Board candidate: President abused position
Board President Bill Hellmann at center
Posted: Sunday, April 24, 2011 5:59 am | Updated: 9:42 am, Sun Apr 24, 2011.
Morrisville schools - The battle for five open school district seats is on in Morrisville and it's all on camera.
While wearing his Morrisville school board president's hat, Bill Hellmann, who is up for re-election, used air time during a broadcast board meeting last week to campaign. And his opponents sitting in the audience didn't take it kindly.
"I think that what Mr. Hellmann did was wrong," said Damon Miller, Hellman's opponent. "He abused his position by making political statements at a school board meeting that is paid for by taxpayer dollars which in my mind is a violation of school district policy."
The school board's code of conduct restricts school board members from using their positions "to benefit ourselves or any individual or agency."
Hellmann disagrees and doesn't believe he broke policy.
"The school policy refers to personal financial gain," he said. "What benefit am I receiving by expressing my opinions at a school board meeting? As a school board member my compensation is zero. It is strictly community service, nothing more, nothing less. I have spent hundreds of hours of community service at no compensation."
Of the nine incumbent board members, five are up for re-election in the May 17 primary.
Four other Morrisville residents also are running in opposition. One board seat is up in which newcomer Alina Marone is running unopposed.
Toward the end of Wednesday's meeting, Hellmann read from articles about proposed cuts in programs and teachers in surrounding school districts.
"We aren't nowhere near in trouble as these school districts are. We have budgetary concerns, too, but not like these schools. I'll tell you right now, we will continue to making this school district efficient. We're not raising any taxes on this town. Taxes are already high. If you want taxes increased, vote for the other side," Hellmann said moments before hitting the gavel to adjourn the meeting.
In the middle of his comment, his opponents and audience members yelled out, "This sounds like political stuff" and "The other side doesn't want to increase taxes so don't start that crap."
"None of the candidates running under the Morrisville Matters ticket who spoke (Wednesday) including myself mentioned that we were running for office," Miller said. "Nor did we mention who to vote for or not to vote for. As a matter of fact none of the community members who spoke endorsed candidates by name or group or color of their signs."
Miller continued, "My comments were focused on test scores and that if people are going to say that they are 'up,' then they need to look closer at the numbers and not paint the district with a broad brush. I didn't say, 'If you want lower test scores vote for Stay on Course, red and white signs, a name or names of candidates, etc."
Hellman defended his statement.
"I do not take personal credit for test scores - and they have increased over the prior year in most areas. They are the responsibility of our excellent administrative team. Our job as a school board is to provide an environment for our administration and teachers to educate our children, but at a cost our town can afford," he said.
To some who aren't running, it seemed like both teams were taking advantage of the airtime. But others say Hellmann was wrong in making his pitch to a television audience.
"Both slates running for office took advantage of the microphone and meeting broadcast to make their points at the last meeting before the primaries," school director John DeWilde said last week. "Our business is to run the district to the best of our ability and not let politics influence our actions. All meeting attendees should be cognizant of what school board meetings are for and leave their politics at the door."
School director Jack Buckman agrees. "They were all grandstanding," he said.
Parent Gayle Haug was appalled by Hellmann's comments.
"I would never have expected a school director, much less the president of the school board, to wave political fliers around and tell people who to vote for during a public session of the school board," said Haug, who is a regular at the board meetings.
"I am trying to raise my children to live by the law and that is what I expect from the people in charge of their education," she went on. "It is extremely frustrating."
Hellmann said the board sat "there throughout the meeting listening to school board candidates, our so-called adversaries, bash the good work of the administration, teachers and, yes, the Morrisville school board that has reduced school taxes twice, did not raise them last year and has not cut programs or anything else. These are people who are too quick to criticize the school district as a whole - but will not say what they would do differently."
He continued: "I responded from the heart. Yes, I am a candidate, but I'm also a board president that has kept a steady hand on this ship's rudder with the help of a great administrative team and a sensible school board."
While wearing his Morrisville school board president's hat, Bill Hellmann, who is up for re-election, used air time during a broadcast board meeting last week to campaign. And his opponents sitting in the audience didn't take it kindly.
"I think that what Mr. Hellmann did was wrong," said Damon Miller, Hellman's opponent. "He abused his position by making political statements at a school board meeting that is paid for by taxpayer dollars which in my mind is a violation of school district policy."
The school board's code of conduct restricts school board members from using their positions "to benefit ourselves or any individual or agency."
Hellmann disagrees and doesn't believe he broke policy.
"The school policy refers to personal financial gain," he said. "What benefit am I receiving by expressing my opinions at a school board meeting? As a school board member my compensation is zero. It is strictly community service, nothing more, nothing less. I have spent hundreds of hours of community service at no compensation."
Of the nine incumbent board members, five are up for re-election in the May 17 primary.
Four other Morrisville residents also are running in opposition. One board seat is up in which newcomer Alina Marone is running unopposed.
Toward the end of Wednesday's meeting, Hellmann read from articles about proposed cuts in programs and teachers in surrounding school districts.
"We aren't nowhere near in trouble as these school districts are. We have budgetary concerns, too, but not like these schools. I'll tell you right now, we will continue to making this school district efficient. We're not raising any taxes on this town. Taxes are already high. If you want taxes increased, vote for the other side," Hellmann said moments before hitting the gavel to adjourn the meeting.
In the middle of his comment, his opponents and audience members yelled out, "This sounds like political stuff" and "The other side doesn't want to increase taxes so don't start that crap."
Hellmann is aligned with incumbents Alfred Radosti and Marlys Mihok and board appointees Stephen Worob and Yvonne Ruthrauff, who were appointed this school year. All are seeking new terms under a "Stay on Course" campaign slogan and the website www.stayoncoursemorrisville.com. Marone is also in the "Stay on Course" coalition.
The "other side" is David Stoneburner, Damon Miller, Wanda Kartal and Ted Parker. Their slogan is "Morrisville Matters with a corresponding website, www.morrisvillematters.com.
All nine candidates are cross filed, meaning they are on both the Democrat and Republican tickets."None of the candidates running under the Morrisville Matters ticket who spoke (Wednesday) including myself mentioned that we were running for office," Miller said. "Nor did we mention who to vote for or not to vote for. As a matter of fact none of the community members who spoke endorsed candidates by name or group or color of their signs."
Miller continued, "My comments were focused on test scores and that if people are going to say that they are 'up,' then they need to look closer at the numbers and not paint the district with a broad brush. I didn't say, 'If you want lower test scores vote for Stay on Course, red and white signs, a name or names of candidates, etc."
Hellman defended his statement.
"I do not take personal credit for test scores - and they have increased over the prior year in most areas. They are the responsibility of our excellent administrative team. Our job as a school board is to provide an environment for our administration and teachers to educate our children, but at a cost our town can afford," he said.
To some who aren't running, it seemed like both teams were taking advantage of the airtime. But others say Hellmann was wrong in making his pitch to a television audience.
"Both slates running for office took advantage of the microphone and meeting broadcast to make their points at the last meeting before the primaries," school director John DeWilde said last week. "Our business is to run the district to the best of our ability and not let politics influence our actions. All meeting attendees should be cognizant of what school board meetings are for and leave their politics at the door."
School director Jack Buckman agrees. "They were all grandstanding," he said.
Parent Gayle Haug was appalled by Hellmann's comments.
"I would never have expected a school director, much less the president of the school board, to wave political fliers around and tell people who to vote for during a public session of the school board," said Haug, who is a regular at the board meetings.
"I am trying to raise my children to live by the law and that is what I expect from the people in charge of their education," she went on. "It is extremely frustrating."
Hellmann said the board sat "there throughout the meeting listening to school board candidates, our so-called adversaries, bash the good work of the administration, teachers and, yes, the Morrisville school board that has reduced school taxes twice, did not raise them last year and has not cut programs or anything else. These are people who are too quick to criticize the school district as a whole - but will not say what they would do differently."
He continued: "I responded from the heart. Yes, I am a candidate, but I'm also a board president that has kept a steady hand on this ship's rudder with the help of a great administrative team and a sensible school board."
Gema Maria Duarte can be reached at 215-949-4195 or gduarte@phillyBurbs.com Follow Gema at twitter.com/deadlineduarte
23 comments:
the whole SOC ticket is scared they are like a cornered dog snarling and barking but so scared they don't know what to do but bite. it's sad when a public offical doesn't play by the rules
Don't know if he plans it or not (maybe not, he's not too good at planning), but Hellmann seems to wear the Pennsbury orange sweater for his biggest Jackass moments.
Per Hellmlan Regarding two of the 4 Morrisville Matters candidates who spoke at the meeting - "These are people who are too quick to criticize the school district as a whole - BUT WILL NOT SAY WHAT THEY WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY"
What a hypocrite!!!!! The school board won't realease their budget and say what they are doing. Using the excuse that the Tech School's budget is still "In Flux". Its quite obvious that they don't want people to know what will be chopped until after the May primary.
Mr. Hellman read out information at the meeting regarding the deep cuts going on at all these other districts. He was able to get that information because those budgets have been completed and voted upon already. Yet Morrisville's is still undeterminiable because of what amounts to a very small increase/decrease in its (Morrisville's) overall figures due to the Tech School issue.
The Board could have given the public a revised preliminary budget plan showing all that will be on it except the Tech school changes but they chose not to do that.
What about all the parents who need timely answers to questions such as full day vs half day K? You mean to tell me that the school board hasn't already determined that. And that they can't give parents an answer so they can go ahead with important decisions about their childrens' education and daycare that need to be made now.
Whether or not to agree or disagree with either side, is everyone's choice, but there is no need for name calling.
Thanks for stopping by!
No names, what Hellmann did was flat out wrong.
How can you not profit from grandstanding and being on a school board and using your position when you own properties in the borough like Hellman and his sidekicks do? If you lower tax or keep it leveled but you do not lower your rental fees do you not profit from that???
come on people wake up and smell the lies.
Lets ask the renters who live in the properties that Hellman and his buddies own in town? Have your rents decreased in the last 4 years? Did you get a rebate on your the rents you paid if the taxes on the properties went down? Lets see the rent decrease letters that you may have received from your landlords? Please help prove what Mr. Hellman is saying. We would really like to have a school leader who is not lying so help him out would ya...How about the other board member who is currently renting from one of the other landlords who may be profiting from this group? Did you get a rent decrease ? maybe the decrease was made up in a donation to the incumbents campaign? Hmmm...not profiting from your position? Interesting isn't it
Hellmann said: "These are people who are too quick to criticize the school district as a whole - but will not say what they would do differently."
I can't speak for anyone but myself, but here is a partial list of some things I wish were done differently. I've posted on this before, and have spoken about many of these before too, as have others, so I find Hellmann's statement another indicator of how tone deaf he and many of his SOC cohorts are about anything that doesn't fit their worldview:
1. Hiring an engineering firm and authorizing a school building study with no prior board vote
2. Sending out early retirement agreements to teachers with no prior board vote
3. Not disclosing (or bothering to learn before voting YES) that bond defeasement would cost us $2.5 million
4. Helping to campaign for and elect the people who supplied critical votes for the new K-12 school (I didn’t vote for any of them)
5. Denouncing & dismissing many reasonable suggestions that came out of the 2008 community group process
6. Failure to take quick and effective action on the bad traffic problems around the schools
7. Repeatedly mentioning a 6-point plan for the district that turned out NOT to exist
8. Repeatedly mentioning that they advise people NOT to invest in Morrisville
9. Requesting sensitive information on Special Ed. & other students that the Board is not legally entitled to, then shortly afterwards using allied volunteers to collect info for the 2008 student re-registration
10. Frequently ignoring and dismissing legitimate comments and questions from the public
11. Cutting 2-years off of Superintendent Yonson’s signed, legally binding contract, while in the same timeframe inappropriately making public and private nods to name another administrator as the next Superintendent
12. Subsequently buying out Dr. Yonson’s $135,000 salary + perks contract with 1 year remaining, effectively paying her NOT to work; settlement terms NOT available to the public
13. Saying people should be tarred & feathered
14. Threatening to throw a microphone at someone and break someone's arm
15. Publicly advising the board NOT to listen to people, mostly parents and public school supporters, taxpayers, who actually take the time to attend public school board meetings
16. Saying we should get rid of this overpriced failing school system
17. Saying renters “have no skin the game” while owning several rental properties in town
18. Saying “I'll never never ever be responsible for any child because I am a school board member”
19. Calling a Morrisville elementary school in their charge (MR Reiter) a “rat-trap”
20. Referring to an emergency at this school as “good”
But wait, there's more:
21. Admitting to bullying school administrators
22. Having conflicts of interest related to board business
23. Conducting board business from a personal business office
24. Taking 1 whole year to provide promised responses (poor ones, I might add) to questions raised about the closing of MR Reiter
25. Dropping MR Reiter from the bidding on furnace repair work, 5 months before its furnace exploded
26. Increasing student lunch prices 20% at the last minute with NO thought or justification, NO time to think about it, and NO public comment.
27.Putting school board credentials on campaign literature supporting a certain slate of board candidates
28. Giving a board candidate (now a board member) a preelection award on behalf of the entire board, with no board vote and several members unaware?
29. Sending emails to board members telling them to JUST COOPERATE!
30. Single board member having a lunch meeting 1-on-1 with insurance brokers (another rules no no)
31. Lying to BCCT reporter that Yonson didn't tell board about tax cap deadline
32. Reveling in calling themself "the Anti-Christ!!!!!!!!!!"
33. Sending out fake newspaper campaign literature with a board member's personal business office address on it
34. Election eve door-to-door distribution of district newsletters along with campaign literature
35. Wearing a campaign t-shirt to a public meeting with a board member's name crossed off in black marker
36. Passing up a volunteer offering their services for free and hiring an {up to} $25K/yr Communications Director with NO interviews and NO approved job description
37. Turning what should have been a private personnel matter handled by the Admin into a public issue, with a single board member sending certified letters to Color Guard Coach and parents on district letterhead with NO official debate and NO board vote
38. Cutting back from 2 Tech School buses to 1 with NO prior notice, and with kids seated in aisles and crowded in unsafe conditions
39. Creating fear and uncertainty for current and future Tech School students and parents by refusing to pay Morrisville’s share of Tech School funding, and heading for a legal confrontation with the Tech School at taxpayer’s expense with a flimsy case
40. As the Board’s representative to the Bucks County Intermediate Unit (IU), attending only 6 of its last 26 meetings (23%), yet complaining about the IU’s budget and then accepting a parting gift umbrella (Note: also making false claims about the IU budget and its number of employees)
41. Replying in this fashion to public questions about the school budget: “You had your chance to ask questions, you know what we’re going to do, what more do you want, more meetings?”
42. Pursuing a Farm-Out of Morrisville High School students to among others, a Philadelphia private school specializing in At-Risk Youth
43. Claiming CPA-based financial wizardry, yet presiding over a budget deficit of over $2.5 million, and a 30% increase in secondary costs per pupil in just 3 years, as follows:
2007-2008 = $14,215 (official)
2008-2009 = $15,231 (official)
2009-2010 = $17,158 (official)
2010-2011 = $18,500 (estimated)
44. Passing a broad, sweeping resolution (at the last second, NOT on the agenda, under “New Business”) directing the Board/Admin. to determine the MINIMUMS of employees, programs, buildings, etc., and report back within 1 month; no debate, no nothing. (Note: 2.5 months later, still no report back)
45. Saying the Morrisville Public Schools “ruined” their child (Note: the person who said this subsequently denied saying it. I stand by my statement - they said it).
I'll round it out to an even 50:
46. Renovating the High School building without addressing the poor lighting and sound in the Auditorium;
47. Putting Elementary Grades 4&5 into the High School Building without providing them with playground equipment for recess;
48. Making blatant election endorsements as a School Board President and candidate at a videotaped public school board meeting on the taxpayer's dime;
49. Mysteriously altering the video record of a public school board meeting;
50. Actually believing that as a School Board member, the PSBA School Director "manual" specifies that you are required to vote with the majority.
Here's 51 for good measure:
51. Losing a $120,000 slander per se lawsuit against a former Superintendent, and blaming it on a vast conspiracy of just about everybody but themself.
Great list. I mean great for keeping and sharing it, not great the Board doing the things to make the list. Absolutely stunning and appalling in its scope. It shows these SOC'ers never think they do anything wrong. They have not learned a thing about how to behave or listen. I hope they lose. They don't deserve to win, that's for sure.
Great List of actual facts. I copied to WORD file and am keeping for future reference. I am not good at looking up that kind of thing on the blog a few weeks down the road. I will always have it handy for future reference. If you are disturbed by the current school board's actions make yourself a copy to keep close by so you can quote the facts when you hear untruths.
This is the reason why Kartal, Parker, Miller and Stoneburner are running for school board and why everyone needs a sign on their lawn and to vote in the booth on May 17th...Want a sign, email us at morrisvillematters@yahoo.com or see us on Facebook at Morrisville Matters.
Thanks for the welcome Jon! Thank you for the fabulous list. Facts, differences, and relative information are very important. This is exactly what everyone needs to see, and understand.
You're welcome. I'm glad you posted again. Please keep posting.
We may not always agree, but in my estimation, the current School Board has handled a lot of things poorly. Sometimes it's not what you do, it's how you do it. That's hard to put a price tag on.
Hold on. Mr. Hellmann was wrong in what he did, but I watch the meetings and attend when I can. The facts that Mr. Miller brought up about test scores were a little too convenient. He may not have endorsed voting for themselves, but his information could have been brought up well before the last sb meeting before the election. Ms. Kartal asking the solicitor about policy numbers as they pertained to board members and administrators. Not timed for that meeting? They were just as guilty of using the board camera time as hellmann, just not as overt about it. good luck everyone, I think.
I disagree. The public school board meetings are supposed to be a place to comment and ask questions and get answers in an open and transparent environment.
The school board and administration have the opportunity to provide answers. It just so happens that with this board, answers rarely come. That's a problem, I think. From Day 1, this board has subverted the process, and moved to minimize public comment and response.
Seems to me Mr. Miller's statements pertained to SOC campaign claims about test scores that arose in the last 1 month or so.
Ms. Kartal's questions about policies pertained to some recent actions by board members. She read off the policy numbers, not what they pertained to, so unless you had the numbers memorized, you wouldn't know what she was asking about.
I'll give you that it's a matter of degree, but on the degree scale, I think Hellmann's actions, especially as a sitting elected official, were much worse.
If Mr. Miller or Ms. Kartal did what Hellmann did, I venture to guess they'd have been thrown out, ironically, probably by Hellmann.
To the Anonymous poster two above...
In 2009 safety issues were brought up to the school board by many parents and I started a facebook petitiion re: school safety at Grandview.
In April 2010 I spoke again on school safety issues.
In April 2011 the same issues remain outstanding and since I live right on grandview and watch the kids come close to disaster and the parents racing down the road etc I felt it was time to ask on the 1 year anniversary of my last request for help.
The policy issues are ones that I have personally seen violated but I kept the names of the policies out of the information because I felt the #'s were sufficient enough for those involved to look them up and not to put them into public light.
I have also asked multiple times at the CAC meetings and the Superintendents meetings why sporting events and other kid achievements do not make it to the front page of the website. At this time you cannot miss the fact that Mr. Hellmans memo to the community remains at the top of the page but the kids are not making it on or they get pushed to the bottom, why is that? Why are the kids not the priority? Why are we not promoting the good news to the community and public?
I am still a parent who lives on a busy street next to two of our schools who watches the near misses. I would like to see our kids achievements on the mv.org website and I would like to follow-up separately on what I believe to be violations of policies that happened to me.
“I consider you sneaky and bordering on being unethical.”
William Hellmann, C.P.A.
April 24, 2007 School Board Meeting
The "you" Hellmann was referring to was then School Board President Sandy Gibson, whom he and his allies like Mihok, Worob, and Radosti helped elect. Radosti was on the ticket.
The wheels on the bus go round and round ...
“You do not inspire trust.”
William Hellmann, C.P.A.
April 24, 2007 School Board Meeting
"You" again = Sandy Gibson.
Guess what, Mr. Hellmann?
You don't either.
3/8/2006
John DeWilde
Mr. DeWilde hopes that when the Board makes their decision they pick the person with the best qualifications. It seems the major reason is whether they have kids in the schools. If you want parent involvement, form a parent group; there are different ways to go about things. The Board needs balance and someone who will look at things logically; they need to change some of their ways of thinking.
wow seems the morrisville's future blog claims it never went way or supported soc and is going to change how you post back to how it was funny thing is I have google account and still couldn't post anything hmmm
I caught a fish and it was THIS big!
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