Residents ask board to focus on kids

No matter how many times I point out "It's not just Morrisville!", it's still good to see some confirmation.

Now if only the Morrisville residents would ask our school board to focus on the kids...

Residents ask board to focus on kids

By RACHEL CANELLI
Bucks County Courier Times

Some Neshaminy School District residents Wednesday night gave the school board a homework assignment — stop arguing and work together.

After accusations were exchanged by a few members over alleged behind-the-scenes hiring decisions earlier this month, many senior citizens and parents pleaded with the board to focus on children and education.

Some people presented the board with a letter demanding a two-to-five-year strategic plan, including a budget that the community can afford, and for officials to define the roles of the board and superintendent.

They said the board has lost the community's confidence and described members' behavior as embarrassing.

“We have to have harmony on the board,” said Langhorne senior citizen Solis Basen.

Board member William Spitz pointed out that the district approved a six-year strategic plan two years ago, and the board's ethics and conduct policies partially describe the board and superintendent's jobs.

Several residents showed support for board President Richard Eccles, who was recently urged to resign by board members William O'Connor and Spitz.

Those who spoke out in support of Eccles said O'Connor and Spitz should resign.

“Mr. Eccles has always been the voice of the people ... and committed to the people,” said Langhorne resident Howard Lindner.

Other speakers asked administrators to focus on possible school closures, the budget and ongoing negotiations with the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers since their contract expires in June.

Langhorne resident Chris Graham called the board members' finger-pointing a disgrace to the community that has made Neshaminy the laughingstock of the area and distracted officials from focusing on business.

Spitz said the board could improve by following its own ethics and conduct policies.

Insults instead of answers

Kate, Kate, Kate. Why can't you just cooperate? [Ed Note: Read with heavy emphasis on sarcasm.]

Thanks for reading. Thanks also for your follow up. [Ed Note: Read with no sarcasm.]

Nice graphic too...

Insults instead of answers

Lots of angry hot air and ruffled feathers at last night’s Morrisville School Board meeting, and some aimed here at the newspaper and me in particular.

Seems my pointing out that school board member Brenda Worob hosted a gathering of school board members a couple of Sundays ago didn’t sit right with her husband Councilman Stephen Worob and other supporters of the current board majority.

Their track record when it comes to transparent government is iffy, and I remarked I didn’t believe their assurances no school board business was discussed that weekend out of the view of the public. I also questioned why they were demanding personal information about children in need of special education services in the district.

Here’s the column.

Oh, that made some people mad. Most notably Stephen Worob, who regularly uses the cable television camera to rant about his perceived bias of this newspaper. Never mind that he is a frequent contributor to the editorial pages where he’s allowed to say whatever is on his mind. Mostly what’s on his mind,it seems is that the rest of us should put a sock in it while he and his circle run Morrisville. Question him and some others and stand back for the personal attack. (Check out some of the responses under my column.) No answers to the question, just a frontal assault.

Best defense is a good offense, I suppose. Shoot the messenger to block the next inconvenient message.

A couple of months ago, Worob remarks in school board minutes that the local press is “clueless when it comes to investigative reporting.” I think that was wishful thinking. It’d be better for current leaders if we didn’t investigate.

Oddly, Worob supporters, didn’t criticize me for a lack of investigation this time, but for “digging up dirt.” Thing is, no digging’s been necessary. This current school board majority is so dismissive of state law and the rules of common decency, and the intelligence of its constituents that its missteps and misstatements are glaring. They don’t bother to cover their tracks very well.

Here’s hoping again for an end to the vitriol and ego, and a move toward common sense and compromise. Regular residents will have to lead the charge. Their leaders are out to lunch.

Posted by Kate Fratti at 2:17 pm |

Poutpourri for $1000, Alex

Wow. It's nice to be back online. It just goes to show you that virus and trojan applications are not 100% effective 100% of the time. I got a nasty trojan that wreaked the proverbial havoc with my hard drive. While my current puter was down, I was working on an old machine that was state of the art in the early 90s, which is to say, prehistoric. Dialing into AOL via modem for the first time in years was another piece of nostalgia that I did not miss in the least.

I'm working with a new hard drive that has 3x the capacity of my old drive, and since I had actually backed up this farking thing in March, I only lost a little bit of data.

My PSA for the day: If you play online, make sure you play safely. Always use a backup.

I have missed a lot. There was a borough council meeting where Gateway again was a topic of conversation but gained no forward momentum; we had another school board business meeting and ambulance crews were not involved (unless, shhhhh...it was a secret ambulance crew); budget work sessions are coming up; and there's a new solicitor coming to town.

There's a lot of feedback as a result of the mention from Kate Fratti, and maybe we can discuss that as well. Are we the "sour grapes brigade", or are we well and truly pointing out the Emperor sans culottes?

Morrisville: We can do better than this. You need to get up from the front of the TV and get involved. Become educated on the issues and show up at the borough council and school board meetings. Speak your mind, and keep them accountable. Those people up on the dais? Keep in mind they work for you, not the other way around.

I also understand that I've been branded a traitor and a coward by a member of the borough council. Should I be offended or grateful? I'm not sure.

I'll pick up the ball again and be posting more as I sort through items. Please let me know if there are any topics you want discussed as well.

Thank you everyone for your emails of concern and interest. It was really great to see all those emails piled up.

Thank you for the flames as well. The emails delighting in my silence and potential demise were greatly exaggerated and premature. They're also one heck of an incentive.