Morrisville Municipal Building
Posted: Sunday, December 22, 2013 4:30 pm | Updated: 1:28 am, Mon Dec 23, 2013.
Before her last day as a Morrisville councilwoman, Eileen Dreisbach wants to accomplish one more thing: get rid of the current borough manager.Dreisbach, who didn’t run for re-election and whose last day on council is Dec. 31, made a motion at last week’s council meeting to advertise for a new manager.The current part-time position has been filled by Tom Bates since 2010. In 2011, the position was changed from being an employee of the borough to a contractor — a move pushed by Bates for “personal financial reasons.” His salary is $32,000.
Council members Debbie Smith and Todd Sanford supported Dreisbach’s motion. But the other five council members didn’t, so Bates’ job is safe.
It’s not the first time Dreisbach took a swing at Bates.
In October, she made the motion to replace Bates and begin the process of selecting a full-time manager.
After some discussion, the impending budget season pushed the motion to the side as Bates was needed to prepare the 2014 spending plan. Now with the budget season over, Dreisbach has brought the issue back.
Dreisbach said Bates has signed contracts without the knowledge of council and signing contracts is the responsibility of the council president, she said citing a borough ordinance.
“I know (Bates) is allowed to approve certain expenditures, which I can understand, but (council) should still be made aware of what is being purchased ... I wish we were more informed,” Dreisbach told the newspaper.
What has frustrated Dreisbach, Smith and Sanford is that Bates “has refused” to give council copies of the bids on a capital improvement project to upgrade borough hall, the library and the borough’s public works department. The project was awarded to consulting firm Johnson Controls. In addition, Dreisbach argues Bates signed the contract with Johnson Controls without keeping council in the loop.
That project is now on hold because Mayor Rita Ledger vetoed it. However, the borough runs the risk of getting sued, because contracts have been signed to contractors, officials have said. That can change come January with a new council and mayor, if it comes up for a vote again.
In August, Dreisbach submitted two Right-To-Know requests for bid contracts and job descriptions for the project. The borough responded “no such documents” to both requests, according Dreisbach’s copies of her requests.
“This has to do with him signing contracts with Johnson Control when the president of council is supposed to sign contracts and other things that (Bates) has done that he is not authorized to do,” she said.
In 2011, a resolution was passed by council allowing the borough manager to have authority to sign contracts, solicitor James Downey said during the October meeting. Bates was delegated by council on a contract-to-contract basis, he added.
Dreisbach submitted yet another Right-To-Know request in September for a copy of the resolution. The borough responded “no such documents found,” according to reply dated Oct. 7. The newspaper also submitted the same Right-To-Know and also received the same response in October.
Council President Nancy Sherlock told the newspaper that Dreisbach’s motions are a personal attack against Bates.
“I believe this is a long time coming,” she said. “I think (certain council members) have had an issue with Tom for a long time now and I don’t really think it’s warranted. I think Tom does a fine job, I really do.”
Council members Debbie Smith and Todd Sanford supported Dreisbach’s motion. But the other five council members didn’t, so Bates’ job is safe.
It’s not the first time Dreisbach took a swing at Bates.
In October, she made the motion to replace Bates and begin the process of selecting a full-time manager.
After some discussion, the impending budget season pushed the motion to the side as Bates was needed to prepare the 2014 spending plan. Now with the budget season over, Dreisbach has brought the issue back.
Dreisbach said Bates has signed contracts without the knowledge of council and signing contracts is the responsibility of the council president, she said citing a borough ordinance.
“I know (Bates) is allowed to approve certain expenditures, which I can understand, but (council) should still be made aware of what is being purchased ... I wish we were more informed,” Dreisbach told the newspaper.
What has frustrated Dreisbach, Smith and Sanford is that Bates “has refused” to give council copies of the bids on a capital improvement project to upgrade borough hall, the library and the borough’s public works department. The project was awarded to consulting firm Johnson Controls. In addition, Dreisbach argues Bates signed the contract with Johnson Controls without keeping council in the loop.
That project is now on hold because Mayor Rita Ledger vetoed it. However, the borough runs the risk of getting sued, because contracts have been signed to contractors, officials have said. That can change come January with a new council and mayor, if it comes up for a vote again.
In August, Dreisbach submitted two Right-To-Know requests for bid contracts and job descriptions for the project. The borough responded “no such documents” to both requests, according Dreisbach’s copies of her requests.
“This has to do with him signing contracts with Johnson Control when the president of council is supposed to sign contracts and other things that (Bates) has done that he is not authorized to do,” she said.
In 2011, a resolution was passed by council allowing the borough manager to have authority to sign contracts, solicitor James Downey said during the October meeting. Bates was delegated by council on a contract-to-contract basis, he added.
Dreisbach submitted yet another Right-To-Know request in September for a copy of the resolution. The borough responded “no such documents found,” according to reply dated Oct. 7. The newspaper also submitted the same Right-To-Know and also received the same response in October.
Council President Nancy Sherlock told the newspaper that Dreisbach’s motions are a personal attack against Bates.
“I believe this is a long time coming,” she said. “I think (certain council members) have had an issue with Tom for a long time now and I don’t really think it’s warranted. I think Tom does a fine job, I really do.”
52 comments:
she might as well try to do something before she leaves because up to this point she has done nothing but blame everyone else. and now she rants all day long on FB. as a fellow first warder Id like to have her ejected
Once again, these people just want to complain and bring NOTHING to the table - no ideas, no support: nothing.
They'll spend every waking moment (do they work?) on FB complaining about every person on Council and SB, tearing down the people that try to make the town better and just spew the negative nonstop without offering anything. How are we supposed to move forward as a town?
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
Don't know Tom Bates from Norman Bates but .....the going rate for full time business managers is $75K-$135K+/yr. Be prepared to pay much more than $32K/yr. I worry the talent pool is too thin to limit the search to Boro residents. I could support changing Boro Code to allow non-residents to apply for and hold this position.
Bates held a job before working in for the borough. Sounds like he did his job.
He retired from that job.
Now his job is being the borough manager, a job I think he has done
quite well. Even though he should have already proven his worth to the community, some will not see any of it simply because they do not want to, which is unfortunate for Morrisville.
I watched the meeting last night. When I heard Eileen talk about how she has worked for the people, I tried to remember one thing, anything she has done while on council. I couldn't think of anything.
This town doesn't stand much of a chance with the politics the way they are. Just my opinion but the latest crop of activists turns me off.
Hiring a police chief and some officers would help alot.
It seems like both of those will be done in January. I think having a new chief and a new mayor will be of great benefit to Morrisville.
I shudder to think who the people wanting to oust Bates would put in his place for triple the money.
Eileen is looking for attention. Like Rita, Eileen was so incompetent she could not do her job. Now she has her evil bogeyman to blame. Look in the mirror Eileen. The incompetent lives right in there.
I heard that Eileen Dreisbach wants to continue on the civil service commission as a former council member. I SAY NO! She helped put Morrisville in this position and its time we held our officials and former officials accountable. Boot her out and get someone who will actively manage the boro workers.
The Morrisville Civil Service Commission doesn't manage the borough workers. I do agree that Eileen's position on the Civil Service Commission should be filled with someone else. Her years as a council person have shown that she has demonstrated an inability to govern or make wise decisions that effect others.
I tend to think that if the obstructionists, (both sitting in positions and sitting on the sidelines), had their way they would replace Bates with Burger.
It is not a coincidence that Burger has begun speaking during the public comment portions of meetings once again. It's calculated. I have doubt Burger is forming allies among the new group of the uninformed. It's also no coincidence that when one of them speaks of her, they call her by her first name only. It's because they are familiar with her.
When Pepitone ran for the mayor's seat, someone had posted that they noticed that he worked a room but avoided Burger altogether. At the time I thought this person was way off base, but I no longer do.
From what I saw on TV, for all the whining Eileen does about the police hirings, she didn't have her act together. She waits for the next move from a trusty superior. Incompetent? The shoe fits, sadly. She didn't have the chops to do the job well. She should move on and quietly enjoy life out of the harsh theater of the absurd of M'ville Politics.
That's why I'm Okay with going out of town for a business manager. Change the code. The talent pool is too shallow in this town, and subject to mayhem. I don't want Burger or Hellman or any local crony of the month club member!!! Hell no!!!! Then again, we'd just get an out of town Repub Club Hack...
"She should move on and quietly enjoy life out of the harsh theater of the absurd of M'ville Politics."
She was one of the main players in the troupe?!?!?!
I seem to remember that the part about the borough manager being a resident being put in for George Mounts benefit. I see no reason why it cannot be taken out just as easily.
I watched the meeting last night. It was the third time I heard Mr. Pepitone speak during public comment and the first time he spoke like a normal person in my opinion. As for his comments, once again he showed that he has no respect for the law or for following rules.
It seems that the law is very important until it doesn't suit him, then following it is up for grabs.
He spoke of the current council breaking the law and that the incoming council members will be okay with it in saying that the chief should be hired right now. For someone who spoke of borough code and rules during his campaign, he sure doesn't bother to learn any of them.
I wasn't going to miss A Fox & Friends Christmas for that!
All you worthless POS that like to sit behind your computer and talk shit about people should pull your head out of your ass and see that you can't do much on council if you are constantly out numbered by morons that you idiots on this shitty banter support. Signed Wayne Stamps
Uh, ok Mr Stamps. Anger issues this evening?
Speaking of anger issues, Pepitone was very respectful the other night. If he stopped screaming at us we might listen because he has some good ideas.
Its time for Ms. Eileen to move on.
I have issues with people that talk trash about people but hide behind anonymous posts none of the people would have the guts to say this crap to people in person.
With angry hotheads like you around, who could blame people for wanting to comment anonymously? Merry Christmas!!!
Every council person has the ability to do good. If what was said above was suggesting that Eileen was outnumbered by morons so she couldn't get anything done, I couldn't disagree more.
There was a time when Eileen and her friends held the majority on council and we are still paying for that time.
Eileen, like all council people, has the ability to do good for Morrisville, no matter what the circumstances are. It's much easier to blame everyone else for your own lacking and/or inability.
I have seen Eileen helping out with some of the Morrisville First events and it has made me glad to see her giving something of herself to help a local organization. I have often thought it's unfortunate she couldn't see her way to treating all of Morrisville with this same behavior. I have no doubt that as a council person she had some good to contribute but she chose not to. She chose to sit in her corner on the dais and obstruct instead of being a part of the conversation. She chose to yell, disrespect, and obstruct. She chose to bully instead of to work together. None of this behavior was forced upon her, she chose to conduct herself a certain way as a councilperson. I don't know how anyone can possibly blame others for this.
Hey Wayne Stamps. You would be surprised what people say directly to her. I told her to her face she and Rita Ledger and Debbie Smith and Todd Sanford were all obstructions and she was miffed. Imagine that. When she provides an alternative plan of her own that has five votes I will listen. Until then she is a speed bump in the road of progress. I'll say that to anyone who behaves like that.
Like I said before you are all Monday-morning quarterbacks until you get off your asses and try to do something for this town besides hide on here and bitch about things that other people are trying to do.
Hey Wayne! What your plan big mouth? You're doing the same thing, just bitching and MM quarterbacking yourself. She did not put up a plan to change anything for the better. She stood there and said STOP I DON'T LIKE IT. And that's all she did. Council is better with her as a former member.
The ballot box is where these things are resolved peacefully, with the best possible outcomes always achieved, for voters informed only with absolute facts have always made the best choices among highly qualified candidates. Excuse me, I just barfed in my mouth a little.
At least I can stand behind what I say not like the bunch of cowards you people are we will see how much better this town will be with the new members now you people will have to find some other people to bitch about. Maybe you should run for council if you can do so much better than the people you sit and complain about O wait that would mean you would have to speak in public not hide on here.
Wayne you all do the same blame everyone else for issues in town but none of your fellow hot heads put their name in the pot. I expect to see all of you on the ballots next election beacaue you all sound like you have all the answers cant wait to see all that you cant get done. Its worth the vote and a ticket to the show, your a good boy to protect momma but you should have paid attention to what she didnt do, you d I nt have the inside story from the right side, you know the side that reads their documents
Many things in life are considered "anonymous". Voting is anonymous. Donating is largely done anonymously.
I don't see "anonymous" as a bad thing. It allows self expression without ridicule. Can it get out of hand? Yes, but then again as has been shown here, even when someone uses their name it doesn't mean they are any more respectful of others or that their information is any more accurate than that which is posted anonymously.
Mr. Stamps has given his opinion and although I do not agree with it or with the language used within it, I respect that it is his opinion. We all are able to express ourselves in conversation or debate that isn't considered stooping to certain levels.
Just putting it out there.
Did anyone else notice Wayne is calling all these people a coward but when he was asked what he would do differently he did nothing but bash again?
I couldn't hear him, my head was too far up my keister.
I am not bashing people just calling out the ones on here that do nothing but bash the people on council and don't have the guts to stand up and run for office themselves. I personally would not run for office cause no matter what you do good or bad there will be a lot of people on here that would disagree with what you did and bash you name all over. That is all I have to say so maybe now you all can leave someone else alone for 5 minutes and bash me.
By that logic, no one was bashing you or anyone else either. So everything's good after all. Have a nice day!
Maybe Mr. Stamps you should try one of those facebook pages where you get to make up a fake profile and bash people> if you don't like this blog then go and don't come back. and most people here are involved in the school district or the boro in one form or another what have you done or would you do different
oh hell im not using my name either, those people are mean. i would love mr. stamps to run for somethin itll be fun to watch his buds turn on him like they did on the others his moms not so bad she is the hero right now to her sons friends for giving out info even if its wrong
So if I get this right. The solicitor says that Mr. Bates has the right to sign contracts case by case based on a resolution that happened sometime in 2011. When a council person and the Courier Times filed a right to know request, they were both told that no such resolution exists! So, he has been signing contracts, despite not being authorized to do so in clear violation of borough and State code. So, the Council President said there is a resolution, but the borough says there is not when pressed with a right to know request. Someone is lying. Either the borough or the Council President. Either way, we as taxpayers are screwed.
Valid questions I would like to hear accurate and intelligent responses to.
Always digging to try to find dirt. Morrisville will never get anywhere because so many of its residents can't seem to get out of the schoolyard.
A more reasonable explanation is that someone didn't fill out the right to know document properly, but that isn't even suggested here. I'm not saying that's what happened, just that it wasn't even given as an option because the desire to point fingers is so strong.
The suggestion made in the post above is that the solicitor is conspiring and either the borough office or the council president is lying.
My suggestion is to watch what takes place and process it correctly without manipulations. To the person above, had you been watching the meetings for the past couple of years you would know the answers you seek. I realize it's easier to make accusations based on nothing than it is to know your information. With your limited information, you think you are making certain people look bad but what you are actually doing is showing just how much you don't know.
I can believe someone didn't fill out the RTK properly; there is no shortage of amateurs who don't know how things work but think they do. By same token you shouldn't have to be a law school grad to ask precisely the right question. I freely admit I don't know the answers. Seriously, this is not meant as a gotcha moment --- if you know the answer can you give it briefly?
I have never filled out a right to know form. I don't know what they look like or what the process is. I do get what the person was saying though in that the jump to suggest wrong doing was great without having information.
There is an automatic assumption that something is not proper and that someone is lying. It's getting tiring. We all really need to pull ourselves out of this and work together. Stop this he said she said stuff.
Who cares who signed the contract? Council voted for it, the residents want it. Why are we screwed because Bates signed it instead if Sherlock?
Does boro code asy Sherlock must sign, or can Bates sign acting in the capacity of boro manager?
Moral of the story.......
you can't give obstructionists a technicality to stop something on.
Even bungleheads can stumblebum onto a barricade if you don't cross the t's and dot the lower case j's.
We need un-realistic, im-practical, or downright dumb 'solutions', done for free by volunteers out of the goodness of their hearts!
Well, council members and the mayor are now full volunteers. They get nothing to offset any costs, like the time they take off of work , or other incidentals. There are monetary costs associated with doing the job, but now they get nothing. Not right.
Their education/conference funding was taken out of the budget as well. So now they are expected to miss days from work and pay for their own conference expenses. It sends a very bad message not only to our own community but to other municipalities as well.
For some it costs more to be an elected official in Morrisville than they were being compensated to begin with. I think it was a mistake to take both of the things talked about above out of the budget.
How much was the pay? $2000? Hope no one depends on it to live.Take out conf money and noone will go. These aren't pricey junkets to exotic places. Unless you consider Harrisburg exotic.
We could follow Middletown twp's lead and do an EIT of 0.5% or even 1.0%. The people will love it!
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