Saturday, April 30, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Campaign Materials at Tax Collector's Office - OK or Not OK?
Campaign materials for 1 particular slate of School Board candidates (guess which one?) have been seen available for public consumption inside the home office of Morrisville's elected Tax Collector. Like right on the table where you go to pay your taxes.
Does anybody know if this is allowed?
It seems inappropriate, at best, since the home office is functioning as a public place where taxes are collected.
Does anybody know if this is allowed?
It seems inappropriate, at best, since the home office is functioning as a public place where taxes are collected.
School Spirit Night at Barnes &Noble this Thurs. 4/28
Featuring the MHS Jazz Band. It's the Barnes&Noble near the Oxford Valley Mall.
District Event
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Barnes&Noble School Spirit Night at Barnes &Noble
Site: Off-Site Barnes and Noble
Start Time: 6:30 PM
End Time: 9:00 PM
District Event
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Barnes&Noble School Spirit Night at Barnes &Noble
Site: Off-Site Barnes and Noble
Start Time: 6:30 PM
End Time: 9:00 PM
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Abuse of Power - Hellmann Stay on Coarse Style
Board candidate: President abused position
Board President Bill Hellmann at center
Posted: Sunday, April 24, 2011 5:59 am | Updated: 9:42 am, Sun Apr 24, 2011.
Morrisville schools - The battle for five open school district seats is on in Morrisville and it's all on camera.
While wearing his Morrisville school board president's hat, Bill Hellmann, who is up for re-election, used air time during a broadcast board meeting last week to campaign. And his opponents sitting in the audience didn't take it kindly.
"I think that what Mr. Hellmann did was wrong," said Damon Miller, Hellman's opponent. "He abused his position by making political statements at a school board meeting that is paid for by taxpayer dollars which in my mind is a violation of school district policy."
The school board's code of conduct restricts school board members from using their positions "to benefit ourselves or any individual or agency."
Hellmann disagrees and doesn't believe he broke policy.
"The school policy refers to personal financial gain," he said. "What benefit am I receiving by expressing my opinions at a school board meeting? As a school board member my compensation is zero. It is strictly community service, nothing more, nothing less. I have spent hundreds of hours of community service at no compensation."
Of the nine incumbent board members, five are up for re-election in the May 17 primary.
Four other Morrisville residents also are running in opposition. One board seat is up in which newcomer Alina Marone is running unopposed.
Toward the end of Wednesday's meeting, Hellmann read from articles about proposed cuts in programs and teachers in surrounding school districts.
"We aren't nowhere near in trouble as these school districts are. We have budgetary concerns, too, but not like these schools. I'll tell you right now, we will continue to making this school district efficient. We're not raising any taxes on this town. Taxes are already high. If you want taxes increased, vote for the other side," Hellmann said moments before hitting the gavel to adjourn the meeting.
In the middle of his comment, his opponents and audience members yelled out, "This sounds like political stuff" and "The other side doesn't want to increase taxes so don't start that crap."
"None of the candidates running under the Morrisville Matters ticket who spoke (Wednesday) including myself mentioned that we were running for office," Miller said. "Nor did we mention who to vote for or not to vote for. As a matter of fact none of the community members who spoke endorsed candidates by name or group or color of their signs."
Miller continued, "My comments were focused on test scores and that if people are going to say that they are 'up,' then they need to look closer at the numbers and not paint the district with a broad brush. I didn't say, 'If you want lower test scores vote for Stay on Course, red and white signs, a name or names of candidates, etc."
Hellman defended his statement.
"I do not take personal credit for test scores - and they have increased over the prior year in most areas. They are the responsibility of our excellent administrative team. Our job as a school board is to provide an environment for our administration and teachers to educate our children, but at a cost our town can afford," he said.
To some who aren't running, it seemed like both teams were taking advantage of the airtime. But others say Hellmann was wrong in making his pitch to a television audience.
"Both slates running for office took advantage of the microphone and meeting broadcast to make their points at the last meeting before the primaries," school director John DeWilde said last week. "Our business is to run the district to the best of our ability and not let politics influence our actions. All meeting attendees should be cognizant of what school board meetings are for and leave their politics at the door."
School director Jack Buckman agrees. "They were all grandstanding," he said.
Parent Gayle Haug was appalled by Hellmann's comments.
"I would never have expected a school director, much less the president of the school board, to wave political fliers around and tell people who to vote for during a public session of the school board," said Haug, who is a regular at the board meetings.
"I am trying to raise my children to live by the law and that is what I expect from the people in charge of their education," she went on. "It is extremely frustrating."
Hellmann said the board sat "there throughout the meeting listening to school board candidates, our so-called adversaries, bash the good work of the administration, teachers and, yes, the Morrisville school board that has reduced school taxes twice, did not raise them last year and has not cut programs or anything else. These are people who are too quick to criticize the school district as a whole - but will not say what they would do differently."
He continued: "I responded from the heart. Yes, I am a candidate, but I'm also a board president that has kept a steady hand on this ship's rudder with the help of a great administrative team and a sensible school board."
While wearing his Morrisville school board president's hat, Bill Hellmann, who is up for re-election, used air time during a broadcast board meeting last week to campaign. And his opponents sitting in the audience didn't take it kindly.
"I think that what Mr. Hellmann did was wrong," said Damon Miller, Hellman's opponent. "He abused his position by making political statements at a school board meeting that is paid for by taxpayer dollars which in my mind is a violation of school district policy."
The school board's code of conduct restricts school board members from using their positions "to benefit ourselves or any individual or agency."
Hellmann disagrees and doesn't believe he broke policy.
"The school policy refers to personal financial gain," he said. "What benefit am I receiving by expressing my opinions at a school board meeting? As a school board member my compensation is zero. It is strictly community service, nothing more, nothing less. I have spent hundreds of hours of community service at no compensation."
Of the nine incumbent board members, five are up for re-election in the May 17 primary.
Four other Morrisville residents also are running in opposition. One board seat is up in which newcomer Alina Marone is running unopposed.
Toward the end of Wednesday's meeting, Hellmann read from articles about proposed cuts in programs and teachers in surrounding school districts.
"We aren't nowhere near in trouble as these school districts are. We have budgetary concerns, too, but not like these schools. I'll tell you right now, we will continue to making this school district efficient. We're not raising any taxes on this town. Taxes are already high. If you want taxes increased, vote for the other side," Hellmann said moments before hitting the gavel to adjourn the meeting.
In the middle of his comment, his opponents and audience members yelled out, "This sounds like political stuff" and "The other side doesn't want to increase taxes so don't start that crap."
Hellmann is aligned with incumbents Alfred Radosti and Marlys Mihok and board appointees Stephen Worob and Yvonne Ruthrauff, who were appointed this school year. All are seeking new terms under a "Stay on Course" campaign slogan and the website www.stayoncoursemorrisville.com. Marone is also in the "Stay on Course" coalition.
The "other side" is David Stoneburner, Damon Miller, Wanda Kartal and Ted Parker. Their slogan is "Morrisville Matters with a corresponding website, www.morrisvillematters.com.
All nine candidates are cross filed, meaning they are on both the Democrat and Republican tickets."None of the candidates running under the Morrisville Matters ticket who spoke (Wednesday) including myself mentioned that we were running for office," Miller said. "Nor did we mention who to vote for or not to vote for. As a matter of fact none of the community members who spoke endorsed candidates by name or group or color of their signs."
Miller continued, "My comments were focused on test scores and that if people are going to say that they are 'up,' then they need to look closer at the numbers and not paint the district with a broad brush. I didn't say, 'If you want lower test scores vote for Stay on Course, red and white signs, a name or names of candidates, etc."
Hellman defended his statement.
"I do not take personal credit for test scores - and they have increased over the prior year in most areas. They are the responsibility of our excellent administrative team. Our job as a school board is to provide an environment for our administration and teachers to educate our children, but at a cost our town can afford," he said.
To some who aren't running, it seemed like both teams were taking advantage of the airtime. But others say Hellmann was wrong in making his pitch to a television audience.
"Both slates running for office took advantage of the microphone and meeting broadcast to make their points at the last meeting before the primaries," school director John DeWilde said last week. "Our business is to run the district to the best of our ability and not let politics influence our actions. All meeting attendees should be cognizant of what school board meetings are for and leave their politics at the door."
School director Jack Buckman agrees. "They were all grandstanding," he said.
Parent Gayle Haug was appalled by Hellmann's comments.
"I would never have expected a school director, much less the president of the school board, to wave political fliers around and tell people who to vote for during a public session of the school board," said Haug, who is a regular at the board meetings.
"I am trying to raise my children to live by the law and that is what I expect from the people in charge of their education," she went on. "It is extremely frustrating."
Hellmann said the board sat "there throughout the meeting listening to school board candidates, our so-called adversaries, bash the good work of the administration, teachers and, yes, the Morrisville school board that has reduced school taxes twice, did not raise them last year and has not cut programs or anything else. These are people who are too quick to criticize the school district as a whole - but will not say what they would do differently."
He continued: "I responded from the heart. Yes, I am a candidate, but I'm also a board president that has kept a steady hand on this ship's rudder with the help of a great administrative team and a sensible school board."
Gema Maria Duarte can be reached at 215-949-4195 or gduarte@phillyBurbs.com Follow Gema at twitter.com/deadlineduarte
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Video of 4/20 School Board Mtg. - With (Some) Hellmann Election Grandstanding
Check out the last 1 minute, and in particular the last 5 seconds. The video appears to have been edited at the end too. Does anyone remember what, if anything, was edited out?
Shades of Richard Nixon all around, what with the "I want to make this perfectly clear" and the tape gaps.
http://www.mv.org/videos.cfm
If you have time, don't skip the rest either.
Shades of Richard Nixon all around, what with the "I want to make this perfectly clear" and the tape gaps.
http://www.mv.org/videos.cfm
If you have time, don't skip the rest either.
Board delays approval of preliminary budget
Board delays approval of preliminary budget
Posted: Thursday, April 21, 2011 5:55 am | Updated: 6:42 am, Thu Apr 21, 2011.
GEMA MARIA DUARTE, staff writer
Morrisville School District's tentative budget for 2011-2012 school year adoption has been pushed to May.
According to the district's budget calendar, the tentative budget was supposed to be adopted at Wednesday's board meeting.
But that didn't happen because it's not finalized. The district's budget has a shortfall
of more than $2 million.
The preliminary budget must be approved in June.
Board members said during the meeting that holding the budget up is the cost from Bucks County Technical High School for the approximate 51 students who attend the Bristol Township school. The tech school hasn't finalized its numbers either, they said.
William Ferrara, acting superintendent, said there are other factors delaying the budget process, but did not go into details.
Parent Jon Perry said during the public portion of the meeting that the proposed budget has been "around since January, so there's been three full months to prepare a revised budget."
Perry, who is not a school board candidate in the May primary election but isn't a fan of the majority of the board, continued, "Tonight is the last board meeting before the May 17 primary election. There's a $2.5 million-plus budget deficit, and lots of uncertainty about what programs, sports and activities will be cut to close this huge gap. People need to know what's going to be cut so they can plan accordingly. I think it's deceptive and shows a lack of courage and openness to keep the public guessing about budget and program cuts until after the May 17 (primary) election and probably into June or beyond."
School board members didn't respond to Perry's comments.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Morrisville Matters - Meet the Candidates, Tuesday, April 19
April 19, 2011
7-9pm
Daceys Irish Pub, Philadelphia Avenue, Morrisville, PA
Boneless Wings!
7-9pm
Daceys Irish Pub, Philadelphia Avenue, Morrisville, PA
Boneless Wings!
School Board Meeting - Wed. April 20, 7:30 pm, Last One Before May 17th
District EventWednesday, April 20, 2011
SCHOOL BOARD MONTHLY BUSINESS MEETING
The February Business meeting of the Board of School Directors will be held at 7:30 pm in the LGI Room on Wednesday, April 20, 2011.
Time: 7:30 pm
SCHOOL BOARD MONTHLY BUSINESS MEETING
The February Business meeting of the Board of School Directors will be held at 7:30 pm in the LGI Room on Wednesday, April 20, 2011.
Time: 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Post-Election Sweepstakes - You Have Just Been Chopped
The School Board, with its 5 incumbent "Stay on Course" candidates, is obviously not keen on letting people know before the May 17 Primary Election which programs and budget items will be cut to plug a deficit of over $2.5 million.
The final budget isn't due until June 30, so chances they won't tell you what they'll chop until sometime between May 18 and June 30.
Who knows, maybe they'll won't even tell you then, you'll just have to find out what gets slipped onto (or off of) the agenda right before the vote, or find out what surprises are in the budget that gets voted on.
By the way, the total budget is around $18 million, so $2.5 million is a gaping hole. At nearly 15% of the budget, percentage-wise, Morrisville has the biggest school budget deficit in Bucks County that I've seen. Has anyone seen anything to refute this?
Anyway, what programs and things do you think are toast after May 17?
What suggestions do you have to plug the budget deficit?
The final budget isn't due until June 30, so chances they won't tell you what they'll chop until sometime between May 18 and June 30.
Who knows, maybe they'll won't even tell you then, you'll just have to find out what gets slipped onto (or off of) the agenda right before the vote, or find out what surprises are in the budget that gets voted on.
By the way, the total budget is around $18 million, so $2.5 million is a gaping hole. At nearly 15% of the budget, percentage-wise, Morrisville has the biggest school budget deficit in Bucks County that I've seen. Has anyone seen anything to refute this?
Anyway, what programs and things do you think are toast after May 17?
What suggestions do you have to plug the budget deficit?
School Play Tonight
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Morrisville Students Spent Some Time on Mars
Morrisville Students Spent Some Time on Mars
Posted: Thursday, April 14, 2011 6:13 pm | Updated: 6:19 pm, Thu Apr 14, 2011.
Morrisville, we have a problem.
A NASA research vessel for five days has encountered communication problems or could be lost in space, and Team Zeus, also known as 30 fourth-graders from Morrisville Middle/Intermediate School, has the mission to locate “Distant Discovery” and its crew of two astronauts and bring them back safely to the “Mars research station.”
“We are staying focused on the mission,” said communication specialist Vincent Wolf, 10.
The year is 2080. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has permanent research teams based on the moon and Mars. From the bases, astronauts and scientists study the universe, including the possibility of life outside Earth. Exploration vessels regularly take off from the two bases for research.
This time, the research vessel was in the middle of exploring the outer regions of the solar system when it lost communication.
To help complete the mission, team members applied real space math and science. They communicated their progress to a NASA education representative, a flight director named Commander Romanic, who stayed connected with the students via teleconference from the “Earth Mission Control station.” She really was at a NASA-owned facility in West Virginia and connected to a Web camera to communicate with the students who were at the district’s conference room at Morrisville High School.
On “Mission Day” Thursday, Team Zeus worked from the “Mars Mission Control” waiting for the arrival of a rescue space ship with two astronauts launched from the moon station and due to stop on Mars to pick up rescue supplies. Five crates were needed.
“Where did you get five from?” Communication Team member Taryn Wright, 10, asked a teammate.
She reviewed some numbers on the laptop screen and said, “OK. That’s correct. Twenty divided by four is five, so five crates are needed.”
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
School Board Monthly Agenda Meeting - TONIGHT 7:30 p.m.
District EventWednesday, April 13, 2011
Monthly Agenda Meeting
The Monthly Agenda Meeting of the Board of School Directors will be held at 7:30 pm in the LGI Room.
Time: 7:30 pm
Monthly Agenda Meeting
The Monthly Agenda Meeting of the Board of School Directors will be held at 7:30 pm in the LGI Room.
Time: 7:30 pm
PA School Vouchers Bill (SB1)
Corbett rallies Senate GOP on vouchers
By Angela Couloumbis and Adrienne LuHARRISBURG - Gov. Corbett made an unusual and unexpected appearance Tuesday afternoon at a closed-door meeting of Senate Republicans to shore up support for a school-voucher bill to help low-income students attend the schools of their choice.
The governor carved out time to meet with the GOP legislators after it became clear that the voucher legislation was running into trouble. The Republican-controlled Senate was expected to approve it Tuesday but instead put off the vote to iron out differences.
Afterward, Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R., Delaware) played down any dissension within his ranks over the bill, which calls for redirecting a substantial block of public-school dollars to help low-income parents at failing schools pay tuition at a private or parochial school of their choosing.
"We have very, very strong support in our caucus for the bill, and it is still a priority for the Senate Republican caucus," Pileggi said. "We fully expect to continue work on this bill and have this bill passed."
Corbett spokesman Kevin Harley could not be reached for comment. The governor did not answer questions as he left the closed-door caucus meeting among Senate Republicans on Tuesday afternoon.
It is unusual, though not unheard of, for the state's top executive to venture down to visit lawmakers caucusing behind closed doors. Corbett's predecessor, Ed Rendell, did so at least once, according to a former spokesman, but it is not a common practice.
Pileggi offered few details about Corbett's visit, saying only that "the governor expressed his strong support for the bill and offered his assistance in the process in moving the bill from the Senate to the House to his desk."
The Republican leader said some more changes would be made to the proposal, but he declined to give specifics. The earliest that the Senate could take the bill up is April 26. The chamber takes a one-week break next week because of Easter.
The school voucher legislation has received bipartisan support but remains controversial. The bill cleared a key vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday, but it has not yet been taken up by the full Senate or, for that matter, the House, where it faces an uncertain future.
The legislation would allow families meeting certain income restrictions to receive vouchers they could apply toward tuition at private or parochial schools. The vouchers would equal the amount of per-pupil student aid, which varies from district to district but would be about $7,900 per student in Philadelphia.
The original bill targeted students from low-income families. Changes to the bill earlier this week would expand eligibility to include some middle-income students in the fourth year of the program.
Senate Bill 1 would also expand the popular Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program to $100 million from $75 million. The program enables low- and middle-income students to receive scholarships financed by businesses that receive tax credits from the state for their contributions.
Proponents of the vouchers argue that parents of all incomes should have the freedom to choose their children's schools. Opponents say vouchers would hurt public schools by taking away funding and the imperative to improve them.
A fiscal estimate developed by Republicans projected that the bill would cost taxpayers $735 million over four years.
The governor carved out time to meet with the GOP legislators after it became clear that the voucher legislation was running into trouble. The Republican-controlled Senate was expected to approve it Tuesday but instead put off the vote to iron out differences.
Afterward, Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R., Delaware) played down any dissension within his ranks over the bill, which calls for redirecting a substantial block of public-school dollars to help low-income parents at failing schools pay tuition at a private or parochial school of their choosing.
"We have very, very strong support in our caucus for the bill, and it is still a priority for the Senate Republican caucus," Pileggi said. "We fully expect to continue work on this bill and have this bill passed."
Corbett spokesman Kevin Harley could not be reached for comment. The governor did not answer questions as he left the closed-door caucus meeting among Senate Republicans on Tuesday afternoon.
It is unusual, though not unheard of, for the state's top executive to venture down to visit lawmakers caucusing behind closed doors. Corbett's predecessor, Ed Rendell, did so at least once, according to a former spokesman, but it is not a common practice.
Pileggi offered few details about Corbett's visit, saying only that "the governor expressed his strong support for the bill and offered his assistance in the process in moving the bill from the Senate to the House to his desk."
The Republican leader said some more changes would be made to the proposal, but he declined to give specifics. The earliest that the Senate could take the bill up is April 26. The chamber takes a one-week break next week because of Easter.
The school voucher legislation has received bipartisan support but remains controversial. The bill cleared a key vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday, but it has not yet been taken up by the full Senate or, for that matter, the House, where it faces an uncertain future.
The legislation would allow families meeting certain income restrictions to receive vouchers they could apply toward tuition at private or parochial schools. The vouchers would equal the amount of per-pupil student aid, which varies from district to district but would be about $7,900 per student in Philadelphia.
The original bill targeted students from low-income families. Changes to the bill earlier this week would expand eligibility to include some middle-income students in the fourth year of the program.
Senate Bill 1 would also expand the popular Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program to $100 million from $75 million. The program enables low- and middle-income students to receive scholarships financed by businesses that receive tax credits from the state for their contributions.
Proponents of the vouchers argue that parents of all incomes should have the freedom to choose their children's schools. Opponents say vouchers would hurt public schools by taking away funding and the imperative to improve them.
A fiscal estimate developed by Republicans projected that the bill would cost taxpayers $735 million over four years.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Promote Excellence in Education?
The "Stay on Course" candidates' flier says they "Promote Excellence in Education".
Do you think they have really promoted excellence in education?
If so, how?
If not, why not?
Do you think they have really promoted excellence in education?
If so, how?
If not, why not?
Monday, April 11, 2011
Welcome to Bulldog Banter!
Welcome to Bulldog Banter!
For news and other tidbits about Morrisville, PA.
I don't know much about running a blog, but I'm willing to learn.
If the prior blog ("morrisvillesfuture.blogspot.com") has you scratching your head, feel free to post here instead!
Tell your friends and neighbors too!
For news and other tidbits about Morrisville, PA.
I don't know much about running a blog, but I'm willing to learn.
If the prior blog ("morrisvillesfuture.blogspot.com") has you scratching your head, feel free to post here instead!
Tell your friends and neighbors too!
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