From the BCCT.
There's an interesting discussion about the plaque awarded by the school board to Ron Stout. Once again, there's some pre-electoral shenanigans going on as some commenters on this blog have pointed out as well as the commenters to this story.
Would anyone think "there is more than a slight appearance of a conflict of interest" in presenting this award? Heavens to Betsy!
Did the board pay for the plaque? Then when was the public vote authorizing it?
Was the plaque paid for and presented by private citizens? Then why was it presented at a school board meeting under the implied endorsement and consent of the school board?
BUCKS BRIEFS
Bucks County Courier Times
School renovations set
The board approved bid proposals of $3.44 million for asbestos abatement, window replacement, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, plumbing and electrical work at Morrisville Middle/Senior High School this summer.
The work was expected to cost about $4 million, but the bids came in lower.
"We're very happy with the results of these bids," said Bill Corfield of Vitetta, the architectural firm handling the work. He surmised that costs have dropped because of the economy.
Savings on major items allowed the board to accept bids on all items needing renovation, not just the HVAC and window replacement. The work on boilers, classroom ventilators, windows and other systems will improve efficiency and save the district in future energy costs, said board President William Hellmann.
Resident Ron Stout received a plaque for ideas that saved the district money. His suggestion to have the high school's hot water piping tested for reliability instead of simply replacing it saved $719,000 on renovations, said board member Maryls Mihok, who presented the plaque to Stout at the Tuesday board meeting. The pipes were found to be sound enough to continue being used.
Stout, who's running for school board, brought up ideas that should save the district $200,000 in future Grandview renovations, Mihok said. "I don't care who saved us money. I would have given the award to anybody," Mihok said.
Comments
Broken For Sure, 03-27-09, 10:46 am | Rate: Flag -3 Flag | Flag Report
"School renovations set"
(Stout, who's running for school board, brought up ideas that should save the district $200,000 in future Grandview renovations, Mihok said. "I don't care who saved us money. I would have given the award to anybody," Mihok said.)
Campaigning has come early to Morrisville Borough - and thanks to people like Mrs. Mihok, its ugly, but not surprising.
You would give an award to anybody? Really? I doubt it, although you did give one to Ron Stout so that statement may be very true. From what I can see, Robin Reithmeyer has saved the school district millions in legal fees for pointing out wrong-doings of the present school board majority in Morrisville, so WHERE'S HER PLAQUE?! The previous school board majority was undermining the community in a big way and the current school board majority is just more of the same. Its just disgusting. When watching school board meetings on the TV its such a dog and pony show, (and now we even have awards, WOW.)
Is this the same Marlys Mihok who, just last week, went to a Morrisville Council meeting and blasted Councilman Rivella, accusing him of accepting campaign contributions, (as Mr. Rivella pointed out, it may be new to Morrisville but it certainly isn't new to politics) and accusing him of being on council just to get a Responsible Contracting Ordinance in place, (From what I've heard the RCO was actually put before council by another person long before Mr. Rivella was even elected to council.) Mrs. Mihok, where's Mr. Rivella’s plaque for trying to save the borough millions of dollars with this ordinance?! It would be nice if Mr. Stout could formulate a sentence or two on his own for a change so that he wouldn't need his very small circle of friends like Mrs. Mihok and her cronies to try to build him up by awarding him a bogus plaque at a televised school board meeting. NO GRANDSTANDING THERE AT ALL! Yeah right.
As for Mr. Rivella and the ordinance, I’ll tell you right now that I supported this guy and I continue to do so. Mr. Rivella’s got what it takes to take on people like Jane Burger, Marlys Mihok and their kind and he and his group will actually be able to make positive changes in Morrisville once they successfully get the same old guard off council in November. I CAN’T WAIT!
I’ve been watching and I can clearly see a few things about Dave Rivella. He’s a family man who's dedicated to Morrisville Borough and he's working hard to move Morrisville forward in spite of the people on council who don’t want this. If Mr. Rivella was in any other profession, he would naturally go to the people surrounding him for fundraising purposes so why would it be any different because he’s a union guy?! Wake up people, this is how its done. Are you trying to say that everyone else should be allowed to fundraise but he should not?! As Mr. Rivella rightly pointed out at the last televised council meeting, all of his campaigning finance contributions have been public record since 2007 but are just now being brought up, as we are in another campaign cycle, ( by the very people he won his seat from, by the very people who don’t want change of any kind - unless they're dismantling the school system that is.) I believe these people are jealous and running scared because they know that Mr. Rivella seemed to actually have people who thought enough of him and his fellow "good Democrats" to support them where as the likes of Mrs. Mihok, Mrs. Burger and their kind have to rely on negativity. This kind of behavior by these naysayers puts Morrisville in a bad light and is disgusting to watch.
AwHellYeah, 03-27-09, 12:56 pm | Rate: Flag 2 Flag | Flag Report
Robin Reithmeyer hasn't saved the district anything. She is your typical politician.
Broken For Sure, 03-27-09, 2:25 pm | Rate: Flag -2 Flag | Flag Report
AwHellYeah
"Robin Reithmeyer hasn't saved the district anything. She is your typical politician."
I don't agree, although I can understand why someone may think she. She does her thing of standing up to the school board majority, but I just can't give her any credit for being a politician. She voted for Fitzpatrick not once but twice. I'm sure there were people in her own party who weren't too happy about that. Is she outspoken...yes ...is she a politician, her actions say differently...a nd I just don't see it.
AwHellYeah, 03-27-09, 2:31 pm | Rate: Flag 1 Flag | Flag Report
Go to a Democratic Club meeting then.
Broken For Sure, 03-27-09, 5:07 pm | Rate: Flag 0 Flag | Flag Report
Simply being involved as a Democrat or Republican does not make you a political person per say. You are simply promoting your fundamental beliefs with others. Having a party affiliation does not make you a politician. Being involved within either the Democratic or Republican parties or any other party does not make you a politician. I believe there are many people in Bucks County alone who belong to political clubs yet are not politicians. Its a mean business and I can understand why it isn't for everyone. Mrs. Reithmeyer is clearly not politically savvy, although she is, I believe from what I can see trying to do what SHE feels is correct as a Morrisville School Director. I believe that if she was fighting with the board majority instead of***ainst them she would be there hero. But then again there is only room for one of them and this week it seems to be Mr. Stout, award in hand. (I mean no harm...just a little joke...very little though it may be)
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Public Budget Meetings
From the BCCT.
Why would any school board want to do this in public? Keep it quiet: That's the Emperor's philosophy.
Pennsbury to hold budget meetings in a public forum
By: MANASEE WAGH
Bucks County Courier Times
Pennsbury wants residents to participate in one or more of three open forum discussions on school district budget planning for next year.
In a difficult budget year in which Pennsbury is looking for ways to save money in all departments, the district wants as much input from residents and stakeholders as possible, CEO Paul Long said during a recent board meeting.
"We will use a town meeting forum at for these discussions, which will enable residents to have dialogue with school board members and administrators. At each forum, a budget update will be presented and then residents will be invited to share their ideas and comment on education and finance at Pennsbury. Locations for these public discussions were selected to provide convenience for school district residents," said school board President Gregory Lucidi in a prepared statement.
The meetings are scheduled from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.:
April 7, Pennwood Middle School auditorium, 1523 Makefield Road
May 7, Afton Elementary School cafeteria, 1673 Quarry Road
June 4, Walt Disney Elementary School auditorium, 200 Lakeside Drive North
Call: 215-428-4178.
Manasee Wagh can be reached at 215-949-4206 or mwagh@phillyBurbs.com.
March 28, 2009 12:00 AM
Why would any school board want to do this in public? Keep it quiet: That's the Emperor's philosophy.
Pennsbury to hold budget meetings in a public forum
By: MANASEE WAGH
Bucks County Courier Times
Pennsbury wants residents to participate in one or more of three open forum discussions on school district budget planning for next year.
In a difficult budget year in which Pennsbury is looking for ways to save money in all departments, the district wants as much input from residents and stakeholders as possible, CEO Paul Long said during a recent board meeting.
"We will use a town meeting forum at for these discussions, which will enable residents to have dialogue with school board members and administrators. At each forum, a budget update will be presented and then residents will be invited to share their ideas and comment on education and finance at Pennsbury. Locations for these public discussions were selected to provide convenience for school district residents," said school board President Gregory Lucidi in a prepared statement.
The meetings are scheduled from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.:
April 7, Pennwood Middle School auditorium, 1523 Makefield Road
May 7, Afton Elementary School cafeteria, 1673 Quarry Road
June 4, Walt Disney Elementary School auditorium, 200 Lakeside Drive North
Call: 215-428-4178.
Manasee Wagh can be reached at 215-949-4206 or mwagh@phillyBurbs.com.
March 28, 2009 12:00 AM
Unions enter fact-finding in contract impasses
From the Intelligencer
Unions enter fact-finding in contract impasses
By: LOU SESSINGER
The Intelligencer
The school board is working on contracts with teacher aides, secretaries and teachers.
Labor strife involving three employee unions continues to be the center of attention in the Souderton Area School District, and there continues to be little information about the progress of resolving that strife.
That was the essence of school district solicitor Jeffrey Sultanik's update to the school board at its meeting Thursday night.
Sultanik reported that the unions representing the district's teacher aides (Souderton Area Educational Support Personnel Association) and secretaries (Souderton Area Secretaries Association) have entered what is known as "fact-finding" in their contract impasse with the district.
The Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board has appointed a fact finder to review the contract offers of the two unions and the district and recommend a settlement.
Health benefits and salaries have been reported to be the issues dividing the parties, but details of the contract offers haven't been made public because of the bargaining process.
Sultanik said that the school board can expect to receive the fact finder's recommended settlement on Monday.
The recommendation will not be made public, and the unions and school board will have between five and 10 days to vote whether to accept or reject it.
"If both sides accept it, we'll have a settlement," Sultanik said.
If either side rejects it, the recommendation will be made public, and the unions and school board will have a period of time during which they'll take a second vote.
The process involving the aides' and secretaries' unions is "a somewhat different procedure" than that governing the contract impasse with the teachers union (Souderton Area Education Association), the solicitor said.
Following a strike that delayed the start of the school year in September, the union and board are in a process of non-binding arbitration. After a series of confidential hearings on both sides' final best offer, the three-member arbitration panel will recommend a settlement.
Both sides will vote to accept or reject it. If either side rejects it, the union could stage a second strike of limited duration.
School Director Eric R. MacDougall asked when the board could expect to receive the arbitrators' report.
"I don't know," Sultanik replied, "but I suspect it will be after this current process (involving the aides and secretaries) is completed.
"Four to six weeks is my best guess."
The school board has offered the teachers a three-year contract with pay raises of 2.5 percent a year. The union is seeking raises of 8 percent a year to bring their salaries in line with those of school districts in the region.
Lou Sessinger can be contacted at 215-345-3148 or lsessinger@phillyBurbs.com.
March 27, 2009 02:41 AM
Unions enter fact-finding in contract impasses
By: LOU SESSINGER
The Intelligencer
The school board is working on contracts with teacher aides, secretaries and teachers.
Labor strife involving three employee unions continues to be the center of attention in the Souderton Area School District, and there continues to be little information about the progress of resolving that strife.
That was the essence of school district solicitor Jeffrey Sultanik's update to the school board at its meeting Thursday night.
Sultanik reported that the unions representing the district's teacher aides (Souderton Area Educational Support Personnel Association) and secretaries (Souderton Area Secretaries Association) have entered what is known as "fact-finding" in their contract impasse with the district.
The Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board has appointed a fact finder to review the contract offers of the two unions and the district and recommend a settlement.
Health benefits and salaries have been reported to be the issues dividing the parties, but details of the contract offers haven't been made public because of the bargaining process.
Sultanik said that the school board can expect to receive the fact finder's recommended settlement on Monday.
The recommendation will not be made public, and the unions and school board will have between five and 10 days to vote whether to accept or reject it.
"If both sides accept it, we'll have a settlement," Sultanik said.
If either side rejects it, the recommendation will be made public, and the unions and school board will have a period of time during which they'll take a second vote.
The process involving the aides' and secretaries' unions is "a somewhat different procedure" than that governing the contract impasse with the teachers union (Souderton Area Education Association), the solicitor said.
Following a strike that delayed the start of the school year in September, the union and board are in a process of non-binding arbitration. After a series of confidential hearings on both sides' final best offer, the three-member arbitration panel will recommend a settlement.
Both sides will vote to accept or reject it. If either side rejects it, the union could stage a second strike of limited duration.
School Director Eric R. MacDougall asked when the board could expect to receive the arbitrators' report.
"I don't know," Sultanik replied, "but I suspect it will be after this current process (involving the aides and secretaries) is completed.
"Four to six weeks is my best guess."
The school board has offered the teachers a three-year contract with pay raises of 2.5 percent a year. The union is seeking raises of 8 percent a year to bring their salaries in line with those of school districts in the region.
Lou Sessinger can be contacted at 215-345-3148 or lsessinger@phillyBurbs.com.
March 27, 2009 02:41 AM
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)