Small businesses urge customers to shop local Saturday November 25, 2011 Crissa Shoemaker DeBree Staff writer Independent retailers hope to add a new holiday shopping event to the calendar — one that doesn’t require hitting the malls on Black Friday or scouring the Internet for deals on Cyber Monday. This holiday, Small Business Saturday, hopes to bring shoppers through the doors of local businesses around the country. Now in its second year, the event — scheduled for Saturday — has the backing of some of the country’s largest corporations, including Google, Facebook and American Express, which launched the first Small Business Saturday last year. More than 2 million people have liked Small Business Saturday on Facebook, making it one of the site’s fastest growing pages, said Mary Ann Fitzmaurice Reilly, senior vice president at American Express OPEN, the credit card company’s small-business division. “That speaks to the consumer sentiment that they are very anxious to rally around and support small businesses,” she said. “And, of course, small businesses really embrace it. We created a day based on their need.” Last year, participating small businesses reported a 28 percent increase in sales, Fitzmaurice Reilly said. “That was huge on a holiday season that was not great,” she said. In addition to bargains from the retailers, American Express card holders can receive a $25 credit on their statements if they pre-register their cards and shop at a participating business on Saturday. FedEx offered $1 million in Shop Local gift cards; those cards sold out on its Facebook page within hours. American Express also has offered free advertising and marketing help to participating businesses. “I think anything that puts an emphasis on the small businesses is a big help,” said Bobbie Lewis, owner of the Newtown Book and Record Exchange. “We need all the help we can get right now. I think that having something like American Express focus on it is very helpful.” Local business owners such as Lewis who are participating in Small Business Saturday said they’ve benefited from consumers’ growing desire to shop local and patronize small businesses, and they’re grateful for a shopping event all to themselves. “We need to support local businesses and try and stay local with purchases,” said business owner Jade Grove. “It helps the economy. We need to see this kind of stuff grow.” Grove owns Jade Alexandra, a boutique that sells handmade jewelry, accessories and other items, and Rock Paper Scissors, a hair salon. Both are in Mount Holly’s Mill Race Village. In addition to discounts and other specials on Small Business Saturday, Grove said her businesses will accept American Express on that day only. “It’s hard to get what we do in big department stores,” Grove said. “Most of the shops around this area do have handcrafted things you will not find anywhere else. That’s what we try and do to set us aside from all the big department stores. We try to keep ourselves unique to get people down here.” Laura Rutkowski, owner of the Cowgirl Chile Co. Jewelry in Doylestown, will offer a free gift with a purchase, along with refreshments, hot sauce tastings and entertainment. She’s hopeful Small Business Saturday will catch on as a new shopping holiday. “I feel like the small business got really lost in the void that was created between what Black Friday has become and Cyber Monday,” Rutkowski said. “A small business finds it really difficult to compete and take part in those things. They’ve really driven people to other venues to shop.” Fitzmaurice Reilly said American Express also hopes the event catches on.
“This is bigger than American Express,” she said. “If this day becomes part of the national shopping culture like Black Friday and Cyber Monday — and that’s our goal — in the longer term, we can pull back and let the small businesses own this as their own day. That’s really what the goal is for this year, to get them involved, get them to create offers and figure out how to market to their customers and create new customers. This day will be a day where consumers know that’s when they shop small, and that’s when they will get offers from their small businesses.” Natalie Wi, who co-owns the Allure West photo studio in Doylestown with her husband, Jung, said many customers are choosing her because she’s local, and she chooses local businesses in return. “(Being a local business) generates a buzz,” she said. “We really work hard to make sure we’re building ties in the community so that we are driving business to us, and we are driving business to other local vendors.”
Posted: Friday, November 25, 2011 12:00 am | Updated: 8:35 am, Fri Nov 25, 2011. By GEMA MARIA DUARTE Staff writer | 1 comment MORRISVILLE — A group of Morrisville High School graduates from the 1960s and 1970s who played in various bands in their younger days will rock on at the Rock and Roll Fest 8 p.m. on Friday at the Morrisville Senior Servicenter, 31 E. Cleveland Ave. Cost is $10; all proceeds benefit the center.
New auditorium sound system will provide superior sound
Posted: Thursday, November 24, 2011 12:00 am | Updated: 6:36 am, Thu Nov 24, 2011. By Manasee Wagh Staff writer | 3 comments The next William Tennent High School musical you attend may be the sweetest you’ve ever heard. If installation work proceeds as planned, the Warminster school’s newly renovated auditorium will have a modern sound system this spring that will make decades of poor sound quality a mere memory.
At a low bid of $453,299, the system is still more expensive than the $300,000 that was budgeted for the base bid. The Centennial school board recently voted 7-0-1 to buy the system from Starlight Productions, which will supply the operating console and speakers as well as a single center projector and screen. Board member Jane Lynch abstained from the vote. Payment will come from the capital projects fund, which includes a mix of local dollars, bond funds and interest earned from both. The food service program, which will benefit from four school cafeteria renovation and construction projects, will make a contribution to the capital projects fund, said Christopher Berdnik, the district’s chief financial officer. In that fund, some costs, like the sound system, have been higher than estimated, while others, like the new elementary school construction bids, have been lower, he said. Besides the basic sound system, which costs a bit less than $300,000, additions include clusters of speakers to enhance the system for instrumental productions and a projector and single large screen at the front of the stage to display information and video productions. However, people in some side seats may not be able to see the center screen clearly, said William Gretton, assistant superintendent of operations. Nevertheless, the board narrowly voted after some discussion to pass on a $60,540 option for two additional side projectors and screens. While they would enhance informational displays, they’re not worth the cost, said some board members. “I’m not sold on this. Is it a need or a want? I think it’s a want,” said member Cindy Mueller. Board members Kati Driban, Mark Miller and Michael Hartline agreed that the side projector option wasn’t absolutely necessary, as it wouldn’t contribute to the district goal of improving the sound quality. Lynch said the viability of this option should have been determined during finance and operations committee meetings. Board member Thomas Reinboth said the nearly half-million dollars is worth it, because the system will last for many years. Shows in the 1,950-seat auditorium have suffered for decades from poor sound quality, he said. Reinboth, chairman of the finance committee, also voted for the side screen option to enhance the overall quality of the system. “Even back in the ‘70s, when I went to school here, sound was always an issue. It’s always been difficult, depending on where you’re sitting, to hear. Our kids put on good productions, and after the renovation, the auditorium is amazing. The seats are comfy and it’s a really great facility. We wanted a sound and video system that’s worthy of it and our students,” he said.
Morrisville Supt. Bill Ferrara (L) accepts a $500 check from Joe Hooven, gasoline sales manager for Consumer Oil Corp., an Exxon Mobil distributor. The grant is part of a national Exxon Mobil Education Alliance program for math and science education. The Morrisville School District has received similar grants in the past several years.
Notice is hereby given that the School District of Borough of Morrisville has re-scheduled the December 5, 2011 Re-Organization Meeting and Agenda Meetings.
On Monday, December 5, 2011, the following meetings will be held:
7:00 pm Re-Organization Meeting
7:30 pm Agenda Meeting
The Re-Organization and Agenda Meetings will be held in the LGI Room of the Morrisville Intermediate/Senior High School, 550 W. Palmer Street, Morrisville, PA.
Posted: Sunday, November 27, 2011 4:20 pm | Updated: 4:50 pm, Fri Nov 25, 2011. By DANNY ADLER Staff writer | 0 comments What are the 27 "reportable offenses" that would lead to a lifetime ban from working in schools? Criminal homicide; aggravated assault; stalking; kidnapping; unlawful restraint; luring a child into a motor vehicle or structure; rape; statutory sexual assault; involuntary deviate sexual intercourse; sexual assault; institutional sexual assault; aggravated indecent assault; indecent assault; indecent exposure; sexual intercourse with an animal; incest; concealing the death of a child; endangering the welfare of children; dealing in infant children; felony prostitution; relating to obscene and other sexual materials and performances; corruption of minors; sexual abuse of children; unlawful contact with a minor; solicitation of minors to traffic drugs; sexual exploitation; and a felony under the act known as "The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act."
Black Friday, Cyber Monday, small business Saturday...It's all just marketing BS, and unfortunately the focus on materialism in a world such as ours is a sad reflection of our values.
Morrisville Borough Council pledges no tax increase in 2012
Published: Monday, November 28, 2011 By Petra Chesner Schlatter BucksLocalNews.com
MORRISVILLE BOROUGH - Calling for no tax increase, the borough council unanimously approved the preliminary 2012 $5.87-million budget at its Nov. 18 public meeting.
On the expenditure side of the budget, the two biggest line items would be police at $1.66 million and sanitation at $1.03 million.
The proposed budget includes a $13,000 increase in salary for the part-time borough manager, which would bring his total salary from $32,000 to $45,000.
As required by contract, the un-uniformed employees would receive a three-percent raise.
The police chief’s contract has been extended for one year. His salary would be $82,103 in 2012, which matches his 2011 salary.
Salaries for full-time officers amount to $633,816.
For four part-time police officers, the cost would be $19,076. Overtime pay in the police department would be $64,000.
Although the preliminary budget did not increase millage for the pool project in 2012, it does have $11,992 in additional expenses for a total of 1.2 mills ($70,890).
Other expenditures would be $30,000 for engineering services, which is lower than 2011 because there are not as many projects.
State highway revenues (state money from gas tax was $185,000) are decreasing to $166,000.
The highway aid fund from the state was $283,519 in 2011 and the borough expects only $225,900 for 2012.
The capital reserve fund is $200,000 for 2012. A street sweeper and bucket truck are needed, according to officials.
The proposed budget projects 1.357 mills from real estate taxes, about $61,000 from the real estate transfer fund, $110,000 from the Comcast cable franchise, $65,000 from the Verizon cable franchise, $68,000 for traffic fines and trash and recycling collection fees at $984,000.
In the 2012 general fund, administrative costs are listed at $560,409, public property and equipment is set at $84,500, planning commission costs will be $7,430 and for streets -- $58,898 is budgeted. Budgeted for shade trees is $15,000; and $600,000 for water.
Various funds include recreation reaching to nearly $326,000, the sinking fund at $272,000, library at $205,000, fire at $186,000, street lighting at $169,000,emergency services at $125,000 and pensions at $38,000.
The year 2011 brought 100 percent of tax returns; however, residents owe money on their trash bill. The borough has not received a total of $450,000 in trash payments.
Meanwhile, the council voted to buy a new dump truck for $46,250 with $35,600 from the Liquid Fuels Fund and $10,650 from the Capital Reserve Fund.
The dump truck is used to pick up leaves and to plow snow, including state highways – Pennsylvania Avenue, Philadelphia Avenue and Bridge Street.
Council also approved a $31,760 transfer from the General Fund to the Capital Reserve Fund for a new line item -- a new police radio system. The total cost could be about $150,000 to $175,000.
How in the world is there $450,000 in outstanding trash bills? Is the trash still picked up at these houses who owe money? Shouldnt they have to haul their own trash away at this point? Why are we worrying about paying ours and many others do not seem to pay theirs? I can see if you are on hard times, but it seems that is not the case for many of those owing
$450,000 is incredibly high. The article says sanitation expenses are $1.03 million. So, 45% is unpaid? Man I hope that's wrong a typo or something. Just because our own elected officials set a bad example doesn't mean you have to follow it!
May 2009 Unpaid but unbowed By: GUY PETROZIELLO Bucks County Courier Times
Voters should think twice about candidates who can't keep up with their own tax bills.
People who flunked math shouldn't apply for accounting jobs. And people who don't pay their taxes shouldn't run for public office.
We have in mind two Morrisville Council members running in Tuesday's primary, one of them for mayor; and an incumbent Morrisville school board member, who formerly served on the town council. All three candidates owe a total of $9,600 in outstanding tax, sanitation, water and sewer bills.
The three candidates are incumbent Council members Eileen Dreisbach and Rita Lidge, who's running for mayor; and school board member Jack Buckman. Explaining why they're in arrears, the three candidates cited financial hardships brought on by family and health problems.
While we are not unsympathetic to people experiencing hard times, especially now, it's difficult to muster confidence in candidates for public office whose personal affairs are askew. After all, these are the folks who want to determine everybody else's tax bills, yet are unable to pay their own; who want to manage town and school district affairs, but can't effectively manage domestic affairs.
Letter writer Cynthia Dee Wilson perhaps captured the sentiments of a lot of folks with this sentence: "If their personal lives are so overwhelming at this point in time that they cannot keep their own house in order, why would they add the additional responsibility of running for public office? If they cannot keep their own houses in order, why would they expect the voters to believe they can keep + Morrisville Borough and the Morrisville School District in order?"
Good question.
Look, we're not knocking the candidates' records. They might have done a good job despite personal difficulties. Maybe that says a lot about character. In the end, voters will have to decide what it says to them.
Its actually down. In recent years before now it was over $600,000.
Its my understanding that when it comes to trash, its complicated. Some people just don't pay while others put themselves on some sort of payment plan - that will actually outlive them. They will never be caught up.
I don't agree with any notion that the rest of us should not pay. I want to pay my fair share, although it doesn't sit well with me that I'm paying someone else's share as well. We have all seen hard times. Paying bills in spite of the hard times is a no brainer. The bills have to be paid. If I could not afford the bills associated with owning my home, I would not own it.
In a town like Morrisville I can understand why collecting this money would be hard to accomplish. Of course these deadbeats could be put on a 'do not pick up' list but they would just slide it onto their next door neighbor or worse, the trash would sit without being taken away. I realize their would be written notices given out to those folks, but collecting from them would take forever, if ever and the trash would be laying around. Taking them to court seems like it could end up costing more in lawyer fees on an individual basis.
In the end, as it was when this article first came out, it would be the borough who would be vilified for going after these deadbeats.
I don't know what the answer is to this problem other than PAY YOUR BILLS!!!!!
Stop worrying about kids from Trenton who might be attending Morrisville schools long enough to pay the hell up on your trash, water, sewer, property tax bills!!!!!!!
Given that residents pay the same fee, why is this not simply rolled into the tax bill? It's not metered like the water and sewer. It seems to me that this just creates another layer of bureaucracy and another expensive use of resources. If a homeowner doesn't pay their taxes, the boro/county will place a lien on the property.
WINTERFEST PARADE ROUTE UPDATE...ARE YOU IN? REPOSTED FOR ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS, ROBIN REITHMEYER...
PARADE UPDATE - Please pass this information on I have received a letter from the Borough Manager regarding the parade route & I have confirmed the information with the Police Chief. The parade route is as follows:We will line up on Ohio at Post Road left onto S. Pennsylvania Avenue; right on to Delaware Avenue; left on to Washington;CROSS OVER BRIDGE STREET AND CONTINUE ON WASHINGTON STREET; LEFT ON TO UNION STREET; right onto N. Pennsylvania; left onto Hillcrest Avenue; right onto N. Lafayette; left onto Palmer ending at the Morrisville Intermediate/High School. These changes were requested by the Police Chief (so that we don't interrupt traffic on Bridge & Pennsylvania) and approved by Council We will begin lining up at 10 am. the parade starts promptly at 10:30am If your group, organization or family plan to be in the parade please let me know, I told the Police chief I would give him a good idea of the number by Thursday. I'd like to thank everyone once again for taking the time to help get this together on such short notice. ..
How are the trash payment shortfalls made up? From taxes? From other parts of the budget? Or are the fees about double what they should be with the expectation that only about 1/2 gets paid? $450-600k/yr in trash payment shortfalls - that's 8-10% of the Boro's entire budget. Wow!
I wonder why we have to pay for trash collection at all. We all have to smell the stench that washes over the town with increasing frequency while people in Tullytown get a check. Borough Council should be calling Waste Management and getting us some kind of deal.
I wasn't clear above, sorry. Coming to the borough would have been the trash to steam that sits in Falls not the landfill in Tullytown. They are two different things. The landfill was never considered in Morrisville Borough.
Aaahhhh, but we do benefit from the landfill. The boro gets a substantial sum for treating the leachate from the landfill at our wastewater treatment plant. There's plenty of benefit from handling waste to go around. I still wonder why the trash collection isn't abbreviated to once a week and rolled into the muni taxes. This seems like it would save money and aggravation.
Oh, and Tullytown can keep their trash refund and their mountain of garbage. Thank GOD, we don't have that at our front doors. (Couldn't resist the thank GOD. :-)
"The boro gets a substantial sum for treating the leachate from the landfill at our wastewater treatment plant."
Sorry, I have to correct this.
The Borough doesn't get anything for this deal. The Morrisville Municipal Authority, (MMA), not the borough, has a deal for treating the leachate. The MMA is primarily run by John Warenda, Jane Burger and George Mount. The fee they charge is extremely cheap. I remember thinking at the time the deal was made by the MMA that if they were going to take this they should at least be asking for some large amount of money to do so, but they did not. The amount the MMA receives does almost nothing to help their annual budget and in no way impacts the financial trouble they are in due to years of mismanagement and years of neglect.
And by the way, the MMA isn't going to be able to get their permits renewed for the leachate so guess where the their next rate increase will be coming from - you.
A mountain of garbage was not something that was ever considered in Morrisville Borough. Although if the borough stops picking up the trash of all the deadbeats, I guess we will have a mountain of our own garbage : )
I don't know why people keep saying this on here. A landfill was NEVER talked about coming to the borough. The more its talked about here, the more Burger and her puppets will take this and twist it into something like "they want to bring a landfill to the Borough" so could we just stop with this kind of talk please.
Its no big surprise that in this town the same old people have made a lifelong career of running around whining about everyone they don't like for one reason or another, while the whole time they have been stiffing the entire town by being deadbeats. I have eaten my share of ramen noodles to be able to pay my family's bills. I have no sympathy for these deadbeats at all.
Sadly, if anyone were to place their names and amounts they owe all over town and shame them into paying, they would come up smelling like roses. The spin doctors would blame everyone but the deadbeats and that's what would end up sticking around, not the fact that there are so many deadbeats who pose as responsible stewards of the borough.
Only if its next to the proposed HUDD housing and the six story cloverleaf apartment project compliments of Jane and Rita and their RDA buddies. After all, the strippers will be needing a place to rest after a long evening of dancing.
As I'm typing this I'm shaking my head that these people are actually elected in one form or another over and over again - simply amazing.
Stockham strip club turning away the trash to steam the botched cloverleaf project HUDD housing the fireworks store non-payment of trash & other bills
I'm would think these are just the tip of the iceberg. I can't even imagine what other borough secrets, lies, deals, negative town planning, and selfishness has been happening over the last 20 years that we don't know about, cannot see, don't care to see or don't realize. So sad for Morrisville Borough.
HARRISBURG State weighs pros and cons of No Child Left Behind waiver
Wednesday, November 30, 2011 By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer | 1 comment Pennsylvania is among a handful of states that have yet to decide if they will seek waivers from federal education mandates, a state official said. President Barack Obama offered states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia the opportunity in late September to seek the waivers from key provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Spearheaded by former President George W. Bush, NCLB requires all students to demonstrate they are learning at grade level by 2014. The education law has “admirable” goals, but also “some serious flaws,” Obama said. In many instances, NCLB has unintentionally hindered state efforts to be accountable, implement higher education standards and close achievement gaps, he said during a September speech in Washington, D.C. Educators have been forced to “teach to the test,” Obama said. Plus, many states, in order to avoid having schools labeled failures, have lowered their education standards, he said. “That makes no sense,” the president said, when he invited states to seek the NCLB waivers. Eleven states, including New Jersey, filed waiver requests by the first deadline in mid-November, U.S. education department officials said. The applicants will learn their fate by mid-January. The second filing deadline is mid-February. As of Tuesday, 28 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have indicated they will seek flexibility from NCLB stipulations, officials said. Pennsylvania’s education department is reviewing the waiver requirements offered by the Obama administration to determine “if it is in the best interest” of the state to apply for them, PDE spokesman Tim Eller said on Monday. One waiver allows states to flex their 2014 proficiency deadline in exchange for establishing “ambitious but achievable goals in reading/language arts and mathematics” to support improvement efforts for all students, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. Another provides states with more flexibility in how they improve lower performing schools. No longer will they have to use a federally mandated “one-size-fits-all” approach, Duncan said. The third waiver allows states more flexibility in how they use federal funds to help students, the education secretary said. It’s unclear if Pennsylvania will apply for any or all of the waivers by the next application deadline. Eller did not indicate when a decision would be made on the issue. As it stands right now, the state administers the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests in mathematics and reading to students each year to determine if schools and districts have enough kids learning at grade level. Those that do earn Adequate Yearly Progress status. All eight school districts in Lower Bucks County received AYP status, but several schools within the districts, including seven out of 10 local public high schools, had deficiencies, education officials said. Statewide, nearly 94 percent of Pennsylvania’s 499 school districts earned AYP status and about 75 percent of all school buildings, including charter and comprehensive career and technical schools, made AYP, officials said.
The New School Board will be sworn in promptly at 7pm tomorrow night in the LGI room at the High School, 12/5. We hope you will share in this important night with your new Board. We look forward to seeing you Monday Night. The Re-organization will include selection of the new President, Vice President and Secretary, etc.
Another post about education in Pa. and just as I previously said, No responses!!! The level of nomalacy bias here in Mo'ville is offensive to me. Definition of insanity- doing the same thing over & over again, expecting different results. go to studentsfirst.org register as a member and find out about America's education. It's so funny, when the Obama's moved to DC they took months searching out schools, he knew there was a problem then, and finally 3 yrs later he wants to address it- sounds like he's campaigning again. This is a crucial issue we are flushing America down the bowl, please be neat and wipe the seat & don't forget to shut the lid!!! Oh, and Obama did get my vote. I have been known to be quite a pushover, but don't confuse my kindness as weakness!
Sometimes posts are informational. I wouldn't expect a treatise by anyone on NCLB, or the complex brew of societal factors that challenge the U.S. educational system. If you've got one, please post it. If you post a link to John Stossel's Stupid in America, contact the District for a free Sony Playstation. Only 76 left - get 'em while they last!
Speaking of no responses, even to simple, direct, local questions, were you around the Morrisville School Board in the 2007-11 timeframe? I think you were. Those were elected officials too, not a silly blog.
I'll admit, I had a 4 year bout of insanity - I kept asking the questions, hoping to get decent responses, but knowing I wouldn't. How wacky is that?
there's a problem & more understanding is surfacing about the exact nature of the actual problem that's why no one is saying too much because the majority is just now realizing how where and why we are faced with the problems we have we are not unique the same problems are happening all over the nation we have power driven greed mongers that sit in higher places they control and decide what will be our future the people are getting angry and they are acting out in some places because they have finally had it surface and they know nothing can be done they are listening with their whole being not just their ears and their egos they know the truth it has reached their core we are down here and we are going to have to figure it out and we should stop fighting over the left overs and crumbs it will only get worse listen to the honest experts and strap on your battle fatigue and prepare for the final round GOT JESUS?!?He gives wisdom strength and victory to all who call out to Him thats all we need LOVE He fills the empty with promise & abundant LIFE
Very informative anonymous message. Hey, check out you tube, Anonymous Message to America. It's a scream. Let's give the old libertarian a shot, Vote for Ron Paul!!!!
42 comments:
Small businesses urge customers to shop local Saturday
November 25, 2011
Crissa Shoemaker DeBree Staff writer
Independent retailers hope to add a new holiday shopping event to the calendar — one that doesn’t require hitting the malls on Black Friday or scouring the Internet for deals on Cyber Monday.
This holiday, Small Business Saturday, hopes to bring shoppers through the doors of local businesses around the country.
Now in its second year, the event — scheduled for Saturday — has the backing of some of the country’s largest corporations, including Google, Facebook and American Express, which launched the first Small Business Saturday last year.
More than 2 million people have liked Small Business Saturday on Facebook, making it one of the site’s fastest growing pages, said Mary Ann Fitzmaurice Reilly, senior vice president at American Express OPEN, the credit card company’s small-business division.
“That speaks to the consumer sentiment that they are very anxious to rally around and support small businesses,” she said. “And, of course, small businesses really embrace it. We created a day based on their need.”
Last year, participating small businesses reported a 28 percent increase in sales, Fitzmaurice Reilly said.
“That was huge on a holiday season that was not great,” she said.
In addition to bargains from the retailers, American Express card holders can receive a $25 credit on their statements if they pre-register their cards and shop at a participating business on Saturday. FedEx offered $1 million in Shop Local gift cards; those cards sold out on its Facebook page within hours.
American Express also has offered free advertising and marketing help to participating businesses.
“I think anything that puts an emphasis on the small businesses is a big help,” said Bobbie Lewis, owner of the Newtown Book and Record Exchange. “We need all the help we can get right now. I think that having something like American Express focus on it is very helpful.”
Local business owners such as Lewis who are participating in Small Business Saturday said they’ve benefited from consumers’ growing desire to shop local and patronize small businesses, and they’re grateful for a shopping event all to themselves.
“We need to support local businesses and try and stay local with purchases,” said business owner Jade Grove. “It helps the economy. We need to see this kind of stuff grow.”
Grove owns Jade Alexandra, a boutique that sells handmade jewelry, accessories and other items, and Rock Paper Scissors, a hair salon. Both are in Mount Holly’s Mill Race Village.
In addition to discounts and other specials on Small Business Saturday, Grove said her businesses will accept American Express on that day only.
“It’s hard to get what we do in big department stores,” Grove said. “Most of the shops around this area do have handcrafted things you will not find anywhere else. That’s what we try and do to set us aside from all the big department stores. We try to keep ourselves unique to get people down here.”
Laura Rutkowski, owner of the Cowgirl Chile Co. Jewelry in Doylestown, will offer a free gift with a purchase, along with refreshments, hot sauce tastings and entertainment. She’s hopeful Small Business Saturday will catch on as a new shopping holiday. “I feel like the small business got really lost in the void that was created between what Black Friday has become and Cyber Monday,” Rutkowski said. “A small business finds it really difficult to compete and take part in those things. They’ve really driven people to other venues to shop.”
Fitzmaurice Reilly said American Express also hopes the event catches on.
“This is bigger than American Express,” she said. “If this day becomes part of the national shopping culture like Black Friday and Cyber Monday — and that’s our goal — in the longer term, we can pull back and let the small businesses own this as their own day. That’s really what the goal is for this year, to get them involved, get them to create offers and figure out how to market to their customers and create new customers. This day will be a day where consumers know that’s when they shop small, and that’s when they will get offers from their small businesses.”
Natalie Wi, who co-owns the Allure West photo studio in Doylestown with her husband, Jung, said many customers are choosing her because she’s local, and she chooses local businesses in return.
“(Being a local business) generates a buzz,” she said. “We really work hard to make sure we’re building ties in the community so that we are driving business to us, and we are driving business to other local vendors.”
Rock and Roll in Morrisville
Story
Posted: Friday, November 25, 2011 12:00 am | Updated: 8:35 am, Fri Nov 25, 2011.
By GEMA MARIA DUARTE Staff writer | 1 comment
MORRISVILLE — A group of Morrisville High School graduates from the 1960s and 1970s who played in various bands in their younger days will rock on at the Rock and Roll Fest 8 p.m. on Friday at the Morrisville Senior Servicenter, 31 E. Cleveland Ave.
Cost is $10; all proceeds benefit the center.
New auditorium sound system will provide superior sound
Posted: Thursday, November 24, 2011 12:00 am | Updated: 6:36 am, Thu Nov 24, 2011.
By Manasee Wagh Staff writer | 3 comments
The next William Tennent High School musical you attend may be the sweetest you’ve ever heard.
If installation work proceeds as planned, the Warminster school’s newly renovated auditorium will have a modern sound system this spring that will make decades of poor sound quality a mere memory.
At a low bid of $453,299, the system is still more expensive than the $300,000 that was budgeted for the base bid.
The Centennial school board recently voted 7-0-1 to buy the system from Starlight Productions, which will supply the operating console and speakers as well as a single center projector and screen. Board member Jane Lynch abstained from the vote.
Payment will come from the capital projects fund, which includes a mix of local dollars, bond funds and interest earned from both. The food service program, which will benefit from four school cafeteria renovation and construction projects, will make a contribution to the capital projects fund, said Christopher Berdnik, the district’s chief financial officer. In that fund, some costs, like the sound system, have been higher than estimated, while others, like the new elementary school construction bids, have been lower, he said.
Besides the basic sound system, which costs a bit less than $300,000, additions include clusters of speakers to enhance the system for instrumental productions and a projector and single large screen at the front of the stage to display information and video productions. However, people in some side seats may not be able to see the center screen clearly, said William Gretton, assistant superintendent of operations.
Nevertheless, the board narrowly voted after some discussion to pass on a $60,540 option for two additional side projectors and screens. While they would enhance informational displays, they’re not worth the cost, said some board members.
“I’m not sold on this. Is it a need or a want? I think it’s a want,” said member Cindy Mueller.
Board members Kati Driban, Mark Miller and Michael Hartline agreed that the side projector option wasn’t absolutely necessary, as it wouldn’t contribute to the district goal of improving the sound quality. Lynch said the viability of this option should have been determined during finance and operations committee meetings.
Board member Thomas Reinboth said the nearly half-million dollars is worth it, because the system will last for many years. Shows in the 1,950-seat auditorium have suffered for decades from poor sound quality, he said. Reinboth, chairman of the finance committee, also voted for the side screen option to enhance the overall quality of the system.
“Even back in the ‘70s, when I went to school here, sound was always an issue. It’s always been difficult, depending on where you’re sitting, to hear. Our kids put on good productions, and after the renovation, the auditorium is amazing. The seats are comfy and it’s a really great facility. We wanted a sound and video system that’s worthy of it and our students,” he said.
Are you suggesting we spend a half mil on the auditorium???
No. But at least fix the sound. It's terrible. I think the estimate was $25k to fix the sound.
MORRISVILLE RECEIVES GRANT FROM EXXON MOBIL
Morrisville Supt. Bill Ferrara (L) accepts a $500 check from Joe Hooven, gasoline
sales manager for Consumer Oil Corp., an Exxon Mobil distributor. The grant is part of
a national Exxon Mobil Education Alliance program for math and science education.
The Morrisville School District has received similar grants in the past several years.
NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that the School District of Borough of Morrisville has re-scheduled the December 5, 2011 Re-Organization Meeting and Agenda Meetings.
On Monday, December 5, 2011, the following meetings will be held:
7:00 pm Re-Organization Meeting
7:30 pm Agenda Meeting
The Re-Organization and Agenda Meetings will be held in the LGI Room of the Morrisville Intermediate/Senior High School, 550 W. Palmer Street, Morrisville, PA.
Penn-Jersey All League Honors
Congratulations to the following members of the Varsity Soccer Team who earned Penn-Jersey All League Honors
1st Team Leo Hernandez Keeper
Connor Williams Striker
Steven Jopko Defender
Matt Kemery Defender
Saul Salas-Valdiviezo Mid-Field
2nd Team
Jesse Hollopeter Striker
Rogue Edwards Mid-Field
Congratulations to the remainder of the Team and Coach Haines on their Successful Season.
District Event
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Superintendent Advisory meeting with parents in the LGI room, High School
Site: DIST
Start Time: 7:00 PM
End Time: 9:00 PM
The 27 "reportable offenses"
Posted: Sunday, November 27, 2011 4:20 pm | Updated: 4:50 pm, Fri Nov 25, 2011.
By DANNY ADLER Staff writer | 0 comments
What are the 27 "reportable offenses" that would lead to a lifetime ban from working in schools?
Criminal homicide; aggravated assault; stalking; kidnapping; unlawful restraint; luring a child into a motor vehicle or structure; rape; statutory sexual assault; involuntary deviate sexual intercourse; sexual assault; institutional sexual assault; aggravated indecent assault; indecent assault; indecent exposure; sexual intercourse with an animal; incest; concealing the death of a child; endangering the welfare of children; dealing in infant children; felony prostitution; relating to obscene and other sexual materials and performances; corruption of minors; sexual abuse of children; unlawful contact with a minor; solicitation of minors to traffic drugs; sexual exploitation; and a felony under the act known as "The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act."
SOURCE: Pennsylvania State Education Association
Black Friday, Cyber Monday, small business Saturday...It's all just marketing BS, and unfortunately the focus on materialism in a world such as ours is a sad reflection of our values.
Morrisville Borough Council pledges no tax increase in 2012
Published: Monday, November 28, 2011
By Petra Chesner Schlatter
BucksLocalNews.com
MORRISVILLE BOROUGH - Calling for no tax increase, the borough council unanimously approved the preliminary 2012 $5.87-million budget at its Nov. 18 public meeting.
On the expenditure side of the budget, the two biggest line items would be police at $1.66 million and sanitation at $1.03 million.
The proposed budget includes a $13,000 increase in salary for the part-time borough manager, which would bring his total salary from $32,000 to $45,000.
As required by contract, the un-uniformed employees would receive a three-percent raise.
The police chief’s contract has been extended for one year. His salary would be $82,103 in 2012, which matches his 2011 salary.
Salaries for full-time officers amount to $633,816.
For four part-time police officers, the cost would be $19,076. Overtime pay in the police department would be $64,000.
Although the preliminary budget did not increase millage for the pool project in 2012, it does have $11,992 in additional expenses for a total of 1.2 mills ($70,890).
Other expenditures would be $30,000 for engineering services, which is lower than 2011 because there are not as many projects.
State highway revenues (state money from gas tax was $185,000) are decreasing to $166,000.
The highway aid fund from the state was $283,519 in 2011 and the borough expects only $225,900 for 2012.
The capital reserve fund is $200,000 for 2012. A street sweeper and bucket truck are needed, according to officials.
The proposed budget projects 1.357 mills from real estate taxes, about $61,000 from the real estate transfer fund, $110,000 from the Comcast cable franchise, $65,000 from the Verizon cable franchise, $68,000 for traffic fines and trash and recycling collection fees at $984,000.
In the 2012 general fund, administrative costs are listed at $560,409, public property and equipment is set at $84,500, planning commission costs will be $7,430 and for streets -- $58,898 is budgeted. Budgeted for shade trees is $15,000; and $600,000 for water.
Various funds include recreation reaching to nearly $326,000, the sinking fund at $272,000, library at $205,000, fire at $186,000, street lighting at $169,000,emergency services at $125,000 and pensions at $38,000.
The year 2011 brought 100 percent of tax returns; however, residents owe money on their trash bill. The borough has not received a total of $450,000 in trash payments.
Meanwhile, the council voted to buy a new dump truck for $46,250 with $35,600 from the Liquid Fuels Fund and $10,650 from the Capital Reserve Fund.
The dump truck is used to pick up leaves and to plow snow, including state highways – Pennsylvania Avenue, Philadelphia Avenue and Bridge Street.
Council also approved a $31,760 transfer from the General Fund to the Capital Reserve Fund for a new line item -- a new police radio system. The total cost could be about $150,000 to $175,000.
Originally published Monday, Nov. 28.
How in the world is there $450,000 in outstanding trash bills? Is the trash still picked up at these houses who owe money? Shouldnt they have to haul their own trash away at this point? Why are we worrying about paying ours and many others do not seem to pay theirs? I can see if you are on hard times, but it seems that is not the case for many of those owing
$450,000 is incredibly high. The article says sanitation expenses are $1.03 million. So, 45% is unpaid? Man I hope that's wrong a typo or something. Just because our own elected officials set a bad example doesn't mean you have to follow it!
May 2009
Unpaid but unbowed
By: GUY PETROZIELLO
Bucks County Courier Times
Voters should think twice about candidates who can't keep up with their own tax bills.
People who flunked math shouldn't apply for accounting jobs. And people who don't pay their taxes shouldn't run for public office.
We have in mind two Morrisville Council members running in Tuesday's primary, one of them for mayor; and an incumbent Morrisville school board member, who formerly served on the town council. All three candidates owe a total of $9,600 in outstanding tax, sanitation, water and sewer bills.
The three candidates are incumbent Council members Eileen Dreisbach and Rita Lidge, who's running for mayor; and school board member Jack Buckman. Explaining why they're in arrears, the three candidates cited financial hardships brought on by family and health problems.
While we are not unsympathetic to people experiencing hard times, especially now, it's difficult to muster confidence in candidates for public office whose personal affairs are askew. After all, these are the folks who want to determine everybody else's tax bills, yet are unable to pay their own; who want to manage town and school district affairs, but can't effectively manage domestic affairs.
Letter writer Cynthia Dee Wilson perhaps captured the sentiments of a lot of folks with this sentence: "If their personal lives are so overwhelming at this point in time that they cannot keep their own house in order, why would they add the additional responsibility of running for public office? If they cannot keep their own houses in order, why would they expect the voters to believe they can keep + Morrisville Borough and the Morrisville School District in order?"
Good question.
Look, we're not knocking the candidates' records. They might have done a good job despite personal difficulties. Maybe that says a lot about character. In the end, voters will have to decide what it says to them.
Its actually down. In recent years before now it was over $600,000.
Its my understanding that when it comes to trash, its complicated. Some people just don't pay while others put themselves on some sort of payment plan - that will actually outlive them. They will never be caught up.
I don't agree with any notion that the rest of us should not pay. I want to pay my fair share, although it doesn't sit well with me that I'm paying someone else's share as well. We have all seen hard times. Paying bills in spite of the hard times is a no brainer. The bills have to be paid. If I could not afford the bills associated with owning my home, I would not own it.
In a town like Morrisville I can understand why collecting this money would be hard to accomplish. Of course these deadbeats could be put on a 'do not pick up' list but they would just slide it onto their next door neighbor or worse, the trash would sit without being taken away. I realize their would be written notices given out to those folks, but collecting from them would take forever, if ever and the trash would be laying around. Taking them to court seems like it could end up costing more in lawyer fees on an individual basis.
In the end, as it was when this article first came out, it would be the borough who would be vilified for going after these deadbeats.
I don't know what the answer is to this problem other than PAY YOUR BILLS!!!!!
lol "fair"? sorry its totally past my bedtime.
Dear Sweet Widespread Numerous Deadbeats:
Stop worrying about kids from Trenton who might be attending Morrisville schools long enough to pay the hell up on your trash, water, sewer, property tax bills!!!!!!!
Given that residents pay the same fee, why is this not simply rolled into the tax bill? It's not metered like the water and sewer. It seems to me that this just creates another layer of bureaucracy and another expensive use of resources. If a homeowner doesn't pay their taxes, the boro/county will place a lien on the property.
WINTERFEST PARADE ROUTE UPDATE...ARE YOU IN?
REPOSTED FOR ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS, ROBIN REITHMEYER...
PARADE UPDATE - Please pass this information on
I have received a letter from the Borough Manager regarding the parade route & I have confirmed the information with the Police Chief. The parade route is as follows:We will line up on Ohio at Post Road left onto S. Pennsylvania Avenue; right on to Delaware Avenue; left on to Washington;CROSS OVER BRIDGE STREET AND CONTINUE ON WASHINGTON STREET; LEFT ON TO UNION STREET; right onto N. Pennsylvania; left onto Hillcrest Avenue; right onto N. Lafayette; left onto Palmer ending at the Morrisville Intermediate/High School.
These changes were requested by the Police Chief (so that we don't interrupt traffic on Bridge & Pennsylvania) and approved by Council
We will begin lining up at 10 am. the parade starts promptly at 10:30am
If your group, organization or family plan to be in the parade please let me know, I told the Police chief I would give him a good idea of the number by Thursday.
I'd like to thank everyone once again for taking the time to help get this together on such short notice.
..
How are the trash payment shortfalls made up? From taxes? From other parts of the budget? Or are the fees about double what they should be with the expectation that only about 1/2 gets paid? $450-600k/yr in trash payment shortfalls - that's 8-10% of the Boro's entire budget. Wow!
I wonder why we have to pay for trash collection at all. We all have to smell the stench that washes over the town with increasing frequency while people in Tullytown get a check. Borough Council should be calling Waste Management and getting us some kind of deal.
Blame Jane Burger and crew for that one. WM came to Morrisville Borough before they went to Falls and Jane sent them packing.
I'd rather not have the landfill in the Boro.
I'd also like people to pay their trash bills. You may say I'm a dreamer ...
I wasn't clear above, sorry. Coming to the borough would have been the trash to steam that sits in Falls not the landfill in Tullytown. They are two different things. The landfill was never considered in Morrisville Borough.
Aaahhhh, but we do benefit from the landfill. The boro gets a substantial sum for treating the leachate from the landfill at our wastewater treatment plant. There's plenty of benefit from handling waste to go around. I still wonder why the trash collection isn't abbreviated to once a week and rolled into the muni taxes. This seems like it would save money and aggravation.
Oh, and Tullytown can keep their trash refund and their mountain of garbage. Thank GOD, we don't have that at our front doors. (Couldn't resist the thank GOD. :-)
"The boro gets a substantial sum for treating the leachate from the landfill at our wastewater treatment plant."
Sorry, I have to correct this.
The Borough doesn't get anything for this deal. The Morrisville Municipal Authority, (MMA), not the borough, has a deal for treating the leachate. The MMA is primarily run by John Warenda, Jane Burger and George Mount. The fee they charge is extremely cheap. I remember thinking at the time the deal was made by the MMA that if they were going to take this they should at least be asking for some large amount of money to do so, but they did not. The amount the MMA receives does almost nothing to help their annual budget and in no way impacts the financial trouble they are in due to years of mismanagement and years of neglect.
And by the way, the MMA isn't going to be able to get their permits renewed for the leachate so guess where the their next rate increase will be coming from - you.
A mountain of garbage was not something that was ever considered in Morrisville Borough. Although if the borough stops picking up the trash of all the deadbeats, I guess we will have a mountain of our own garbage : )
LOL,some of this is starting to sound like old school board scare tactics. Too funny.
Place their names and amounts they owe all over town and shame them into paying. It's disgracful that so many people don't pay their trash bills.
"I'd rather not have the landfill in the Boro.
I'd also like people to pay their trash bills. You may say I'm a dreamer ..."
but you're not the only one.
"I'd rather not have the landfill in the Boro."
I don't know why people keep saying this on here. A landfill was NEVER talked about coming to the borough. The more its talked about here, the more Burger and her puppets will take this and twist it into something like "they want to bring a landfill to the Borough" so could we just stop with this kind of talk please.
Its no big surprise that in this town the same old people have made a lifelong career of running around whining about everyone they don't like for one reason or another, while the whole time they have been stiffing the entire town by being deadbeats. I have eaten my share of ramen noodles to be able to pay my family's bills. I have no sympathy for these deadbeats at all.
Sadly, if anyone were to place their names and amounts they owe all over town and shame them into paying, they would come up smelling like roses. The spin doctors would blame everyone but the deadbeats and that's what would end up sticking around, not the fact that there are so many deadbeats who pose as responsible stewards of the borough.
Can we have a landfill with a strip club on top?
Only if its next to the proposed HUDD housing and the six story cloverleaf apartment project compliments of Jane and Rita and their RDA buddies. After all, the strippers will be needing a place to rest after a long evening of dancing.
As I'm typing this I'm shaking my head that these people are actually elected in one form or another over and over again - simply amazing.
Stockham strip club
turning away the trash to steam
the botched cloverleaf project
HUDD housing
the fireworks store
non-payment of trash & other bills
I'm would think these are just the tip of the iceberg. I can't even imagine what other borough secrets, lies, deals, negative town planning, and selfishness has been happening over the last 20 years that we don't know about, cannot see, don't care to see or don't realize. So sad for Morrisville Borough.
HARRISBURG
State weighs pros and cons of No Child Left Behind waiver
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer | 1 comment
Pennsylvania is among a handful of states that have yet to decide if they will seek waivers from federal education mandates, a state official said.
President Barack Obama offered states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia the opportunity in late September to seek the waivers from key provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
Spearheaded by former President George W. Bush, NCLB requires all students to demonstrate they are learning at grade level by 2014. The education law has “admirable” goals, but also “some serious flaws,” Obama said.
In many instances, NCLB has unintentionally hindered state efforts to be accountable, implement higher education standards and close achievement gaps, he said during a September speech in Washington, D.C.
Educators have been forced to “teach to the test,” Obama said. Plus, many states, in order to avoid having schools labeled failures, have lowered their education standards, he said.
“That makes no sense,” the president said, when he invited states to seek the NCLB waivers.
Eleven states, including New Jersey, filed waiver requests by the first deadline in mid-November, U.S. education department officials said. The applicants will learn their fate by mid-January.
The second filing deadline is mid-February. As of Tuesday, 28 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have indicated they will seek flexibility from NCLB stipulations, officials said.
Pennsylvania’s education department is reviewing the waiver requirements offered by the Obama administration to determine “if it is in the best interest” of the state to apply for them, PDE spokesman Tim Eller said on Monday.
One waiver allows states to flex their 2014 proficiency deadline in exchange for establishing “ambitious but achievable goals in reading/language arts and mathematics” to support improvement efforts for all students, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said.
Another provides states with more flexibility in how they improve lower performing schools. No longer will they have to use a federally mandated “one-size-fits-all” approach, Duncan said.
The third waiver allows states more flexibility in how they use federal funds to help students, the education secretary said.
It’s unclear if Pennsylvania will apply for any or all of the waivers by the next application deadline. Eller did not indicate when a decision would be made on the issue.
As it stands right now, the state administers the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests in mathematics and reading to students each year to determine if schools and districts have enough kids learning at grade level.
Those that do earn Adequate Yearly Progress status.
All eight school districts in Lower Bucks County received AYP status, but several schools within the districts, including seven out of 10 local public high schools, had deficiencies, education officials said.
Statewide, nearly 94 percent of Pennsylvania’s 499 school districts earned AYP status and about 75 percent of all school buildings, including charter and comprehensive career and technical schools, made AYP, officials said.
The New School Board will be sworn in promptly at 7pm tomorrow night in the LGI room at the High School, 12/5.
We hope you will share in this important night with your new Board. We look forward to seeing you Monday Night.
The Re-organization will include selection of the new President, Vice President and Secretary, etc.
Another post about education in Pa. and just as I previously said, No responses!!! The level of nomalacy bias here in Mo'ville is offensive to me. Definition of insanity- doing the same thing over & over again, expecting different results. go to studentsfirst.org register as a member and find out about America's education. It's so funny, when the Obama's moved to DC they took months searching out schools, he knew there was a problem then, and finally 3 yrs later he wants to address it- sounds like he's campaigning again. This is a crucial issue we are flushing America down the bowl, please be neat and wipe the seat & don't forget to shut the lid!!! Oh, and Obama did get my vote. I have been known to be quite a pushover, but don't confuse my kindness as weakness!
Sometimes posts are informational. I wouldn't expect a treatise by anyone on NCLB, or the complex brew of societal factors that challenge the U.S. educational system. If you've got one, please post it. If you post a link to John Stossel's Stupid in America, contact the District for a free Sony Playstation. Only 76 left - get 'em while they last!
Speaking of no responses, even to simple, direct, local questions, were you around the Morrisville School Board in the 2007-11 timeframe? I think you were. Those were elected officials too, not a silly blog.
I'll admit, I had a 4 year bout of insanity - I kept asking the questions, hoping to get decent responses, but knowing I wouldn't. How wacky is that?
there's a problem & more understanding is surfacing about the exact nature of the actual problem that's why no one is saying too much because the majority is just now realizing how where and why we are faced with the problems we have we are not unique the same problems are happening all over the nation we have power driven greed mongers that sit in higher places they control and decide what will be our future the people are getting angry and they are acting out in some places because they have finally had it surface and they know nothing can be done they are listening with their whole being not just their ears and their egos they know the truth it has reached their core we are down here and we are going to have to figure it out and we should stop fighting over the left overs and crumbs it will only get worse listen to the honest experts and strap on your battle fatigue and prepare for the final round GOT JESUS?!?He gives wisdom strength and victory to all who call out to Him thats all we need
LOVE He fills the empty with promise & abundant LIFE
Very informative anonymous message. Hey, check out you tube, Anonymous Message to America.
It's a scream. Let's give the old libertarian a shot, Vote for Ron Paul!!!!
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