Here's the second set of questions posed yesterday to school board candidate John DeWilde.
Next series of questions: Thank you for participating in this. Here is the first series of questions. This is a collection of six emails and comments so far
1. Why, as a candidate and resident, have you not seen the QSRE fliers that have your name on them? Why, as a candidate, do you not know the details of literature promoting your election to the school board?
2. Why do you believe it is acceptable to let proxies operate beyond your control and do the dirty work for you, and then claim ignorance on the details?
3. Who told you about the QSRE fliers? Did you distribute any of them yourself?
4. Are you currently employed as a Special Ed. teacher? If not, why not? When was the last time you were in front of a classroom with special ed students actively teaching the student(s)? Is your certification up to date and are you up to date with your continuing education? Because the special education field changes abruptly from year to year, do you feel you have the professional credentials to authoritatively comment on special education needs in 2009?
5. As a Board member, what is your view on student re-registration and will you be involved with the Board's initiatives to re-register students? Do you believe Morrisville schools are overrun with out of district students? Do you believe that the administration is not doing enough to address this issue?
6. Are you troubled by inaccurate statements and written comments by Marlys Mihok, QSRE, and others on your behalf? If so, what do you plan to do about it? If not, why?
A: Click here
Friday, May 15, 2009
Board member mines claims staked by previous board
From the BCCT.
Board member mines claims staked by previous board
By GAYLE HAUG
Regarding Marlys Mihok’s May 11 Guest Opinion, “Raising scores, lowering costs”, I find many of Mihok’s comments misleading.
Mihok claims that “over the last 16 months the “Stop the School” board majority has kept the promise of increasing test scores.” Truth is a school board is not responsible for test score performance. The teachers, administration, staff and students are responsible for the results.
A school board is responsible to budget funds so that the district can provide teacher training and create programs that help the students perform better in class and on tests. The improved test scores that Mihok claims responsibility for were actually the result of the previous board’s budget. The current school year budget is the first one from the board on which Mihok serves and funds for budget lines that included teacher training were cut by this board.
PSSA tests were taken a couple of months ago but results have not been posted. The results of this board’s cut will be interesting to say the least.
Mihok leaves out information when stating, “We ... have, in fact, hired four more (para-educators or classroom aides).” The only aides hired by the school board have been state mandated one-on-one aides for children with special needs. There was no choice; the board had to hire them. Aides that provide classroom support have not been replaced as Mihok would like you to believe.
Mihok claims the school board has a plan. If so, it has never been discussed publicly or voted on. She touts their successes: installed smoke alarms, ventilators, new windows and boilers are scheduled to be installed and upgrades to the electrical system are also mentioned. It’s what she left out that the people of Morrisville should be worried about.
All of the upgrades Mihok mentions are for the high school only! No mention of any upgrades to Grandview or the future of M. R. Reiter that sits vacant after the furnace explosion last December. No mention of the modular units currently used by first- and second-graders and the plans for when the insurance money stops paying for them. And no mention of the high school housing the fourth through 12th grade starting next year.
The cost of renovations have been conveniently capped at $7 million, which equals $4 million left from the bond for the new school and $3 million from the capital reserve that leaves nothing left for future repairs or renovations.
The figure of $48 million for a new K-12 school was mentioned at a school board meeting by a gentleman from Vitetta Architects during a presentation on the planned renovations. Board President William Hellmann asked the gentleman, as he was taking his seat, how much the new school would cost. The gentleman had no plans in front of him, no materials lists, no information at all. The $48 million dollar amount was pulled from out of the air and Mihok wants you to believe it is the based on facts.
This year’s proposed budget has been trimmed so much that there is no “wiggle room” for any unforeseen costs. Mihok mentions the “board majority will propose another reduction,” which will only mean cuts into educational and extra-curricular programs, including sports, the same programs Mihok mentioned earlier in her letter that “we have not cut.” The question: Have these programs been cut? The answer: No, not YET!
The most misleading statement made by Mihok is that two of candidates running against those Mihok endorses want to build a new school. The truth is that a new school cannot be built without a voter referendum. That means you, the voter, not the school board, have the final word.
Why doesn’t Mihok mention this in her letter? Why doesn’t she want you to know the law? If she can’t be trusted to inform the public of their rights, how can she be trusted with the statement of “$1,500 a year every year tax increases”?
Morrisville needs to get off this “track” or we will be heading for a “train wreck” in a very short time.
Gayle Haug, Morrisville, is an officer of the Morrisville Opportunity Education Foundation and treasurer of the Morrisville Pride Political Action Committee.
Board member mines claims staked by previous board
By GAYLE HAUG
Regarding Marlys Mihok’s May 11 Guest Opinion, “Raising scores, lowering costs”, I find many of Mihok’s comments misleading.
Mihok claims that “over the last 16 months the “Stop the School” board majority has kept the promise of increasing test scores.” Truth is a school board is not responsible for test score performance. The teachers, administration, staff and students are responsible for the results.
A school board is responsible to budget funds so that the district can provide teacher training and create programs that help the students perform better in class and on tests. The improved test scores that Mihok claims responsibility for were actually the result of the previous board’s budget. The current school year budget is the first one from the board on which Mihok serves and funds for budget lines that included teacher training were cut by this board.
PSSA tests were taken a couple of months ago but results have not been posted. The results of this board’s cut will be interesting to say the least.
Mihok leaves out information when stating, “We ... have, in fact, hired four more (para-educators or classroom aides).” The only aides hired by the school board have been state mandated one-on-one aides for children with special needs. There was no choice; the board had to hire them. Aides that provide classroom support have not been replaced as Mihok would like you to believe.
Mihok claims the school board has a plan. If so, it has never been discussed publicly or voted on. She touts their successes: installed smoke alarms, ventilators, new windows and boilers are scheduled to be installed and upgrades to the electrical system are also mentioned. It’s what she left out that the people of Morrisville should be worried about.
All of the upgrades Mihok mentions are for the high school only! No mention of any upgrades to Grandview or the future of M. R. Reiter that sits vacant after the furnace explosion last December. No mention of the modular units currently used by first- and second-graders and the plans for when the insurance money stops paying for them. And no mention of the high school housing the fourth through 12th grade starting next year.
The cost of renovations have been conveniently capped at $7 million, which equals $4 million left from the bond for the new school and $3 million from the capital reserve that leaves nothing left for future repairs or renovations.
The figure of $48 million for a new K-12 school was mentioned at a school board meeting by a gentleman from Vitetta Architects during a presentation on the planned renovations. Board President William Hellmann asked the gentleman, as he was taking his seat, how much the new school would cost. The gentleman had no plans in front of him, no materials lists, no information at all. The $48 million dollar amount was pulled from out of the air and Mihok wants you to believe it is the based on facts.
This year’s proposed budget has been trimmed so much that there is no “wiggle room” for any unforeseen costs. Mihok mentions the “board majority will propose another reduction,” which will only mean cuts into educational and extra-curricular programs, including sports, the same programs Mihok mentioned earlier in her letter that “we have not cut.” The question: Have these programs been cut? The answer: No, not YET!
The most misleading statement made by Mihok is that two of candidates running against those Mihok endorses want to build a new school. The truth is that a new school cannot be built without a voter referendum. That means you, the voter, not the school board, have the final word.
Why doesn’t Mihok mention this in her letter? Why doesn’t she want you to know the law? If she can’t be trusted to inform the public of their rights, how can she be trusted with the statement of “$1,500 a year every year tax increases”?
Morrisville needs to get off this “track” or we will be heading for a “train wreck” in a very short time.
Gayle Haug, Morrisville, is an officer of the Morrisville Opportunity Education Foundation and treasurer of the Morrisville Pride Political Action Committee.
Unpaid Taxes: Buckman, Ledger, Dreisbach, DeWilde
From the BCCT.
A big two thumbs down to Jack Buckman who voted in March to deny tax relief on penalties and interest to a Morrisville citizen who wanted to pay ONE DAY LATE. This is what being a member of Hellmann and Co means: Just do as I tell you and ignore what I do.
VOTE WOROB, BUCKMAN, STOUT, DEWILDE to STAY ON THIS TRACK. We need more accountability like this in our elected officials.
Try this on for size: Perhaps the struggling Buckman district should be taken over by one of its better off rental-property and hot-tub possessing friends? Wouldn't that be the neighborly thing to do?
Yeah. I don't see a line forming just yet.
This is why renters rent. They do not have the money to sustain the expenses for a house. Maybe they made bad financial decisions. Maybe they were silent victims of Wall Street exuberance. Or maybe they just flat out have bad financial skills.
When someone buys or leases a big fancy Escalade and cannot not pay for it, how long before Robbie Repo-Man makes a visit?
Big thumbs down to DeWilde, Dreisbach, and Ledger as well.
Review: Candidates late on taxes
By: DANNY ADLER
Bucks County Courier Times
Two Democratic Morrisville councilwomen running in this year's election each have more than $2,000 in unpaid 2008 borough, school and county taxes, not to mention money owed for other late bills, a newspaper review of public records indicates.
An incumbent Republican Morrisville school board member, who formerly held a seat on borough council, owes more than $3,600 combined for sanitation, water and sewer.
In all, the three candidates owe more than $9,600, according to county and municipal records dated Tuesday and Wednesday.
The candidates cited financial, health and family hardships for the backlogged bills after word of their debt circulated through town and on Web blogs within the last week. Democrat council President Nancy Sherlock started the talk May 8 after requesting public records on delinquent bills.
"I got copies of the entire borough because I think that anybody who has outstanding balances should be addressed," Sherlock said.
According to the Bucks County Tax Claim Bureau, Councilwoman Rita Ledger, a Democrat running for mayor, owes $2,368 for her 2008 taxes. Ledger also was late in paying her 2004 and 2007 taxes, county records show. She is also late on $158 in water and sewer payments, the water authority's customer arrears list states. She says she'll pay the water and sewer bill today.
Democratic Councilwoman Eileen Dreisbach, who's up for re-election, owes $2,676 in taxes and $785 in sanitation fees as of Wednesday, according to the county and borough records. She also was delinquent in paying her 2004, 2006 and 2007 taxes. Dreisbach was at borough hall Thursday afternoon putting $400 towards the garbage bill.
Both councilwomen earn an annual $2,500 for their roles on borough council.
School board member Jack Buckman, a Republican and former borough councilman, owes $2,546 in water and sewer bills and $1,108 for sanitation, the records show.
Republican school board candidate John DeWilde also owes money for water and sewer. But his late balance is just $8.56.
Buckman said he's in debt because of financial problems stemming from stints of unemployment or underemployment.
A microfilm technician with the county, Buckman said he also works part time as mall security to help pay his bills. He said he has agreements with the borough and the Morrisville Municipal Authority to pay his overdue bills.
"I've done a real good job as a councilman and I've done a real good job as a school board member," Buckman said. "I'm paying these bills."
Ledger, who said she fell behind because of financial and health problems, said her political opponents are using the delinquent bills as an attack because they can't attack her record on council.
"Just because I'm a councilwoman doesn't immune me from the economic hardship that everyone else is feeling as well," said Ledger. "I certainly feel that this doesn't define who I am. I'm like everybody else, I'm experiencing the economic times, unfortunately."
Dreisbach says she fell behind on the bills while paying her mortgage and that of her late mother's home, where her 94-year-old uncle still lives.
"We are currently trying to find him a home because we are no longer able to pay the mortgage on her house and my own," she said. "I do owe last year's taxes as I was trying to keep up with both mortgages. I will be paying my taxes this year as I normally do as soon as I can.
"It is a shame when some people need to sling mud when election time rolls around. I myself don't understand that. You should be able to be elected on your own merits and accomplishments," Dreisbach said.
Democratic mayoral candidate Patricia Schell said the candidates' delinquent bills affect "every single taxpayer. If they're a political candidate or they're not, they have an obligation to pay their bills."
Mayoral candidate Graeme Thomson, a Democrat, said the political system doesn't demand that candidates pay all of their late bills before being elected, but it wouldn't be a bad idea.
"I would hope that they would pay their outstanding bills," Thomson said.
The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching DeWilde for comment Thursday.
A big two thumbs down to Jack Buckman who voted in March to deny tax relief on penalties and interest to a Morrisville citizen who wanted to pay ONE DAY LATE. This is what being a member of Hellmann and Co means: Just do as I tell you and ignore what I do.
VOTE WOROB, BUCKMAN, STOUT, DEWILDE to STAY ON THIS TRACK. We need more accountability like this in our elected officials.
Try this on for size: Perhaps the struggling Buckman district should be taken over by one of its better off rental-property and hot-tub possessing friends? Wouldn't that be the neighborly thing to do?
Yeah. I don't see a line forming just yet.
This is why renters rent. They do not have the money to sustain the expenses for a house. Maybe they made bad financial decisions. Maybe they were silent victims of Wall Street exuberance. Or maybe they just flat out have bad financial skills.
When someone buys or leases a big fancy Escalade and cannot not pay for it, how long before Robbie Repo-Man makes a visit?
Big thumbs down to DeWilde, Dreisbach, and Ledger as well.
Review: Candidates late on taxes
By: DANNY ADLER
Bucks County Courier Times
Two Democratic Morrisville councilwomen running in this year's election each have more than $2,000 in unpaid 2008 borough, school and county taxes, not to mention money owed for other late bills, a newspaper review of public records indicates.
An incumbent Republican Morrisville school board member, who formerly held a seat on borough council, owes more than $3,600 combined for sanitation, water and sewer.
In all, the three candidates owe more than $9,600, according to county and municipal records dated Tuesday and Wednesday.
The candidates cited financial, health and family hardships for the backlogged bills after word of their debt circulated through town and on Web blogs within the last week. Democrat council President Nancy Sherlock started the talk May 8 after requesting public records on delinquent bills.
"I got copies of the entire borough because I think that anybody who has outstanding balances should be addressed," Sherlock said.
According to the Bucks County Tax Claim Bureau, Councilwoman Rita Ledger, a Democrat running for mayor, owes $2,368 for her 2008 taxes. Ledger also was late in paying her 2004 and 2007 taxes, county records show. She is also late on $158 in water and sewer payments, the water authority's customer arrears list states. She says she'll pay the water and sewer bill today.
Democratic Councilwoman Eileen Dreisbach, who's up for re-election, owes $2,676 in taxes and $785 in sanitation fees as of Wednesday, according to the county and borough records. She also was delinquent in paying her 2004, 2006 and 2007 taxes. Dreisbach was at borough hall Thursday afternoon putting $400 towards the garbage bill.
Both councilwomen earn an annual $2,500 for their roles on borough council.
School board member Jack Buckman, a Republican and former borough councilman, owes $2,546 in water and sewer bills and $1,108 for sanitation, the records show.
Republican school board candidate John DeWilde also owes money for water and sewer. But his late balance is just $8.56.
Buckman said he's in debt because of financial problems stemming from stints of unemployment or underemployment.
A microfilm technician with the county, Buckman said he also works part time as mall security to help pay his bills. He said he has agreements with the borough and the Morrisville Municipal Authority to pay his overdue bills.
"I've done a real good job as a councilman and I've done a real good job as a school board member," Buckman said. "I'm paying these bills."
Ledger, who said she fell behind because of financial and health problems, said her political opponents are using the delinquent bills as an attack because they can't attack her record on council.
"Just because I'm a councilwoman doesn't immune me from the economic hardship that everyone else is feeling as well," said Ledger. "I certainly feel that this doesn't define who I am. I'm like everybody else, I'm experiencing the economic times, unfortunately."
Dreisbach says she fell behind on the bills while paying her mortgage and that of her late mother's home, where her 94-year-old uncle still lives.
"We are currently trying to find him a home because we are no longer able to pay the mortgage on her house and my own," she said. "I do owe last year's taxes as I was trying to keep up with both mortgages. I will be paying my taxes this year as I normally do as soon as I can.
"It is a shame when some people need to sling mud when election time rolls around. I myself don't understand that. You should be able to be elected on your own merits and accomplishments," Dreisbach said.
Democratic mayoral candidate Patricia Schell said the candidates' delinquent bills affect "every single taxpayer. If they're a political candidate or they're not, they have an obligation to pay their bills."
Mayoral candidate Graeme Thomson, a Democrat, said the political system doesn't demand that candidates pay all of their late bills before being elected, but it wouldn't be a bad idea.
"I would hope that they would pay their outstanding bills," Thomson said.
The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching DeWilde for comment Thursday.
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