This piece should be called, "We stopped the school, now we want to stop the school district."
More B.S. from the ignorant one with the gavel. Is this all you have Mr. Hellmann? Your attempt to scare the voters for another election will not work this time. There is only a select few people that actually believe that anyone wants to build a new school...... and they are all of your people. Mr. Hellman also doesn't tell you about a political operative the board majority hired and is using her as a "communications director" at $25k. And what is up with his statement of :
"In my opinion, these pro-new school candidates are incompetent and not ready to take on the responsibilities of school directors. This town cannot afford incompetence on our school board."
Alright Billy, using your logic, is Ron "I'll throw this microphone at you" Stout, a competent choice to represent the people of Morrisville and make decisions for the children? Ron Stout?......really? You guys must have been scraping the bottom of the barrel to pick your slate of candidates.
Stop the lies, deceit, cronyism, Morrisville can do so much better without Stay on track at the helm.
From the BCCT:
We stopped the school: Now, stop the tax-and-spenders
Bucks County Courier Times
As the president of the Morrisville school board, I appreciate the opportunity to respond to recent attacks on the integrity of this board. The main point made in a guest opinion on Oct. 22 by David Stoneburner, a candidate for school board, is our board is "autocratic," and not concerned about the community. On Oct. 26, candidate Damon Miller's guest opinion was equally unbelievable. This is the problem with politics; the truth never gets in the way of an unfounded attack.
The accusations of these politically motivated candidates are untrue. I believe they are in line with the same people who lost the school board election two years ago. Yes, they are back making a mockery of the last election when the people spoke out and "fired" the previous school board and elected our slate.
Our theme two years ago was "Stop the School" and directed at the former board that tried to push through a $30 million (then) K-12 building. The homeowners faced a huge tax increase, as well as the ongoing burden of paying for an unnecessary school in a small district.
We won and we stopped the school plan, paid back the bonds and moved ahead with a $4 million to $7 million repair and renovation plan for the intermediate/high school and Grandview school. We stayed on track with our plan to renovate, instead of demolish! And we decreased taxes two years in a row.
Next up is renovation work at Grandview. We awarded bids for complete window replacement at an approximate cost of $500,000. When completed, two school buildings will be in excellent shape.
Is it patchwork to spend $4 million on a list of items long overdue for repair at the intermediate/ high school? Installed were efficient boilers, new windows with inner glass blinds, air conditioning, ventilators, fire suppression system and more
The fact is Miller, Stoneburner, Jenkins and Beck are supported by the old group that tried to build a $48 million school with only $28 million in the bank! In my opinion, these pro-new school candidates are incompetent and not ready to take on the responsibilities of school directors. This town cannot afford incompetence on our school board. People's homes are at risk and our children's education is at risk.
The mindset of this group of candidates is clearly tax and spend and build. Contrary to their 11th hour statements, we learned from their own comments they are gearing up to propose another elementary school. I estimate an average $2,220 tax increase on every home in this borough for an expensive and unnecessary new building. Make no mistake about it, a new school can be built without taxpayer approval! The taxpayers of Morrisville cannot afford these candidates.
Our students are doing well. The school superintendent has said publicly nothing we have done in our budget efficiency has hurt one academic program. Furthermore, our test scores are improving and a problem of lower proficiency in 11th grade math is being addressed. We also have 80 teachers for approximately 880 students. That is one teacher for every 11 students, PLUS many teacher aides.
Their desperate 11th hour letters serve to diminish the accomplishments we have made - and get them elected. We are supporting four other candidates: Brenda Worob and Jack Buckman, currently on the board, and John DeWilde and Ron Stout, all sensible, smart, caring individuals who have the students and the community at heart. The opponents' scare tactics are not going to change the facts.
Miller claims that the members of our Stay on Track school board slate have no children in the schools. Allow me to say, two members of the Morrisville Pride slate are not even property owners in Morrisville, according to tax records.
Finally, I am a certified public accountant, not a politician. I prefer to run the board with a consensus, like a business. Morrisville has the highest millage rate in the county - our borough does not have the tax base of other communities - and we receive the bulk of taxes from property owners. Bottom line: We want our seniors to stay in their homes and young families able to pay their mortgages.
People speak at the ballot box. All candidates should tell the truth, get elected and then do what they promised to do. I believe we have done that.
