We brought noodles from China. Gunpowder too.
The French provided their wines and cheeses.
The Germans sent over their schnitzles, Schwartzwalder kirschtorte, and beers.
Now Morrisville can lay claim to exporting something: A bullying and dysfunctional school board.
I know it's not a local phenomenon. I've profiled a number of school boards where the village idiots, the chronically uncooperative, the obviously veracity-challenged, and even the downright stupid, run the local education train.
We'd like to welcome Neshaminy to the party. It's a dark day when the school board cannot find the time to watch a school football game, visit a class, read on Dr. Seuss day, or even, for God's sake, attend graduation in June. When the school board views the administration as corrupt, the teachers as inept, the aides as superfluous, and the students as stupid, it's a sad way to run a school system. Some contemplative time in front of the mirror might be in order.
Flowers for the seniors at the sports ball are scrutinized and disapproved as wasteful and extravagant spending of $35.00. Yet these same people attend the prom on the district's dime, spending well over that amount---each. We cannot afford to buy batteries for the calculators in the schools, but we can afford to perform major repairs without Plan Con reimbursement.
Wake up people. Get involved. Get active. Bring real leadership to the table. Vote out the bozos.
From the BCCT.
Power struggle: Fewer accusations and more solutions
Linda Brookshaw Middletown
As a parent in the Neshaminy School District, I acknowledge there are numerous issues that need to be addressed. I believe Superintendent Paul Kadri can lead the district in the right direction if the school board stops its power struggle.
The Aug. 26 school board meeting started with Kadri celebrating student performance. While the audience cheered, board President Rick Eccles sat with scowl on his face, setting a negative tone for the entire meeting. How terrible for those high school students to believe the board did not feel proud of their accomplishments.
It is obvious that Eccles’ goal is to make Kadri look unprofessional. Of course, a bully has no power on his own, so he needs board members Koziol and Webb to join in on the campaign.
For Eccles to say, “This is the darkest day in Neshaminy’s history,” shows his lack of knowledge. Does he not want to educate himself on state and federal policies? Kadri patiently explained PSSA results to the board with a detailed power point presentation.
Now that the board has the results, I urge members to create a strategic action plan to improve the education of each Neshaminy student. Instead of coming to meetings with accusations, come to the meetings with solutions! The Neshaminy board needs to understand that those who fail to plan — plan to fail. The board is failing our children.
I urge the public to become involved. Parents need to be aware of Eccles’, Koziol’s and Webb’s agenda to push Kadri out of the district. This is setting a course to destroy public education.
I applaud board member Cummings for standing up to Eccles, and I ask the rest of the school board to stop this cycle of embarrassing, nonproductive school board meetings. Parents need to vote this board out of office. Our children’s best interests are not being served.
Monday, September 8, 2008
2004: "Morrisville brimming with potential"
Almost four years later, other than Cloverleaf, where are any of these items?
Borough Council members? Anything you would like to say? This was two whole election cycles ago.
Waterfront study: Morrisville brimming with potential
By: JEFF WERNER 12/16/2004
A marina with retail shops and moderately priced living units and a transportation hub in the center of the downtown area are just a few of the ideas included in a vision for Morrisville Borough being put forth as part of a comprehensive study of the Bucks County waterfront.
Representatives from Urban Design and Planning, a consulting firm hired by the Bucks County Redevelopment Authority to draft a visioning plan for the corridor, met with Morrisville leaders during a special meeting.
The plan could be a potential boon to the long overlooked Manor Park section of town, located south of Route One, with the potential for major access to the Delaware River and close to 100 acres of redevelopable property.
"The first ward of Morrisville is going to be the renassiance of Morrisville," predicted council president Jane Burger. "This is where you have the opportunities for access to the river, where you have some open space, a walkway along the river and development potential. I just want to jump up and down with excitement. This could be tremendous for us."
If everything comes together as planned, Burger said the plan envisions people walking along the river passed a conglomeration of new businesses, recreational uses and higher end housing in the Manor Park section of the town.
Specifically, the riverfront plan incorporates several major ideas put forth by borough officials, including the potential of a transportation hub supported by a complementary transit-oriented development at the Toll Brothers site on Pennsylvania Avenue.
"A transit station there would certainly enhance our property values, provide easy transportation and bring in more retail development. That would be exciting for us to see in our downtown area," said Burger.
The transit hub envisions both a SEPTA and New Jersey Transit stop and the potential of an exclusive access road linking the hub with express Route One to lessen the traffic impact on local roads. In addition, a parking garage could produce revenue for the borough, said Burger.
The hub would be a particular boon to the nearby downtown Bridge Street area.
"Because we're a borough, we have a town center that can be developed and we have a downtown," said Burger. "We don't have a lot of blocks, but we can be very concentrated and very visible."
Burger points to the recently enhanced corner of South Pennsylvania Avenue and Bridge Street where the statue of Robert Morris now stands. "It's just another enhancement for our downtown. It's another gateway for the town."
Much of the riverfront plan, however, is targeted south of Bridge Street in the Manor Park neighborhoods.
There, the plan envisions opening up the Morrisville Borough riverfront to public access, with new pedestrian and bicycle routes along the entire waterfront from Bridge Street to Falls Township.
According to the plan, "New marinas, with nearby mixed use development, would give residents recreational access to the river. An over-50 housing complex would be located nearby. The park along West Post Road will be enhanced. New residential development, as well as a small amount of mixed use, would occur along South Pennsylvania Avenue in Falls Township. Public open space would be located along the Delaware River from Morrisville's northern border to Biles Island, and a riverwalk would extend the length of the redevelopment area."
"Bringing the public to the river is important," said Burger. "We already have the walk along the river levee," said Burger. "With this, we would continue it southward and tie it into Falls. It would make a very nice walk."
The study also recommends opening the Manor Park riverfront to potential redevelopment, with new retail outlets, recreational opportunities and housing units.
A major component of that puzzle is the Staley property, which the plan envisions as one day being replaced by a marina with retail shops, residential units and access to the Delaware River.
The next step, said Burger, will be to decide what is the best mix of retail, recreational and housing.
"It's a dream for us in the future if it becomes available," said Burger, of the Staley site, "but we have to put our plans and ideas on paper now. This is putting a plan in place for how we would like to see it developed. We have $2 million available. We know there is a price tag. We just need to get things into place before you go to the table with an option."
Already in the works is the redevelopment of the Cloverleaf Diner site into between 40 and 80 units of age-restricted units. The council has already heard several development proposals for the site and is expected to hear at least one more at its December 14 meeting before making a decision.
Also on the radar screen in Manor Park is the future of the Piciotti's property. The potential exists for the development of housing around what is now a landlocked borough-owned lake.
"If there's housing around there, what a beautiful view it would make," said Burger. "We could put some public access in there so people can go in there and fish or maybe have a few little paddle boats."
In addition, Falls Township is working closely with Morrisville to change the nature of South Pennsylvania Avenue from industrial to residential and commercial to complement adjacent areas of Morrisville Borough.
"Falls is rethinking this whole area," said council president Jane Burger, pointing to a map of South Pennsylvania Avenue. "It certainly will enhance Pennsylvania Avenue which is really not inviting right now."
Borough Council members? Anything you would like to say? This was two whole election cycles ago.
Waterfront study: Morrisville brimming with potential
By: JEFF WERNER 12/16/2004
A marina with retail shops and moderately priced living units and a transportation hub in the center of the downtown area are just a few of the ideas included in a vision for Morrisville Borough being put forth as part of a comprehensive study of the Bucks County waterfront.
Representatives from Urban Design and Planning, a consulting firm hired by the Bucks County Redevelopment Authority to draft a visioning plan for the corridor, met with Morrisville leaders during a special meeting.
The plan could be a potential boon to the long overlooked Manor Park section of town, located south of Route One, with the potential for major access to the Delaware River and close to 100 acres of redevelopable property.
"The first ward of Morrisville is going to be the renassiance of Morrisville," predicted council president Jane Burger. "This is where you have the opportunities for access to the river, where you have some open space, a walkway along the river and development potential. I just want to jump up and down with excitement. This could be tremendous for us."
If everything comes together as planned, Burger said the plan envisions people walking along the river passed a conglomeration of new businesses, recreational uses and higher end housing in the Manor Park section of the town.
Specifically, the riverfront plan incorporates several major ideas put forth by borough officials, including the potential of a transportation hub supported by a complementary transit-oriented development at the Toll Brothers site on Pennsylvania Avenue.
"A transit station there would certainly enhance our property values, provide easy transportation and bring in more retail development. That would be exciting for us to see in our downtown area," said Burger.
The transit hub envisions both a SEPTA and New Jersey Transit stop and the potential of an exclusive access road linking the hub with express Route One to lessen the traffic impact on local roads. In addition, a parking garage could produce revenue for the borough, said Burger.
The hub would be a particular boon to the nearby downtown Bridge Street area.
"Because we're a borough, we have a town center that can be developed and we have a downtown," said Burger. "We don't have a lot of blocks, but we can be very concentrated and very visible."
Burger points to the recently enhanced corner of South Pennsylvania Avenue and Bridge Street where the statue of Robert Morris now stands. "It's just another enhancement for our downtown. It's another gateway for the town."
Much of the riverfront plan, however, is targeted south of Bridge Street in the Manor Park neighborhoods.
There, the plan envisions opening up the Morrisville Borough riverfront to public access, with new pedestrian and bicycle routes along the entire waterfront from Bridge Street to Falls Township.
According to the plan, "New marinas, with nearby mixed use development, would give residents recreational access to the river. An over-50 housing complex would be located nearby. The park along West Post Road will be enhanced. New residential development, as well as a small amount of mixed use, would occur along South Pennsylvania Avenue in Falls Township. Public open space would be located along the Delaware River from Morrisville's northern border to Biles Island, and a riverwalk would extend the length of the redevelopment area."
"Bringing the public to the river is important," said Burger. "We already have the walk along the river levee," said Burger. "With this, we would continue it southward and tie it into Falls. It would make a very nice walk."
The study also recommends opening the Manor Park riverfront to potential redevelopment, with new retail outlets, recreational opportunities and housing units.
A major component of that puzzle is the Staley property, which the plan envisions as one day being replaced by a marina with retail shops, residential units and access to the Delaware River.
The next step, said Burger, will be to decide what is the best mix of retail, recreational and housing.
"It's a dream for us in the future if it becomes available," said Burger, of the Staley site, "but we have to put our plans and ideas on paper now. This is putting a plan in place for how we would like to see it developed. We have $2 million available. We know there is a price tag. We just need to get things into place before you go to the table with an option."
Already in the works is the redevelopment of the Cloverleaf Diner site into between 40 and 80 units of age-restricted units. The council has already heard several development proposals for the site and is expected to hear at least one more at its December 14 meeting before making a decision.
Also on the radar screen in Manor Park is the future of the Piciotti's property. The potential exists for the development of housing around what is now a landlocked borough-owned lake.
"If there's housing around there, what a beautiful view it would make," said Burger. "We could put some public access in there so people can go in there and fish or maybe have a few little paddle boats."
In addition, Falls Township is working closely with Morrisville to change the nature of South Pennsylvania Avenue from industrial to residential and commercial to complement adjacent areas of Morrisville Borough.
"Falls is rethinking this whole area," said council president Jane Burger, pointing to a map of South Pennsylvania Avenue. "It certainly will enhance Pennsylvania Avenue which is really not inviting right now."
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