NESHAMINY SCHOOLS Neshaminy to enter health care consortium
Posted: Saturday, April 14, 2012 9:00 am | Updated: 9:15 am, Sat Apr 14, 2012.
By Christian Menno Staff writer Calkins Media, Inc. | 7 comments
While it took an extension of the deadline and some back and forth between the teachers union and the school board, Neshaminy can now be counted one of the several area school districts that have joined a regional health care consortium.
The Bucks & Montgomery County Schools Health Care Consortium -- which includes area districts such as Central Bucks, Morrisville, Perkiomen Valley, Quakertown and New Hope-Solebury — has the potential to save Neshaminy hundreds of thousands of dollars. Savings would come by taking advantage of the combined bargaining power of the consortium for competitive health insurance rates.
While there will be no initial effect on health coverage for district employees, officials said that changes to health plans could occur down the road.
The Neshaminy Federation of Teachers failed to meet the original April 3 deadline to sign off on the district's participation, but union leaders did indicate their willingness to join by 4 p.m. Friday — which was the extended deadline granted to Neshaminy.
The district's other employee groups — administrators and service professionals — had already approved the move, but the NFT still had some concerns as of Thursday.
According to union President Louise Boyd, those concerns were alleviated after "extensive discussion" with officials from the Pennsylvania State Education Association, which oversees the consortium.
The NFT had wanted an opt-out clause included in the district's memorandum of understanding regarding its participation.
However, school board President Ritchie Webb would agree only to include a version of the clause that would make any decision to leave the program a mutual one between the union and the district. He added that none of the other employee groups, nor any of the other participating districts have any sort of clause in their agreements.
In the end, the NFT decided to sign off on entering the consortium without any opt-out clause in place.
"Although the NFT is disappointed that the district rejected the proposed safeguard, the NFT is confident that joining the plan will offer cost savings and maintain health care access and benefits for all parties concerned," Boyd said in a statement Friday.
"Our recommendation for an opt-out clause was made to ensure our members and the district are getting the best possible plan. We have been given the reassurance we sought from the PSEA leaders working to build this consortium. Thanks to our confidence in them and support of this initiative, we feel the opt-out is not necessary, and thus we are now comfortable in moving forward with the plan."
The NFT and the school board will have equal voting power at all consortium board of trustees meetings.
Webb said Friday that joining the program is "the right thing to do for the good of Neshaminy and for all the surrounding districts that are participating."
He added that more area school districts will likely end up joining at a later date.
And this one. Neshaminy joined the consortium. Pennsbury went with a self-insured approach. I don't know what's "right" for Morrisville. I'm just throwing these on here to illustrate that you can take different paths.
Changes to health benefit plan to save district $700K By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer | Posted: Friday, April 13, 2012 12:00 am
The Pennsbury school board voted unanimously Thursday night to revise the district health care plan to save $700,000.
The district will move from its previous “cost-plus” arrangement to a “self-insured” arrangement for Pennsbury’s two largest bargaining units.
That shifts the payment obligation burden from the insurance carrier to the Pennsbury Education Association and the Pennsbury Educational Support Professionals Association, officials said.
The district’s health benefit consultant, Stalker & Associates, Inc. recommended the district make the change, board President Allan Weisel said.
He thanked the two unions for cooperating with the board and district officials to address the issue.
“These important agreements with our employees help us to fulfill our mission to provide the best education for our students at a cost we can afford,” Weisel said while reading a prepared statement.
The board directed Superintendent Kevin McHugh to execute memorandums of understanding with the PEA and PESPA to implement the change.
It will be effective July 1.
Members of both unions are working this school year under the terms of their expired contracts.
They saw the change in a health care plan as a chance to reach consensus on an important issue, said George Miller, president of the PEA, in a statement released Thursday night by the district.
“We recognize that working with all parties to create administrative changes that are cost-effective and maintain services, benefits the entire Pennsbury community,” Miller said in the statement.
PEA represents 810 teachers, guidance counselors, librarians, school nurses and other certified staff members in Pennsbury.
PESPA represents almost 700 district support staff.
HARRISBURG (AP) — Pennsylvania voters will be asked for photo identification at polling places in the April 24 primary election, but won't be barred from casting ballots if they don't produce it. The statewide balloting is being used for a test run of the new law that — starting in the Nov. 6 general election — will require Pennsylvanians to show a photo ID that meets state guidelines every time they vote. The goal is to educate voters and identify problems so officials can try to eliminate them before the much larger voter turnout anticipated for the presidential election.
The law Gov. Tom Corbett signed last month following an intensely partisan debate put Pennsylvania among a handful of states with the strictest voter ID requirements amid ongoing GOP efforts in legislatures across the country to toughen such laws. Republicans who advocated the law portray it as an effort to curb voter fraud, even though they cannot cite examples of such fraud. Democratic critics charge that it is a thinly veiled effort to suppress the vote for President Barack Obama in a key battleground state in the fall election and argued that it would discriminate against elderly, poor and minority voters. The American Civil Liberties Union has vowed to challenge the Pennsylvania law in court. Last month, similar laws were blocked in Texas by the U.S. Justice Department and ruled unconstitutional by state judges in Wisconsin. In the primary, poll workers will ask voters for an acceptable form of identification — a Pennsylvania driver's license, for example — but allow registered voters to cast ballots whether or not they have it. Leaflets describing the new requirement and how to comply will be handed out at the polls. "Our plan is to give them out to everyone, whether they have ID or not," said Shari Brewer, the director of elections in Butler County. "We want to keep it as simple as possible for this election." The law allows Pennsylvania driver's licenses to be used as an ID for voting purposes up to one year past the expiration date, but it requires all other photo IDs to contain a future expiration date. In the general election, voters who do not have proper identification will be allowed to cast provisional ballots that will be set aside and counted only if they provide a valid ID to county election officials within six days. They also can apply for a free photo identification card through PennDOT. The law has alarmed students at some of Pennsylvania's largest schools, including Penn State, Temple and the 14 state-owned universities, because their IDs do not have expiration dates and many students do not have a Pennsylvania driver's license. The Morning Call in Allentown, which was first to report the story, said stickers bearing an expiration date were among the remedies being considered. Some county officials predict the dress rehearsal of the new law will delay primary balloting. Lines at polling places were not uncommon even under the prior law, which required identification only from people voting in a district for the first time and did not require photo IDs. "It will surely slow things down ... It should give us some inkling of how much it slows things down," said Stephanie Singer, a Philadelphia city commissioner who chairs the city's election commission. In July, state officials plan to launch a $3 million-plus informational campaign — financed by federal fund — that will include newspaper, TV and radio ads as well as robo-calls. In September, literature will be mailed to every household with a voter, said Secretary of State Carol Aichele.
"It is our intent to make sure every eligible voter in Pennsylvania has a photo ID," said Aichele, the state's top elections official. How much the dry run will help smooth the transition to the new law depends largely on how many people go to the polls. The primary is open only to the roughly 4 million Democrats and 3 million Republicans. But with the exception of the non-binding GOP presidential nomination race, the only enticements on the ballot are lightly contested nomination races for Congress, the state row offices and the Legislature. The state's 1 million independent voters can cast ballots in areas where a small number of special elections are being held, but otherwise have no reason to go to the polls. The practice run of the new law "doesn't give nearly enough notice by itself," said ACLU lobbyist Andy Hoover. "We're skeptical about its effectiveness."
If only he were even a fraction as diligent about the predator priests ...
Fitzpatrick hears testimony on teacher sexual misconduct
April 16, 2012 By James McGinnis Staff writer When allegations of sexual misconduct are reported in schools, administrators and teachers unions often work to cover it up, encouraging severance packages and confidentiality agreements that "pass the trash" to other states. That was the testimony offered Monday by parents, private investigators and advocacy groups who alleged a culture of concealment in many private and public schools nationwide. A state senator and a superintendent of schools from Delaware County also testified during the federal hearing about sexual predators who preyed on children and teens in the classroom. Congressmen Michael Fitzpatrick and Pat Meehan scheduled the hearing at the federal courthouse in Philadelphia. Fitzpatrick's "Jeremy Bell Act" was introduced into Congress on Dec. 23 and was co-sponsored by Meehan. The bill would require schools to share information about alleged incidents of sexual misconduct by staff who might seek employment elsewhere. House Resolution 3766 is named after a 12-year-old West Virginia student who was sexually abused and murdered by his principal, Fitzpatrick said. The former principal had been hired in West Virginia after being fired by a school in Pennsylvania following allegations of sexual misconduct, the congressman noted. The West Virginia school was never told about the allegations, Fitzpatrick said. Administrators in West Virginia received only letters of recommendation from the principal's former employer, he added. " 'Passing the trash' is a term used to describe a situation whereby school employees known or suspected to have abused children are allowed to resign their employment, often keep their teaching certificate and move on to a new unsuspecting school to continue their crimes," Fitzpatrick said. "It's important to remember that for all these horrific stories the overwhelming majority of educators are dedicated individuals who care deeply about their students," Fitzpatrick continued. "Regardless of how rare these abuses are, they are so serious and so egregious that it's our responsibility as lawmakers to do everything we can to keep sexual predators from moving anonymously through our schools." Meehan also stressed: "This is not about teachers. This is about predators." Under Fitzpatrick's bill, employers would face a maximum of five years in prison for assisting any employee in a job transfer across state lines "if the employer knows" that an employee engaged in sexual misconduct with someone under age 18. Administrators could be said to "know" an employee engaged in sexual misconduct even if that employee was never convicted of a crime, Fitzpatrick said following the hearing. An internal investigation by a school district might provide enough evidence that the allegations are true, the congressman said.
No votes are scheduled on the proposed legislation. The bill was referred to the congressional Committee for Education and the Workplace as well as the House Judiciary Committee. Other measures in the legislation would require mandatory fingerprint criminal background checks — now voluntary, according to Congressional Research Service — on all teachers and a search through national criminal databases before anyone is hired to work in schools. States could lose federal funding for a failure to adopt and enforce laws that protect students, under the legislation. Schools would be required to report incidents of sexual misconduct to the proper authorities for a "national clearinghouse," which could be accessed by schools in other states. Fitzpatrick introduced a similar bill in 2006 with no success. The congressman said he was not aware of any opposition to the proposed act. However, the Pennsylvania State Education Association declined to testify, Fitzpatrick announced at the start of the hearing. The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching representatives from the PSEA for comment at press time. The Pennsylvania Department of Education received 100 reports of disciplinary action against teachers in 2011 and half of those incidents involved sexual misconduct, testified state Sen. Anthony Williams, D-8. In 24 of those cases, teachers were offered the option to give up their teacher certification in Pennsylvania rather than face further disciplinary action and an investigation, Williams testified. "These teachers are being given these options, but the children who suffered from their abusive acts aren't afforded the option of avoiding the nightmare," Williams said. Marie Stillman of Delaware County testified of sex abuse experienced by two of her sons at the hands of a teacher more than 30 years ago. "When the boys explained what happened to me, we contacted a lawyer," said Stillman. "We requested a meeting with the school district. They refused to put anything in his [the teacher's] record. The school board seemed more concerned about the response of the teachers union." Two other parents testified of sexual misconduct by female teachers, who behaved inappropriately with their sons. Both parents said the schools seemed more interested in protecting the teachers than the students. One parent asked to remain anonymous and testified through teleconference. The other parent who asked to be identified only as a resident of Southeastern Pennsylvania. She said her son had been seduced by a teacher who spoke with him regularly on Facebook and later had sex with him in the teacher's minivan. "I arrived at the school and was told that a female teacher had inappropriate contact with my son," she testified. "She had him meet her before school in the classroom where they would kiss and fondle each other. The school didn't report it to the police. I went to the police myself."
Posted: Friday, March 11, 2011 6:00 am | Updated: 2:32 am, Thu Apr 21, 2011. By James McGinnis Staff Writer | 5 comments
At least 10 of the 21 suspended priests lived or worked in Bucks and Montgomery counties. In a 2005 speech from the floor of the U.S. Capitol building, Bucks County Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick called the Rev. Joseph Logrip a "spiritual man who conveys his spirituality in a very gentle, unassuming way."
Fitzpatrick, R-8, had asked his longtime friend and mentor, the former pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Bristol Township, to lead the prayer of invocation for Congress.
Yet after learning that Logrip had been suspended by the church this week, Fitzpatrick had nothing to say.
We want to thank everyone who came out on Saturday to help with any of the cleanup efforts that were going on in Morrisville Borough. It really does make a difference in the overall look of the community and helps to promote good stuff that happens in Morrisville. We appreciate this more than you know. THANK YOU! Take care Dave & Janet Rivella
Liquor Code an Legalities By Senator Chuck McIlhinney
Complex Liquor Code creates legal oddities.
In recent months, I have used this space to focus on some of the most pressing issues relating to the sale of alcohol in Pennsylvania, including supermarket beer sales, licensing and packaging laws, and state store privatization.
Our state has one of the most complex alcohol regulation laws in the nation, and the staggering number of regulations creates plenty of oddities in the current Liquor Code. While I look forward to addressing the serious issues facing consumers and businesses in the months to come, this article will explore the lighter side of alcohol laws. In observance of April Fools’ Day, I would like to share some of the most peculiar items the General Assembly has addressed in recent years relating to alcohol sales in the Commonwealth:
-State liquor stores were not permitted to be open on a Sunday prior to 2003. -Consumers could not purchase a case of beer in Pennsylvania on a Sunday until 2005. -Until 2002, bonds of at least $10,000 could be required for Liquor Control Board members to ensure “faithful performance” to their job duties. -Prior to 2011, restaurant licensees that were located on a golf course that is bisected by a public thoroughfare were not permitted to store alcohol on the other side of the road. -Prior to 2002, a liquor license could not be issued at a building with an entrance within 300 feet of an interstate highway exit ramp. -Before passage of a new law last year, airport restaurants were prohibited from serving alcohol before 11 a.m. on Sundays. -Prior to 2005, a restaurant or bar could not open on a Sunday unless 30 percent of their sales were food products. -Currently, novelty and promotional items that are in bars,such as bottle openers, disposable lighters, tee-shirts, etc…must have a wholesale value of $15.00 or less. And advertising banners/signs have a $300 per brand limit for point of sale advetising.
This is by no means a complete list of the peculiarities in the Liquor Code; in fact, covering all of those quirks could likely fill a year’s worth of editions of Philly Beer Scene. These are just a few of the highlights that legislators have addressed in recent years. For consumers, many of these changes are of particular interest this April Fools’ Day. Without these new laws, April 1 of this year would be a much drier Sunday.
The Barnes and Noble fundraiser will be held tonight at the Oxford Valley location beginning at 6pm. Teachers are reading stories, the bulldog will be there and the Jazz Band is performing at 7pm. Please join us for a fun night and help raise $ for MHS.
Morrisville property owners owe a half million to borough
Thursday, April 19, 2012
By Petra Chesner Schlatter pschlatter@buckslocalnews.com
MORRISVILLE BOROUGH – Some residents are so delinquent in paying their trash bills that the borough is owed $500,000.
Borough Manager Tom Bates said he knows of one property owner who has not paid his trash bills for more than one of his rental units, but that person is driving around in an expensive car. That irks Bates.
“We have one person that owes $14,000,” he said.
Bates announced new plans April 16 to encourage people to pay up or the borough solicitor will take them to court or the sheriff’s office.
“We could foreclose…We don’t want to do that,” he said.
If the borough takes someone to court, it does not cost the borough anything.
But Bates said several times that he simply wants people to start paying off their debt to the borough. “We’re not going to break anybody,” he said. “I’m asking them to start paying their trash bills.”
Mayor Rita Ledger asked if arrangements could be made with people who have difficulty paying their trash bills. Bates said the plan is to help people who feel they can’t catch up.
“I just want them to be current,” he said after the meeting. “The whole year’s bill is only $305 dollars – that’s $75 per quarter.
“If they come current, I want them to stay current -- pay their current bill all the time,” Bates said.
“If they owe over $4,000, I want them to pay $100 toward their past bills until they pay them off -- but they have to stay current. They have to be a good customer,” he continued.
The people who owe $3,000 to $4,000 are required to stay current and only pay $75 per month on their back bills.
“If they owe $2,000 to $3,000 -- pay $50 per month on their back bills,” Bates said. “If they owe anywhere from zero to $2,000 -- pay $25 a month [on their back bills].
That person would pay $25 plus $75 per quarter which is only three months. “It’s not much money,” he said.
“If they decide they don’t want to pay at all -- if they owe $8,000, 35 percent will be added to the trash bill and [the borough solicitor] will take the matter to the county -- to the sheriff.”
Councilman Victor Cicero said, “I’m paying their bill…I don’t want to pay your bills.” He said people with hardships is one thing, but “we have people on that list who haven’t paid their bill for eight years.” He was referring to people who own rental properties.
Councilwoman Nancy Sherlock explained why the people, who are delinquent with their bills, continue to get trash removal service.
“The reason we continue to pick up their trash is for the safety, health and welfare of the borough,” she said.
Bates said if people pay the total bill, the penalties would be waved. “We’re going to really try to work with the people,” he said.
“We know there are tough times,” Bates continued. But he said these are hard times for the borough, too.
“We have to pay salaries,” he said.
Notices have been sent to those who owe and there have already been a couple of responses.
Solicitor James Downey, III said any person who is in arrears could be charged an additional 35 percent of what they owe.
If there is a judgment against anybody, and the judgment becomes final and the decision is not appealed, the county sheriff could cease property (such as a car or furniture) and sell it.
Downey said the borough would have to get a judgment first. “We have to give the debtor due process,” he said.
LOL - too bad nobody asked if any of the council people owed. I very recently heard that a 1st ward council person owes 3 year's worth. There's your tax dollars at work.
Its pretty funny that Mayor Rita Ledger would have anything at all to say about this since she had to finally pay up on her own bills when she ran for mayor.
Are we talking about Todd - or - Eileen. That could really be a toss up. Don't get me wrong, its a terrible thing to think that people on council are spending our money on stuff they don't pay for themselves but should.
Morrisville property owners owe a half million to borough
How about boro council & the school board passing ordinances stating you cannot hold public office if you have outstanding trash, water, whatever bills. And then enforce and abide by these rules?
“We could foreclose…We don’t want to do that,” he said.
I understand the frustration & share some of it. However, council is governed by PSAB and must abide by PA Borough Code. They have a set book of rules they must follow as council people. As I said, I understand the frutstration, but council does not have the ability to make such a rule.
Ms. Ledger: Ms. Ledger said that Nancy Sherlock is not the only person on Borough Council who asked for the list. On 3/17/09, Mr. Dave Rivella asked for the list as well. Ms. Ledger guesses you didn’t hear anything about that because the people he was probably looking for probably weren’t on it at that time. On 5/8/09 Nancy Sherlock requested the same list as Mr. Rivella. What Ms. Ledger finds it very odd that, Ms. Sherlock who sits on the finance committee, hasn’t requested this and addressed this at any of her finance meetings. As well as Ms. Sherlock was the head of the Finance Committee for two years and never had a meeting. This is what the town needs to be upset about. Ms. Sherlock has been a councilwoman for 16 years. For 16 years Ms. Sherlock never requested any of these lists. Yes, it is a political move. Maybe the question here is when was the last finance meeting here in Morrisville Borough. Now Ms. Ledger will address her issues. As of May 15, Ms. Ledger stated in the Bucks County Courier times that she will go in and pay her bills. All of her bills with the Borough are now up to date. In regards to Ms. Ledger’s tax bill, it sits at the county. She has made payments on this bill prior to 2008. Her last payment was in March. Today, Ms. Ledger has made an $1,800.00 payment. That still leaves her with a balance of $537.00. She would like to thank the citizens who called who actually see through all of this; the citizens who actually are ashamed of what is going on in this town. What Ms. Ledger has to say is, “Morrisville stand up and take your town back.” Ms. Dreisbach: Ms. Dreisbach stated that as a public official she will not complain about her political opponents or the public looking into public records to check her real estate taxes, utility bills, etc. She thinks some of what they did is petty, but it is fair game. It is a little embarrassing to read about your own real estate tax and trash bill in the newspaper. Ms. Dreisbach is not ashamed that she has the same type of problems that a lot of people do. It is not making excuses that the unexpected death of her mother who owned a home in Morrisville, had to borrow from the bank to pay taxes for it while she was alive creating financial strain for Ms. Dreisbach and her family. It is the truth. When the house is sold and the estate is wrapped up, there won’t be much left over, but Ms. Dreisbach will be back on track again. She hopes the Courier will take a look at the bigger picture. She guesses you expect politician to call you up and give dirt on each other. In a perfect world, no one would be late on their bills. Is that really a test of character? If someone running for office has ever seen a psychologist, has family problems, or has been divorced, or has had a traffic ticket, should all of that become a story a couple days before the election? Instead of just looking at tax bills, it might be interesting to do some real digging into the live of politicians that like pointing fingers. There are people with money and perfect credit that you would never trust with your children or your money. Ms. Dreisbach quoted from the bible. Ms. Dreisbach told Ms. Sherlock that if she would’ve asked, she would’ve just given her the information and saved her the $18.00.
“We could foreclose…We don’t want to do that,” he said.
"YES WE DO!"
I get what Mr. Bates is saying, just pay the fricken bills like everybody else. I don't want to see anybody lose their home, I just want the bills paid.
Geezzzz...Eileen D is on her second term on council & her husband works for the water authority and they don't pay their bills. Got to be kidding me.
I remember when this was brought up before and some of council wanted to tackle the nonpaying of bills. The town acted like those councilmembers were related to the devil. I remember taht Eileen D read a statement at a council meeting about being a churchgoing person and having to deal with paying her bills. And people actually rallied around her. I can only imagine what the puppets & their master will create as a diversion away from it this time around. Everyone better look out because nobody is safe. Don't do anything wrong you say?, doesn't matter they'll make it up for ya.
WOW I forgot all of that, Thank you. I forgot that I don't have to pay my bills. I forgot that I was supposed to mad at anyone who calls me on it when I make up excuses for why I'm a deadbeat. Thanks for reminding me : )
I would like to remind everyone of how screwy this town is. Even with all of this Eileen still got elected and Rita actually got a promotion. LOL Morrisville
Start action on all rental properties immediately. Give real homeowners a chance to get on track, and then start action if they fail to live up to their commitments. The boro leadership is entirely at fault and wrong here. These ridiculous arrearages should never have been allowed to accrue.
Boro employees in arrears? Ding their pay starting immediately. How hard is it to figure out an appropriate course of action here?
These people thumb their noses at the rest of the citizenry by not paying, and hiding behind these excuses is not accpetable. If these people would have come forward and explainied their difficulties, I expect payment plans could have been worked out. Did they do this? NO. They only claimed this BS hardship crap once they were publicly exposed. They are all so full of S**t! Don't pay? Face the consequences.
"Start action on all rental properties immediately." Surely the borough would be sued for this because it is illegal to pick one group of property owners over another. I don't know who typed this but the phrase "real homeowners" kind of scares me.
I agree that this is the fault of the people who owe the money on their bills. "These ridiculous arrearages should never have been allowed to accrue." If you need to blame someone from the administration, start with former borough manager George Mount & Jane Burger because this is where this practice took shape, continued and why council was kept in the dark about it. I commend Mr. Bates for taking this on even when its one of his own bosses who owes thousands.
"Boro employees in arrears? Ding their pay starting immediately. How hard is it to figure out an appropriate course of action here?"
It would seem that its a bit harder than making up solutions on a blog. I'm not usually this snippy but this one gets me. It starts to drive me nuts when I read of people having solutions and critizing others when they don't know what they are talking about. I don't mean you, just people in general.
It is illegal to "ding" their pay and the borough would be sued. In trying to defend this the borough not only have the added expense of defending it but they would not win and would have to fork up more money to the person they sued. The easy solution is not always the right solution obviously.
All this having been said, I am not happy about people not paying their bills and leaving it all up to the rest of us. If you are mad about this, you should be. If you support Morrisville local government's efforts to bring to light and clean up all the years of neglect, diversions, and sweeping things under the rug left by our local government of the past, then let them know you support their efforts. Stop electing obstructionists like Eileen, Todd & Debbie who bring nothing to the table but a bad additude, who waste your tax dollars trying to slow down the wheels of progresss finally began three years ago.
The "due process" that Boro Solicitor James Downey III refers to above - establish what those legal steps are in a concrete and systematic way, and then implement it "with all deliberate speed".
By "with all deliberate speed", I mean faster than how it was used in the South after the 1954 US Supreme Court decision "Brown v. Board of Education". That took at least 10 years and the US National Guard, and in many ways it still hasn't happened.
There are 8 council members. Eileen, Todd, Debbie are 3 and may be foot draggers on pursuing anything related to collecting the $0.5 MILLION in unpaid garbage bills. Will the other 5 (majority) support it or are there some iffy ones out of the 5? Hopefully not in which case proceed without these 3. Is more pubic outcry needed to collect this mountain of trash cash? I should hope not!
If you read the article that began this conversation (this time) then you already have the answers you are looking for. From the article In this discussion, I read that Ms. Sherlock & Mr. Rivella tried to take on this problem and met with resistance from others on council, the mayor and the public. From the article I took it that the a formulated a plan of action has been created. I am more interested in people paying up than I am at buying into pointing fingers at those people who actually pay their bills.
I don't see the answers in the article or discussions or that a plan of action is formulated. I'm not saying there is no plan, its just not mentioned. Article says notices were sent out and some people responded. That's not a plan. A plan has more details than that. Article talks about judgements, how do you get to a judgement? That's not explained.The article has lots of gaps is what I'm saying. I fully support efforts to get all people to pay up.
The bottom line is that we've got an EPIC deadbeat problem that needs to be addressed ASAP. Morrisville pop. (2010 census) = 8,728 $500,000 = $57.29 for each and every person in town $229.15 for a family of 4. You think a law abiding family of 4 here couldn't use that???
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR VERY OWN DAVE RIVELLA, JR FOR taking home the GOLD medal at the SkillsUSA competition in Hershey. Dave will be going on to Kansas in June! Good luck from all your friends at MHS
Bucks County Technical High School SkillsUSA
Gold medal to Dave Rivella in Industrial Motor Control!
Where's the list for payment due to the board of election??? Don't win, don't pay...? They're counting M&M's, on the finance committee...OMG. We have the right to know... Who won the TV? Who is the "Bosses"? We have the right to know!
48 comments:
I'll add this one:
NESHAMINY SCHOOLS
Neshaminy to enter health care consortium
Posted: Saturday, April 14, 2012 9:00 am | Updated: 9:15 am, Sat Apr 14, 2012.
By Christian Menno Staff writer Calkins Media, Inc. | 7 comments
While it took an extension of the deadline and some back and forth between the teachers union and the school board, Neshaminy can now be counted one of the several area school districts that have joined a regional health care consortium.
The Bucks & Montgomery County Schools Health Care Consortium -- which includes area districts such as Central Bucks, Morrisville, Perkiomen Valley, Quakertown and New Hope-Solebury — has the potential to save Neshaminy hundreds of thousands of dollars. Savings would come by taking advantage of the combined bargaining power of the consortium for competitive health insurance rates.
While there will be no initial effect on health coverage for district employees, officials said that changes to health plans could occur down the road.
The Neshaminy Federation of Teachers failed to meet the original April 3 deadline to sign off on the district's participation, but union leaders did indicate their willingness to join by 4 p.m. Friday — which was the extended deadline granted to Neshaminy.
The district's other employee groups — administrators and service professionals — had already approved the move, but the NFT still had some concerns as of Thursday.
According to union President Louise Boyd, those concerns were alleviated after "extensive discussion" with officials from the Pennsylvania State Education Association, which oversees the consortium.
The NFT had wanted an opt-out clause included in the district's memorandum of understanding regarding its participation.
However, school board President Ritchie Webb would agree only to include a version of the clause that would make any decision to leave the program a mutual one between the union and the district. He added that none of the other employee groups, nor any of the other participating districts have any sort of clause in their agreements.
In the end, the NFT decided to sign off on entering the consortium without any opt-out clause in place.
"Although the NFT is disappointed that the district rejected the proposed safeguard, the NFT is confident that joining the plan will offer cost savings and maintain health care access and benefits for all parties concerned," Boyd said in a statement Friday.
"Our recommendation for an opt-out clause was made to ensure our members and the district are getting the best possible plan. We have been given the reassurance we sought from the PSEA leaders working to build this consortium. Thanks to our confidence in them and support of this initiative, we feel the opt-out is not necessary, and thus we are now comfortable in moving forward with the plan."
The NFT and the school board will have equal voting power at all consortium board of trustees meetings.
Webb said Friday that joining the program is "the right thing to do for the good of Neshaminy and for all the surrounding districts that are participating."
He added that more area school districts will likely end up joining at a later date.
And this one. Neshaminy joined the consortium. Pennsbury went with a self-insured approach. I don't know what's "right" for Morrisville. I'm just throwing these on here to illustrate that you can take different paths.
Changes to health benefit plan to save district $700K
By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer | Posted: Friday, April 13, 2012 12:00 am
The Pennsbury school board voted unanimously Thursday night to revise the district health care plan to save $700,000.
The district will move from its previous “cost-plus” arrangement to a “self-insured” arrangement for Pennsbury’s two largest bargaining units.
That shifts the payment obligation burden from the insurance carrier to the Pennsbury Education Association and the Pennsbury Educational Support Professionals Association, officials said.
The district’s health benefit consultant, Stalker & Associates, Inc. recommended the district make the change, board President Allan Weisel said.
He thanked the two unions for cooperating with the board and district officials to address the issue.
“These important agreements with our employees help us to fulfill our mission to provide the best education for our students at a cost we can afford,” Weisel said while reading a prepared statement.
The board directed Superintendent Kevin McHugh to execute memorandums of understanding with the PEA and PESPA to implement the change.
It will be effective July 1.
Members of both unions are working this school year under the terms of their expired contracts.
They saw the change in a health care plan as a chance to reach consensus on an important issue, said George Miller, president of the PEA, in a statement released Thursday night by the district.
“We recognize that working with all parties to create administrative changes that are cost-effective and maintain services, benefits the entire Pennsbury community,” Miller said in the statement.
PEA represents 810 teachers, guidance counselors, librarians, school nurses and other certified staff members in Pennsbury.
PESPA represents almost 700 district support staff.
Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on.
There's a 'lady' who's sure she's got all the answers, but she's all bustle, no hedgerow, a Mean Queen who needs to be spring cleaned.
Pa. primary to provide test run of photo ID law
Saturday, April 14, 2012 12:45 pm
HARRISBURG (AP) — Pennsylvania voters will be asked for photo identification at polling places in the April 24 primary election, but won't be barred from casting ballots if they don't produce it.
The statewide balloting is being used for a test run of the new law that — starting in the Nov. 6 general election — will require Pennsylvanians to show a photo ID that meets state guidelines every time they vote. The goal is to educate voters and identify problems so officials can try to eliminate them before the much larger voter turnout anticipated for the presidential election.
The law Gov. Tom Corbett signed last month following an intensely partisan debate put Pennsylvania among a handful of states with the strictest voter ID requirements amid ongoing GOP efforts in legislatures across the country to toughen such laws.
Republicans who advocated the law portray it as an effort to curb voter fraud, even though they cannot cite examples of such fraud. Democratic critics charge that it is a thinly veiled effort to suppress the vote for President Barack Obama in a key battleground state in the fall election and argued that it would discriminate against elderly, poor and minority voters.
The American Civil Liberties Union has vowed to challenge the Pennsylvania law in court. Last month, similar laws were blocked in Texas by the U.S. Justice Department and ruled unconstitutional by state judges in Wisconsin.
In the primary, poll workers will ask voters for an acceptable form of identification — a Pennsylvania driver's license, for example — but allow registered voters to cast ballots whether or not they have it. Leaflets describing the new requirement and how to comply will be handed out at the polls.
"Our plan is to give them out to everyone, whether they have ID or not," said Shari Brewer, the director of elections in Butler County. "We want to keep it as simple as possible for this election."
The law allows Pennsylvania driver's licenses to be used as an ID for voting purposes up to one year past the expiration date, but it requires all other photo IDs to contain a future expiration date.
In the general election, voters who do not have proper identification will be allowed to cast provisional ballots that will be set aside and counted only if they provide a valid ID to county election officials within six days. They also can apply for a free photo identification card through PennDOT.
The law has alarmed students at some of Pennsylvania's largest schools, including Penn State, Temple and the 14 state-owned universities, because their IDs do not have expiration dates and many students do not have a Pennsylvania driver's license. The Morning Call in Allentown, which was first to report the story, said stickers bearing an expiration date were among the remedies being considered.
Some county officials predict the dress rehearsal of the new law will delay primary balloting. Lines at polling places were not uncommon even under the prior law, which required identification only from people voting in a district for the first time and did not require photo IDs.
"It will surely slow things down ... It should give us some inkling of how much it slows things down," said Stephanie Singer, a Philadelphia city commissioner who chairs the city's election commission.
In July, state officials plan to launch a $3 million-plus informational campaign — financed by federal fund — that will include newspaper, TV and radio ads as well as robo-calls. In September, literature will be mailed to every household with a voter, said Secretary of State Carol Aichele.
PART 2.
"It is our intent to make sure every eligible voter in Pennsylvania has a photo ID," said Aichele, the state's top elections official.
How much the dry run will help smooth the transition to the new law depends largely on how many people go to the polls.
The primary is open only to the roughly 4 million Democrats and 3 million Republicans. But with the exception of the non-binding GOP presidential nomination race, the only enticements on the ballot are lightly contested nomination races for Congress, the state row offices and the Legislature.
The state's 1 million independent voters can cast ballots in areas where a small number of special elections are being held, but otherwise have no reason to go to the polls.
The practice run of the new law "doesn't give nearly enough notice by itself," said ACLU lobbyist Andy Hoover. "We're skeptical about its effectiveness."
Tuesday, April 17th
Facilities Committee Meeting
LGI at High school 7:30pm
Wednesday, April 18th
School Board Agenda Meeting
LGI room 7:30pm
Thursday, April 19th
Barnes and Noble, PTO Fundraising event, Langhorne, PA
Friday, April 20th
High School Play, Auditorium
7:00pm
All info at mv.org
If only he were even a fraction as diligent about the predator priests ...
Fitzpatrick hears testimony on teacher sexual misconduct
April 16, 2012
By James McGinnis Staff writer
When allegations of sexual misconduct are reported in schools, administrators and teachers unions often work to cover it up, encouraging severance packages and confidentiality agreements that "pass the trash" to other states.
That was the testimony offered Monday by parents, private investigators and advocacy groups who alleged a culture of concealment in many private and public schools nationwide.
A state senator and a superintendent of schools from Delaware County also testified during the federal hearing about sexual predators who preyed on children and teens in the classroom.
Congressmen Michael Fitzpatrick and Pat Meehan scheduled the hearing at the federal courthouse in Philadelphia. Fitzpatrick's "Jeremy Bell Act" was introduced into Congress on Dec. 23 and was co-sponsored by Meehan. The bill would require schools to share information about alleged incidents of sexual misconduct by staff who might seek employment elsewhere.
House Resolution 3766 is named after a 12-year-old West Virginia student who was sexually abused and murdered by his principal, Fitzpatrick said. The former principal had been hired in West Virginia after being fired by a school in Pennsylvania following allegations of sexual misconduct, the congressman noted.
The West Virginia school was never told about the allegations, Fitzpatrick said. Administrators in West Virginia received only letters of recommendation from the principal's former employer, he added.
" 'Passing the trash' is a term used to describe a situation whereby school employees known or suspected to have abused children are allowed to resign their employment, often keep their teaching certificate and move on to a new unsuspecting school to continue their crimes," Fitzpatrick said.
"It's important to remember that for all these horrific stories the overwhelming majority of educators are dedicated individuals who care deeply about their students," Fitzpatrick continued. "Regardless of how rare these abuses are, they are so serious and so egregious that it's our responsibility as lawmakers to do everything we can to keep sexual predators from moving anonymously through our schools."
Meehan also stressed: "This is not about teachers. This is about predators."
Under Fitzpatrick's bill, employers would face a maximum of five years in prison for assisting any employee in a job transfer across state lines "if the employer knows" that an employee engaged in sexual misconduct with someone under age 18.
Administrators could be said to "know" an employee engaged in sexual misconduct even if that employee was never convicted of a crime, Fitzpatrick said following the hearing. An internal investigation by a school district might provide enough evidence that the allegations are true, the congressman said.
The Rest
No votes are scheduled on the proposed legislation. The bill was referred to the congressional Committee for Education and the Workplace as well as the House Judiciary Committee.
Other measures in the legislation would require mandatory fingerprint criminal background checks — now voluntary, according to Congressional Research Service — on all teachers and a search through national criminal databases before anyone is hired to work in schools.
States could lose federal funding for a failure to adopt and enforce laws that protect students, under the legislation. Schools would be required to report incidents of sexual misconduct to the proper authorities for a "national clearinghouse," which could be accessed by schools in other states.
Fitzpatrick introduced a similar bill in 2006 with no success. The congressman said he was not aware of any opposition to the proposed act.
However, the Pennsylvania State Education Association declined to testify, Fitzpatrick announced at the start of the hearing. The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching representatives from the PSEA for comment at press time.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education received 100 reports of disciplinary action against teachers in 2011 and half of those incidents involved sexual misconduct, testified state Sen. Anthony Williams, D-8. In 24 of those cases, teachers were offered the option to give up their teacher certification in Pennsylvania rather than face further disciplinary action and an investigation, Williams testified.
"These teachers are being given these options, but the children who suffered from their abusive acts aren't afforded the option of avoiding the nightmare," Williams said.
Marie Stillman of Delaware County testified of sex abuse experienced by two of her sons at the hands of a teacher more than 30 years ago.
"When the boys explained what happened to me, we contacted a lawyer," said Stillman. "We requested a meeting with the school district. They refused to put anything in his [the teacher's] record. The school board seemed more concerned about the response of the teachers union."
Two other parents testified of sexual misconduct by female teachers, who behaved inappropriately with their sons. Both parents said the schools seemed more interested in protecting the teachers than the students.
One parent asked to remain anonymous and testified through teleconference.
The other parent who asked to be identified only as a resident of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
She said her son had been seduced by a teacher who spoke with him regularly on Facebook and later had sex with him in the teacher's minivan.
"I arrived at the school and was told that a female teacher had inappropriate contact with my son," she testified. "She had him meet her before school in the classroom where they would kiss and fondle each other. The school didn't report it to the police. I went to the police myself."
Suspended priests have Bucks ties
Posted: Friday, March 11, 2011 6:00 am | Updated: 2:32 am, Thu Apr 21, 2011.
By James McGinnis Staff Writer | 5 comments
At least 10 of the 21 suspended priests lived or worked in Bucks and Montgomery counties.
In a 2005 speech from the floor of the U.S. Capitol building, Bucks County Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick called the Rev. Joseph Logrip a "spiritual man who conveys his spirituality in a very gentle, unassuming way."
Fitzpatrick, R-8, had asked his longtime friend and mentor, the former pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Bristol Township, to lead the prayer of invocation for Congress.
Yet after learning that Logrip had been suspended by the church this week, Fitzpatrick had nothing to say.
http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/the_intelligencer_news/suspended-priests-have-bucks-ties/article_f19ec8a6-6b99-5c29-bd83-f752b2634074.html
We want to thank everyone who came out on Saturday to help with any of the cleanup efforts that were going on in Morrisville Borough. It really does make a difference in the overall look of the community and helps to promote good stuff that happens in Morrisville. We appreciate this more than you know. THANK YOU!
Take care
Dave & Janet Rivella
Apparently Senator McIlhinney is a beer enthusiast. I knew there was something I liked about the guy!
http://www.phillybeerscene.com/2012/04/liquor-code-legalities/
Liquor Code an Legalities
By Senator Chuck McIlhinney
Complex Liquor Code creates legal oddities.
In recent months, I have used this space to focus on some of the most pressing issues relating to the sale of alcohol in Pennsylvania, including supermarket beer sales, licensing and packaging laws, and state store privatization.
Our state has one of the most complex alcohol regulation laws in the nation, and the staggering number of regulations creates plenty of oddities in the current Liquor Code. While I look forward to addressing the serious issues facing consumers and businesses in the months to come, this article will explore the lighter side of alcohol laws. In observance of April Fools’ Day, I would like to share some of the most peculiar items the General Assembly has addressed in recent years relating to alcohol sales in the Commonwealth:
-State liquor stores were not permitted to be open on a Sunday prior to 2003.
-Consumers could not purchase a case of beer in Pennsylvania on a Sunday until 2005.
-Until 2002, bonds of at least $10,000 could be required for Liquor Control Board members to ensure “faithful performance” to their job duties.
-Prior to 2011, restaurant licensees that were located on a golf course that is bisected by a public thoroughfare were not permitted to store alcohol on the other side of the road.
-Prior to 2002, a liquor license could not be issued at a building with an entrance within 300 feet of an interstate highway exit ramp.
-Before passage of a new law last year, airport restaurants were prohibited from serving alcohol before 11 a.m. on Sundays.
-Prior to 2005, a restaurant or bar could not open on a Sunday unless 30 percent of their sales were food products.
-Currently, novelty and promotional items that are in bars,such as bottle openers, disposable lighters, tee-shirts, etc…must have a wholesale value of $15.00 or less. And advertising banners/signs have a $300 per brand limit for point of sale advetising.
This is by no means a complete list of the peculiarities in the Liquor Code; in fact, covering all of those quirks could likely fill a year’s worth of editions of Philly Beer Scene. These are just a few of the highlights that legislators have addressed in recent years. For consumers, many of these changes are of particular interest this April Fools’ Day. Without these new laws, April 1 of this year would be a much drier Sunday.
The Barnes and Noble fundraiser will be held tonight at the Oxford Valley location beginning at 6pm. Teachers are reading stories, the bulldog will be there and the Jazz Band is performing at 7pm. Please join us for a fun night and help raise $ for MHS.
The MHS school play will be held tomorrow evening at the high School Auditorium starting at 7pm.
The Performance Arts Boosters will be selling baked items to help fundraise.
The kids have worked very hard on their play and would like to see all of the public attend and support their school.
$6.00 admission, Student discounts
Yardley News > News
Morrisville property owners owe a half million to borough
Thursday, April 19, 2012
By Petra Chesner Schlatter
pschlatter@buckslocalnews.com
MORRISVILLE BOROUGH – Some residents are so delinquent in paying their trash bills that the borough is owed $500,000.
Borough Manager Tom Bates said he knows of one property owner who has not paid his trash bills for more than one of his rental units, but that person is driving around in an expensive car. That irks Bates.
“We have one person that owes $14,000,” he said.
Bates announced new plans April 16 to encourage people to pay up or the borough solicitor will take them to court or the sheriff’s office.
“We could foreclose…We don’t want to do that,” he said.
If the borough takes someone to court, it does not cost the borough anything.
But Bates said several times that he simply wants people to start paying off their debt to the borough. “We’re not going to break anybody,” he said. “I’m asking them to start paying their trash bills.”
Mayor Rita Ledger asked if arrangements could be made with people who have difficulty paying their trash bills. Bates said the plan is to help people who feel they can’t catch up.
“I just want them to be current,” he said after the meeting. “The whole year’s bill is only $305 dollars – that’s $75 per quarter.
“If they come current, I want them to stay current -- pay their current bill all the time,” Bates said.
“If they owe over $4,000, I want them to pay $100 toward their past bills until they pay them off -- but they have to stay current. They have to be a good customer,” he continued.
The people who owe $3,000 to $4,000 are required to stay current and only pay $75 per month on their back bills.
“If they owe $2,000 to $3,000 -- pay $50 per month on their back bills,” Bates said. “If they owe anywhere from zero to $2,000 -- pay $25 a month [on their back bills].
That person would pay $25 plus $75 per quarter which is only three months. “It’s not much money,” he said.
“If they decide they don’t want to pay at all -- if they owe $8,000, 35 percent will be added to the trash bill and [the borough solicitor] will take the matter to the county -- to the sheriff.”
Councilman Victor Cicero said, “I’m paying their bill…I don’t want to pay your bills.” He said people with hardships is one thing, but “we have people on that list who haven’t paid their bill for eight years.” He was referring to people who own rental properties.
Councilwoman Nancy Sherlock explained why the people, who are delinquent with their bills, continue to get trash removal service.
“The reason we continue to pick up their trash is for the safety, health and welfare of the borough,” she said.
Bates said if people pay the total bill, the penalties would be waved. “We’re going to really try to work with the people,” he said.
“We know there are tough times,” Bates continued. But he said these are hard times for the borough, too.
“We have to pay salaries,” he said.
Notices have been sent to those who owe and there have already been a couple of responses.
Solicitor James Downey, III said any person who is in arrears could be charged an additional 35 percent of what they owe.
If there is a judgment against anybody, and the judgment becomes final and the decision is not appealed, the county sheriff could cease property (such as a car or furniture) and sell it.
Downey said the borough would have to get a judgment first. “We have to give the debtor due process,” he said.
Originally published Thursday, April 19.
LOL - too bad nobody asked if any of the council people owed. I very recently heard that a 1st ward council person owes 3 year's worth. There's your tax dollars at work.
Its pretty funny that Mayor Rita Ledger would have anything at all to say about this since she had to finally pay up on her own bills when she ran for mayor.
HOLY S---! Can the Boro publish the deadbeats' names? At least the biggest offenders, like Mr. `$14,000? This is ridiculous!!!!!!!
Wasn't Mayor Ledger a councilperson prior to being elected as mayor? Are you saying she owed money when she was on council as well?
Are we talking about Todd - or - Eileen. That could really be a toss up. Don't get me wrong, its a terrible thing to think that people on council are spending our money on stuff they don't pay for themselves but should.
Morrisville property owners owe a half million to borough
How about boro council & the school board passing ordinances stating you cannot hold public office if you have outstanding trash, water, whatever bills. And then enforce and abide by these rules?
“We could foreclose…We don’t want to do that,” he said.
YES WE DO!
I understand the frustration & share some of it. However, council is governed by PSAB and must abide by PA Borough Code. They have a set book of rules they must follow as council people. As I said, I understand the frutstration, but council does not have the ability to make such a rule.
5/18/2009 boro council mins:
Ms. Ledger: Ms. Ledger said that Nancy Sherlock is not the only person on Borough Council who asked for the list. On 3/17/09, Mr. Dave Rivella asked for the list as well. Ms. Ledger guesses you didn’t hear anything about that because the people he was probably looking for probably weren’t on it at that time. On 5/8/09 Nancy Sherlock requested the same list as Mr. Rivella. What Ms. Ledger finds it very odd that, Ms. Sherlock who sits on the finance committee, hasn’t requested this and addressed this at any of her finance meetings. As well as Ms. Sherlock was the head of the Finance Committee for two years and never had a meeting. This is what the town needs to be upset about. Ms. Sherlock has been a councilwoman for 16 years. For 16 years Ms. Sherlock never requested any of these lists. Yes, it is a political move. Maybe the question here is when was the last finance meeting here in Morrisville Borough. Now Ms. Ledger will address her issues. As of May 15, Ms. Ledger stated in the Bucks County Courier times that she will go in and pay her bills. All of her bills with the Borough are now up to date. In regards to Ms. Ledger’s tax bill, it sits at the county. She has made payments on this bill prior to 2008. Her last payment was in March. Today, Ms. Ledger has made an $1,800.00 payment. That still leaves her with a balance of $537.00. She would like to thank the citizens who called who actually see through all of this; the citizens who actually are ashamed of what is going on in this town. What Ms. Ledger has to say is, “Morrisville stand up and take your town back.”
Ms. Dreisbach: Ms. Dreisbach stated that as a public official she will not complain about her political opponents or the public looking into public records to check her real estate taxes, utility bills, etc. She thinks some of what they did is petty, but it is fair game. It is a little embarrassing to read about your own real estate tax and trash bill in the newspaper. Ms. Dreisbach is not ashamed that she has the same type of problems that a lot of people do. It is not making excuses that the unexpected death of her mother who owned a home in Morrisville, had to borrow from the bank to pay taxes for it while she was alive creating financial strain for Ms. Dreisbach and her family. It is the truth. When the house is sold and the estate is wrapped up, there won’t be much left over, but Ms. Dreisbach will be back on track again. She hopes the Courier will take a look at the bigger picture. She guesses you expect politician to call you up and give dirt on each other. In a perfect world, no one would be late on their bills. Is that really a test of character? If someone running for office has ever seen a psychologist, has family problems, or has been divorced, or has had a traffic ticket, should all of that become a story a couple days before the election? Instead of just looking at tax bills, it might be interesting to do some real digging into the live of politicians that like pointing fingers. There are people with money and perfect credit that you would never trust with your children or your money. Ms. Dreisbach quoted from the bible. Ms. Dreisbach told Ms. Sherlock that if she would’ve asked, she would’ve just given her the information and saved her the $18.00.
I knew it! It's Nancy Sherlock's fault that we have chronic deadbeats. Masters of projection. Shame doesn't work when you have none.
“We could foreclose…We don’t want to do that,” he said.
"YES WE DO!"
I get what Mr. Bates is saying, just pay the fricken bills like everybody else. I don't want to see anybody lose their home, I just want the bills paid.
Geezzzz...Eileen D is on her second term on council & her husband works for the water authority and they don't pay their bills. Got to be kidding me.
I remember when this was brought up before and some of council wanted to tackle the nonpaying of bills. The town acted like those councilmembers were related to the devil. I remember taht Eileen D read a statement at a council meeting about being a churchgoing person and having to deal with paying her bills. And people actually rallied around her. I can only imagine what the puppets & their master will create as a diversion away from it this time around. Everyone better look out because nobody is safe. Don't do anything wrong you say?, doesn't matter they'll make it up for ya.
WOW I forgot all of that, Thank you. I forgot that I don't have to pay my bills. I forgot that I was supposed to mad at anyone who calls me on it when I make up excuses for why I'm a deadbeat. Thanks for reminding me : )
I would like to remind everyone of how screwy this town is. Even with all of this Eileen still got elected and Rita actually got a promotion. LOL Morrisville
First ward? Yeah!!! Represent!!
Start action on all rental properties immediately. Give real homeowners a chance to get on track, and then start action if they fail to live up to their commitments. The boro leadership is entirely at fault and wrong here. These ridiculous arrearages should never have been allowed to accrue.
Boro employees in arrears? Ding their pay starting immediately. How hard is it to figure out an appropriate course of action here?
These people thumb their noses at the rest of the citizenry by not paying, and hiding behind these excuses is not accpetable. If these people would have come forward and explainied their difficulties, I expect payment plans could have been worked out. Did they do this? NO. They only claimed this BS hardship crap once they were publicly exposed. They are all so full of S**t! Don't pay? Face the consequences.
"Don't pay? Face the consequences."
Like what, re-election?
in all seriousness, I know what you mean and I agree.
Enough is enough!!!
First Ward Boro Reps
They’re incredible
They’re the biggest
Deadbeats in town
When they’re caught
It’s clearly
Nancy Sherlock’s fault
Oooooh Oh Oooooh
First Ward Boro Reps
They’re incorrigible
Water, Sewer, Trash
It’s all free
Cops should say to them
Now put your hands up!
Oooooh Oh Oooooh
Would that be no S&*t Sherlock?
The people who don't pay their bills are entirely at fault here.
"Start action on all rental properties immediately." Surely the borough would be sued for this because it is illegal to pick one group of property owners over another. I don't know who typed this but the phrase "real homeowners" kind of scares me.
I agree that this is the fault of the people who owe the money on their bills. "These ridiculous arrearages should never have been allowed to accrue." If you need to blame someone from the administration, start with former borough manager George Mount & Jane Burger because this is where this practice took shape, continued and why council was kept in the dark about it. I commend Mr. Bates for taking this on even when its one of his own bosses who owes thousands.
"Boro employees in arrears? Ding their pay starting immediately. How hard is it to figure out an appropriate course of action here?"
It would seem that its a bit harder than making up solutions on a blog. I'm not usually this snippy but this one gets me. It starts to drive me nuts when I read of people having solutions and critizing others when they don't know what they are talking about. I don't mean you, just people in general.
It is illegal to "ding" their pay and the borough would be sued. In trying to defend this the borough not only have the added expense of defending it but they would not win and would have to fork up more money to the person they sued. The easy solution is not always the right solution obviously.
All this having been said, I am not happy about people not paying their bills and leaving it all up to the rest of us. If you are mad about this, you should be. If you support Morrisville local government's efforts to bring to light and clean up all the years of neglect, diversions, and sweeping things under the rug left by our local government of the past, then let them know you support their efforts. Stop electing obstructionists like Eileen, Todd & Debbie who bring nothing to the table but a bad additude, who waste your tax dollars trying to slow down the wheels of progresss finally began three years ago.
Suggestion:
The "due process" that Boro Solicitor James Downey III refers to above - establish what those legal steps are in a concrete and systematic way, and then implement it "with all deliberate speed".
By "with all deliberate speed", I mean faster than how it was used in the South after the 1954 US Supreme Court decision "Brown v. Board of Education". That took at least 10 years and the US National Guard, and in many ways it still hasn't happened.
There are 8 council members. Eileen, Todd, Debbie are 3 and may be foot draggers on pursuing anything related to collecting the $0.5 MILLION in unpaid garbage bills. Will the other 5 (majority) support it or are there some iffy ones out of the 5? Hopefully not in which case proceed without these 3.
Is more pubic outcry needed to collect this mountain of trash cash? I should hope not!
If you read the article that began this conversation (this time) then you already have the answers you are looking for. From the article In this discussion, I read that Ms. Sherlock & Mr. Rivella tried to take on this problem and met with resistance from others on council, the mayor and the public. From the article I took it that the a formulated a plan of action has been created. I am more interested in people paying up than I am at buying into pointing fingers at those people who actually pay their bills.
I don't see the answers in the article or discussions or that a plan of action is formulated.
I'm not saying there is no plan, its just not mentioned.
Article says notices were sent out and some people responded. That's not a plan. A plan has more details than that.
Article talks about judgements, how do you get to a judgement? That's not explained.The article has lots of gaps is what I'm saying. I fully support efforts to get all people to pay up.
The bottom line is that we've got an EPIC deadbeat problem that needs to be addressed ASAP.
Morrisville pop. (2010 census) = 8,728
$500,000 = $57.29 for each and every person in town
$229.15 for a family of 4. You think a law abiding family of 4 here couldn't use that???
A newly elected School Board Member is moving already?
When she ran with Marlys I knew I couldn't vote for her.
She was the Marilyn Munster of that horror show of a ticket.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR VERY OWN DAVE RIVELLA, JR FOR taking home the GOLD medal at the SkillsUSA competition in Hershey. Dave will be going on to Kansas in June! Good luck from all your friends at MHS
Bucks County Technical High School SkillsUSA
Gold medal to Dave Rivella in Industrial Motor Control!
Congratulations, Dave Rivella, Jr.!
Congratulations David!!! Best of Luck in Kansas.
Formerly potholed Nolan Ave. has been repaved and it's nice and smooth. Nice job - thanks!
Yes thank goodness for the repaving of Nolan ave. I love it!
Where's the list for payment due to the board of election??? Don't win, don't pay...? They're counting M&M's, on the finance committee...OMG. We have the right to know... Who won the TV? Who is
the "Bosses"? We have the right to know!
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