For fans of "The West Wing", Josiah Bartlet accidentally buzzed on medications is still a better president than most of his 42 real life brethren. We can talk later on about comparisons between Josiah Bartlet and William Hellmann CPA.
Here's President Bartlet about to wipe the proverbial floor with his opponent, Florida Governor Robert Ritchie (played by Mr Barbra Streisand himself, James Brolin) in the final presidential debate.
Video or Script
MODERATOR
Governor Ritchie, many economists have stated that the tax cut, which is centerpiece of your economic agenda, could actually harm the economy. Is now really the time to cut taxes?
RITCHIE
You bet it is. We need to cut taxes for one reason-- the American people know how to spend their money better than the federal government does. [Ed Note: Didn't some president of the Morrisville Board of Education say pretty much the same thing?]
MODERATOR
Mr. President, your rebuttal.
BARTLET
There it is. That's the ten-word answer my staff's been looking for for two weeks. There it is. Ten-word answers can kill you in political campaigns. They're the tip of the sword. Here's my question: What are the next ten words of your answer? Your taxes are too high? So are mine. Give me the next ten words. How are we going to do it? Give me ten after that, I'll drop out of the race right now. Every once in a while... every once in a while, there's a day with an absolute right and an absolute wrong, but those days almost always include body counts. Other than that, there aren't very many un-nuanced moments in leading a country that's way too big for ten words. I'm the President of the United States, not the President of the people who agree with me.
So school board Stop the Schoolers: Give us the next ten words that come after these items and tell us how we're going to do it:
Stop the School [and then...? how?]
Lower the taxes [and then...? how?]
Refurbish a fifty year old building [and then...? how?]
Cut all the sports [and then...? how?]
Sell Grandview, Reiter, and the A-Field [and then...? how?]
Send the high school students to another district [and then...? how?]
Stop being the school board members that represent the people who agree with you. Become the school board members for Morrisville.
Dear William Hellmann CPA, Angry Al, Ducky, Captain Algebra, and the rest of the No-Sports League: This is a breaking newsbrief to get through your heads. You...ALL of you...work for me. You work for the QRSE people too. You work for the kindergarteners, the high school seniors, AND the senior citizens. You are public servants, and have donned the mantle of a servant of the people, not the imperial purple.
So far I am not impressed. Yes, you will defease the 30 million dollar bond issue; yes, you might even bring the budget down (although there were a lot of weasel words from William Hellmann CPA about the actual millage decrease, citing teacher pension contributions, and debt service); yes, you might even bully Beth Yonson and Reba Dunford out of office (after last night if either of them ever trust any one of you NSNs again, it would be foolish!) and arrange for less-talented sycophants to take their positions (but hardly replace them!): you will also probably succeed in re-engineering the Six Million Dollar Marshmallow Stuffed High School Shell, but once the dust settles, WHAT'S NEXT??
All of the NSNs have all consistently ducked this part of the question. So, my fellow Morrisvillians, I ask you now...step up to the microphone during the public sessions, ask your hard questions, and then before you walk away, make sure to say, "What are the next ten words of your answer? Give me the next ten words. Tell us how you are going to do it." Prediction: Silence or weasel words will prevail, because revealing the plan isn't their style.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Anybody at the 1/9 meeting?
joeyouknow said...
Ooh. Anybody at the 1/9 meeting?
Kate Fratti was!
I will expand upon this tasty little tidbit tomorrow.
January 9, 2008 10:29 PM
Joe! Expansion, please! If you send me something in a comment or email, I will gladly post it as an article.
Please keep in mind the Alice Roosevelt Longworth posting challenge as well.
ADDED Jan 10, 12 noon. Many thanks to joeyouknow
The first new board agenda meeting was held last night, 1/9/08. The board went through the proposed agenda from the administration. There was discussion (+ confusion). One highlight was when Reba Dunford, Business Manager went through the budget cuts that Mr. Hellmann asked her to make. She explained (once again) that there is not fat in the budget and pointed out the necessity of each item to the educational and business needs of the district. Finally, she said that instead of cutting necessary programs, the administration decided to liquidate the contingency fund ($120,000) which hasn't been used the past couple of years and can be covered, in case of emergency by the Capital Projects fund, which still has $3 million in it.
Later, Dr. Yonson showed a piece of the tape from the December business meeting. The purpose of showing that tape was twofold: 1) to make her case to the board that the board was advised properly about the budget process (the complaint that led to the Jan. 2 special meeting) and 2) to clear her good name (ref. Kate Fratti's column reprinted on this site). Dr. Yonson was very upset, to say the least, about the comments that she and the administration did not advise the board that going on with the preliminary budget process precluded the need for the referendum. And that this was stated numerous times at a public meeting that she was unable to attend, and that it was told to Kate Fratti of the Courier Times. Friends and colleagues from out of the district were calling her to lend their support, which is how she found out about the debacle.
So it was duly shown that the board was advised, both by document (in November) and live and in person. Discussions about the issue took place between the people who never heard about the process and the people who were explaining the process right up there on the big screen. Three board members did speak up at the January meeting saying that they remembered said conversation. Five did not. Majority rules. As does reality! Sorta.
After Dr. Yonson's proof was presented (and this is the good part), Marlys Mihock told her she'd got to have a thick skin in this job and you can't trust everything you read in the paper. Why, who knows who said what and if it was even recorded properly...
At which point...
The stranger in the brown shirt with the notebook...
Speaks up....
And says.... (I'll quote for dramatic purposes, but it's just my recollection)
"But Marlys, you told me..."
Flipping through notebook, reading...
"Not one of the administrators told us that told you that there was a deadline to cap the budget!"
I could not stifle the laugh.
Yep.
PWNED! (see Wikipedia, old people) [ed: link added]
Kate Fratti was there. She apologized for not double checking her facts. She spoke up, out of turn, inappropriately at a school board meeting, because she, like Dr. Yonson, had her own good name to defend.
Truly, Marlys has her own definition of the truth. And it seems her memory's for crap, too. So except for putting the defeasement (giving back at a cost) of the construction bond on this month's agenda, it was a better than usual meeting.
Thanks joeyouknow! Did Marlys at least have the good grace to somewhat apologize, or was it brushed off as just another outrageous thing she said, and she didn't care that she was caught?
It sounds like Dr Yonson and the award winning Mrs Dunford may be in for a bit of a rough ride from the new and improved school board. But a double helping of kudos for them both, and Kate Fratti as well.
Ooh. Anybody at the 1/9 meeting?
Kate Fratti was!
I will expand upon this tasty little tidbit tomorrow.
January 9, 2008 10:29 PM
Joe! Expansion, please! If you send me something in a comment or email, I will gladly post it as an article.
Please keep in mind the Alice Roosevelt Longworth posting challenge as well.
ADDED Jan 10, 12 noon. Many thanks to joeyouknow
The first new board agenda meeting was held last night, 1/9/08. The board went through the proposed agenda from the administration. There was discussion (+ confusion). One highlight was when Reba Dunford, Business Manager went through the budget cuts that Mr. Hellmann asked her to make. She explained (once again) that there is not fat in the budget and pointed out the necessity of each item to the educational and business needs of the district. Finally, she said that instead of cutting necessary programs, the administration decided to liquidate the contingency fund ($120,000) which hasn't been used the past couple of years and can be covered, in case of emergency by the Capital Projects fund, which still has $3 million in it.
Later, Dr. Yonson showed a piece of the tape from the December business meeting. The purpose of showing that tape was twofold: 1) to make her case to the board that the board was advised properly about the budget process (the complaint that led to the Jan. 2 special meeting) and 2) to clear her good name (ref. Kate Fratti's column reprinted on this site). Dr. Yonson was very upset, to say the least, about the comments that she and the administration did not advise the board that going on with the preliminary budget process precluded the need for the referendum. And that this was stated numerous times at a public meeting that she was unable to attend, and that it was told to Kate Fratti of the Courier Times. Friends and colleagues from out of the district were calling her to lend their support, which is how she found out about the debacle.
So it was duly shown that the board was advised, both by document (in November) and live and in person. Discussions about the issue took place between the people who never heard about the process and the people who were explaining the process right up there on the big screen. Three board members did speak up at the January meeting saying that they remembered said conversation. Five did not. Majority rules. As does reality! Sorta.
After Dr. Yonson's proof was presented (and this is the good part), Marlys Mihock told her she'd got to have a thick skin in this job and you can't trust everything you read in the paper. Why, who knows who said what and if it was even recorded properly...
At which point...
The stranger in the brown shirt with the notebook...
Speaks up....
And says.... (I'll quote for dramatic purposes, but it's just my recollection)
"But Marlys, you told me..."
Flipping through notebook, reading...
"Not one of the administrators told us that told you that there was a deadline to cap the budget!"
I could not stifle the laugh.
Yep.
PWNED! (see Wikipedia, old people) [ed: link added]
Kate Fratti was there. She apologized for not double checking her facts. She spoke up, out of turn, inappropriately at a school board meeting, because she, like Dr. Yonson, had her own good name to defend.
Truly, Marlys has her own definition of the truth. And it seems her memory's for crap, too. So except for putting the defeasement (giving back at a cost) of the construction bond on this month's agenda, it was a better than usual meeting.
Thanks joeyouknow! Did Marlys at least have the good grace to somewhat apologize, or was it brushed off as just another outrageous thing she said, and she didn't care that she was caught?
It sounds like Dr Yonson and the award winning Mrs Dunford may be in for a bit of a rough ride from the new and improved school board. But a double helping of kudos for them both, and Kate Fratti as well.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Renovation in Neshaminy
Here's an article from the BCCT today on the renovation of the Middletown High School.
You know, when they talk about $77 million to fund the project and updated desks and flat screen televisions, I cannot help but think about how small and petty the NSNs look in renovating a fifty year old school at a cheap cut rate cost. There's nothing wrong with frugality or responsible conservative spending, but all we're going to do is bring out the can of spackle and patch, poke, and prod our way to another second rate showing. For God's sake, they spent $77 million on only THIRTY FOUR classrooms. We're going to take a building shell from the 1950s, hollow it out, and put in a marshmallow center filled with goodies acquired on the second hand market. (This is not a shot at the work the current maintenance staff is doing and the quality of work later workers may do. We're going to continue using second hand equipment because that's all we can afford. We had a chance to step up and blew it.)
This isn't a question of the money differences between the Neshaminy and Morrisville school districts. It's the difference in the progressive and negative thinking modes of the two communities. Unfortunately, we think second rate sometimes, and our new board members want to perpetuate this thinking. Look at the pride that the Neshaminy community has. Remember what Eleanor Roosevelt said? "No one can make you inferior without your consent." Would someone please take away the inferiority permission slips from the school board and let's start to have some sort of real community pride?
Stop the School people....Look and be ashamed. Once again the Academy Award for Most Pointless Enduring Mediocrity goes to...Morrisville.
School offers peek at new classrooms
Today, Neshaminy High School students will be returning from their winter break to some brand new classrooms.
But many teens and their families got a sneak peek of the two-story, 34-classroom wing during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday night.
The event marked the completion of the first phase of the $82 million Middletown high school renovation and construction project. The district borrowed $77 million to fund the project, officials said.
All of the updated classrooms include new desks and flat-screen televisions. Teachers also have planning centers for each subject's department, said administrators.
“It's so spacious,” said 16-year-old Lauren Holliday referring to the new building's wide hallways. “We can actually breathe. Before it was so crammed when classes let out.”
A second two-story, 34-classroom wing should be done by the summer. Both facilities feed into the main corridor called “Main Street,” which links the new main entrance, auxiliary gym and auditorium, said business administrator Joseph Paradise.
A section of classrooms will be torn down to make room for a road leading to that entrance, he said.
“There's a synergy for the first time connecting the entire high school,” said Paradise.
Although there were many people who wanted the district to build a whole new school, the school board settled on 60 percent new space and the rest renovated, administrators said.
The school's current main offices will be also be demolished and rebuilt by the summer. At that time, 16 modular classrooms will be disassembled, officials said.
“It's beautiful and very bright,” said Middletown resident Debbie Hazelett.
But while the project is 78 weeks in, there's still 90 more to go. It's expected to be finished in September 2009, administrators said.
“This is a place of learning where tens of thousands will walk through the halls to prepare themselves to change the future...” said Superintendent Paul Kadri.
You know, when they talk about $77 million to fund the project and updated desks and flat screen televisions, I cannot help but think about how small and petty the NSNs look in renovating a fifty year old school at a cheap cut rate cost. There's nothing wrong with frugality or responsible conservative spending, but all we're going to do is bring out the can of spackle and patch, poke, and prod our way to another second rate showing. For God's sake, they spent $77 million on only THIRTY FOUR classrooms. We're going to take a building shell from the 1950s, hollow it out, and put in a marshmallow center filled with goodies acquired on the second hand market. (This is not a shot at the work the current maintenance staff is doing and the quality of work later workers may do. We're going to continue using second hand equipment because that's all we can afford. We had a chance to step up and blew it.)
This isn't a question of the money differences between the Neshaminy and Morrisville school districts. It's the difference in the progressive and negative thinking modes of the two communities. Unfortunately, we think second rate sometimes, and our new board members want to perpetuate this thinking. Look at the pride that the Neshaminy community has. Remember what Eleanor Roosevelt said? "No one can make you inferior without your consent." Would someone please take away the inferiority permission slips from the school board and let's start to have some sort of real community pride?
Stop the School people....Look and be ashamed. Once again the Academy Award for Most Pointless Enduring Mediocrity goes to...Morrisville.
School offers peek at new classrooms
Today, Neshaminy High School students will be returning from their winter break to some brand new classrooms.
But many teens and their families got a sneak peek of the two-story, 34-classroom wing during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday night.
The event marked the completion of the first phase of the $82 million Middletown high school renovation and construction project. The district borrowed $77 million to fund the project, officials said.
All of the updated classrooms include new desks and flat-screen televisions. Teachers also have planning centers for each subject's department, said administrators.
“It's so spacious,” said 16-year-old Lauren Holliday referring to the new building's wide hallways. “We can actually breathe. Before it was so crammed when classes let out.”
A second two-story, 34-classroom wing should be done by the summer. Both facilities feed into the main corridor called “Main Street,” which links the new main entrance, auxiliary gym and auditorium, said business administrator Joseph Paradise.
A section of classrooms will be torn down to make room for a road leading to that entrance, he said.
“There's a synergy for the first time connecting the entire high school,” said Paradise.
Although there were many people who wanted the district to build a whole new school, the school board settled on 60 percent new space and the rest renovated, administrators said.
The school's current main offices will be also be demolished and rebuilt by the summer. At that time, 16 modular classrooms will be disassembled, officials said.
“It's beautiful and very bright,” said Middletown resident Debbie Hazelett.
But while the project is 78 weeks in, there's still 90 more to go. It's expected to be finished in September 2009, administrators said.
“This is a place of learning where tens of thousands will walk through the halls to prepare themselves to change the future...” said Superintendent Paul Kadri.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Kate Fratti's Column in the BCCT
Many, many thanks to the email tip about this column in today's BCCT. As you could see from my avalanche of weekend postings, that there is not a lot of time during the week to post and read.
I'm not blind to the fact that there is a lot of ill will on both sides of this issue that needs to be overcome.
Morrisville needs to change fast
Not everyone uses a new year to turn over a new leaf, and that seems especially true in the Morrisville School District, which is really too bad.
If there's any place where a lot of very decent people could drastically improve a situation just by improving their behavior, this is the place.
But as of last week, all sides remain guilty of constant, brutal sniping and undermining in this little school system where voters have reversed plans for a new high school, saying they just can't afford one.
A new dollar-driven majority, emboldened by the voter mandate, has been beating its chest like a bully for a year. And those who'd so hoped for a new school and the borough rejuvenation they believed it would foster, have been noisily licking their wounds as even deeper cutbacks are threatened.
One ousted school board member cried at a meeting Jan. 2, where proposed cuts were outlined.
“They just don't care about our kids,” she sniffled.
After the meeting, a current board member said she believes administrators “retaliated” against the community by padding the preliminary budget for 2008. The board needs to show the professionals who's boss, she said.
Lots of drama and still very little productive talk about teaching kids well at a reasonable cost. Agreeing on what's reasonable will be the challenge.
The stated purpose of the Jan. 2 special meeting was to vote on a resolution to cap the next budget increase at 4.4 percent to “send a message.” It means there would be no special exceptions allowed above that cap even if the money is needed.
The minority view was that budget rigidity could put the district in a bad place in the event of an emergency the district couldn't pay for.
“You'll bankrupt the schools,” accused one naysayer. “I'd rather bankrupt the schools than the town,” answered a defender of the plan.
It's that kind of inflammatory back-and-forth that keeps the district stuck in second gear.
Here's the bottom line: This community didn't support construction of a new school, but that doesn't means it supports gutting the whole system. New-school proponents need to move past their disappointment and decide how best to support and improve the existing schools. That won't get done by castigating the opposition or weeping.
The majority, drunk with power, should stop “sending messages” and take practical steps to ensure kids have updated, safe, properly staffed buildings stocked with the necessary school supplies and equipment.
Administrators can foster cooperation by playing fair. Not one mentioned to the board last month that there was a deadline for a resolution to cap the budget. That necessitated the hastily called special meeting, where board members indicated they felt hoodwinked.
School board President Bill Hellman, an accountant who led the call for the cap, told me while he thinks the superintendent and business and operations manager “seem like very nice people,” their business acumen “worries” him.
Others worry that while Hellman may be very good with a dollar, he isn't trained to run viable schools. He and the rest of the board have to count on staff for that.
That's going to require mutual respect and trust.
Times have surely changed, but there'd be no danger of bankrupting the schools or the town if decent people would only bury the hatchets —it will take a mass grave — so that calmer, cooler, more professional, good-natured heads and hearts can prevail. It's possible.
Kate Fratti, whose column appears on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, wonders if enough leaves can be turned quickly enough to make a difference fast.
I'm not blind to the fact that there is a lot of ill will on both sides of this issue that needs to be overcome.
Morrisville needs to change fast
Not everyone uses a new year to turn over a new leaf, and that seems especially true in the Morrisville School District, which is really too bad.
If there's any place where a lot of very decent people could drastically improve a situation just by improving their behavior, this is the place.
But as of last week, all sides remain guilty of constant, brutal sniping and undermining in this little school system where voters have reversed plans for a new high school, saying they just can't afford one.
A new dollar-driven majority, emboldened by the voter mandate, has been beating its chest like a bully for a year. And those who'd so hoped for a new school and the borough rejuvenation they believed it would foster, have been noisily licking their wounds as even deeper cutbacks are threatened.
One ousted school board member cried at a meeting Jan. 2, where proposed cuts were outlined.
“They just don't care about our kids,” she sniffled.
After the meeting, a current board member said she believes administrators “retaliated” against the community by padding the preliminary budget for 2008. The board needs to show the professionals who's boss, she said.
Lots of drama and still very little productive talk about teaching kids well at a reasonable cost. Agreeing on what's reasonable will be the challenge.
The stated purpose of the Jan. 2 special meeting was to vote on a resolution to cap the next budget increase at 4.4 percent to “send a message.” It means there would be no special exceptions allowed above that cap even if the money is needed.
The minority view was that budget rigidity could put the district in a bad place in the event of an emergency the district couldn't pay for.
“You'll bankrupt the schools,” accused one naysayer. “I'd rather bankrupt the schools than the town,” answered a defender of the plan.
It's that kind of inflammatory back-and-forth that keeps the district stuck in second gear.
Here's the bottom line: This community didn't support construction of a new school, but that doesn't means it supports gutting the whole system. New-school proponents need to move past their disappointment and decide how best to support and improve the existing schools. That won't get done by castigating the opposition or weeping.
The majority, drunk with power, should stop “sending messages” and take practical steps to ensure kids have updated, safe, properly staffed buildings stocked with the necessary school supplies and equipment.
Administrators can foster cooperation by playing fair. Not one mentioned to the board last month that there was a deadline for a resolution to cap the budget. That necessitated the hastily called special meeting, where board members indicated they felt hoodwinked.
School board President Bill Hellman, an accountant who led the call for the cap, told me while he thinks the superintendent and business and operations manager “seem like very nice people,” their business acumen “worries” him.
Others worry that while Hellman may be very good with a dollar, he isn't trained to run viable schools. He and the rest of the board have to count on staff for that.
That's going to require mutual respect and trust.
Times have surely changed, but there'd be no danger of bankrupting the schools or the town if decent people would only bury the hatchets —it will take a mass grave — so that calmer, cooler, more professional, good-natured heads and hearts can prevail. It's possible.
Kate Fratti, whose column appears on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, wonders if enough leaves can be turned quickly enough to make a difference fast.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Interesting Document
I wonder what the payback to the unions might be for these endorsements on Election Day 2007. Did anyone else see this? And why would Marlys Mihok and William Hellmann CPA be unworthy of this honor, but Bill Farrell, Robin Reithmeyer, Al Radosti, Gloria Heater, Nancy Sherlock, Kathryn Panzitta, and David Rivella would be?
I'm not against unions. I come from a long, long line of union members in my family. I just want to know if stopping the school and seeking to award reconstruction and renovation work locally are at all connected or not, either then, now, or in the future.
I'm not against unions. I come from a long, long line of union members in my family. I just want to know if stopping the school and seeking to award reconstruction and renovation work locally are at all connected or not, either then, now, or in the future.
You Never Know What Google Can Find
A brief history of the Morrisville School District, by a guest blogger. I think it's so wonderful that a public servant like the comptroller of Morrisville worked so diligently with the QRSE people to ensure a brighter future for all. Does anyone know who this angel of compassionate mercy is?
I also never knew that our high school, built in 1957, actually met the code requirements of the 1960s. Big, big bravos to our time traveling architects and engineers. (Just for fun, does anyone know which public buildings were our official "Duck and Cover, Kiss Your Butt Goodbye" Cuban Missile Crisis shelters?) Ditto about the evil BCCT who never sees things the same way as these enlightened individuals.
I like the comparison to caring about the senior's medications but not caring about the kids. The technical term for this is "cognitive dissonance." Really. It is.
We also need to have a lesson in the use of apostrophe's when it's a plural and when it's a possessive. I can hear teachers across the commonwealth crying out in pain as they read this amateurish writing.
I feel like something is missing through. More than just the period at the end of the last sentence, or even a completion to the thought. But, sadly, that's where this heartfelt missive ends. Just as we're getting to the good
Taxpayer Successes in Pennsylvania School Districts
This letter is from Sharon Hughes, President of Morrisville Citizens for Quality, Responsible and Safe Education, Inc.
Tonight , Tuesday, 12/4/07, in Morrisville six candidates were sworn in as school board directors who represent the people of this community.It may take a moment to explain.
The state of Pa. recommended that Morrisville consolidate our three schools because we only have 900 students in our entire system and they would all fit in our existing high school with some modifications. But, our school board announced on September 28, 2005, that they wanted to tear down all three of our schools and build a new K-12 School at a cost of $28 Million dollars. (We believe that the actual cost would have been at least one-third higher had the numbers been honest. This belief is based on what the costs are to build schools in other districts in Lower Bucks County.) Our buildings were sound, but our systems, (electric, plumbing, etc.) were shot. Our high school was built to such high specifications in the 1960s that it was our towns designated bomb shelter. Bink Architects were hired on what I consider a very amateurish Feasibility Study that bears no resemblance to the school that was finally settled on.
Morrisville pays the highest taxes in Bucks County already, and this new school would put many of our citizens into tax sales.
Six weeks later on November 16, 2005, the board voted to float a $30 Million bond for the new K-12 School. At this point our group, Morrisville Citizens was born. We were turned down by every law firm in town to represent us. We then hired a law firm from Philadelphia, Robert Sugarman and Associates, to represent Morrisville Citizens. Bob Sugarman's first sentence after we explained the precarious tax situation that this bond put Morrisville's people into was, "That means that seniors will not be able to afford their medicine." Bob is a Godsend to Morrisville, and one very excellent lawyer.
Hiring a lawyer was not inexpensive. We still need to fundraise to pay our bill. But, in the first year of holding off the bond we saved the people of Morrisville about one million dollars because the interest rates for municipal bonds went down in that year.
He fought for us for two solid years and never once wavered in his dedication to our cause although there is really no way to stop a school board. He tried every legal way he could, even taking our case to the Supreme Court of the state of Pennsylvania only to be told they would not look at the case.
Two school board members who voted for the new school were lame ducks and left in Nov. 2005. Three more school board members resigned in the two months after the vote to build. The first to leave was the school board treasurer. I think they all knew about the reality or unreality of the numbers and got out before things got too hot. The three new hand picked board members voted pro school all the way.
Morrisville Citizens for Quality, Safe, Responsible Education met every Sunday night for over a year, and every other Sunday night for the next year. We were blessed early on when the comptroller for Morrisville looked at the numbers and realized what this new tax burden would do to our town and he worked with our lawyer for the entire two years at no charge looking at the financial problems with the plan. We found a member who printed tens of thousands of flyers for us for free. We found dedicated people who took over 3,000 flyers out every time we needed to communicate with the town. This was our only voice as the local newspaper was exclusively the voice for the school board. We brought facts and figures to the school board at every meeting only to be met by condescending attitudes and downright rude responses about us not caring about the children's education. The school board president told us that "schools do educate children", therefore a new school would educate our students better.
We wrote to and spoke with to the governor's office, local state representatives and senators, with PDE reps, the auditor general, Carle Dixon and numerous others who all said the same thing, "School Board's can pretty much do what they want to do !" "You elected them."
Our school board tried to sell two of our existing schools to a developer although they were still being used. The district would have rented back the schools until the new school was built. This was to force the hand of the new school board so they would have to build the new school.
We plowed on and held out until we were able to have our slate of six candidates take all six spots in both the democratic and the republican spaces in the May Primaries.
But the school board wasn't through. They established a new state political party.,"The community Party" in order to get onto the ballot in November. The school board president accused one of the new school board members of threatening her children
I also never knew that our high school, built in 1957, actually met the code requirements of the 1960s. Big, big bravos to our time traveling architects and engineers. (Just for fun, does anyone know which public buildings were our official "Duck and Cover, Kiss Your Butt Goodbye" Cuban Missile Crisis shelters?) Ditto about the evil BCCT who never sees things the same way as these enlightened individuals.
I like the comparison to caring about the senior's medications but not caring about the kids. The technical term for this is "cognitive dissonance." Really. It is.
We also need to have a lesson in the use of apostrophe's when it's a plural and when it's a possessive. I can hear teachers across the commonwealth crying out in pain as they read this amateurish writing.
I feel like something is missing through. More than just the period at the end of the last sentence, or even a completion to the thought. But, sadly, that's where this heartfelt missive ends. Just as we're getting to the good
Taxpayer Successes in Pennsylvania School Districts
This letter is from Sharon Hughes, President of Morrisville Citizens for Quality, Responsible and Safe Education, Inc.
Tonight , Tuesday, 12/4/07, in Morrisville six candidates were sworn in as school board directors who represent the people of this community.It may take a moment to explain.
The state of Pa. recommended that Morrisville consolidate our three schools because we only have 900 students in our entire system and they would all fit in our existing high school with some modifications. But, our school board announced on September 28, 2005, that they wanted to tear down all three of our schools and build a new K-12 School at a cost of $28 Million dollars. (We believe that the actual cost would have been at least one-third higher had the numbers been honest. This belief is based on what the costs are to build schools in other districts in Lower Bucks County.) Our buildings were sound, but our systems, (electric, plumbing, etc.) were shot. Our high school was built to such high specifications in the 1960s that it was our towns designated bomb shelter. Bink Architects were hired on what I consider a very amateurish Feasibility Study that bears no resemblance to the school that was finally settled on.
Morrisville pays the highest taxes in Bucks County already, and this new school would put many of our citizens into tax sales.
Six weeks later on November 16, 2005, the board voted to float a $30 Million bond for the new K-12 School. At this point our group, Morrisville Citizens was born. We were turned down by every law firm in town to represent us. We then hired a law firm from Philadelphia, Robert Sugarman and Associates, to represent Morrisville Citizens. Bob Sugarman's first sentence after we explained the precarious tax situation that this bond put Morrisville's people into was, "That means that seniors will not be able to afford their medicine." Bob is a Godsend to Morrisville, and one very excellent lawyer.
Hiring a lawyer was not inexpensive. We still need to fundraise to pay our bill. But, in the first year of holding off the bond we saved the people of Morrisville about one million dollars because the interest rates for municipal bonds went down in that year.
He fought for us for two solid years and never once wavered in his dedication to our cause although there is really no way to stop a school board. He tried every legal way he could, even taking our case to the Supreme Court of the state of Pennsylvania only to be told they would not look at the case.
Two school board members who voted for the new school were lame ducks and left in Nov. 2005. Three more school board members resigned in the two months after the vote to build. The first to leave was the school board treasurer. I think they all knew about the reality or unreality of the numbers and got out before things got too hot. The three new hand picked board members voted pro school all the way.
Morrisville Citizens for Quality, Safe, Responsible Education met every Sunday night for over a year, and every other Sunday night for the next year. We were blessed early on when the comptroller for Morrisville looked at the numbers and realized what this new tax burden would do to our town and he worked with our lawyer for the entire two years at no charge looking at the financial problems with the plan. We found a member who printed tens of thousands of flyers for us for free. We found dedicated people who took over 3,000 flyers out every time we needed to communicate with the town. This was our only voice as the local newspaper was exclusively the voice for the school board. We brought facts and figures to the school board at every meeting only to be met by condescending attitudes and downright rude responses about us not caring about the children's education. The school board president told us that "schools do educate children", therefore a new school would educate our students better.
We wrote to and spoke with to the governor's office, local state representatives and senators, with PDE reps, the auditor general, Carle Dixon and numerous others who all said the same thing, "School Board's can pretty much do what they want to do !" "You elected them."
Our school board tried to sell two of our existing schools to a developer although they were still being used. The district would have rented back the schools until the new school was built. This was to force the hand of the new school board so they would have to build the new school.
We plowed on and held out until we were able to have our slate of six candidates take all six spots in both the democratic and the republican spaces in the May Primaries.
But the school board wasn't through. They established a new state political party.,"The community Party" in order to get onto the ballot in November. The school board president accused one of the new school board members of threatening her children
High School Students and Cold Classrooms
I really like this...I received an email from a student at the high school telling me that one of the teachers in the A Hall at the high school had to move their class to another room both on Thursday and Friday because there was insufficient heat available in the room. This is not confirmed by a second source, so I will not reveal any more details. If anyone wants to tell more about this, or any other items, savethemorrisvilleschool@yahoo.com is open 24/7.
I'm very pleased that there's high schoolers reading this blog out there. You are the new voters. Get involved now. The teachers, staff, and the students know the real everyday condition of the schools. Politically, if they want to keep their jobs, the teachers and staff really do need to keep quiet. More than one whistleblower has paid the price. Responsible criticism and accurate reporting of issues by students is still allowed.
We parents may have to pay the taxes and make them run, but it is your school too.
I'm very pleased that there's high schoolers reading this blog out there. You are the new voters. Get involved now. The teachers, staff, and the students know the real everyday condition of the schools. Politically, if they want to keep their jobs, the teachers and staff really do need to keep quiet. More than one whistleblower has paid the price. Responsible criticism and accurate reporting of issues by students is still allowed.
We parents may have to pay the taxes and make them run, but it is your school too.
BCCT Thumbs Up for the NSNs
This seems to go back to my previous post: Beware of pretended neutrality where none exists. Feel free to comment as you wish...
Bucks County Courier Times Thumbs up
Bucks County Courier Times Thumbs up
* To the Morrisville school board for sticking to its campaign promise of fiscal responsibility.
The board passed a resolution this week to keep the district's real estate tax increase at the state-mandated inflation rate of 4.4 percent. While Act I mandates that school districts can't raise taxes above a state-set inflation index without a voter referendum, there are exceptions for which districts can apply so they can raise taxes above the inflation index without a referendum. By passing this resolution, the board essentially has stated that it won't seek any of those exceptions.
Fantastic! We have frankly gotten used to candidates making campaign promises — lowering taxes chief among them — only to see them forgotten once they get into office. Not the 2008 Morrisville school board, apparently. And though at least one board member has stated that pledging to keep to the 4.4 percent at this early stage of the budget proceedings could be irresponsible, we would rather think of it as a show of determination to keep their word to the voters of Morrisville.
Ten Things a Political Junkie Hates About Politics
I found this interesting article, and while it is meant to address politics at a national level, once you have read it through once, try reading it again but this time substituting Morrisville and our elected representatives (borough council and/or school board as you wish) to take a fresh look at the insincere performances they tend to give us, and the free pass we give them to do it.
Yes, I do know that the primary system being broken section is almost completely inapplicable to us here in the former future capital of the United States. But changing it to "Nine Things a Political Junkie Hates About Politics" didn't feel right. Every top ten list should at least strive to have more than nine entries. (I is usin' algebra to thinks that through!)
Here we have William Hellmann CPA, the Bucks County Courier Times, the Stop the School people and their semi-coherent myrmidons, "bringing home the bacon" to local contractors, stop the school and save the children, symbolic votes on unnecessary budget limits, stopping the school because of missing a few hours on a 100-year flood water percolation program (as if no one else in the borough would have water in their yards in a 100-year flood!), and other forms of preposterous public posturing that make up our little local political kabuki theater of the absurd to use as real-life examples and to think about what that actually says about us, the voter, about the people we choose to represent us. No matter what side of our school issues you stand on, if you can read this and not feel a bit ashamed, then you need to re-read it until you do.
This is not the full article, but snips from it...
1: Fear Of Offending Anyone: Because politicians are always thinking about the next election instead of actually serving the people who put them into office, they're terrified of actually doing anything that might offend someone.
2: Politics Not Stopping At The Water's Edge: There's nothing wrong with disagreeing with your political opponent's foreign policy, but there is a problem when you put your petty political concerns ahead of the good of the country. Love of country should come before petty political concerns and that has ceased to be the case for too many people in D.C.
3: The Lying And Inauthenticity: Campaigns in the United States have become exercises in trying to be "everything to everybody."...when even people who support a particular candidate admit that they're backing a shameless liar, it's clear that integrity in politics has slid way too far down the hillside.
4: Crazed Hyperbole: It's not surprising that people have unkind things to say about their political opponents, but when it gets as over-the-top as it has been during the Bush and Clinton presidencies, it is not healthy for the country.
5: Fake Objectivity From The Media: That's what drives people so crazy about the mainstream media: it's that they're every bit as biased as the people in talk radio and the blogosphere, but they try to pretend that they're not.
6: Mainstreaming Conspiracy Theories: Off-the-wall crazy has become just another form of political expression.
7: The Perpetual Campaign: Over and over again, important legislation is ignored so that symbolic votes on hot issues like the war can be held even though everyone knows that they're meaningless. Instead of working on key issues like, let's say border security or Social Security reform, Congress looks for bills to attach earmarks to because that's how they believe you get elected, by bringing federal tax dollars back to their district to be used on comically useless Bridges to Nowhere, Liberace Museums, and buildings named after the Congressman who acquired the pork to fund them.
8: Short-Term Thinking: Where's the long term thinking? Where are the people working to build a country that will be better for our children than it is for us? Where is the concern for the long-term health of the country? It's like watching two groups of kids using every dime of their allowance to buy candy without spending a moment thinking of what they'll do for money until their parents pay them again in a month.
9: Lack Of Bipartisanship: There's a difference between a boxing match when the opponents shake hands after it's all over and a no-holds-barred street fight featuring knives and broken bottles... it would be nice if the politicians in D.C. were willing to actually try to work together for the good of the country on occasion instead of only cooperating when they want to throw our money away on more pork or help out a lobbyist who has been spreading around a lot of campaign cash.
10: The Primary System Is Broken: The idea that each party's nominee for the presidency should in large part be decided by whoever spends the most money and time camped out in two tiny states is nuts.
Yes, I do know that the primary system being broken section is almost completely inapplicable to us here in the former future capital of the United States. But changing it to "Nine Things a Political Junkie Hates About Politics" didn't feel right. Every top ten list should at least strive to have more than nine entries. (I is usin' algebra to thinks that through!)
Here we have William Hellmann CPA, the Bucks County Courier Times, the Stop the School people and their semi-coherent myrmidons, "bringing home the bacon" to local contractors, stop the school and save the children, symbolic votes on unnecessary budget limits, stopping the school because of missing a few hours on a 100-year flood water percolation program (as if no one else in the borough would have water in their yards in a 100-year flood!), and other forms of preposterous public posturing that make up our little local political kabuki theater of the absurd to use as real-life examples and to think about what that actually says about us, the voter, about the people we choose to represent us. No matter what side of our school issues you stand on, if you can read this and not feel a bit ashamed, then you need to re-read it until you do.
This is not the full article, but snips from it...
1: Fear Of Offending Anyone: Because politicians are always thinking about the next election instead of actually serving the people who put them into office, they're terrified of actually doing anything that might offend someone.
2: Politics Not Stopping At The Water's Edge: There's nothing wrong with disagreeing with your political opponent's foreign policy, but there is a problem when you put your petty political concerns ahead of the good of the country. Love of country should come before petty political concerns and that has ceased to be the case for too many people in D.C.
3: The Lying And Inauthenticity: Campaigns in the United States have become exercises in trying to be "everything to everybody."...when even people who support a particular candidate admit that they're backing a shameless liar, it's clear that integrity in politics has slid way too far down the hillside.
4: Crazed Hyperbole: It's not surprising that people have unkind things to say about their political opponents, but when it gets as over-the-top as it has been during the Bush and Clinton presidencies, it is not healthy for the country.
5: Fake Objectivity From The Media: That's what drives people so crazy about the mainstream media: it's that they're every bit as biased as the people in talk radio and the blogosphere, but they try to pretend that they're not.
6: Mainstreaming Conspiracy Theories: Off-the-wall crazy has become just another form of political expression.
7: The Perpetual Campaign: Over and over again, important legislation is ignored so that symbolic votes on hot issues like the war can be held even though everyone knows that they're meaningless. Instead of working on key issues like, let's say border security or Social Security reform, Congress looks for bills to attach earmarks to because that's how they believe you get elected, by bringing federal tax dollars back to their district to be used on comically useless Bridges to Nowhere, Liberace Museums, and buildings named after the Congressman who acquired the pork to fund them.
8: Short-Term Thinking: Where's the long term thinking? Where are the people working to build a country that will be better for our children than it is for us? Where is the concern for the long-term health of the country? It's like watching two groups of kids using every dime of their allowance to buy candy without spending a moment thinking of what they'll do for money until their parents pay them again in a month.
9: Lack Of Bipartisanship: There's a difference between a boxing match when the opponents shake hands after it's all over and a no-holds-barred street fight featuring knives and broken bottles... it would be nice if the politicians in D.C. were willing to actually try to work together for the good of the country on occasion instead of only cooperating when they want to throw our money away on more pork or help out a lobbyist who has been spreading around a lot of campaign cash.
10: The Primary System Is Broken: The idea that each party's nominee for the presidency should in large part be decided by whoever spends the most money and time camped out in two tiny states is nuts.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Schools Walkthrough on January 12?
I received this comment on a previous post and am placing it up as a new post.
OKay, for the life of my I can't figure out how to create a new postings, so I'll just put a comment here. I was just on the district website and it seems that the walk thought of the school buildings on January 12th has been cancelled. Does anyone know why they have cancelled this? Is it being rescheduled?
I have the amazing cosmic power to initiate new posts, not mere mortals. :)
Having said that, I was unaware there was a walkthrough for Saturday January 12. Is this a continuation or a replacement the previous walkthrough from Saturday December 15 as discussed here, here, and here?
OKay, for the life of my I can't figure out how to create a new postings, so I'll just put a comment here. I was just on the district website and it seems that the walk thought of the school buildings on January 12th has been cancelled. Does anyone know why they have cancelled this? Is it being rescheduled?
I have the amazing cosmic power to initiate new posts, not mere mortals. :)
Having said that, I was unaware there was a walkthrough for Saturday January 12. Is this a continuation or a replacement the previous walkthrough from Saturday December 15 as discussed here, here, and here?
The Queen is Dead...Long Live the King
Those words will ring out at some point across the United Kingdom as Queen Elizabeth II will end her monarchy and be succeeded by her son Charles (or grandson William as some have suggested.)
But why wait for the UK of the future when right here in Morrisville we have this today.
President Sandy Gibson was variously described in shades of evil well over the boundaries of good taste and common law. However, the new board would ride to the rescue and fix all of her transgressions against the good folk of Morrisville.
President William Hellmann CPA is the new King, but curiously enough, following the same alleged imperial leanings. In addition, they complained that Hellmann did not provide the board with appropriate information ahead of the meeting that would allow them to make a decision Wednesday night. Chalk another one up for the Wheel of Karma. See the BCCT article from today. And just to set the record straight...Brenda Worob should publicly declare how she would have voted on this resolution. Life intrudes and there may have been very good reasons why she was not available. However, here's board member number 2 who has ducked out on dealing with information that might be embarrassing. Do not give these people a free pass.
The Morrisville school board passed a resolution 5-3 Wednesday night promising to keep the district’s real estate tax inflation rate increase at 4.4 percent or less for the 2008-09 school year.
The state’s Taxpayer Relief Act, known as Act 1, mandates this limit already. Ordinarily, boards do not adopt special resolutions against increasing taxes beyond the state mandated percentage. However, some board members believed it was important to pass the resolution to reinforce campaign promises to not raise taxes.
The preliminary budget of $21.95 million will be available for public review today on the district’s Web site, www.mv.org.
President William Hellmann, board members Marlys Mihok, William Farrell, Gloria Heater and Alfred Radosti voted for the referendum. Member Brenda Worob was absent.
The decision comes less than two months after the election of a school board that is largely against the building of a new $30 million pre-K through 12th grade consolidated school to take the place of three ailing existing schools.
Prior to the election, the district spent more than $2 million for engineering, architectural and other fees related to the proposed facility. In addition, a $30 million bond was approved for the planned building.
However, the current board’s scrapping of the proposed $30 million construction project last December has left the district with the prior financial obligations.
The district expects to be able to repay the principal of the bond through a maturing investment that will generate interest. Therefore, the bond issue should eventually be recovered. Hellmann said he is still working out the details with a financial consultant and couldn’t say how long it would take to recover the bond money.
Board members Robin Reithmeyer and Joseph Kemp said passing the resolution to hold tight to the 4.4 percent increase could be financially irresponsible because of those debts and other unforeseen obligations.
In addition, they complained that Hellmann did not provide the board with appropriate information ahead of the meeting that would allow them to make a decision Wednesday night.
“If we pass this resolution we will be shutting the door to the possibility of exceptions,” said Reithmeyer. “We can still cut the budget to 4.4 percent [without passing the resolution].”
Hellmann countered that there was room in the budget without applying for exceptions.
Hellman pointed to cuts to the contingency fund and in pension contributions, overtime pay for support staff and teaching salaries in areas including extracurricular, substitute and secondary reading.
School districts cannot raise taxes past a predetermined percentage set by the state without a voter referendum in the April primary election.
A school district has to present a final budget plan by Jan. 22, but it may be tweaked until June 30, when the finalized budget must be passed.
The preliminary budget was presented at the Dec. 12 meeting as $21.95 million. This is less than the expected revenue of roughly $21.99 million from various sources. The district expected to collect about $13 million in real estate taxes, up from about $12 million this year.
The board will vote on any revisions to the preliminary budget at a board meeting on Jan. 23.
The school district serves 1,052 children.
But why wait for the UK of the future when right here in Morrisville we have this today.
President Sandy Gibson was variously described in shades of evil well over the boundaries of good taste and common law. However, the new board would ride to the rescue and fix all of her transgressions against the good folk of Morrisville.
President William Hellmann CPA is the new King, but curiously enough, following the same alleged imperial leanings. In addition, they complained that Hellmann did not provide the board with appropriate information ahead of the meeting that would allow them to make a decision Wednesday night. Chalk another one up for the Wheel of Karma. See the BCCT article from today. And just to set the record straight...Brenda Worob should publicly declare how she would have voted on this resolution. Life intrudes and there may have been very good reasons why she was not available. However, here's board member number 2 who has ducked out on dealing with information that might be embarrassing. Do not give these people a free pass.
The Morrisville school board passed a resolution 5-3 Wednesday night promising to keep the district’s real estate tax inflation rate increase at 4.4 percent or less for the 2008-09 school year.
The state’s Taxpayer Relief Act, known as Act 1, mandates this limit already. Ordinarily, boards do not adopt special resolutions against increasing taxes beyond the state mandated percentage. However, some board members believed it was important to pass the resolution to reinforce campaign promises to not raise taxes.
The preliminary budget of $21.95 million will be available for public review today on the district’s Web site, www.mv.org.
President William Hellmann, board members Marlys Mihok, William Farrell, Gloria Heater and Alfred Radosti voted for the referendum. Member Brenda Worob was absent.
The decision comes less than two months after the election of a school board that is largely against the building of a new $30 million pre-K through 12th grade consolidated school to take the place of three ailing existing schools.
Prior to the election, the district spent more than $2 million for engineering, architectural and other fees related to the proposed facility. In addition, a $30 million bond was approved for the planned building.
However, the current board’s scrapping of the proposed $30 million construction project last December has left the district with the prior financial obligations.
The district expects to be able to repay the principal of the bond through a maturing investment that will generate interest. Therefore, the bond issue should eventually be recovered. Hellmann said he is still working out the details with a financial consultant and couldn’t say how long it would take to recover the bond money.
Board members Robin Reithmeyer and Joseph Kemp said passing the resolution to hold tight to the 4.4 percent increase could be financially irresponsible because of those debts and other unforeseen obligations.
In addition, they complained that Hellmann did not provide the board with appropriate information ahead of the meeting that would allow them to make a decision Wednesday night.
“If we pass this resolution we will be shutting the door to the possibility of exceptions,” said Reithmeyer. “We can still cut the budget to 4.4 percent [without passing the resolution].”
Hellmann countered that there was room in the budget without applying for exceptions.
Hellman pointed to cuts to the contingency fund and in pension contributions, overtime pay for support staff and teaching salaries in areas including extracurricular, substitute and secondary reading.
School districts cannot raise taxes past a predetermined percentage set by the state without a voter referendum in the April primary election.
A school district has to present a final budget plan by Jan. 22, but it may be tweaked until June 30, when the finalized budget must be passed.
The preliminary budget was presented at the Dec. 12 meeting as $21.95 million. This is less than the expected revenue of roughly $21.99 million from various sources. The district expected to collect about $13 million in real estate taxes, up from about $12 million this year.
The board will vote on any revisions to the preliminary budget at a board meeting on Jan. 23.
The school district serves 1,052 children.
Pension Brouhaha and Budgeting
Um...has anyone heard of "the Baby Boom?" That's the pesky generation of World War II offspring that have redefined everything they're touched. Now they are called the "Silver Tsunami" as they edge into retirement, wreaking havoc with another facet of society.
We can look more intently into how this mentioned article plays into the overall picture. Stop playing irresponsibly with teacher's pensions. I agree that this is an area of great expenditure. This is also an area where promises of the past, while they may need to be subtly tailored to match the realities of the future, need to be maintained without question. I am outraged by the companies of the past who have been raided for their fat retirement funds and then sold off as scraps. This is not the case here, but it is instructive to remember how many retirees have paid the price for CPAs and Esqs who turn beaucoup bucks into rubber checks.
William Hellman CPA's article (as quoted in a prior comment) is quite an eye-opener, especially when you get to the end paragraph.
But even if the worst-case scenario occurs -- school districts budget for higher contributions, but the Legislature does not act -- it shouldn't result in a major property tax increase, said Stephen MacNett, chief counsel to Senate Republicans.
''That issue itself shouldn't be the basis for a tax increase, because it's just simply continuing last year's rate,'' MacNett said. ''If that were to occur, that would mean we've dropped the ball.''
"We've" as Senate Republicans? Or "we've" as local school boards? We report; you decide.
We can look more intently into how this mentioned article plays into the overall picture. Stop playing irresponsibly with teacher's pensions. I agree that this is an area of great expenditure. This is also an area where promises of the past, while they may need to be subtly tailored to match the realities of the future, need to be maintained without question. I am outraged by the companies of the past who have been raided for their fat retirement funds and then sold off as scraps. This is not the case here, but it is instructive to remember how many retirees have paid the price for CPAs and Esqs who turn beaucoup bucks into rubber checks.
William Hellman CPA's article (as quoted in a prior comment) is quite an eye-opener, especially when you get to the end paragraph.
But even if the worst-case scenario occurs -- school districts budget for higher contributions, but the Legislature does not act -- it shouldn't result in a major property tax increase, said Stephen MacNett, chief counsel to Senate Republicans.
''That issue itself shouldn't be the basis for a tax increase, because it's just simply continuing last year's rate,'' MacNett said. ''If that were to occur, that would mean we've dropped the ball.''
"We've" as Senate Republicans? Or "we've" as local school boards? We report; you decide.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Captain Algebra was RIGHT!!
I hereby offer a sincere apology to Captain Algebra. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, he was right. Algebra is not something that high schoolers should be taught.
WASHINGTON - Joanne Tegethoff teaches algebra. Never mind that her students carry Disney princess and Thomas the Tank Engine backpacks and have the alphabet taped on their desks.
WASHINGTON - Joanne Tegethoff teaches algebra. Never mind that her students carry Disney princess and Thomas the Tank Engine backpacks and have the alphabet taped on their desks.
Tegethoff used to teach what she called "very boring math," using worksheets of addition and subtraction problems. Now her first graders delve into algebraic thinking. By the third grade, Viers Mill Elementary students in Silver Spring, Md., are solving equations with letters and variables.
Long a high-school staple, introductory algebra is becoming a standard course in middle school for college-bound students. That trend is putting new pressure on such schools as Viers Mill to insert the building blocks of algebra into math lessons in the earliest grades.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Special Meeting of the MBoE Jan 2, 2008
Following on Peter's comment in a previous post, there will be a special meeting of the BoE.
BCCT, Saturday, December 29: "Notice is hereby given that the Borough of Morrisville School Directors will hold a Special Meeting on January 2, 2008 at 7:30PM at the Morrisville Middle Senior High School, 550 West Palmer Street, Morrisville PA.
The purpose of this meeting is to consider adopting a resolution promising to keep real estate tax increases under its designated percentage.
William Hellmann, President
Joseph Kemp, Secretary"
OK, you don't need to have a meeting for such a purpose -- there's nothing really to vote on here. So what's the underlying purpose? What's getting cut?
So what will they be discussing? Adopting a resolution to keep the tax increases under the 4.4% maximum inflation budget rise cap.
As arcane and convoluted as accounting is, governmental proceedings can be very confusing, especially to the layman. In the real world where you and I live, if you can only increase spending by a fixed maximum, that's where you start. Here in GovWorld, you set your spending and only then look to see if you have enough money. Then you proceed to cut expenses or tax your way to a balanced budget. The Feds do it all the time, so why can't the Morrisville Board of Education under the direction of William Hellmann, CPA?
So they are going to adopt a resolution to consider doing what they need to do as mandated by state law. Paging Gov Rendell: Pennsylvania state law is now optional in Morrisville. "Hi, officer. Yes, I saw that stop sign. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. In fact, I'm rushing to get home now to chair a family meeting where we are going to adopt a resolution calling upon all members of the family to consider recognizing stop signs and their function in everyday life. We will certainly keep you informed of our progress. I'm going to continue along now. Bye!" I'm betting the next thing we'll hear the driver say is, "Don't tase me, bro!"
In GovWorld, these resolutions are usually fig-leaf fluff to hide behind. "Well, we're following law 749-WKRP-8489.87 which states in section 4, paragraph 5 subsection 5c(E) that the following shall occur..." It's a responsibility avoidance tactic. The school board can always point to this resolution and say, "well, we HAVE to cut, because we're forced to by resolution blah-blah-blah." This is when Captain Algebra and the No Sports League can swoop in, dubiously claim the high moral ground, and then cut away meat and sinew instead of budgetary fat.
Let's look at the possible options here:
Responsible Budgeting: This one is already debunked and out of consideration. If there were hard budget choices to be made, they would already have made them, brought the budget in UNDER or AT the cap, and shown us the hard work of leadership. I don't think these one trick ponies know effective leadership, which sometimes means going AGAINST the people to do the right thing. Their mindless NSN stance is ample proof of this blind spot and character flaw.
Vox Populi: Hear the voice of the people! "Gee, we're really in a tough spot, do we cut algebra or history? You choose for us." And once this is done, then they can blissfully point out that they offered the voters the choice and that they are simply following the Will of the People, bearing no direct responsibility. This is sort of like how they snookered the borough council into being the bad guys who unanimously killed the school. "It was the council, not us! Burger, Panzitta, and Buckman did it." (Pick your council member as you will...it was all of them anyway.)
The Hair Shirt: BTW, the Yes, Minister series is a great place to see real government hypocrisy in action and keep the antics of elected officials in perspective. What this proposes is that when you need to do something politically suicidal, present it as the lesser of the two options. For example, we need to cut $1 million from the budget. Coincidentally, both the history department and the music budget are for $1m. Neither should be cut, so let's cut history. The outcry will be so vocal that we (silly us) will realize the error of our ways and (cheerfully?) cut music to save history. We all go home happy. Well, most of us who don't have kids in music, that is. Feel free to substitute football, soccer, chess, FBLA, for music as you see fit. Recognize the tactic and be prepared for it.
I'm giving you the warning now: This school board will go to great lengths to provide "Gee whiz, I didn't decide that" leadership deniability over leadership responsibility. They are scared to reveal the truth to their sycophants in the audience. If we let this occur, then we are just as guilty as they are.
Thoughts, comments?
BCCT, Saturday, December 29: "Notice is hereby given that the Borough of Morrisville School Directors will hold a Special Meeting on January 2, 2008 at 7:30PM at the Morrisville Middle Senior High School, 550 West Palmer Street, Morrisville PA.
The purpose of this meeting is to consider adopting a resolution promising to keep real estate tax increases under its designated percentage.
William Hellmann, President
Joseph Kemp, Secretary"
OK, you don't need to have a meeting for such a purpose -- there's nothing really to vote on here. So what's the underlying purpose? What's getting cut?
So what will they be discussing? Adopting a resolution to keep the tax increases under the 4.4% maximum inflation budget rise cap.
As arcane and convoluted as accounting is, governmental proceedings can be very confusing, especially to the layman. In the real world where you and I live, if you can only increase spending by a fixed maximum, that's where you start. Here in GovWorld, you set your spending and only then look to see if you have enough money. Then you proceed to cut expenses or tax your way to a balanced budget. The Feds do it all the time, so why can't the Morrisville Board of Education under the direction of William Hellmann, CPA?
So they are going to adopt a resolution to consider doing what they need to do as mandated by state law. Paging Gov Rendell: Pennsylvania state law is now optional in Morrisville. "Hi, officer. Yes, I saw that stop sign. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. In fact, I'm rushing to get home now to chair a family meeting where we are going to adopt a resolution calling upon all members of the family to consider recognizing stop signs and their function in everyday life. We will certainly keep you informed of our progress. I'm going to continue along now. Bye!" I'm betting the next thing we'll hear the driver say is, "Don't tase me, bro!"
In GovWorld, these resolutions are usually fig-leaf fluff to hide behind. "Well, we're following law 749-WKRP-8489.87 which states in section 4, paragraph 5 subsection 5c(E) that the following shall occur..." It's a responsibility avoidance tactic. The school board can always point to this resolution and say, "well, we HAVE to cut, because we're forced to by resolution blah-blah-blah." This is when Captain Algebra and the No Sports League can swoop in, dubiously claim the high moral ground, and then cut away meat and sinew instead of budgetary fat.
Let's look at the possible options here:
Responsible Budgeting: This one is already debunked and out of consideration. If there were hard budget choices to be made, they would already have made them, brought the budget in UNDER or AT the cap, and shown us the hard work of leadership. I don't think these one trick ponies know effective leadership, which sometimes means going AGAINST the people to do the right thing. Their mindless NSN stance is ample proof of this blind spot and character flaw.
Vox Populi: Hear the voice of the people! "Gee, we're really in a tough spot, do we cut algebra or history? You choose for us." And once this is done, then they can blissfully point out that they offered the voters the choice and that they are simply following the Will of the People, bearing no direct responsibility. This is sort of like how they snookered the borough council into being the bad guys who unanimously killed the school. "It was the council, not us! Burger, Panzitta, and Buckman did it." (Pick your council member as you will...it was all of them anyway.)
The Hair Shirt: BTW, the Yes, Minister series is a great place to see real government hypocrisy in action and keep the antics of elected officials in perspective. What this proposes is that when you need to do something politically suicidal, present it as the lesser of the two options. For example, we need to cut $1 million from the budget. Coincidentally, both the history department and the music budget are for $1m. Neither should be cut, so let's cut history. The outcry will be so vocal that we (silly us) will realize the error of our ways and (cheerfully?) cut music to save history. We all go home happy. Well, most of us who don't have kids in music, that is. Feel free to substitute football, soccer, chess, FBLA, for music as you see fit. Recognize the tactic and be prepared for it.
I'm giving you the warning now: This school board will go to great lengths to provide "Gee whiz, I didn't decide that" leadership deniability over leadership responsibility. They are scared to reveal the truth to their sycophants in the audience. If we let this occur, then we are just as guilty as they are.
Thoughts, comments?
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Budget Discussion Redux
Lest anyone thinks that I have gone completely round the bend, I can assure you this is not the case. Please re-shelve your pitchforks and set the boiling tar down to a low simmer.
I've seen these people before. Not these specific people, mind you, but people like them. And the only way to fight fire is with a fair amount of fire of your own. Part of the issue from the previous board was the selling of the idea of the new school. It could have been presented to the voters a bit better. Kudos to the rational approach that the past board took: they presented reports and findings and pictures. But voters typically don't get swayed by things like rationality in elections. Emotions and gut feelings rule the day, and in an election not about international or national, or even state issues, but down and dirty local issues, the emotions surrounding hearth and home are magnified immensely. A thrice decorated Purple Heart veteran should have had a wide lead in a war situation over a rear echelon flyboy who won his wings through influence rather than action, but President John Kerry sits on the shelf of history with Presidents Thomas Dewey, Adlai Stevenson, and Walter Mondale as his companions.
The vociferous screamings of the Stop the School people won out. They won through a strong three pronged strategy; using an electorate that is weary of politicians, no matter the party or office; an effective combination of "on message" non-stop Stop the School and "zero message" no comment on what we're going to do; and through relentless attack and counter attack without cessation. The group that stays on message wins. Look at the board meetings from the past. It may be the same voices droning on and on over and over from the audience, sometimes even incoherently, but the message was Stop the School/Stop the Taxation loud and clear.
Now the tables have turned, and the audience is now on the board, and the board is now in the audience. This new board needs to be held to the same standards that the past board was held to. Giving them a "bye" at any point in the process now is a gimme point they didn't deserve to score. Mount an effective defense, certainly, but an effective offense is where the points are scored. There is nothing wrong with any of us putting on our William Hellmann, CPA or Marlys Mihok gadfly masks and standing there at the audience microphone requiring these public servants to serve the public, no matter how angry it might make some of the board's officers, er, officials.
Any time there is ever a question of what to do, ask yourself this question: What would the Stop the School candidates have said about this issue if Sandy Gibson was presenting it? Then do exactly what the Stop the Schoolers would have done.
Public officials require oversight by the public. Let me say that again with emphasis: Public officials REQUIRE oversight by the public. The parents watch the kids, judicial balances against executive and legislative. Its an accountability dance. And when the public doesn't want to dance, that's when things fall apart. In Kentucky, the recently defeated scandal plagued governor spent $65M out of an emergency $66m highway repairs fund. Talk about selling the family silver! I like the arrogance of power too: 'Former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert, who controlled spending from the fund, wouldn't discuss the spending yesterday, saying, "I'm not interested in taking up time commenting on anything like that."'
And so I question anything and everything a public official tells me. Not because I directly mistrust the person in the office, but because power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. An official without oversight is a dictator, whether they're Boss Hogg in Hazzard County, or a President of the United States huddled over a speaker straining to hear the latest cell phone intercepts.
Perhaps this $1.25m transfer is completely legal. Then let's talk about it and make sure everyone is on board with it. Show us the legal precedents and let the discussions begin. Isn't this board pledged to be the "people's board?" Or maybe you're not interested in taking up time commenting on anything like that.
However, I see this transfer as akin to the first step in spending down Grandma's inheritance until it's gone, rather than spending 90% of the income (interest) gained and returning 10% to the fund so that it continues to grow and flourish. This is not responsible stewardship unless there is such an immediate need that this drastic action is required. And if this is the case...TELL US THIS! (I understand it raises some inconvenient questions about why you stopped the school and all, but, hey, life's just not fair sometimes.)
Anyone else care to use the soap box?
I've seen these people before. Not these specific people, mind you, but people like them. And the only way to fight fire is with a fair amount of fire of your own. Part of the issue from the previous board was the selling of the idea of the new school. It could have been presented to the voters a bit better. Kudos to the rational approach that the past board took: they presented reports and findings and pictures. But voters typically don't get swayed by things like rationality in elections. Emotions and gut feelings rule the day, and in an election not about international or national, or even state issues, but down and dirty local issues, the emotions surrounding hearth and home are magnified immensely. A thrice decorated Purple Heart veteran should have had a wide lead in a war situation over a rear echelon flyboy who won his wings through influence rather than action, but President John Kerry sits on the shelf of history with Presidents Thomas Dewey, Adlai Stevenson, and Walter Mondale as his companions.
The vociferous screamings of the Stop the School people won out. They won through a strong three pronged strategy; using an electorate that is weary of politicians, no matter the party or office; an effective combination of "on message" non-stop Stop the School and "zero message" no comment on what we're going to do; and through relentless attack and counter attack without cessation. The group that stays on message wins. Look at the board meetings from the past. It may be the same voices droning on and on over and over from the audience, sometimes even incoherently, but the message was Stop the School/Stop the Taxation loud and clear.
Now the tables have turned, and the audience is now on the board, and the board is now in the audience. This new board needs to be held to the same standards that the past board was held to. Giving them a "bye" at any point in the process now is a gimme point they didn't deserve to score. Mount an effective defense, certainly, but an effective offense is where the points are scored. There is nothing wrong with any of us putting on our William Hellmann, CPA or Marlys Mihok gadfly masks and standing there at the audience microphone requiring these public servants to serve the public, no matter how angry it might make some of the board's officers, er, officials.
Any time there is ever a question of what to do, ask yourself this question: What would the Stop the School candidates have said about this issue if Sandy Gibson was presenting it? Then do exactly what the Stop the Schoolers would have done.
Public officials require oversight by the public. Let me say that again with emphasis: Public officials REQUIRE oversight by the public. The parents watch the kids, judicial balances against executive and legislative. Its an accountability dance. And when the public doesn't want to dance, that's when things fall apart. In Kentucky, the recently defeated scandal plagued governor spent $65M out of an emergency $66m highway repairs fund. Talk about selling the family silver! I like the arrogance of power too: 'Former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert, who controlled spending from the fund, wouldn't discuss the spending yesterday, saying, "I'm not interested in taking up time commenting on anything like that."'
And so I question anything and everything a public official tells me. Not because I directly mistrust the person in the office, but because power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. An official without oversight is a dictator, whether they're Boss Hogg in Hazzard County, or a President of the United States huddled over a speaker straining to hear the latest cell phone intercepts.
Perhaps this $1.25m transfer is completely legal. Then let's talk about it and make sure everyone is on board with it. Show us the legal precedents and let the discussions begin. Isn't this board pledged to be the "people's board?" Or maybe you're not interested in taking up time commenting on anything like that.
However, I see this transfer as akin to the first step in spending down Grandma's inheritance until it's gone, rather than spending 90% of the income (interest) gained and returning 10% to the fund so that it continues to grow and flourish. This is not responsible stewardship unless there is such an immediate need that this drastic action is required. And if this is the case...TELL US THIS! (I understand it raises some inconvenient questions about why you stopped the school and all, but, hey, life's just not fair sometimes.)
Anyone else care to use the soap box?
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Budget Discussion
I thought it might be good to elevate this issue to a separate post. In the proposed school budget 2008-09, Board President William Hellmann, CPA has proposed what appears to possibly be accounting gimmickry and sleight of hand in transferring $1.25 million from the Capital Reserve fund (the fund that exists to finance large building projects) and transferring it to the general (everyday expenses) fund.
Before I address this, let's look at an example of financial gimmickry from the past.
In early 1968 President Lyndon Johnson made a change in the budget presentation by including Social Security and all other trust funds in a "unified budget." This is likewise sometimes described by saying that Social Security was placed "on-budget."
This 1968 change grew out of the recommendations of a presidential commission appointed by President Johnson in 1967, and known as the President's Commission on Budget Concepts. The concern of this Commission was not specifically with the Social Security Trust Funds, but rather it was an effort to rationalize what the Commission viewed as a confusing budget presentation. At that time, the federal budget consisted of three separate and inconsistent sets of measures, and often budget debates became bogged-down in arguments over which of the three to use. As an illustration of the problem, the projected fiscal 1968 budget was either in deficit by $2.1 billion, $4.3 billion, or $8.1 billion, depending upon which measure one chose to use. Consequently, the Commission's central recommendation was for a single, unified, measure of the federal budget--a measure in which every function and activity of government was added together to assess the government's fiscal position.
This allowed Johnson to fund both his "guns and butter" approaches (the Vietnam War and the Great Society), but it also led us into a governmental financial tailspin that continues to this day. We masked the true deficits with the surpluses from Social Security. Lo and behold, those surpluses are now gone too, and because of the gimmickry, we missed both the federal and SS deficits until too late.
Our Zen moment for the day: If we hide the truth, and no one holds us accountable for it, does it really exist and is it truth or fiction?
DISCLAIMER: I am not a CPA or a lawyer. I am impressed when my checkbook balances to within $10. When I have money left at the end of the month, either it was a short month or I forgot to pay a bill. And maybe I'm not reading the budget effectively enough and not understanding enough. But here's my questions. Readers: Please feel free to add any other questions and/or explanations as you would like. And this time, maybe we can hear from ANYONE out there who supports this NSN budget.
Dear Mr President Hellmann, CPA: I have no doubt that news of this post will make its way to your ears within hours of posting, so would you please prepare now to explain this to us in clear, precise, non-evasive, non-technical laymans terms at the school board meeting on January 23, 2008:
1) What legal authority allows you to transfer this money and please provide three additional examples of other school boards who have done the same thing in Pennsylvania AND survived a legal challenge. No problem if the lawyer answers for you, but he needs to be under the same non-evasive and non-technical rule.
2) How is transferring this money NOT financial gimmickry? Again, please use clear and precise laymans terms. And what is the gain for the district in using this transfer OTHER than providing a fig leaf of respectability to not have a larger tax increase? What about the money that is left and how much more do you expect to take from the Capital Reserve in this budget cycle and the next, and the next?
3) Where's the beef? There's still playing fields behind the high school. You successfully stopped the school and had well over six months to analyse the situation. You talked and talked with meaningless platitudes and non-specific soothing speech and only a few people found the courage to call you on your empty rhetoric. You and your compatriots ignored those brave few and deferred substantive comment on these issues until you were seated. Congratulations. You're seated. And you've gone through the budget with your fine tooth comb and found zip, nada, and bupkis to cut? Man, I gave you the benefit of the doubt that you would find something, anything, that you could cut because of those irresponsible boards of the past spending too much incorrectly. And now we find out that your magic CPA wand has run out of black ink. So here's the question: What DID you cut? (HINT: The answer "because so much of the budget is written in stone" is not a valid excuse. You knew that going in, didn't you?) If this is the best you can do, maybe the plane tickets for the Orlando conference should be cancelled.
4) Please tell us right now why the Stop the School people, one and all, should not be labeled as frauds and run out of town on the same tar and feather rail used so recently for the departed board members. (Hmmm...Can board members be impeached or recalled?)
[ADDED Dec 24, 2007: In re-reading this, it seemed a little harsh in some spots, so I applied my fairness test by replacing "William Hellman, CPA" with "Dr Sandy Gibson" and re-read it as if I was a Stop the School candidate complaining that the previous board had submitted the proposed budget. Not only did this post pass my fairness test, it turned out to be rather mild.]
Anyone else want to add to this list? I supported the new school and I feel like I'm getting hosed royally. Now if I could only find a window that opens...
Before I address this, let's look at an example of financial gimmickry from the past.
In early 1968 President Lyndon Johnson made a change in the budget presentation by including Social Security and all other trust funds in a "unified budget." This is likewise sometimes described by saying that Social Security was placed "on-budget."
This 1968 change grew out of the recommendations of a presidential commission appointed by President Johnson in 1967, and known as the President's Commission on Budget Concepts. The concern of this Commission was not specifically with the Social Security Trust Funds, but rather it was an effort to rationalize what the Commission viewed as a confusing budget presentation. At that time, the federal budget consisted of three separate and inconsistent sets of measures, and often budget debates became bogged-down in arguments over which of the three to use. As an illustration of the problem, the projected fiscal 1968 budget was either in deficit by $2.1 billion, $4.3 billion, or $8.1 billion, depending upon which measure one chose to use. Consequently, the Commission's central recommendation was for a single, unified, measure of the federal budget--a measure in which every function and activity of government was added together to assess the government's fiscal position.
This allowed Johnson to fund both his "guns and butter" approaches (the Vietnam War and the Great Society), but it also led us into a governmental financial tailspin that continues to this day. We masked the true deficits with the surpluses from Social Security. Lo and behold, those surpluses are now gone too, and because of the gimmickry, we missed both the federal and SS deficits until too late.
Our Zen moment for the day: If we hide the truth, and no one holds us accountable for it, does it really exist and is it truth or fiction?
DISCLAIMER: I am not a CPA or a lawyer. I am impressed when my checkbook balances to within $10. When I have money left at the end of the month, either it was a short month or I forgot to pay a bill. And maybe I'm not reading the budget effectively enough and not understanding enough. But here's my questions. Readers: Please feel free to add any other questions and/or explanations as you would like. And this time, maybe we can hear from ANYONE out there who supports this NSN budget.
Dear Mr President Hellmann, CPA: I have no doubt that news of this post will make its way to your ears within hours of posting, so would you please prepare now to explain this to us in clear, precise, non-evasive, non-technical laymans terms at the school board meeting on January 23, 2008:
1) What legal authority allows you to transfer this money and please provide three additional examples of other school boards who have done the same thing in Pennsylvania AND survived a legal challenge. No problem if the lawyer answers for you, but he needs to be under the same non-evasive and non-technical rule.
2) How is transferring this money NOT financial gimmickry? Again, please use clear and precise laymans terms. And what is the gain for the district in using this transfer OTHER than providing a fig leaf of respectability to not have a larger tax increase? What about the money that is left and how much more do you expect to take from the Capital Reserve in this budget cycle and the next, and the next?
3) Where's the beef? There's still playing fields behind the high school. You successfully stopped the school and had well over six months to analyse the situation. You talked and talked with meaningless platitudes and non-specific soothing speech and only a few people found the courage to call you on your empty rhetoric. You and your compatriots ignored those brave few and deferred substantive comment on these issues until you were seated. Congratulations. You're seated. And you've gone through the budget with your fine tooth comb and found zip, nada, and bupkis to cut? Man, I gave you the benefit of the doubt that you would find something, anything, that you could cut because of those irresponsible boards of the past spending too much incorrectly. And now we find out that your magic CPA wand has run out of black ink. So here's the question: What DID you cut? (HINT: The answer "because so much of the budget is written in stone" is not a valid excuse. You knew that going in, didn't you?) If this is the best you can do, maybe the plane tickets for the Orlando conference should be cancelled.
4) Please tell us right now why the Stop the School people, one and all, should not be labeled as frauds and run out of town on the same tar and feather rail used so recently for the departed board members. (Hmmm...Can board members be impeached or recalled?)
[ADDED Dec 24, 2007: In re-reading this, it seemed a little harsh in some spots, so I applied my fairness test by replacing "William Hellman, CPA" with "Dr Sandy Gibson" and re-read it as if I was a Stop the School candidate complaining that the previous board had submitted the proposed budget. Not only did this post pass my fairness test, it turned out to be rather mild.]
Anyone else want to add to this list? I supported the new school and I feel like I'm getting hosed royally. Now if I could only find a window that opens...
Friday, December 21, 2007
December Reorg Meeting Minutes Available
The December reorganizational meeting minutes are up for review also.
I'm just copying these for future reference.
Herbert Brooks, Oak St.
Mr. Brooks congratulated the new board members and expressed gratitude for everything they have done so far and for the mammoth tasks they are about to undertake. I’m sure that they will ask opinions of the residents and include the residents in some of their decisions before they come to their own decision. “Carry a good light, may it always burn bright with the sun in your hearts.”
Steve Worob, 101 Grandview
Congratulations to the new board. I know that this board will remember that it represents the people who put their trust in them.
Ed Bailey, 36 E. Palmer
I knew two years ago about this night. We thought we had a fighting chance and we won. My advice to the incoming board is change everything about the way these meetings are run and stick together.
Sharon Hughes
Congratulations to the school board. They now represent 82% of the people of Morrisville. Quickly they will represent 100% of the people of Morrisville.
I know the people who ran for school board. They have in their hearts the children. They want to go forward and educate the children as well as it can be done. I know that they have innovate programs they want to bring in; they will be open to comments and input and they will do what they believe is best for Morrisville. We all have to get past the disagreements of the past and work together. Democracy works if you believe in it.
F. Committee Appointments
Mr. Hellmann, Board President announced the committee formations.
Mr. Hellmann asked each committee to select a chairperson and report back to the Board of Directors.
Infrastructure/Facilities
Mr. Hellmann, Mrs. Heater and Mrs. Mihok
Education Committee
Mr. Hellmann, Mr. Farrell and Mrs. Mihok
Finance Committee
Mr. Hellmann and Mr. Radosti
Policy Committee
Mrs. Reithmeyer, Mrs. Heater and Mrs. Worob
Community/School Joint Committee
Mrs. Reithmeyer (anyone else?)
Discipline/Review Committee
Mr. Farrell, Mrs. Heater and Mrs. Reithmeyer
PSBA Representative (Pennsylvania School Board Association)
Mr. Hellmann appointed Mrs. Worob to a one-year term.
Bucks County Technical High School Representative
Mr. Hellmann appointed Mr. Frankenfield to a one-year term
Bucks County School District Authority
Mr. Hellmann appointed Mr. Lou Groves to a five-year term beginning January 2008
I'm just copying these for future reference.
Herbert Brooks, Oak St.
Mr. Brooks congratulated the new board members and expressed gratitude for everything they have done so far and for the mammoth tasks they are about to undertake. I’m sure that they will ask opinions of the residents and include the residents in some of their decisions before they come to their own decision. “Carry a good light, may it always burn bright with the sun in your hearts.”
Steve Worob, 101 Grandview
Congratulations to the new board. I know that this board will remember that it represents the people who put their trust in them.
Ed Bailey, 36 E. Palmer
I knew two years ago about this night. We thought we had a fighting chance and we won. My advice to the incoming board is change everything about the way these meetings are run and stick together.
Sharon Hughes
Congratulations to the school board. They now represent 82% of the people of Morrisville. Quickly they will represent 100% of the people of Morrisville.
I know the people who ran for school board. They have in their hearts the children. They want to go forward and educate the children as well as it can be done. I know that they have innovate programs they want to bring in; they will be open to comments and input and they will do what they believe is best for Morrisville. We all have to get past the disagreements of the past and work together. Democracy works if you believe in it.
F. Committee Appointments
Mr. Hellmann, Board President announced the committee formations.
Mr. Hellmann asked each committee to select a chairperson and report back to the Board of Directors.
Infrastructure/Facilities
Mr. Hellmann, Mrs. Heater and Mrs. Mihok
Education Committee
Mr. Hellmann, Mr. Farrell and Mrs. Mihok
Finance Committee
Mr. Hellmann and Mr. Radosti
Policy Committee
Mrs. Reithmeyer, Mrs. Heater and Mrs. Worob
Community/School Joint Committee
Mrs. Reithmeyer (anyone else?)
Discipline/Review Committee
Mr. Farrell, Mrs. Heater and Mrs. Reithmeyer
PSBA Representative (Pennsylvania School Board Association)
Mr. Hellmann appointed Mrs. Worob to a one-year term.
Bucks County Technical High School Representative
Mr. Hellmann appointed Mr. Frankenfield to a one-year term
Bucks County School District Authority
Mr. Hellmann appointed Mr. Lou Groves to a five-year term beginning January 2008
Happy Taxation WITH Representation Day!
Kudos to William Hellmann, CPA! He whipped those budgeteers into shape (or they meekly submitted to his directions, in not sure which) and herewith presented is the Preliminary General Budget fund for 2008-09. (Link fixed Dec 23, 2007)
Is there anyone out there who can compare this to the 2007-08 budget and see how much we're saving in taxes this year?
The budget will be adopted at the next board meeting, January 23, 2008
Is there anyone out there who can compare this to the 2007-08 budget and see how much we're saving in taxes this year?
The budget will be adopted at the next board meeting, January 23, 2008
Food for thought
I love how comics can make you think about how absurd reality is...
Check out Non Sequitur on the web. Anyone have some facts to make up, um, share?
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Nepotism?
I know nothing about Eric Hellmann other than that he is the son of William Hellman, CPA. However, does a genetic inheritance guarantee that you'll be good at doing Dad's former job?
Maybe Eric will be as successful as William Hellman, CPA, and just as possibly, maybe not. But when the Borough Council advertises the filial connection as stongly as they did, I have to ask why.
Morrisville Council: Monday, Dec. 17
Issue: Accept resignation of Will Hellman as borough controller and appoint his son Eric Hellman to fill the unexpired term.
Vote: Approved unanimously.
Nepotism has always made me uncomfortable. As gifted as John Adams was, John Quincy had to prove himself. Not all of John and Abagail's kids were quite as successful as JQ was.Maybe Eric will be as successful as William Hellman, CPA, and just as possibly, maybe not. But when the Borough Council advertises the filial connection as stongly as they did, I have to ask why.
I Knew Someone Would Do It...
I'm just surprised it took so long. The poll is now closed.
Thank you to almost everyone who voted. I especially want to thank the ballot box stuffer, who worked overtime to record 47 "lame" votes from the same IP address over two days.
Here's the scoop: I heard from a lot of people that they wanted to be able to discuss and comment more, so I opened the comments up to anyone, but the comments never really took off except from a few PSPs. I dearly appreciate their insightful and provocative comments and I look forward to hearing more from them all.
So I thought I would take a poll to see if there was "anybody out there", or if everyone was "comfortably numb."
I was very gratified to find a nearly equal number of PSP and NSN votes from unique IP addresses until the past few days, when someone starting stuffing the ballot box toward
"lame" status. C'est la vie. This was never a scientific poll.
I very much appreciate the readership out there, and while I never had any intention of stopping, I am more than ever ready to continue. Agree with me, disagree with me (really--I would like to hear from the NSNs), let me annoy you.
But...I cannot be everywhere. The collective eyes and ears out there are far more effective than little old me pounding away on my keyboard. So participate. Speak up.
Thank you to almost everyone who voted. I especially want to thank the ballot box stuffer, who worked overtime to record 47 "lame" votes from the same IP address over two days.
Here's the scoop: I heard from a lot of people that they wanted to be able to discuss and comment more, so I opened the comments up to anyone, but the comments never really took off except from a few PSPs. I dearly appreciate their insightful and provocative comments and I look forward to hearing more from them all.
So I thought I would take a poll to see if there was "anybody out there", or if everyone was "comfortably numb."
I was very gratified to find a nearly equal number of PSP and NSN votes from unique IP addresses until the past few days, when someone starting stuffing the ballot box toward
"lame" status. C'est la vie. This was never a scientific poll.
I very much appreciate the readership out there, and while I never had any intention of stopping, I am more than ever ready to continue. Agree with me, disagree with me (really--I would like to hear from the NSNs), let me annoy you.
But...I cannot be everywhere. The collective eyes and ears out there are far more effective than little old me pounding away on my keyboard. So participate. Speak up.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Wish I Had Thought of This.....2
Who would have thought it...Courtesy of eSchoolnews.com
Green school buildings making a surge
Environmentally friendly schools can reduce energy costs ... and improve learning.
School systems nationwide are beginning to realize the benefits of "going green" when building new schools, according to experts who follow school construction trends. Though the initial building costs can run higher, schools are seeing a return on their up-front investment through a reduction in monthly energy costs. Another important (and often unexpected) side benefit has been a boost in student achievement resulting from more healthy, productive, and comfortable learning environments.
Green school buildings making a surge
Environmentally friendly schools can reduce energy costs ... and improve learning.
School systems nationwide are beginning to realize the benefits of "going green" when building new schools, according to experts who follow school construction trends. Though the initial building costs can run higher, schools are seeing a return on their up-front investment through a reduction in monthly energy costs. Another important (and often unexpected) side benefit has been a boost in student achievement resulting from more healthy, productive, and comfortable learning environments.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Budget Watch
Remember all those green lawn signs proclaiming "No Taxation Without Representation?" (I never understood them anyway because they were represented, but thats another topic.) Well, Taxation WITH Representation Day is January 3, 2008. President Bill Hellman, CPA, will bring his budgetary skills to the fore and single-handedly save the district. (That's the only way he apparently works. He doesn't need input from anyone else, especially someone who might oppose him. If this is incorrect, drop me a line.)
I have no doubt that Bill Hellman, CPA, WILL find items to cut. There are always economies to be enjoyed and priorities to be changed when a new set of eyes examines everything. These are the easy changes. We talked about this already.
Then come the HARD changes. Does anyone see the word "energy" or "oil" in the story below? Nope...not one peep about the higher energy costs just to buy the fuel oil to keep the aged boilers slightly tepid, or the ancient single pane window glass that bleeds heat as if the windows were not even there. What about the other repairs that you have not yet even considered, like a gas line repair at the high school or a water main break at Grandview? Just how much will you spend on the schools for repairs and renovations? You can send those major expenses over to the capital budget, but what about the everyday expenses that the day-to-day budget barely covers?
Then there's the 6.7% increase that is "too much." What is the inflation rate? Glad you asked. Using this online calculator, the rate of inflation from January to November 2007 was 3.83% but the current rate itself is 4.31%.
Don't forget to check in with the Budget Work Session where the NSN budgeteers will be making their list and checking it twice on Wednesday, December 19. (Anyone else notice that there are NO 2008 committee or board meetings listed on the district calendar? Dear Secretary-elect Mihok: Please check in with Bill Hellmann, CPA, and post the committee meetings calendar. We do not want this board to unfairly be accused of holding secret meetings, would we? BTW, where are the November meeting minutes?)
The Morrisville school board has vowed to decrease expenditures outlined in the proposed preliminary budget for the 2008-09 school year released last week.
I have no doubt that Bill Hellman, CPA, WILL find items to cut. There are always economies to be enjoyed and priorities to be changed when a new set of eyes examines everything. These are the easy changes. We talked about this already.
Then come the HARD changes. Does anyone see the word "energy" or "oil" in the story below? Nope...not one peep about the higher energy costs just to buy the fuel oil to keep the aged boilers slightly tepid, or the ancient single pane window glass that bleeds heat as if the windows were not even there. What about the other repairs that you have not yet even considered, like a gas line repair at the high school or a water main break at Grandview? Just how much will you spend on the schools for repairs and renovations? You can send those major expenses over to the capital budget, but what about the everyday expenses that the day-to-day budget barely covers?
Then there's the 6.7% increase that is "too much." What is the inflation rate? Glad you asked. Using this online calculator, the rate of inflation from January to November 2007 was 3.83% but the current rate itself is 4.31%.
Don't forget to check in with the Budget Work Session where the NSN budgeteers will be making their list and checking it twice on Wednesday, December 19. (Anyone else notice that there are NO 2008 committee or board meetings listed on the district calendar? Dear Secretary-elect Mihok: Please check in with Bill Hellmann, CPA, and post the committee meetings calendar. We do not want this board to unfairly be accused of holding secret meetings, would we? BTW, where are the November meeting minutes?)
The Morrisville school board has vowed to decrease expenditures outlined in the proposed preliminary budget for the 2008-09 school year released last week.
“We're trying to make it more efficient,” said William Hellmann Thursday. He's the new board president and a certified public accountant.
The spending plan of about $21.95 million is still less than expected revenue of roughly $21.99 million.
At Wednesday night's board meeting, Business Administrator Reba Dunford said that projected revenue is up by 9.18 percent from this year. But according to board members, a 6.7 percent foreseeable increase in expenses is too much.
The biggest budget increases from this year are for technology, the superintendent's office, charter schools, alternative schools, and an account for the Delaware Valley Minority Consortium, a professional development program. While the budgets for salaries and benefits increased less significantly, together they make up roughly 50 percent of the overall budget. This is typical for most districts, Dunford said.
The good news is that an anticipated $2 million from state and federal grants will tip the scales on the revenue side. Morrisville expects 16 different grants, including another 21st Century grant, a PA Pre-K grant, and a School Improvement grant. Altogether, they may bring in about 27 percent more money than they did this year.
Costs to run the school board may drop by nearly 19 percent. Some of these costs come from an annual audit, tax collection, insurance, advertising for board meetings, and printing. The decrease is because of fewer legal fees for contract negotiations. Insurance board liability also decreased by about $10,000.
The district expects to collect about $13 million in real estate taxes, up from about $12 million this year.
Hellmann is using Bristol Borough's 2007-08 budget as a comparison to figure out how to lower the budget.
Though that district has at least 200 more students than Morrisville's 1,052, its overall budget this year was about $1 million less than Morrisville's.
“We'll have to go line item by line item with the business manager,” Hellmann said. “But we're limited by contractual obligations and state mandates.”
The budget will be available to the public on the Morrisville school district Web site http://www.mv.org/
on Jan. 3.
After the finance committee meets to discuss cutting expenses Wednesday, the board will vote on the revised preliminary budget at a board meeting on Jan. 23. As most preliminary budgets do, it will likely go through more tweaking until June 30, when the finalized budget must be passed according to the state mandate.
Under state Act 1, a school board can't increase a district's tax millage rate beyond a pre-determined percentage without voter approval during a referendum in the April primary election. Thus, school districts have begun budget discussions to determine whether a referendum will be necessary.
Locally, most districts are limited to a 4.4 percent inflation rate increase, but Bristol can raise its tax rate 5.9 percent and Bristol Township can go up 5.6 percent because those towns are considered slightly less affluent, state officials said.
The referendum would be necessary if districts need more revenue beyond what would be collected by the pre-determined tax rate increase. A district has the potential to avoid going to a referendum if the state approves one or more exemptions it claims in order to raise taxes above the pre-determined rate, officials said. The exemptions cover costs for pre-existing contracts, etc.
Final budgets must be adopted by no later than June 30.
Proposed budget increases next school year
for Morrisville schools
Salaries — At about $8.43 million, they may make up about 38 percent of the budget. The 4.78 percent increase from this year is due to teacher, staff and other employee contracts. “We are tied to what the contract says. It's already cut in stone,” said Business Administrator Reba Dunford.
Benefits — Projected to make up about 11 percent of the budget; benefits may weigh in at $2.5 million.
Charter schools — A rise in charter school enrollment caused a 62 percent increase for related expenses. The cost may be $317,000.
Alternative school — The budget increased 34 percent for needed services, and is at $553,500.
Technology — This year's budget divides many software and technology needs among other categories. But next year's budget lumps all technology needs into one group, effectively making technology expenses look like they'll go up by about 59 percent.
Grandview Elementary School — Its budget may increase by about 15 percent, while both MR Reiter Elementary School and the middle/high school may cost less. That's because Grandview's budget will also cover the Delaware Valley Minority Consortium, a professional development program started by Kathryn Taylor, the principal.
Special education — Expenses are expected to go up nearly six percent, to about $2 million, due to more students using special education services.
Superintendent's office — Expenses may go up nearly 40 percent. The previous school board increased allowances for conferences and travel, and some office equipment is in bad shape and needs to be replaced, said Dunford.
Sorry for the segue, but does anyone else think of this when you say out loud the phrase, "Bill Hellmann, CPA" ?Saturday, December 15, 2007
Did You Do the Tour?
If there is anyone who is participating in the Grand Tour of the Morrisville Educational Facilities today, please let us know what happened.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Is Saturday a Sham?
In speaking with several people today, there seems to be a growing undercurrent that the Grand Tour of Morrisville Educational Facilities on Saturday is not going to be a real tour in the sense of fact finding and openness that today's Mitchell Report was for Major League Baseball. Instead, it's going to be a pre-bidathon for cronies to come in and get work because their friends are on the board now. I guess it's easy to hold a sham walkabout with your eyes closed and your mind equally shut.
It's a fine line to tread. Do you support the local contractor, who may have a vested interest in the job at his child's school (and need the work, too), or do you go with the larger contractor who is less local but big enough to handle the larger jobs? I know plenty of good, hard working local tradesmen (and women) who could, and should, have a fair share of work, whether it's a new K-12 building or restoring the three current buildings. I also know that there's a reason big contractors win big bids; they have the bandwidth to handle them. Take a look at the Trenton-Morrisville bridge project: there are plenty of local guys who do work on it, but there are some items where the resources of a larger company are needed.
I'm not very reassured by the actions of this new board only a week into the game. Dissenters are shut out; rational action is being shelved in favor of blind reaction; the innate hatred and bigotry that was only thinly veiled by the board candidates is being eroded away through the repeated actions of the board members.
Don't kid yourselves that this is just about the new school; it's about responsible stewardship. If you support the NSNs and what they are doing, then you are endorsing them and their activities, lock, stock, and barrel. Imagine if you were the one shut out at work because a new boss came in; imagine that your work is dismissed simply because you're one of the "old crew"; further imagine that you're held in complete contempt by the new boss. Yeah--I can hear you now "They deserved it!" "They tried to rob us in our taxes!" "We're just getting back what's ours!" That's fine. Believe that. And when it happens to you directly instead of you just watching someone else get it while you're on the sidelines of life, I will gladly provide the cheese to go with your whine. But that's all you'll get from me.
It's a fine line to tread. Do you support the local contractor, who may have a vested interest in the job at his child's school (and need the work, too), or do you go with the larger contractor who is less local but big enough to handle the larger jobs? I know plenty of good, hard working local tradesmen (and women) who could, and should, have a fair share of work, whether it's a new K-12 building or restoring the three current buildings. I also know that there's a reason big contractors win big bids; they have the bandwidth to handle them. Take a look at the Trenton-Morrisville bridge project: there are plenty of local guys who do work on it, but there are some items where the resources of a larger company are needed.
I'm not very reassured by the actions of this new board only a week into the game. Dissenters are shut out; rational action is being shelved in favor of blind reaction; the innate hatred and bigotry that was only thinly veiled by the board candidates is being eroded away through the repeated actions of the board members.
Don't kid yourselves that this is just about the new school; it's about responsible stewardship. If you support the NSNs and what they are doing, then you are endorsing them and their activities, lock, stock, and barrel. Imagine if you were the one shut out at work because a new boss came in; imagine that your work is dismissed simply because you're one of the "old crew"; further imagine that you're held in complete contempt by the new boss. Yeah--I can hear you now "They deserved it!" "They tried to rob us in our taxes!" "We're just getting back what's ours!" That's fine. Believe that. And when it happens to you directly instead of you just watching someone else get it while you're on the sidelines of life, I will gladly provide the cheese to go with your whine. But that's all you'll get from me.
Morrisville Dempublicans...Republicrats...Whatever
Anyone have information on the status of the Morrisville Dempublican efforts at party purity?
The New School Dies Yet Again
To the utter surprise of no one, the new board formally strangled the new school last night. Also on the casualty list was Joe Kemp as board secretary (replaced by Marlys Mihok) and business admin Reba Dunford as treasurer (replaced by Gloria Heater).
The Morrisville school board meeting started with applause and whistles Wednesday night as the new members of the school board walked in.
The cheers continued when the board decided to stop plans for a new consolidated $30 million school that would have replaced the three existing school buildings.
The new school board voted 8-1 to abandon an appeal of a borough council decision rejecting preliminary development plans for the proposed consolidated pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade school.
If built, the facility would have replaced the ailing high school/middle school and the two elementary schools.
The new school board has made it known it wants to stop prior plans for building the new school.
Board members agreed Wednesday night to advertise for bids from engineering firms to examine and evaluate the mechanical systems at all three school buildings. It also voted to solicit professional legal services on a contingency basis in regard to possible litigation over expenditures for the proposed new school project that was stopped at this meeting.
In other news, the board voted to remove Joseph Kemp from the position of secretary. No reason was given, except that it was the board's prerogative, said board President William Hellmann. The board nominated and voted Marlys Mihok to replace him, effective Jan. 2.
Likewise, the board voted to remove Reba Dunford, the school district's business administrator, from the role of board treasurer. Gloria Heater was nominated and voted to replace her, also effective Jan. 2.
We knew that they wanted to stop the school, but it gets stopped three days before the Grand Tour of the Morrisville Educational Facilities is held? Does this mean that the tour is merely a cover and a pointless waste of time for the participants? All I'm saying here is that the needs of the district appear to be taking second place to blind action without heed to the ramifications. We expect this type of behaviour out of the students that the schools are housing, not the supposed adults running them. It sounds like the same precipitous behavior that led to the MESPA fiasco years ago is back in town. What would it have cost to wait until the January meeting to do this?Wednesday, December 12, 2007
What Are YOU Doing Saturday?
Would you like to join our NSN board members on a tour behind the scenes at the Morrisville schools? Marlys Mihok, who apparently skipped a meeting with the buildings committee last week, has made an open invitation to the community and local contractors to tour the buildings.
After two years of contention between Morrisville school board members who were on opposite sides concerning a proposed $30 million consolidated school, the matter might be settled at tonight's meeting.
This is an open plea to everyone: If you didn't support the new school, come and see for yourself where our kids learn. If you did support the new school, come and see what's changed.
After two years of contention between Morrisville school board members who were on opposite sides concerning a proposed $30 million consolidated school, the matter might be settled at tonight's meeting.
The new school would replace the existing high school/middle school and the two elementary schools.
The tug of war escalated in September when the school board majority filed an appeal in county court of a borough council decision rejecting preliminary development plans for the pre-kindergarten to 12th-grade school. Several school board members at the time said it was necessary to replace the three ailing school buildings and millions already spent in lawyer and engineering fees in planning for the new school.
“There will be a motion tomorrow to stop the appeal,” said William Hellmann, the new school board president, when contacted on Tuesday.
All four of the board's new members, as well as some existing board members, have spoken out against the new school project. They say it has become too expensive and has been poorly handled by former school board members.
“It's been 25 months since November of 2005 when the plan was rammed down our throats,” said new board member Marlys Mihok on Tuesday. “[The appeal] will be stopped tomorrow night and I anticipate that it will pass, that the board majority will stop it.”
When the plan was first proposed, most of the board members were proponents of building a new school. However, several community members such as Mihok felt that board members ignored the wishes of taxpayers.
The proposed new school would create a tax increase of more than $646 annually. This amount is based on the median assessed property value of $18,000, district business manager Reba Dunford said in May.
New school opponents — Hellmann, Mihok, Robin Reithmeyer and William Farrell — won in the Nov. 6 general election, altering the board's balance of power from a majority who supported the school project to one who didn't.
Mihok said the agenda also includes a motion to look for a law firm the district would hire “on a contingency basis, to see what we can do about money we've given to the architect and engineer.”
At 9 a.m. Jan. 12, the school board plans to hold a walk-through of all three schools to look at structural and mechanical problems in hopes of coming up with a cheaper alternative.
“It will be open to heating and [air conditioning] people, plumbers, electricians or anyone with an interest in helping us with the buildings,” said Mihok. It will also be open to the public.
Arrangements for where to meet for the walk-through are forthcoming, she added.
One of the first things you learn as a lawyer is to NEVER ask a witness in open court a question that you do not already know the answer to. (I'm a proud graduate of Perry Mason University and the Matlock School of Law.) And the NSNs want us to walk through the buildings and see what's going on? Why would they campaign on a platform of STOP THE SCHOOL and then a week after taking office, walk through the areas, inviting people to come out and see the conditions for themselves? Unless our miracle-trained custodial staff found some sort of magic wand stuffed in an abandoned locker and have drained the magic out of it busily repairing past neglect, I predict a rude awakening.This is an open plea to everyone: If you didn't support the new school, come and see for yourself where our kids learn. If you did support the new school, come and see what's changed.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Schooltime for the New Members
So did any of our readers know about the classes that the new board members should be attending sponsored by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association? (OK, OK, yes, I know some of our readers are former school board members and probably attended themselves.) However, I was unaware of such a thing and pose an open question to all nine of the current school board members. Have you attended already or when are the dates set for you to attend?
"Fast Track sessions [were] held over two days in King of Prussia at the start of December. Topics were varied, giving board members the opportunity to choose from classes such as “Budget Basics for School Boards,” “The Board's Role in Promoting Student Growth and Achievement” and “I'm a new school board member, now what?”
There's quite a large number of items that this website covers. Gee, I thought all school board members did was create controversy and/or do nothing while in office. They have responsibilities and everything. Since there's only seven members participating in the Morrisville school board committee discussions, I hope the three more experienced members can keep the four newbies in line.
Look at the stuff you can learn about!
Initiatives for Effective School Governance
Funding Issues and Concerns
School Design and Construction Conference
Maybe tomorrow night at the inaugural regular school board meeting, we can find out how many attended and what they thought about the classes. And if they didn't attend, why not?
"Fast Track sessions [were] held over two days in King of Prussia at the start of December. Topics were varied, giving board members the opportunity to choose from classes such as “Budget Basics for School Boards,” “The Board's Role in Promoting Student Growth and Achievement” and “I'm a new school board member, now what?”
There's quite a large number of items that this website covers. Gee, I thought all school board members did was create controversy and/or do nothing while in office. They have responsibilities and everything. Since there's only seven members participating in the Morrisville school board committee discussions, I hope the three more experienced members can keep the four newbies in line.
Look at the stuff you can learn about!
Initiatives for Effective School Governance
Funding Issues and Concerns
School Design and Construction Conference
Maybe tomorrow night at the inaugural regular school board meeting, we can find out how many attended and what they thought about the classes. And if they didn't attend, why not?
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Saturday Afternoon in Morrisville
I hate shopping during weekend daytimes. I especially hate shopping during the holiday season. Shopping during holiday weekend days tops the scale of retail thou shall-nots for me.
However, a nice sunny holiday shopping weekend brings out a lot of your neighbors, and a lot of meeting and greeting gets done. It's amazing what you find out. For example:
1) The school district is required to have a strategic plan created every six years, and there was a meeting for it this past Tuesday evening. A lot of school administration members and community members were there, including former PSP members Johanny Manning and Greta O'Keefe; current PSP member Joe Kemp; and current NSN member Robin Reithmeyer. Kudos and thumbs up to all of them. No matter what your thoughts on the schools, if you're out there fighting the fight, it shows your level of commitment. A pending thumbs down to current NSN member Marlys Mihok who was a no-show. Life can intrude and we hope that Marlys is safe and well, but if she just blew it off because she's on the buildings committee and she might find out something that was against her NSN leanings, well, let's let the voters decide.
2) Grandview was closed Wednesday because of a water main break and the high school was closed Thursday for a gas leak. Thank God the buildings are safe and we don't need this building project. Kudos to the Big Guy Upstairs for an awesome sense of humor and timing. First week in power for the NSNs and the walls are tumbling down. **Attention K-Mart shoppers! Cleanup of egg on face for seven!**
3) Less connected to the schools directly, is a rather astounding piece of news I picked up...the Democrats are retaliating against any Democrats who supported the Community Party candidates. A comment in a previous post alluded to this, but this is confirmed. So the "Stop The School" candidates who proudly crowed their lack of partisan labels are dusting off those labels again.
Six like minded individuals who will work for affordable school taxes to finance a quality education for our children. We are young and old, 3 Republicans and 3 Democrats, 3 men and 3 women, representing all 4 wards, hard working residents, with and without children, who all share a passion that our students excel.
So when we want and need your vote, your party affiliation is a liquid thing that is rather meaningless and we won't scrutinize things too much. But now...now that we are "In Power!", it is time to purge the tepid, the weak, and the non-true-believers from our ranks! Begone! And pay your dues before you leave..billboards like the one we had are REALLY expensive.
4) A big, big, big thumbs down to Bill Hellmann, CPA, newly elected President of the Morrisville Board of School Directors. He saw that both Ed Frankenfield and Joe Kemp were overworked from the past few years on the board and needed a rest from all that committee type work. Shutting off dissent is a rather poor first impression to make, Billy-Boy. I'm going to have to rate you "needs improvement" on "works and plays well with others" and we will have to have to set up a conference with your mother.
Maybe it IS time to have a few interested citizens attend these meetings. Could you imagine some PSP type fighting and complaining like Bill Hellmann, CPA and board CANDIDATE used to? Love the way that Karma wheel turns and turns...
If any of this is inaccurate, let me know and I will set the record straight. All of these items were confirmed multiple times by unconnected persons. There's a lot more that is unconfirmed and I will not post until then.
However, a nice sunny holiday shopping weekend brings out a lot of your neighbors, and a lot of meeting and greeting gets done. It's amazing what you find out. For example:
1) The school district is required to have a strategic plan created every six years, and there was a meeting for it this past Tuesday evening. A lot of school administration members and community members were there, including former PSP members Johanny Manning and Greta O'Keefe; current PSP member Joe Kemp; and current NSN member Robin Reithmeyer. Kudos and thumbs up to all of them. No matter what your thoughts on the schools, if you're out there fighting the fight, it shows your level of commitment. A pending thumbs down to current NSN member Marlys Mihok who was a no-show. Life can intrude and we hope that Marlys is safe and well, but if she just blew it off because she's on the buildings committee and she might find out something that was against her NSN leanings, well, let's let the voters decide.
2) Grandview was closed Wednesday because of a water main break and the high school was closed Thursday for a gas leak. Thank God the buildings are safe and we don't need this building project. Kudos to the Big Guy Upstairs for an awesome sense of humor and timing. First week in power for the NSNs and the walls are tumbling down. **Attention K-Mart shoppers! Cleanup of egg on face for seven!**
3) Less connected to the schools directly, is a rather astounding piece of news I picked up...the Democrats are retaliating against any Democrats who supported the Community Party candidates. A comment in a previous post alluded to this, but this is confirmed. So the "Stop The School" candidates who proudly crowed their lack of partisan labels are dusting off those labels again.
Who are the Stop the School Platform?
Six like minded individuals who will work for affordable school taxes to finance a quality education for our children. We are young and old, 3 Republicans and 3 Democrats, 3 men and 3 women, representing all 4 wards, hard working residents, with and without children, who all share a passion that our students excel.
People registered as Independent can only vote in the Primary Election on Questions, they cannot vote for individual candidates. You may change your affiliation to either the Democratic or Republican Party so you can help choose who will run for School Board or any elected position.
You can easily change back to Independent, if you so choose. Forms can be gotten at the Morrisville Library, or call 215 295-2900 and a form will be delivered to you.
So when we want and need your vote, your party affiliation is a liquid thing that is rather meaningless and we won't scrutinize things too much. But now...now that we are "In Power!", it is time to purge the tepid, the weak, and the non-true-believers from our ranks! Begone! And pay your dues before you leave..billboards like the one we had are REALLY expensive.4) A big, big, big thumbs down to Bill Hellmann, CPA, newly elected President of the Morrisville Board of School Directors. He saw that both Ed Frankenfield and Joe Kemp were overworked from the past few years on the board and needed a rest from all that committee type work. Shutting off dissent is a rather poor first impression to make, Billy-Boy. I'm going to have to rate you "needs improvement" on "works and plays well with others" and we will have to have to set up a conference with your mother.
Maybe it IS time to have a few interested citizens attend these meetings. Could you imagine some PSP type fighting and complaining like Bill Hellmann, CPA and board CANDIDATE used to? Love the way that Karma wheel turns and turns...
If any of this is inaccurate, let me know and I will set the record straight. All of these items were confirmed multiple times by unconnected persons. There's a lot more that is unconfirmed and I will not post until then.
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