Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Secret Meetings?
I got an email from a reader suggesting that the current school board has been holding secret meetings on topics unknown. Does anyone have information they want to share?
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13 comments:
Were they working on another "shame on you" speech?
Testing the strength of the living room furniture? Sharing cake recipes? Putting the finishing touches on those delayed meeting minutes? Coordinating surreptitious surveillance of John Jordan? Conducting eye tests by measuring their ability to read the waistband of a man's underwear from 20 paces? The possibilities are endless.....
We need a mole.
Perhaps someone from the "clapping committee"
Anyone else remember their campaign promises? Is THIS what they meant by "transparent governing entity"?
We will address the physical condition of our buildings!
We will form Community Advisory Panels comprised of residents, parents, seniors, etc. to take suggestions and make the school board a more transparent governing entity!
We will implement a maintenance plan with accountability to assure that buildings are never allowed to deteriorate again!
We will demand that administration have accountability standards for instruction to assure that our children learn!
We will stress academic and behavioral standards for our students. Every child needs to feel safe in our schools!
Got the email message below today. Great chance to drink some free soda. Fair-to-middling chance for those who favor Morrisville's merger with Pennsbury, BoysTown Juvenile Detention Center, or Our Lady of Perpetual Motion Academy to use all of your powers and skills on Senator Charles McIlhinney to make it happen. Soften him up on property tax relief for the perpetually cranky too. Let him know how you don't care for pre-K programs either 'cuz they cost money. Good luck!
OPEN HOUSE
MORRISVILLE BRANCH YMCA
200 North Pennsylvania Avenue
Morrisville, PA 19067
The Morrisville Branch YMCA proudly announces a special visit from Senator Charles McIlhinney on Friday, April 18th at 2:30pm to visit our PA Pre K Counts classroom. All parents and friends are cordially invited to visit with the Senator, attend our Open House, and tour our Keystone STAR 3 facility. Refreshments will be served.
As Mr. Hellman would say "no comment"
Last I heard they were using a Ouija Board.
Any highlights or lowlights from last night's agenda meeting? Lock the teachers IN this time and turn the drug-sniffing canines on them, perhaps?
I actually went to see Obama. He was great but fashionably late and I couldn't get back in time for the meeting.
I've often wondered why we can't be more like Neshaminy........
From today's Courier Times.
Board member calls for president’s resignation
By RACHEL CANELLI
Bucks County Courier Times
So much for a board retreat to create respect.
After a recent undisclosed meeting to work on how board members relate, charges and counter-charges erupted during the Neshaminy school board meeting Tuesday night. They prompted a call for the president’s resignation and spurred at least one board member to suggest an independent investigation of all the allegations that were made.
Board member Ritchie Webb proposed the idea of an independent probe after fellow board member William O’Connor accused board President Richard Eccles of interfering and influencing a district hiring decision.
While the president didn’t admit or deny the allegations, he said his accuser had no physical proof, but that he’d be willing to participate in an investigation.
O’Connor claimed Eccles had a private conversation with Assistant Superintendent Lou Muenker, and a subsequent decision was made not to split one administrative post into two positions, and instead give the single position to a relative of an Eccles’ ally.
When asked by the newspaper after the meeting if the discussion had occurred, Eccles said he didn’t solicit Muenker. He directed questions to Muenker, who had already left the meeting. During the meeting, Muenker said only that he felt very uncomfortable about being "in the hot seat" over the issue.
He didn’t respond Wednesday to e-mail requests for comment.
O’Connor said Superintendent Paul Kadri informed him that the more than $100,000 temporary assistant principal spot at an unidentified school was initially supposed to be split between two people. Those people were also not named. O’Connor also claimed Eccles acted on behalf of an unnamed political ally, who is reportedly the relative of the candidate who was eventually awarded the sole job.
Kadri said Tuesday night that "at this time," the person who received the job represented the administration’s best recommendation.
"[This is] ... gross, inappropriate abuse of an elected official’s power," said O’Connor, adding that his problem is with the process not the person. "But it’s never too late to do the right thing."
Eccles responded by calling O’Connor’s allegations a stream of "lies and innuendoes." He provided an e-mail from former superintendent Howard Wilson, who claimed O’Connor made past requests for two hires, including his daughter. O’Connor denied the accusations.
"You’re tainting my reputation," Eccles said. "After 10 years on this board, I’ve not a mark against me. I’ve been asked numerous times by [various] superintendents my feelings toward individuals. It’s not uncommon, but [his opinion] doesn’t make [the hiring] decision. ... You’re a hypocrite."
Despite the controversy, the personnel report was approved 7-2, with O’Connor and William Spitz voting no.
O’Connor and Spitz said they regretted making their concerns about the hiring process and board politics public, but claimed they didn’t get answers during the recent undisclosed retreat.
After describing Eccles as a dictator who divided the board and usurped Kadri’s authority, Spitz called for Eccles’ resignation. After the meeting, Eccles called Spitz’s and O’Connor’s comments "attacks" and "a political circus." During the meeting, he said: "This is a bunch of garbage. Those who know me know better."
Board member Frank Koziol said he didn’t see a problem even if the reported private discussion took place. "We’re allowed to have a preference," he said.
Some audience members said, "You should be ashamed of yourself" and applauded Spitz and O’Connor.
Other board members, such as Joseph Blasch, said they felt caught in the middle, not knowing who or what to believe. "It’s very difficult to know how much is true or not true," he said.
That’s why other board members agreed an independent investigation is needed, as well as guiding principles for the board to follow, including respecting each other.
While it is not clear if any steps are being taken to initiate an investigation, the board’s policy committee will looking at establishing guidelines for board members, said board member Irene Boyle.
Rachel Canelli can be reached at 215-949-4191 or rcanelli@phillyBurbs.com.
April 10, 2008 7:05 AM
Bwahhahaha! Jon, "testing the strength of the living room furniture"! Pure poetry. The brain waits a beat and then it is filled with a terrible, terrible image.
“The days of non-transparency on this board and secret scheming meetings is about to come to an end.”
Steve Worob - March 2007 Board Meeting
”I consider you [the prior Board, and former Board President Sandy Gibson in particular] sneaky and bordering on being unethical” and “You do not inspire trust.”
Bill Hellmann - April 2007 Board Meeting
"You are not setting a good example to the children."
Bill Hellmann - February 2007 Board Meeting
To Steve - really?
To Bill - really really?
My question is: if a secret meeting is held, but everybody finds out about it, is it still secret?
Answer: yes, it is until we uncover what was discussed.
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