especially to the layman. In the real world where you and I live, if you can only increase spending by a fixed maximum, that's where you start. Here in GovWorld, you set your spending and only then look to see if you have enough money. Then you proceed to cut expenses or tax your way to a balanced budget. The Feds do it all the time, so why can't the Morrisville Board of Education under the direction of William Hellmann, CPA?
So they are going to adopt a resolution to consider doing what they need to do as mandated by state law. Paging Gov Rendell: Pennsylvania state law is now optional in Morrisville. "Hi, officer. Yes, I saw that stop sign. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. In fact, I'm rushing to get home now to chair a family meeting where we are going to adopt a resolution calling upon all members of the family to consider recognizing stop signs and their function in everyday life. We will certainly keep you informed of our progress. I'm going to continue along now. Bye!" I'm betting the next thing we'll hear the driver say is, "Don't tase me, bro!"
In GovWorld, these resolutions are usually fig-leaf fluff to hide behind. "Well, we're following law 749-WKRP-8489.87 which states in section 4, paragraph 5 subsection 5c(E) that the following shall occur..." It's a responsibility avoidance tactic. The school board can always point to this resolution and say, "well, we HAVE to cut, because we're forced to by resolution blah-blah-blah." This is when Captain Algebra and the No Sports League can swoop in, dubiously claim the high moral ground, and then cut away meat and sinew instead of budgetary fat.
Let's look at the possible options here:
Responsible Budgeting: This one is already debunked and out of consideration. If there were hard budget choices to be made, they would already have made them, brought the budget in UNDER or AT the cap, and shown us the hard work of leadership. I don't think these one trick ponies know effective leadership, which sometimes means going AGAINST the people to do the right thing. Their mindless NSN stance is ample proof of this blind spot and character flaw.
Vox Populi: Hear the voice of the people! "Gee, we're really in a tough spot, do we cut algebra or history? You choose for us." And once this is done, then they can blissfully point out that they offered the voters the choice and that they are simply following the Will of the People, bearing no direct responsibility. This is sort of like how they snookered the borough council into being the bad guys who unanimously killed the school. "It was the council, not us! Burger, Panzitta, and Buckman did it." (Pick your council member as you will...it was all of them anyway.)
The Hair Shirt: BTW, the Yes, Minister series is a great place to see real government hypocrisy in action and keep the antics of elected officials in perspective. What this proposes is that when you need to do something politically suicidal, present it as the lesser of the two options. For example, we need to cut $1 million from the budget. Coincidentally, both the history department and the music budget are for $1m. Neither should be cut, so let's cut history. The outcry will be so vocal that we (silly us) will realize the error of our ways and (cheerfully?) cut music to save history. We all go home happy. Well, most of us who don't have kids in music, that is. Feel free to substitute football, soccer, chess, FBLA, for music as you see fit. Recognize the tactic and be prepared for it.
I'm giving you the warning now: This school board will go to great lengths to provide "Gee whiz, I didn't decide that" leadership deniability over leadership responsibility. They are scared to reveal the truth to their sycophants in the audience. If we let this occur, then we are just as guilty as they are.
Thoughts, comments?
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Budget Discussion Redux
Lest anyone thinks that I have gone completely round the bend, I can assure you this is not the case. Please re-shelve your pitchforks and set the boiling tar down to a low simmer.
I've seen these people before. Not these specific people, mind you, but people like them. And the only way to fight fire is with a fair amount of fire of your own. Part of the issue from the previous board was the selling of the idea of the new school. It could have been presented to the voters a bit better. Kudos to the rational approach that the past board took: they presented reports and findings and pictures. But voters typically don't get swayed by things like rationality in elections. Emotions and gut feelings rule the day, and in an election not about international or national, or even state issues, but down and dirty local issues, the emotions surrounding hearth and home are magnified immensely. A thrice decorated Purple Heart veteran should have had a wide lead in a war situation over a rear echelon flyboy who won his wings through influence rather than action, but President John Kerry sits on the shelf of history with Presidents Thomas Dewey, Adlai Stevenson, and Walter Mondale as his companions.
The vociferous screamings of the Stop the School people won out. They won through a strong three pronged strategy; using an electorate that is weary of politicians, no matter the party or office; an effective combination of "on message" non-stop Stop the School and "zero message" no comment on what we're going to do; and through relentless attack and counter attack without cessation. The group that stays on message wins. Look at the board meetings from the past. It may be the same voices droning on and on over and over from the audience, sometimes even incoherently, but the message was Stop the School/Stop the Taxation loud and clear.
Now the tables have turned, and the audience is now on the board, and the board is now in the audience. This new board needs to be held to the same standards that the past board was held to. Giving them a "bye" at any point in the process now is a gimme point they didn't deserve to score. Mount an effective defense, certainly, but an effective offense is where the points are scored. There is nothing wrong with any of us putting on our William Hellmann, CPA or Marlys Mihok gadfly masks and standing there at the audience microphone requiring these public servants to serve the public, no matter how angry it might make some of the board's officers, er, officials.
Any time there is ever a question of what to do, ask yourself this question: What would the Stop the School candidates have said about this issue if Sandy Gibson was presenting it? Then do exactly what the Stop the Schoolers would have done.
Public officials require oversight by the public. Let me say that again with emphasis: Public officials REQUIRE oversight by the public. The parents watch the kids, judicial balances against executive and legislative. Its an accountability dance. And when the public doesn't want to dance, that's when things fall apart. In Kentucky, the recently defeated scandal plagued governor spent $65M out of an emergency $66m highway repairs fund. Talk about selling the family silver! I like the arrogance of power too: 'Former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert, who controlled spending from the fund, wouldn't discuss the spending yesterday, saying, "I'm not interested in taking up time commenting on anything like that."'
And so I question anything and everything a public official tells me. Not because I directly mistrust the person in the office, but because power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. An official without oversight is a dictator, whether they're Boss Hogg in Hazzard County, or a President of the United States huddled over a speaker straining to hear the latest cell phone intercepts.
Perhaps this $1.25m transfer is completely legal. Then let's talk about it and make sure everyone is on board with it. Show us the legal precedents and let the discussions begin. Isn't this board pledged to be the "people's board?" Or maybe you're not interested in taking up time commenting on anything like that.
However, I see this transfer as akin to the first step in spending down Grandma's inheritance until it's gone, rather than spending 90% of the income (interest) gained and returning 10% to the fund so that it continues to grow and flourish. This is not responsible stewardship unless there is such an immediate need that this drastic action is required. And if this is the case...TELL US THIS! (I understand it raises some inconvenient questions about why you stopped the school and all, but, hey, life's just not fair sometimes.)
Anyone else care to use the soap box?
I've seen these people before. Not these specific people, mind you, but people like them. And the only way to fight fire is with a fair amount of fire of your own. Part of the issue from the previous board was the selling of the idea of the new school. It could have been presented to the voters a bit better. Kudos to the rational approach that the past board took: they presented reports and findings and pictures. But voters typically don't get swayed by things like rationality in elections. Emotions and gut feelings rule the day, and in an election not about international or national, or even state issues, but down and dirty local issues, the emotions surrounding hearth and home are magnified immensely. A thrice decorated Purple Heart veteran should have had a wide lead in a war situation over a rear echelon flyboy who won his wings through influence rather than action, but President John Kerry sits on the shelf of history with Presidents Thomas Dewey, Adlai Stevenson, and Walter Mondale as his companions.
The vociferous screamings of the Stop the School people won out. They won through a strong three pronged strategy; using an electorate that is weary of politicians, no matter the party or office; an effective combination of "on message" non-stop Stop the School and "zero message" no comment on what we're going to do; and through relentless attack and counter attack without cessation. The group that stays on message wins. Look at the board meetings from the past. It may be the same voices droning on and on over and over from the audience, sometimes even incoherently, but the message was Stop the School/Stop the Taxation loud and clear.
Now the tables have turned, and the audience is now on the board, and the board is now in the audience. This new board needs to be held to the same standards that the past board was held to. Giving them a "bye" at any point in the process now is a gimme point they didn't deserve to score. Mount an effective defense, certainly, but an effective offense is where the points are scored. There is nothing wrong with any of us putting on our William Hellmann, CPA or Marlys Mihok gadfly masks and standing there at the audience microphone requiring these public servants to serve the public, no matter how angry it might make some of the board's officers, er, officials.
Any time there is ever a question of what to do, ask yourself this question: What would the Stop the School candidates have said about this issue if Sandy Gibson was presenting it? Then do exactly what the Stop the Schoolers would have done.
Public officials require oversight by the public. Let me say that again with emphasis: Public officials REQUIRE oversight by the public. The parents watch the kids, judicial balances against executive and legislative. Its an accountability dance. And when the public doesn't want to dance, that's when things fall apart. In Kentucky, the recently defeated scandal plagued governor spent $65M out of an emergency $66m highway repairs fund. Talk about selling the family silver! I like the arrogance of power too: 'Former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert, who controlled spending from the fund, wouldn't discuss the spending yesterday, saying, "I'm not interested in taking up time commenting on anything like that."'
And so I question anything and everything a public official tells me. Not because I directly mistrust the person in the office, but because power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. An official without oversight is a dictator, whether they're Boss Hogg in Hazzard County, or a President of the United States huddled over a speaker straining to hear the latest cell phone intercepts.
Perhaps this $1.25m transfer is completely legal. Then let's talk about it and make sure everyone is on board with it. Show us the legal precedents and let the discussions begin. Isn't this board pledged to be the "people's board?" Or maybe you're not interested in taking up time commenting on anything like that.
However, I see this transfer as akin to the first step in spending down Grandma's inheritance until it's gone, rather than spending 90% of the income (interest) gained and returning 10% to the fund so that it continues to grow and flourish. This is not responsible stewardship unless there is such an immediate need that this drastic action is required. And if this is the case...TELL US THIS! (I understand it raises some inconvenient questions about why you stopped the school and all, but, hey, life's just not fair sometimes.)
Anyone else care to use the soap box?
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Budget Discussion
I thought it might be good to elevate this issue to a separate post. In the proposed school budget 2008-09, Board President William Hellmann, CPA has proposed what appears to possibly be accounting gimmickry and sleight of hand in transferring $1.25 million from the Capital Reserve fund (the fund that exists to finance large building projects) and transferring it to the general (everyday expenses) fund.
Before I address this, let's look at an example of financial gimmickry from the past.
In early 1968 President Lyndon Johnson made a change in the budget presentation by including Social Security and all other trust funds in a "unified budget." This is likewise sometimes described by saying that Social Security was placed "on-budget."
This 1968 change grew out of the recommendations of a presidential commission appointed by President Johnson in 1967, and known as the President's Commission on Budget Concepts. The concern of this Commission was not specifically with the Social Security Trust Funds, but rather it was an effort to rationalize what the Commission viewed as a confusing budget presentation. At that time, the federal budget consisted of three separate and inconsistent sets of measures, and often budget debates became bogged-down in arguments over which of the three to use. As an illustration of the problem, the projected fiscal 1968 budget was either in deficit by $2.1 billion, $4.3 billion, or $8.1 billion, depending upon which measure one chose to use. Consequently, the Commission's central recommendation was for a single, unified, measure of the federal budget--a measure in which every function and activity of government was added together to assess the government's fiscal position.
This allowed Johnson to fund both his "guns and butter" approaches (the Vietnam War and the Great Society), but it also led us into a governmental financial tailspin that continues to this day. We masked the true deficits with the surpluses from Social Security. Lo and behold, those surpluses are now gone too, and because of the gimmickry, we missed both the federal and SS deficits until too late.
Our Zen moment for the day: If we hide the truth, and no one holds us accountable for it, does it really exist and is it truth or fiction?
DISCLAIMER: I am not a CPA or a lawyer. I am impressed when my checkbook balances to within $10. When I have money left at the end of the month, either it was a short month or I forgot to pay a bill. And maybe I'm not reading the budget effectively enough and not understanding enough. But here's my questions. Readers: Please feel free to add any other questions and/or explanations as you would like. And this time, maybe we can hear from ANYONE out there who supports this NSN budget.
Dear Mr President Hellmann, CPA: I have no doubt that news of this post will make its way to your ears within hours of posting, so would you please prepare now to explain this to us in clear, precise, non-evasive, non-technical laymans terms at the school board meeting on January 23, 2008:
1) What legal authority allows you to transfer this money and please provide three additional examples of other school boards who have done the same thing in Pennsylvania AND survived a legal challenge. No problem if the lawyer answers for you, but he needs to be under the same non-evasive and non-technical rule.
2) How is transferring this money NOT financial gimmickry? Again, please use clear and precise laymans terms. And what is the gain for the district in using this transfer OTHER than providing a fig leaf of respectability to not have a larger tax increase? What about the money that is left and how much more do you expect to take from the Capital Reserve in this budget cycle and the next, and the next?
3) Where's the beef? There's still playing fields behind the high school. You successfully stopped the school and had well over six months to analyse the situation. You talked and talked with meaningless platitudes and non-specific soothing speech and only a few people found the courage to call you on your empty rhetoric. You and your compatriots ignored those brave few and deferred substantive comment on these issues until you were seated. Congratulations. You're seated. And you've gone through the budget with your fine tooth comb and found zip, nada, and bupkis to cut? Man, I gave you the benefit of the doubt that you would find something, anything, that you could cut because of those irresponsible boards of the past spending too much incorrectly. And now we find out that your magic CPA wand has run out of black ink. So here's the question: What DID you cut? (HINT: The answer "because so much of the budget is written in stone" is not a valid excuse. You knew that going in, didn't you?) If this is the best you can do, maybe the plane tickets for the Orlando conference should be cancelled.
4) Please tell us right now why the Stop the School people, one and all, should not be labeled as frauds and run out of town on the same tar and feather rail used so recently for the departed board members. (Hmmm...Can board members be impeached or recalled?)
[ADDED Dec 24, 2007: In re-reading this, it seemed a little harsh in some spots, so I applied my fairness test by replacing "William Hellman, CPA" with "Dr Sandy Gibson" and re-read it as if I was a Stop the School candidate complaining that the previous board had submitted the proposed budget. Not only did this post pass my fairness test, it turned out to be rather mild.]
Anyone else want to add to this list? I supported the new school and I feel like I'm getting hosed royally. Now if I could only find a window that opens...
Before I address this, let's look at an example of financial gimmickry from the past.
In early 1968 President Lyndon Johnson made a change in the budget presentation by including Social Security and all other trust funds in a "unified budget." This is likewise sometimes described by saying that Social Security was placed "on-budget."
This 1968 change grew out of the recommendations of a presidential commission appointed by President Johnson in 1967, and known as the President's Commission on Budget Concepts. The concern of this Commission was not specifically with the Social Security Trust Funds, but rather it was an effort to rationalize what the Commission viewed as a confusing budget presentation. At that time, the federal budget consisted of three separate and inconsistent sets of measures, and often budget debates became bogged-down in arguments over which of the three to use. As an illustration of the problem, the projected fiscal 1968 budget was either in deficit by $2.1 billion, $4.3 billion, or $8.1 billion, depending upon which measure one chose to use. Consequently, the Commission's central recommendation was for a single, unified, measure of the federal budget--a measure in which every function and activity of government was added together to assess the government's fiscal position.
This allowed Johnson to fund both his "guns and butter" approaches (the Vietnam War and the Great Society), but it also led us into a governmental financial tailspin that continues to this day. We masked the true deficits with the surpluses from Social Security. Lo and behold, those surpluses are now gone too, and because of the gimmickry, we missed both the federal and SS deficits until too late.
Our Zen moment for the day: If we hide the truth, and no one holds us accountable for it, does it really exist and is it truth or fiction?
DISCLAIMER: I am not a CPA or a lawyer. I am impressed when my checkbook balances to within $10. When I have money left at the end of the month, either it was a short month or I forgot to pay a bill. And maybe I'm not reading the budget effectively enough and not understanding enough. But here's my questions. Readers: Please feel free to add any other questions and/or explanations as you would like. And this time, maybe we can hear from ANYONE out there who supports this NSN budget.
Dear Mr President Hellmann, CPA: I have no doubt that news of this post will make its way to your ears within hours of posting, so would you please prepare now to explain this to us in clear, precise, non-evasive, non-technical laymans terms at the school board meeting on January 23, 2008:
1) What legal authority allows you to transfer this money and please provide three additional examples of other school boards who have done the same thing in Pennsylvania AND survived a legal challenge. No problem if the lawyer answers for you, but he needs to be under the same non-evasive and non-technical rule.
2) How is transferring this money NOT financial gimmickry? Again, please use clear and precise laymans terms. And what is the gain for the district in using this transfer OTHER than providing a fig leaf of respectability to not have a larger tax increase? What about the money that is left and how much more do you expect to take from the Capital Reserve in this budget cycle and the next, and the next?
3) Where's the beef? There's still playing fields behind the high school. You successfully stopped the school and had well over six months to analyse the situation. You talked and talked with meaningless platitudes and non-specific soothing speech and only a few people found the courage to call you on your empty rhetoric. You and your compatriots ignored those brave few and deferred substantive comment on these issues until you were seated. Congratulations. You're seated. And you've gone through the budget with your fine tooth comb and found zip, nada, and bupkis to cut? Man, I gave you the benefit of the doubt that you would find something, anything, that you could cut because of those irresponsible boards of the past spending too much incorrectly. And now we find out that your magic CPA wand has run out of black ink. So here's the question: What DID you cut? (HINT: The answer "because so much of the budget is written in stone" is not a valid excuse. You knew that going in, didn't you?) If this is the best you can do, maybe the plane tickets for the Orlando conference should be cancelled.
4) Please tell us right now why the Stop the School people, one and all, should not be labeled as frauds and run out of town on the same tar and feather rail used so recently for the departed board members. (Hmmm...Can board members be impeached or recalled?)
[ADDED Dec 24, 2007: In re-reading this, it seemed a little harsh in some spots, so I applied my fairness test by replacing "William Hellman, CPA" with "Dr Sandy Gibson" and re-read it as if I was a Stop the School candidate complaining that the previous board had submitted the proposed budget. Not only did this post pass my fairness test, it turned out to be rather mild.]
Anyone else want to add to this list? I supported the new school and I feel like I'm getting hosed royally. Now if I could only find a window that opens...
Friday, December 21, 2007
December Reorg Meeting Minutes Available
The December reorganizational meeting minutes are up for review also.
I'm just copying these for future reference.
Herbert Brooks, Oak St.
Mr. Brooks congratulated the new board members and expressed gratitude for everything they have done so far and for the mammoth tasks they are about to undertake. I’m sure that they will ask opinions of the residents and include the residents in some of their decisions before they come to their own decision. “Carry a good light, may it always burn bright with the sun in your hearts.”
Steve Worob, 101 Grandview
Congratulations to the new board. I know that this board will remember that it represents the people who put their trust in them.
Ed Bailey, 36 E. Palmer
I knew two years ago about this night. We thought we had a fighting chance and we won. My advice to the incoming board is change everything about the way these meetings are run and stick together.
Sharon Hughes
Congratulations to the school board. They now represent 82% of the people of Morrisville. Quickly they will represent 100% of the people of Morrisville.
I know the people who ran for school board. They have in their hearts the children. They want to go forward and educate the children as well as it can be done. I know that they have innovate programs they want to bring in; they will be open to comments and input and they will do what they believe is best for Morrisville. We all have to get past the disagreements of the past and work together. Democracy works if you believe in it.
F. Committee Appointments
Mr. Hellmann, Board President announced the committee formations.
Mr. Hellmann asked each committee to select a chairperson and report back to the Board of Directors.
Infrastructure/Facilities
Mr. Hellmann, Mrs. Heater and Mrs. Mihok
Education Committee
Mr. Hellmann, Mr. Farrell and Mrs. Mihok
Finance Committee
Mr. Hellmann and Mr. Radosti
Policy Committee
Mrs. Reithmeyer, Mrs. Heater and Mrs. Worob
Community/School Joint Committee
Mrs. Reithmeyer (anyone else?)
Discipline/Review Committee
Mr. Farrell, Mrs. Heater and Mrs. Reithmeyer
PSBA Representative (Pennsylvania School Board Association)
Mr. Hellmann appointed Mrs. Worob to a one-year term.
Bucks County Technical High School Representative
Mr. Hellmann appointed Mr. Frankenfield to a one-year term
Bucks County School District Authority
Mr. Hellmann appointed Mr. Lou Groves to a five-year term beginning January 2008
I'm just copying these for future reference.
Herbert Brooks, Oak St.
Mr. Brooks congratulated the new board members and expressed gratitude for everything they have done so far and for the mammoth tasks they are about to undertake. I’m sure that they will ask opinions of the residents and include the residents in some of their decisions before they come to their own decision. “Carry a good light, may it always burn bright with the sun in your hearts.”
Steve Worob, 101 Grandview
Congratulations to the new board. I know that this board will remember that it represents the people who put their trust in them.
Ed Bailey, 36 E. Palmer
I knew two years ago about this night. We thought we had a fighting chance and we won. My advice to the incoming board is change everything about the way these meetings are run and stick together.
Sharon Hughes
Congratulations to the school board. They now represent 82% of the people of Morrisville. Quickly they will represent 100% of the people of Morrisville.
I know the people who ran for school board. They have in their hearts the children. They want to go forward and educate the children as well as it can be done. I know that they have innovate programs they want to bring in; they will be open to comments and input and they will do what they believe is best for Morrisville. We all have to get past the disagreements of the past and work together. Democracy works if you believe in it.
F. Committee Appointments
Mr. Hellmann, Board President announced the committee formations.
Mr. Hellmann asked each committee to select a chairperson and report back to the Board of Directors.
Infrastructure/Facilities
Mr. Hellmann, Mrs. Heater and Mrs. Mihok
Education Committee
Mr. Hellmann, Mr. Farrell and Mrs. Mihok
Finance Committee
Mr. Hellmann and Mr. Radosti
Policy Committee
Mrs. Reithmeyer, Mrs. Heater and Mrs. Worob
Community/School Joint Committee
Mrs. Reithmeyer (anyone else?)
Discipline/Review Committee
Mr. Farrell, Mrs. Heater and Mrs. Reithmeyer
PSBA Representative (Pennsylvania School Board Association)
Mr. Hellmann appointed Mrs. Worob to a one-year term.
Bucks County Technical High School Representative
Mr. Hellmann appointed Mr. Frankenfield to a one-year term
Bucks County School District Authority
Mr. Hellmann appointed Mr. Lou Groves to a five-year term beginning January 2008
Happy Taxation WITH Representation Day!
Kudos to William Hellmann, CPA! He whipped those budgeteers into shape (or they meekly submitted to his directions, in not sure which) and herewith presented is the Preliminary General Budget fund for 2008-09. (Link fixed Dec 23, 2007)
Is there anyone out there who can compare this to the 2007-08 budget and see how much we're saving in taxes this year?
The budget will be adopted at the next board meeting, January 23, 2008
Is there anyone out there who can compare this to the 2007-08 budget and see how much we're saving in taxes this year?
The budget will be adopted at the next board meeting, January 23, 2008
Food for thought
I love how comics can make you think about how absurd reality is...
Check out Non Sequitur on the web. Anyone have some facts to make up, um, share?
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Nepotism?
I know nothing about Eric Hellmann other than that he is the son of William Hellman, CPA. However, does a genetic inheritance guarantee that you'll be good at doing Dad's former job?
Maybe Eric will be as successful as William Hellman, CPA, and just as possibly, maybe not. But when the Borough Council advertises the filial connection as stongly as they did, I have to ask why.
Morrisville Council: Monday, Dec. 17
Issue: Accept resignation of Will Hellman as borough controller and appoint his son Eric Hellman to fill the unexpired term.
Vote: Approved unanimously.
Nepotism has always made me uncomfortable. As gifted as John Adams was, John Quincy had to prove himself. Not all of John and Abagail's kids were quite as successful as JQ was.Maybe Eric will be as successful as William Hellman, CPA, and just as possibly, maybe not. But when the Borough Council advertises the filial connection as stongly as they did, I have to ask why.
I Knew Someone Would Do It...
I'm just surprised it took so long. The poll is now closed.
Thank you to almost everyone who voted. I especially want to thank the ballot box stuffer, who worked overtime to record 47 "lame" votes from the same IP address over two days.
Here's the scoop: I heard from a lot of people that they wanted to be able to discuss and comment more, so I opened the comments up to anyone, but the comments never really took off except from a few PSPs. I dearly appreciate their insightful and provocative comments and I look forward to hearing more from them all.
So I thought I would take a poll to see if there was "anybody out there", or if everyone was "comfortably numb."
I was very gratified to find a nearly equal number of PSP and NSN votes from unique IP addresses until the past few days, when someone starting stuffing the ballot box toward
"lame" status. C'est la vie. This was never a scientific poll.
I very much appreciate the readership out there, and while I never had any intention of stopping, I am more than ever ready to continue. Agree with me, disagree with me (really--I would like to hear from the NSNs), let me annoy you.
But...I cannot be everywhere. The collective eyes and ears out there are far more effective than little old me pounding away on my keyboard. So participate. Speak up.
Thank you to almost everyone who voted. I especially want to thank the ballot box stuffer, who worked overtime to record 47 "lame" votes from the same IP address over two days.
Here's the scoop: I heard from a lot of people that they wanted to be able to discuss and comment more, so I opened the comments up to anyone, but the comments never really took off except from a few PSPs. I dearly appreciate their insightful and provocative comments and I look forward to hearing more from them all.
So I thought I would take a poll to see if there was "anybody out there", or if everyone was "comfortably numb."
I was very gratified to find a nearly equal number of PSP and NSN votes from unique IP addresses until the past few days, when someone starting stuffing the ballot box toward
"lame" status. C'est la vie. This was never a scientific poll.
I very much appreciate the readership out there, and while I never had any intention of stopping, I am more than ever ready to continue. Agree with me, disagree with me (really--I would like to hear from the NSNs), let me annoy you.
But...I cannot be everywhere. The collective eyes and ears out there are far more effective than little old me pounding away on my keyboard. So participate. Speak up.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Wish I Had Thought of This.....2
Who would have thought it...Courtesy of eSchoolnews.com
Green school buildings making a surge
Environmentally friendly schools can reduce energy costs ... and improve learning.
School systems nationwide are beginning to realize the benefits of "going green" when building new schools, according to experts who follow school construction trends. Though the initial building costs can run higher, schools are seeing a return on their up-front investment through a reduction in monthly energy costs. Another important (and often unexpected) side benefit has been a boost in student achievement resulting from more healthy, productive, and comfortable learning environments.
Green school buildings making a surge
Environmentally friendly schools can reduce energy costs ... and improve learning.
School systems nationwide are beginning to realize the benefits of "going green" when building new schools, according to experts who follow school construction trends. Though the initial building costs can run higher, schools are seeing a return on their up-front investment through a reduction in monthly energy costs. Another important (and often unexpected) side benefit has been a boost in student achievement resulting from more healthy, productive, and comfortable learning environments.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Budget Watch
Remember all those green lawn signs proclaiming "No Taxation Without Representation?" (I never understood them anyway because they were represented, but thats another topic.) Well, Taxation WITH Representation Day is January 3, 2008. President Bill Hellman, CPA, will bring his budgetary skills to the fore and single-handedly save the district. (That's the only way he apparently works. He doesn't need input from anyone else, especially someone who might oppose him. If this is incorrect, drop me a line.)
I have no doubt that Bill Hellman, CPA, WILL find items to cut. There are always economies to be enjoyed and priorities to be changed when a new set of eyes examines everything. These are the easy changes. We talked about this already.
Then come the HARD changes. Does anyone see the word "energy" or "oil" in the story below? Nope...not one peep about the higher energy costs just to buy the fuel oil to keep the aged boilers slightly tepid, or the ancient single pane window glass that bleeds heat as if the windows were not even there. What about the other repairs that you have not yet even considered, like a gas line repair at the high school or a water main break at Grandview? Just how much will you spend on the schools for repairs and renovations? You can send those major expenses over to the capital budget, but what about the everyday expenses that the day-to-day budget barely covers?
Then there's the 6.7% increase that is "too much." What is the inflation rate? Glad you asked. Using this online calculator, the rate of inflation from January to November 2007 was 3.83% but the current rate itself is 4.31%.
Don't forget to check in with the Budget Work Session where the NSN budgeteers will be making their list and checking it twice on Wednesday, December 19. (Anyone else notice that there are NO 2008 committee or board meetings listed on the district calendar? Dear Secretary-elect Mihok: Please check in with Bill Hellmann, CPA, and post the committee meetings calendar. We do not want this board to unfairly be accused of holding secret meetings, would we? BTW, where are the November meeting minutes?)
The Morrisville school board has vowed to decrease expenditures outlined in the proposed preliminary budget for the 2008-09 school year released last week.
I have no doubt that Bill Hellman, CPA, WILL find items to cut. There are always economies to be enjoyed and priorities to be changed when a new set of eyes examines everything. These are the easy changes. We talked about this already.
Then come the HARD changes. Does anyone see the word "energy" or "oil" in the story below? Nope...not one peep about the higher energy costs just to buy the fuel oil to keep the aged boilers slightly tepid, or the ancient single pane window glass that bleeds heat as if the windows were not even there. What about the other repairs that you have not yet even considered, like a gas line repair at the high school or a water main break at Grandview? Just how much will you spend on the schools for repairs and renovations? You can send those major expenses over to the capital budget, but what about the everyday expenses that the day-to-day budget barely covers?
Then there's the 6.7% increase that is "too much." What is the inflation rate? Glad you asked. Using this online calculator, the rate of inflation from January to November 2007 was 3.83% but the current rate itself is 4.31%.
Don't forget to check in with the Budget Work Session where the NSN budgeteers will be making their list and checking it twice on Wednesday, December 19. (Anyone else notice that there are NO 2008 committee or board meetings listed on the district calendar? Dear Secretary-elect Mihok: Please check in with Bill Hellmann, CPA, and post the committee meetings calendar. We do not want this board to unfairly be accused of holding secret meetings, would we? BTW, where are the November meeting minutes?)
The Morrisville school board has vowed to decrease expenditures outlined in the proposed preliminary budget for the 2008-09 school year released last week.
“We're trying to make it more efficient,” said William Hellmann Thursday. He's the new board president and a certified public accountant.
The spending plan of about $21.95 million is still less than expected revenue of roughly $21.99 million.
At Wednesday night's board meeting, Business Administrator Reba Dunford said that projected revenue is up by 9.18 percent from this year. But according to board members, a 6.7 percent foreseeable increase in expenses is too much.
The biggest budget increases from this year are for technology, the superintendent's office, charter schools, alternative schools, and an account for the Delaware Valley Minority Consortium, a professional development program. While the budgets for salaries and benefits increased less significantly, together they make up roughly 50 percent of the overall budget. This is typical for most districts, Dunford said.
The good news is that an anticipated $2 million from state and federal grants will tip the scales on the revenue side. Morrisville expects 16 different grants, including another 21st Century grant, a PA Pre-K grant, and a School Improvement grant. Altogether, they may bring in about 27 percent more money than they did this year.
Costs to run the school board may drop by nearly 19 percent. Some of these costs come from an annual audit, tax collection, insurance, advertising for board meetings, and printing. The decrease is because of fewer legal fees for contract negotiations. Insurance board liability also decreased by about $10,000.
The district expects to collect about $13 million in real estate taxes, up from about $12 million this year.
Hellmann is using Bristol Borough's 2007-08 budget as a comparison to figure out how to lower the budget.
Though that district has at least 200 more students than Morrisville's 1,052, its overall budget this year was about $1 million less than Morrisville's.
“We'll have to go line item by line item with the business manager,” Hellmann said. “But we're limited by contractual obligations and state mandates.”
The budget will be available to the public on the Morrisville school district Web site http://www.mv.org/
on Jan. 3.
After the finance committee meets to discuss cutting expenses Wednesday, the board will vote on the revised preliminary budget at a board meeting on Jan. 23. As most preliminary budgets do, it will likely go through more tweaking until June 30, when the finalized budget must be passed according to the state mandate.
Under state Act 1, a school board can't increase a district's tax millage rate beyond a pre-determined percentage without voter approval during a referendum in the April primary election. Thus, school districts have begun budget discussions to determine whether a referendum will be necessary.
Locally, most districts are limited to a 4.4 percent inflation rate increase, but Bristol can raise its tax rate 5.9 percent and Bristol Township can go up 5.6 percent because those towns are considered slightly less affluent, state officials said.
The referendum would be necessary if districts need more revenue beyond what would be collected by the pre-determined tax rate increase. A district has the potential to avoid going to a referendum if the state approves one or more exemptions it claims in order to raise taxes above the pre-determined rate, officials said. The exemptions cover costs for pre-existing contracts, etc.
Final budgets must be adopted by no later than June 30.
Proposed budget increases next school year
for Morrisville schools
Salaries — At about $8.43 million, they may make up about 38 percent of the budget. The 4.78 percent increase from this year is due to teacher, staff and other employee contracts. “We are tied to what the contract says. It's already cut in stone,” said Business Administrator Reba Dunford.
Benefits — Projected to make up about 11 percent of the budget; benefits may weigh in at $2.5 million.
Charter schools — A rise in charter school enrollment caused a 62 percent increase for related expenses. The cost may be $317,000.
Alternative school — The budget increased 34 percent for needed services, and is at $553,500.
Technology — This year's budget divides many software and technology needs among other categories. But next year's budget lumps all technology needs into one group, effectively making technology expenses look like they'll go up by about 59 percent.
Grandview Elementary School — Its budget may increase by about 15 percent, while both MR Reiter Elementary School and the middle/high school may cost less. That's because Grandview's budget will also cover the Delaware Valley Minority Consortium, a professional development program started by Kathryn Taylor, the principal.
Special education — Expenses are expected to go up nearly six percent, to about $2 million, due to more students using special education services.
Superintendent's office — Expenses may go up nearly 40 percent. The previous school board increased allowances for conferences and travel, and some office equipment is in bad shape and needs to be replaced, said Dunford.
Sorry for the segue, but does anyone else think of this when you say out loud the phrase, "Bill Hellmann, CPA" ?Saturday, December 15, 2007
Did You Do the Tour?
If there is anyone who is participating in the Grand Tour of the Morrisville Educational Facilities today, please let us know what happened.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Is Saturday a Sham?
In speaking with several people today, there seems to be a growing undercurrent that the Grand Tour of Morrisville Educational Facilities on Saturday is not going to be a real tour in the sense of fact finding and openness that today's Mitchell Report was for Major League Baseball. Instead, it's going to be a pre-bidathon for cronies to come in and get work because their friends are on the board now. I guess it's easy to hold a sham walkabout with your eyes closed and your mind equally shut.
It's a fine line to tread. Do you support the local contractor, who may have a vested interest in the job at his child's school (and need the work, too), or do you go with the larger contractor who is less local but big enough to handle the larger jobs? I know plenty of good, hard working local tradesmen (and women) who could, and should, have a fair share of work, whether it's a new K-12 building or restoring the three current buildings. I also know that there's a reason big contractors win big bids; they have the bandwidth to handle them. Take a look at the Trenton-Morrisville bridge project: there are plenty of local guys who do work on it, but there are some items where the resources of a larger company are needed.
I'm not very reassured by the actions of this new board only a week into the game. Dissenters are shut out; rational action is being shelved in favor of blind reaction; the innate hatred and bigotry that was only thinly veiled by the board candidates is being eroded away through the repeated actions of the board members.
Don't kid yourselves that this is just about the new school; it's about responsible stewardship. If you support the NSNs and what they are doing, then you are endorsing them and their activities, lock, stock, and barrel. Imagine if you were the one shut out at work because a new boss came in; imagine that your work is dismissed simply because you're one of the "old crew"; further imagine that you're held in complete contempt by the new boss. Yeah--I can hear you now "They deserved it!" "They tried to rob us in our taxes!" "We're just getting back what's ours!" That's fine. Believe that. And when it happens to you directly instead of you just watching someone else get it while you're on the sidelines of life, I will gladly provide the cheese to go with your whine. But that's all you'll get from me.
It's a fine line to tread. Do you support the local contractor, who may have a vested interest in the job at his child's school (and need the work, too), or do you go with the larger contractor who is less local but big enough to handle the larger jobs? I know plenty of good, hard working local tradesmen (and women) who could, and should, have a fair share of work, whether it's a new K-12 building or restoring the three current buildings. I also know that there's a reason big contractors win big bids; they have the bandwidth to handle them. Take a look at the Trenton-Morrisville bridge project: there are plenty of local guys who do work on it, but there are some items where the resources of a larger company are needed.
I'm not very reassured by the actions of this new board only a week into the game. Dissenters are shut out; rational action is being shelved in favor of blind reaction; the innate hatred and bigotry that was only thinly veiled by the board candidates is being eroded away through the repeated actions of the board members.
Don't kid yourselves that this is just about the new school; it's about responsible stewardship. If you support the NSNs and what they are doing, then you are endorsing them and their activities, lock, stock, and barrel. Imagine if you were the one shut out at work because a new boss came in; imagine that your work is dismissed simply because you're one of the "old crew"; further imagine that you're held in complete contempt by the new boss. Yeah--I can hear you now "They deserved it!" "They tried to rob us in our taxes!" "We're just getting back what's ours!" That's fine. Believe that. And when it happens to you directly instead of you just watching someone else get it while you're on the sidelines of life, I will gladly provide the cheese to go with your whine. But that's all you'll get from me.
Morrisville Dempublicans...Republicrats...Whatever
Anyone have information on the status of the Morrisville Dempublican efforts at party purity?
The New School Dies Yet Again
To the utter surprise of no one, the new board formally strangled the new school last night. Also on the casualty list was Joe Kemp as board secretary (replaced by Marlys Mihok) and business admin Reba Dunford as treasurer (replaced by Gloria Heater).
The Morrisville school board meeting started with applause and whistles Wednesday night as the new members of the school board walked in.
The cheers continued when the board decided to stop plans for a new consolidated $30 million school that would have replaced the three existing school buildings.
The new school board voted 8-1 to abandon an appeal of a borough council decision rejecting preliminary development plans for the proposed consolidated pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade school.
If built, the facility would have replaced the ailing high school/middle school and the two elementary schools.
The new school board has made it known it wants to stop prior plans for building the new school.
Board members agreed Wednesday night to advertise for bids from engineering firms to examine and evaluate the mechanical systems at all three school buildings. It also voted to solicit professional legal services on a contingency basis in regard to possible litigation over expenditures for the proposed new school project that was stopped at this meeting.
In other news, the board voted to remove Joseph Kemp from the position of secretary. No reason was given, except that it was the board's prerogative, said board President William Hellmann. The board nominated and voted Marlys Mihok to replace him, effective Jan. 2.
Likewise, the board voted to remove Reba Dunford, the school district's business administrator, from the role of board treasurer. Gloria Heater was nominated and voted to replace her, also effective Jan. 2.
We knew that they wanted to stop the school, but it gets stopped three days before the Grand Tour of the Morrisville Educational Facilities is held? Does this mean that the tour is merely a cover and a pointless waste of time for the participants? All I'm saying here is that the needs of the district appear to be taking second place to blind action without heed to the ramifications. We expect this type of behaviour out of the students that the schools are housing, not the supposed adults running them. It sounds like the same precipitous behavior that led to the MESPA fiasco years ago is back in town. What would it have cost to wait until the January meeting to do this?Wednesday, December 12, 2007
What Are YOU Doing Saturday?
Would you like to join our NSN board members on a tour behind the scenes at the Morrisville schools? Marlys Mihok, who apparently skipped a meeting with the buildings committee last week, has made an open invitation to the community and local contractors to tour the buildings.
After two years of contention between Morrisville school board members who were on opposite sides concerning a proposed $30 million consolidated school, the matter might be settled at tonight's meeting.
This is an open plea to everyone: If you didn't support the new school, come and see for yourself where our kids learn. If you did support the new school, come and see what's changed.
After two years of contention between Morrisville school board members who were on opposite sides concerning a proposed $30 million consolidated school, the matter might be settled at tonight's meeting.
The new school would replace the existing high school/middle school and the two elementary schools.
The tug of war escalated in September when the school board majority filed an appeal in county court of a borough council decision rejecting preliminary development plans for the pre-kindergarten to 12th-grade school. Several school board members at the time said it was necessary to replace the three ailing school buildings and millions already spent in lawyer and engineering fees in planning for the new school.
“There will be a motion tomorrow to stop the appeal,” said William Hellmann, the new school board president, when contacted on Tuesday.
All four of the board's new members, as well as some existing board members, have spoken out against the new school project. They say it has become too expensive and has been poorly handled by former school board members.
“It's been 25 months since November of 2005 when the plan was rammed down our throats,” said new board member Marlys Mihok on Tuesday. “[The appeal] will be stopped tomorrow night and I anticipate that it will pass, that the board majority will stop it.”
When the plan was first proposed, most of the board members were proponents of building a new school. However, several community members such as Mihok felt that board members ignored the wishes of taxpayers.
The proposed new school would create a tax increase of more than $646 annually. This amount is based on the median assessed property value of $18,000, district business manager Reba Dunford said in May.
New school opponents — Hellmann, Mihok, Robin Reithmeyer and William Farrell — won in the Nov. 6 general election, altering the board's balance of power from a majority who supported the school project to one who didn't.
Mihok said the agenda also includes a motion to look for a law firm the district would hire “on a contingency basis, to see what we can do about money we've given to the architect and engineer.”
At 9 a.m. Jan. 12, the school board plans to hold a walk-through of all three schools to look at structural and mechanical problems in hopes of coming up with a cheaper alternative.
“It will be open to heating and [air conditioning] people, plumbers, electricians or anyone with an interest in helping us with the buildings,” said Mihok. It will also be open to the public.
Arrangements for where to meet for the walk-through are forthcoming, she added.
One of the first things you learn as a lawyer is to NEVER ask a witness in open court a question that you do not already know the answer to. (I'm a proud graduate of Perry Mason University and the Matlock School of Law.) And the NSNs want us to walk through the buildings and see what's going on? Why would they campaign on a platform of STOP THE SCHOOL and then a week after taking office, walk through the areas, inviting people to come out and see the conditions for themselves? Unless our miracle-trained custodial staff found some sort of magic wand stuffed in an abandoned locker and have drained the magic out of it busily repairing past neglect, I predict a rude awakening.This is an open plea to everyone: If you didn't support the new school, come and see for yourself where our kids learn. If you did support the new school, come and see what's changed.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Schooltime for the New Members
So did any of our readers know about the classes that the new board members should be attending sponsored by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association? (OK, OK, yes, I know some of our readers are former school board members and probably attended themselves.) However, I was unaware of such a thing and pose an open question to all nine of the current school board members. Have you attended already or when are the dates set for you to attend?
"Fast Track sessions [were] held over two days in King of Prussia at the start of December. Topics were varied, giving board members the opportunity to choose from classes such as “Budget Basics for School Boards,” “The Board's Role in Promoting Student Growth and Achievement” and “I'm a new school board member, now what?”
There's quite a large number of items that this website covers. Gee, I thought all school board members did was create controversy and/or do nothing while in office. They have responsibilities and everything. Since there's only seven members participating in the Morrisville school board committee discussions, I hope the three more experienced members can keep the four newbies in line.
Look at the stuff you can learn about!
Initiatives for Effective School Governance
Funding Issues and Concerns
School Design and Construction Conference
Maybe tomorrow night at the inaugural regular school board meeting, we can find out how many attended and what they thought about the classes. And if they didn't attend, why not?
"Fast Track sessions [were] held over two days in King of Prussia at the start of December. Topics were varied, giving board members the opportunity to choose from classes such as “Budget Basics for School Boards,” “The Board's Role in Promoting Student Growth and Achievement” and “I'm a new school board member, now what?”
There's quite a large number of items that this website covers. Gee, I thought all school board members did was create controversy and/or do nothing while in office. They have responsibilities and everything. Since there's only seven members participating in the Morrisville school board committee discussions, I hope the three more experienced members can keep the four newbies in line.
Look at the stuff you can learn about!
Initiatives for Effective School Governance
Funding Issues and Concerns
School Design and Construction Conference
Maybe tomorrow night at the inaugural regular school board meeting, we can find out how many attended and what they thought about the classes. And if they didn't attend, why not?
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Saturday Afternoon in Morrisville
I hate shopping during weekend daytimes. I especially hate shopping during the holiday season. Shopping during holiday weekend days tops the scale of retail thou shall-nots for me.
However, a nice sunny holiday shopping weekend brings out a lot of your neighbors, and a lot of meeting and greeting gets done. It's amazing what you find out. For example:
1) The school district is required to have a strategic plan created every six years, and there was a meeting for it this past Tuesday evening. A lot of school administration members and community members were there, including former PSP members Johanny Manning and Greta O'Keefe; current PSP member Joe Kemp; and current NSN member Robin Reithmeyer. Kudos and thumbs up to all of them. No matter what your thoughts on the schools, if you're out there fighting the fight, it shows your level of commitment. A pending thumbs down to current NSN member Marlys Mihok who was a no-show. Life can intrude and we hope that Marlys is safe and well, but if she just blew it off because she's on the buildings committee and she might find out something that was against her NSN leanings, well, let's let the voters decide.
2) Grandview was closed Wednesday because of a water main break and the high school was closed Thursday for a gas leak. Thank God the buildings are safe and we don't need this building project. Kudos to the Big Guy Upstairs for an awesome sense of humor and timing. First week in power for the NSNs and the walls are tumbling down. **Attention K-Mart shoppers! Cleanup of egg on face for seven!**
3) Less connected to the schools directly, is a rather astounding piece of news I picked up...the Democrats are retaliating against any Democrats who supported the Community Party candidates. A comment in a previous post alluded to this, but this is confirmed. So the "Stop The School" candidates who proudly crowed their lack of partisan labels are dusting off those labels again.
Six like minded individuals who will work for affordable school taxes to finance a quality education for our children. We are young and old, 3 Republicans and 3 Democrats, 3 men and 3 women, representing all 4 wards, hard working residents, with and without children, who all share a passion that our students excel.
So when we want and need your vote, your party affiliation is a liquid thing that is rather meaningless and we won't scrutinize things too much. But now...now that we are "In Power!", it is time to purge the tepid, the weak, and the non-true-believers from our ranks! Begone! And pay your dues before you leave..billboards like the one we had are REALLY expensive.
4) A big, big, big thumbs down to Bill Hellmann, CPA, newly elected President of the Morrisville Board of School Directors. He saw that both Ed Frankenfield and Joe Kemp were overworked from the past few years on the board and needed a rest from all that committee type work. Shutting off dissent is a rather poor first impression to make, Billy-Boy. I'm going to have to rate you "needs improvement" on "works and plays well with others" and we will have to have to set up a conference with your mother.
Maybe it IS time to have a few interested citizens attend these meetings. Could you imagine some PSP type fighting and complaining like Bill Hellmann, CPA and board CANDIDATE used to? Love the way that Karma wheel turns and turns...
If any of this is inaccurate, let me know and I will set the record straight. All of these items were confirmed multiple times by unconnected persons. There's a lot more that is unconfirmed and I will not post until then.
However, a nice sunny holiday shopping weekend brings out a lot of your neighbors, and a lot of meeting and greeting gets done. It's amazing what you find out. For example:
1) The school district is required to have a strategic plan created every six years, and there was a meeting for it this past Tuesday evening. A lot of school administration members and community members were there, including former PSP members Johanny Manning and Greta O'Keefe; current PSP member Joe Kemp; and current NSN member Robin Reithmeyer. Kudos and thumbs up to all of them. No matter what your thoughts on the schools, if you're out there fighting the fight, it shows your level of commitment. A pending thumbs down to current NSN member Marlys Mihok who was a no-show. Life can intrude and we hope that Marlys is safe and well, but if she just blew it off because she's on the buildings committee and she might find out something that was against her NSN leanings, well, let's let the voters decide.
2) Grandview was closed Wednesday because of a water main break and the high school was closed Thursday for a gas leak. Thank God the buildings are safe and we don't need this building project. Kudos to the Big Guy Upstairs for an awesome sense of humor and timing. First week in power for the NSNs and the walls are tumbling down. **Attention K-Mart shoppers! Cleanup of egg on face for seven!**
3) Less connected to the schools directly, is a rather astounding piece of news I picked up...the Democrats are retaliating against any Democrats who supported the Community Party candidates. A comment in a previous post alluded to this, but this is confirmed. So the "Stop The School" candidates who proudly crowed their lack of partisan labels are dusting off those labels again.
Who are the Stop the School Platform?
Six like minded individuals who will work for affordable school taxes to finance a quality education for our children. We are young and old, 3 Republicans and 3 Democrats, 3 men and 3 women, representing all 4 wards, hard working residents, with and without children, who all share a passion that our students excel.
People registered as Independent can only vote in the Primary Election on Questions, they cannot vote for individual candidates. You may change your affiliation to either the Democratic or Republican Party so you can help choose who will run for School Board or any elected position.
You can easily change back to Independent, if you so choose. Forms can be gotten at the Morrisville Library, or call 215 295-2900 and a form will be delivered to you.
So when we want and need your vote, your party affiliation is a liquid thing that is rather meaningless and we won't scrutinize things too much. But now...now that we are "In Power!", it is time to purge the tepid, the weak, and the non-true-believers from our ranks! Begone! And pay your dues before you leave..billboards like the one we had are REALLY expensive.4) A big, big, big thumbs down to Bill Hellmann, CPA, newly elected President of the Morrisville Board of School Directors. He saw that both Ed Frankenfield and Joe Kemp were overworked from the past few years on the board and needed a rest from all that committee type work. Shutting off dissent is a rather poor first impression to make, Billy-Boy. I'm going to have to rate you "needs improvement" on "works and plays well with others" and we will have to have to set up a conference with your mother.
Maybe it IS time to have a few interested citizens attend these meetings. Could you imagine some PSP type fighting and complaining like Bill Hellmann, CPA and board CANDIDATE used to? Love the way that Karma wheel turns and turns...
If any of this is inaccurate, let me know and I will set the record straight. All of these items were confirmed multiple times by unconnected persons. There's a lot more that is unconfirmed and I will not post until then.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Morrisville MS/HS Closed Due to Maintenance Issues??
According to the school emergency information hotline, the Middle/Senior High School is closed due to "maintenance issues" today December 6, while the elementary schools are open. Anyone with more or better information?
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Morrisville School Board: The Next Generation
According to the Courier Times, it appears that President Bill Hellmann and Vice President Al Radosti will lead the crew of the Starship Enterprise-NSN for the next two years. So much for my guess that Radosti would emerge as the new Jean-Luc Picard.
The next two years are also going to be tough on Ed Frankenfield and Joe Kemp. In much the same way the Republicans have found that minorityhood in Congress is not fun (and they are retiring in record numbers for the 2008 election cycle), they will be largely ignored by the NSNs unless they maintain strident and loud dissent or moderate their positions to more closely match the NSN positions. I remember reading about Richard Nixon's first few days as a private citizen following his resignation, and he wanted to send a letter to a supporter. They looked and looked, and the only stationery available was the apple green letterhead reserved for the President of the United States. An aide took a pair of scissors, cut off the presidential seal, and handed the remains of the page to the former president remarking, "This is the new reality."
Any thoughts about the power dynamic with the former borough controller now president of the board? How about board member Mrs. Worob and councilman Mr. Worob? Is Vice-President Radosti running for a second shot at Mayor Wisnosky's job? And how about relations between the borough council and the board of education? Who runs who? Any other thoughts?
MORRISVILLE
The Morrisville school board welcomed new members, including William Hellmann, who was elected president. Alfred Radosti, who has served on the board since 2003, was elected to serve as vice president.
Other members joining the board were Robin Reithmeyer, Marlys Mihok and William Farrell.
Hellmann and Radosti were elected by votes of 7-2, with Edward Frankenfield and Joseph Kemp voting to elect Kemp as president and Frankenfield as vice president.
Mihok was unanimously elected to serve as school district representative to the Bucks County Intermediate Unit Board.
Power has an interesting dynamic all its own, and I admit that I am somewhat surprised that Radosti, Heater, and Worob (oh my!) having survived so many years of silent second banana-hood under the alleged dictatorial iron thumb of Dr. Gibson would decline an opportunity to gloriously lead this board. May their golden tongues be loosened.The next two years are also going to be tough on Ed Frankenfield and Joe Kemp. In much the same way the Republicans have found that minorityhood in Congress is not fun (and they are retiring in record numbers for the 2008 election cycle), they will be largely ignored by the NSNs unless they maintain strident and loud dissent or moderate their positions to more closely match the NSN positions. I remember reading about Richard Nixon's first few days as a private citizen following his resignation, and he wanted to send a letter to a supporter. They looked and looked, and the only stationery available was the apple green letterhead reserved for the President of the United States. An aide took a pair of scissors, cut off the presidential seal, and handed the remains of the page to the former president remarking, "This is the new reality."
Any thoughts about the power dynamic with the former borough controller now president of the board? How about board member Mrs. Worob and councilman Mr. Worob? Is Vice-President Radosti running for a second shot at Mayor Wisnosky's job? And how about relations between the borough council and the board of education? Who runs who? Any other thoughts?
Wish I Had Thought of This.....
In a spirit of cooperation with the new board members, (I couldn't attend last night's meeting. How did the re-org meeting go?), here's a nifty idea for thought. Imagine using the schools as quasi-community centers.
Bucks County Courier Times
Bucks County Courier Times
A $27,000 investment in new technology for the township meeting room could end up paying for itself, one Middletown supervisor said.
Robert McMonagle said planned installation of equipment for Power Point presentations and other things designed to make the room more user-friendly could make it attractive to outside organizations for meetings and conferences. That would mean rental income for the township, he said.
“By adding all these technological accoutrements, we should be able to offer the room for other functions and events,” he said. “Those kinds of things should be happening more often. We have this excellent resource we're not using enough.”
The $27,000 for new equipment in the meeting room is allocated in the 2008 proposed budget. A vote to finalize the budget is scheduled for the supervisors' Dec. 11 meeting.
One of the pieces of equipment is a large screen that would allow the supervisors and audience to more easily view plans, blueprints and other images shown during meetings. The screen also could be used by outside organizations renting the room.
“I think it will make things much better,” said township resident Phil Schieber, who frequently attends supervisor meetings. “It's often very difficult to see what some of the developers and engineers are trying to present, particularly on housing and water runoff type issues. Water runoff is a particularly sensitive issue and the more residents know about it the better off they are.”
However, he doubts the wisdom of allowing the new equipment to turn the meeting room into a money maker.
“I have a little concern with that,” Schieber said. “The purpose of that room should be to benefit and serve the residents and homeowners of Middletown, as far as I'm concerned.”
But with expenses constantly rising, the board must always look for new sources of revenue, said Supervisor Jasper Caro. The proposed 2008 budget has a property tax increase of 1.5 mills, or $43.50 for the average property owner.
“We were originally talking about $100,000 worth of new equipment and I started favoring it when we cut it way down,” Caro said. “I think trying to get outside groups into the room is a good idea, provided it's not used for political purposes. If we're allowed to do it and it can help the budget, it's a good idea.”
McMonagle also would like to see other events in addition to the supervisor meetings televised over the township's cable TV government access channel.
“A good example is the global warming conference we had in the meeting room a few weeks ago, more things like that,” he said. “We could televise cultural events, music events and maybe work in conjunction with the Neshaminy School District to bring in student functions.”
December 3, 2007 7:36 AM
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Fair Play
Herbert Block, who drew under the pen name of Herblock, was the Washington Post's resident editorial cartoonist for well over fifty years. He lampooned the high and mighty and deflated their ego balloons with a flick of his pen.
One of the politicians that he loved to hate was Richard Nixon. Through Nixon's house, senate and vice presidential career, Herblock refused to show Nixon as anything but an unshaven shady character (back in the day when manly chin stubble was not sexy, but declasse) who would use any means, fair or foul, to achieve his ends.
Then the incredible happened! Nixon was elected President of the United States of America. And so Herblock gave Nixon one free shave and never again portrayed him as a sinister dark jowled character.
In the end, Nixon threw away Herblock's generous gesture in a little thing known collectively as Watergate, but that's another story.
Which brings us to Morrisville 2007, where for better or for worse, a new school board is being seated. I oppose them and their ideas. Their narrow-mindedness truly makes me despair at the future of this town. I find their refusal to discuss their plans to have been a slap in the face of voters. Their tactics have been suspect to say the least. I find grave character flaws in them that make me wonder what anyone was thinking when they voted for these people. Then again, Hitler was elected too.
My dear departed grandmother was a sweetheart, but she was also no pushover either, and did her teaching in aphorisms. Among her memorable teachings were to forgive, but never forget; that birds of a feather flock together; and that iron needs fire to strengthen it properly.
So using the wisdom I acquired in my grandmother's classroom of human experience, I hereby award one virtual shave to the incoming Morrisville school board. It's the right thing to do. As I said before, for better for for worse, they are now the deciders. That doesn't mean I forget all that has transpired. I also believe that like minded people tend to band together, and that somewhere down the line, their Watergate will probably arrive right on time. They also have not submitted their plans to the annealing oven of public scrutiny, and only time will tell on that score. But for now, I welcome our new board, and I am willing to give them the opportunity to let us in on their secret plans.
What do you think?
One of the politicians that he loved to hate was Richard Nixon. Through Nixon's house, senate and vice presidential career, Herblock refused to show Nixon as anything but an unshaven shady character (back in the day when manly chin stubble was not sexy, but declasse) who would use any means, fair or foul, to achieve his ends.
Then the incredible happened! Nixon was elected President of the United States of America. And so Herblock gave Nixon one free shave and never again portrayed him as a sinister dark jowled character.
In the end, Nixon threw away Herblock's generous gesture in a little thing known collectively as Watergate, but that's another story.
Which brings us to Morrisville 2007, where for better or for worse, a new school board is being seated. I oppose them and their ideas. Their narrow-mindedness truly makes me despair at the future of this town. I find their refusal to discuss their plans to have been a slap in the face of voters. Their tactics have been suspect to say the least. I find grave character flaws in them that make me wonder what anyone was thinking when they voted for these people. Then again, Hitler was elected too.
My dear departed grandmother was a sweetheart, but she was also no pushover either, and did her teaching in aphorisms. Among her memorable teachings were to forgive, but never forget; that birds of a feather flock together; and that iron needs fire to strengthen it properly.
So using the wisdom I acquired in my grandmother's classroom of human experience, I hereby award one virtual shave to the incoming Morrisville school board. It's the right thing to do. As I said before, for better for for worse, they are now the deciders. That doesn't mean I forget all that has transpired. I also believe that like minded people tend to band together, and that somewhere down the line, their Watergate will probably arrive right on time. They also have not submitted their plans to the annealing oven of public scrutiny, and only time will tell on that score. But for now, I welcome our new board, and I am willing to give them the opportunity to let us in on their secret plans.
What do you think?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)