Posted: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 5:32 pm | Updated: 9:18 pm, Tue Oct 22, 2013.
Morrisville kids will have a new science playground, thanks to a generous donation.MedImmune, a biotechnology company, donated pharmaceutical grade lab equipment, including slate work tables, cabinets and sinks. It's all top-of-the-line stainless steel equipment and enough to build at least two high school science labs, school director Wanda Kartal said.
Morrisville School District received the donation of the equipment last week from MedImmune, which is based in Washington, D.C., but has an office building in Bensalem.
“The equipment will enable the district to provide state-of-the-art lab facilities for our students,” Superintendent Bill Ferrara said. “This will enable our students to participate in lab activities enhancing their understanding of different aspects of biology, chemistry, environmental science and physics. Our district, especially teachers and students, are thankful for the generous donation.”
The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching MedImmune on Tuesday.
Obtaining the materials was a community effort, with Councilman Dave Rivella and Kartal working together.
“Our youth truly deserves the very best and it is exciting for me to be a part of the community’s children having this state of the art equipment and that they have been made available at no cost. I am ever mindful of the importance of the quality of education that we can offer to our community’s students,” Rivella said, adding that getting the equipment without raising taxes is a bonus.
“(The tables) are phenomenal,” Kartal said Tuesday. “They are something that we would have never have gotten in Morrisville. We are so lucky to have this donation, and grateful.”
When Morrisville Councilman Dave Rivella heard of the available equipment from a friend, he knew such materials would help the tight-budgeted school district. At that point the company was considering other school districts.
“When I learned about it, I told my friend to wait and not ask anyone else as I knew I could reach out to my friends who sit on the school board,” Rivella said, adding that he emailed three school directors, including Kartal.
Morrisville officials jumped on the opportunity and have been working with MedImmune since July, Kartal said.
Morrisville officials don’t know exactly how much the equipment is worth. However, based on the company’s estimate from when it was purchased a couple of years ago, it cost about $250,000, Rivella and Kartal said.
“(The equipment) was bought, but never actually used,” Rivella said. “They stopped (a) research project (that the equipment was for) before it even started, so they ended up with equipment that was just sitting. They wanted to find a needy school district to give it to. I, of course, thought of Morrisville.”
The district is planning to put the labs to use in the next school year, as the rooms need some upgrading, Kartal said.
“The equipment will enable the district to provide state-of-the-art lab facilities for our students,” Superintendent Bill Ferrara said. “This will enable our students to participate in lab activities enhancing their understanding of different aspects of biology, chemistry, environmental science and physics. Our district, especially teachers and students, are thankful for the generous donation.”
The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching MedImmune on Tuesday.
Obtaining the materials was a community effort, with Councilman Dave Rivella and Kartal working together.
“Our youth truly deserves the very best and it is exciting for me to be a part of the community’s children having this state of the art equipment and that they have been made available at no cost. I am ever mindful of the importance of the quality of education that we can offer to our community’s students,” Rivella said, adding that getting the equipment without raising taxes is a bonus.
“(The tables) are phenomenal,” Kartal said Tuesday. “They are something that we would have never have gotten in Morrisville. We are so lucky to have this donation, and grateful.”
When Morrisville Councilman Dave Rivella heard of the available equipment from a friend, he knew such materials would help the tight-budgeted school district. At that point the company was considering other school districts.
“When I learned about it, I told my friend to wait and not ask anyone else as I knew I could reach out to my friends who sit on the school board,” Rivella said, adding that he emailed three school directors, including Kartal.
Morrisville officials jumped on the opportunity and have been working with MedImmune since July, Kartal said.
Morrisville officials don’t know exactly how much the equipment is worth. However, based on the company’s estimate from when it was purchased a couple of years ago, it cost about $250,000, Rivella and Kartal said.
“(The equipment) was bought, but never actually used,” Rivella said. “They stopped (a) research project (that the equipment was for) before it even started, so they ended up with equipment that was just sitting. They wanted to find a needy school district to give it to. I, of course, thought of Morrisville.”
The district is planning to put the labs to use in the next school year, as the rooms need some upgrading, Kartal said.
36 comments:
Outstanding! A welcome good news story.
Hey Honcho, Hah! How will you smear this? Even a troll like you will have a hard time trying to make this look bad. Go Dave!
He will deny this to be true but Mike Honcho is Bill Pepitone. It's obvious.
Nice article - Thanks!
Can we find Someone to donate a new Superintendent and Business Manager?
Honcho may or may not be Pepitone. It really doesn't matter. He's working for him and in concert with him. That matters.
These are the types of connections that the school is working on all over to increase donations and alternative funding to cover new programs, supplies, sports etc.
Community support is key to running the school and pursuing new ideas to enhance the experience for our children.
I was glad to be a part of the coordination and look forward to additional connections our community members may be able to bring to the table. It's a wonderful opportunity for MSD.
Thank you Mr. Rivella
if you like Dave or not truth is he really looks out for the town and really cares
"if you like Dave or not truth is he really looks out for the town and really cares"
True dat!
What have you done lately for Morrisville Officer Pepitone? Other than fear mongering I mean
Let me say first off that getting money for the school is great. But ... There he goes again! Rivella tooting his horn for something else! Maybe he should run for school board instead of Mayor. He can't get grants for the borough as a council member but he can get money for school. Where is his loyalty to the residents as a council person? Why doesn't he get grant money for the borough's light contract? Oh, I know. The school project didn't have anything to do with the electrical union so he could get a grant to cover the cost. But when it comes to borough contracts, he must go with the electrical union supported contractor (not that there was more than one bid anyway). There were no other bids and no consideration for any other company. It's all about the IBEW for Rivella on Council.
Boy, what does someone have to do earn a little respect from you?
How can you turn a good thing for our schools into a bad thing about Rivella? Would you prefer he did nothing?
If you were paying attention, you would know that he brought grants to the borough, and when he wasn't doing that, he was figuring out how to get things done. He is one of the few up there that actually does that kind of thing.
I don't see how you can turn a good thing for our schools, which is part of our town, into a bad thing about Rivella.
This is the kind attitude that has stunted this place for way too long.
Our longtime and current electrical contractor is NOT a union outfit. So the point you are so ineptly trying to make is totally lost to anyone but you.
To the poster talking crap about Dave...
You are an idiot! Everyone knows that the borough uses grant money on a regular basis and everyone knows who initiates this. You pretend to you don't already know this yet you know some mysterious secret plan that Dave has been working on for the 20 plus years that he has been raising his kids in Morrisville to move the IBEW into town. Again, you are an idiot.
Dave has brought the IBEW to the borough. They do an annual canal cleanup every spring with Ron Scheese.
Must be some secret mysterious plot to run electrical cables in the canal. They must be slow because it's been taking them years...LOL
It is really sad that there are actually people in our sweet little borough who would try to make this donation to the school district look like a bad thing. You made it political, not Dave, by your post above. Shame on you.
This is really exciting news for the borough. Whoever it was that brought this here, and whatever your personal feelings may be about them, we should all appreciate the very positive impact this project will have on the school.
FACT: when your record of "helping" the town includes quitting the only job for the town you've ever had, you resort to pathetic attacks on those that have actually helped.
That's the truth behind a do-nothing.
We have to all live in Morrisville together after election day. It would seem that Pepitone is forgetting this (or he just doesn't care) while he is trying to take someone down to get what he wants. Someone who has worked for the town and also worked to chase away the demons that plagued borough hall. Pepitone obviously doesn't believe in his own merits if he is willing to stoop to the levels in which he has. He also doesn't seem to care if he creates an even more substantial rift within our community because he doesn't get that this is a very small town he is living in, not NYC.
It's sad that this had to turn into something other than what the article is about and that someone thought it should be an opportunity to talk crap about Dave. Thank you Dave and Wanda and everyone who had a hand in this great opportunity for the MSD.
Well....the poster near the top did throw down the gauntlet, and I suppose these asshats couldn't resist the challenge.
So this story is Dave "tooting his own horn", but Peps putting some picture of him and his fellow officers after 9/11 isn't a manipulation of the highest order??
Disgusting that he would stoop so low.
I like how his supporters are concerned about the undesirable element that crept into town over the past 20 years. (See today's BCCT Op-Ed) To my understanding, undesirable element is BS-speak for minorities. So, using their logic of association, his supporters appear as racists, and by extension, so does he. Is Bill Pepitone a racist? You decide!
Thank you Dave and Wanda for looking for Morrisville's kids.
What great learning opportunities they will receive from your hard work.
It is unbelievable that people would take something so positive for Morrisville's youth and turn it in to something so negitive.
When will the adults in Morrisville grow up and be good examples like Dave and Wanda?
I almost want Pepitone to win. Then he and his supporters can see that the changes he wants to make wont be as easy as he says and then we will see how fast his supporters become disappointed in him to. He will see that he can't do the things he promises to do and then his supporters will understand that it's not as easy as they think. Either that or we end up in a police state. I don't like the way Morrisville has become but I also have the sense to know that either of the things I wrote wont help Morrisville. Better to put someone in there that knows the system then someone who can't play by the rules even during his own campaign.
Mr. Pepitone I had faith in you from the start but your campaign strategies have turned me off. It's all hot air and no substance. I get you don't like Dave but tell me what you're going to do for our town other than hire more police. I've seen questions on your Facebook that don't get answered. How will you pay for the police? Do you want to raise taxes to pay for them? If not what will you cut? What else will you do for Morrisville that doesn't involve the police department? Any experience with bringing in new business or dealing with businesses and what they want in a town (other than safety)?
I don't know who is running your campaign or giving you advice but your attitude has turned me off. Seeing you for the first time on TV the other night truly turned my stomach? What's with the tough guy attitude? You asked a question and when the answer was given all you could say repeatedly was "You sure?" That may work in an interrogation room but not running for mayor of our little town. It proves you haven't done your homework or the people giving you information didn't give you enough.
And speaking of those people giving you advice. I would be very careful of the company you keep. I used to support them too but once I saw what they stood for I stepped away. They will lie and cheat their way into power through whatever methods they can and gladly throw you to the curb an act as if they don't know you when they no longer need you. I read somewhere you said that you were not supported by either party. From what I've read here and elsewhere I think that's not true anymore.
Mr Rivella, thank you for your commitment to Morrisville. Sometimes it takes connections to make good things happen. This talk of union stuff and who gets jobs is bull. Council has the right to approve contracts not just one person. Shame on those that don't do their homework or find ways to improve the town instead of just saying no all the time.
My vote is for Dave Rivella for mayor.
I agree. Pep, you let me down. You went full negative. You never go full negative.
No, I don't almost want Pepitone to win. He's just another Republican law and order type who doesnt have a clue outside of his little "do as I say now citizen" world. I lived through this negative campaigning before when candidates fearmongered their way onto the boro council and school board and then dismantled Morrisville after they won. The boro still has not recovered. We cannot afford to give in to this again. Dave Rivella for mayor.
What grants?
The donation came from a union connection to Dave. It was timed for the election. Really, Dave is the answer. Instead of seeking grants for borough upgrades he has his privately contracted consultant (Mr. Bates) agree to a binding contract without borough council approval. Instead of seeking out grants which were available to the borough. Of course, Dave would have to conform to Federal regulations. We know he and Mr. Bates (who was a business agent for the electricians union) don't want that. by the way, enjoying the free lighting upgrades at your home? Are you all really this blind? Can this borough be lead down the same path again?
This is disgusting. If you have something, prove it. This anonymous smear post is not proof.
I am so sick of this anti-union Dave Rivella deranged hatred syndrome. Do I love the guy? No. Do I love unions? No. But your sick, twisted hatred has improved my feelings about him and unions immensely. I am voting for Rivella now for sure.
The science lab donation was started in July. It was physically brought to the school during the week of the article. Dave did not control the time frame. Although you would like it to be politically motivated, it's people and a company doing a good thing for the MSD. Get over it!
Dave has continually sought out grants for upgrades, you just haven't been paying attention.
Mr. Bates was hired because he applied, was qualified and was willing to take the measly paycheck. Todd Sanford is a contractor yet we won't hear any negativity toward him. Dave does not control the borough manager and has nothing to do with awarding contracts within the borough. The upgrades also included new windows, heating and air, new video equipment, etc. Are we supposed to believe Dave also controls this work which isn't even in the scope of what he does for a living. This tactic is so old. Dave is one of eight votes on council. The borough's longtime electrical contractor is NON-UNION and is a local Morrisville business. I understand that it is the nature of some to attack for the sake of attacking, but at least be smarter about it.
"Can this borough be lead down the same path again?" If this statement wasn't so sad it would be funny.
Oh you're right poster, we should believe that Dave, who we have all worked beside and watched work for Morrisville for years is a villain that we need to get rid of and Bill Pepitone and Kitty are just decent people without any connection to Burger and her Burgerbots. I'm in bizarro world after all.
Our local Tea Party has been in existence much longer than on the national scale, and has had way too much influence.
Tom Bates does a great job. The naysayers don't like him, because he was the "other side's" idea. Finding someone dedicated, who cares about making the place better, and does it cheap was a pretty smart thing, thanks to the usual majority of council. He tries to run the borough professionally but the old guard doesn't like the rules applied to them.
Everyone is screaming about cleaning up how the Borough is run. That is why Bates was hired and that is what the Sherlock, Rivella, Kerner, and Johnson have been trying to do.
Pepitone can not deliver on what he promises how does the mayor teach NYPD Police tactic's to the police I didn't know that the Mayor is also the official Police instructor for Morrisville. All Pepitone is a small angry ex cop he can't do a thing he claims he will and a mayor can't hire more Police that's up to the Council not the Mayor Pepitone is a joke
Kittys mailing sounds like the same bull crap Pepitone posts on his Facebook page hmmmm is that because he is in bed with Jane Burger and Bill Hellmann Pepitone is a vote splitter That's Burger, Hellmann plan steal votes away from Dave wake up Morrisville WAKE UP PEPITONE IS PART OF THE JANE BURGER GANG HE IS NOTHING BUT TROUBLE FOR THIS TOWN
I don't buy the vote stealer. Peppy is a repulican and embraces tea party scare tactics. He is like dreyfuss' character in that movie, The American President. He only wants power, and he'll throw anyone under the bus to get it. Unfortunately for him, we've seen this two-bit bully act before, so I don't think he really has a chance. I also think he'll hurt Kitty-cat more than "Porno-beard Dave." Sorry, Dave, it just makes me LOL to see that in writing. I know it's childish, but it still makes me giggle. Yes I am a man-child.
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