Bates starts as Boro manager today
By: GEMA MARIA DUARTE
Bucks County Courier Times
morrisville
Morrisville has a new borough manager after more than a year without one.
Tom Bates Jr. starts his new part-time gig today.
Bates' salary will be voted on at today's council meeting, council President Nancy Sherlock said Friday. The council hired Bates during last week's work session with a 5-2 vote. Council members Eileen Dreisbach and Todd Sanford voted against the hire.
George Mount III, the borough's former manager, retired from the part-time, $41,000-a-year manager's post June 2009 after serving 12 years.
After Mount's retirement, the council agreed to an acting borough manager for a year, Sherlock said. Dorothy Gaydula, the borough's assistant secretary and treasurer, was appointed to the position. Appointed to help Gaydula was Robert Seward, who was named acting assistant borough manager. He also is Morrisville's code enforcement officer and fire marshal.
Sherlock said the borough moved fast to hire a borough manager because Gaydula gave the council notice about three weeks ago that the one-year deadline was up and she no longer wanted to continue as acting manager. Gaydula will resume her secretarial job duties at borough hall, Sherlock said.
Morrisville advertised the manager position on the borough's website, channel and at borough hall, Sherlock said. The borough received two applications and interviewed both, she added. For Sherlock, Bates has the financial background Morrisville needs and she liked his demeanor, she said.
In other news, Councilman Victor Cicero rescinded resignation comment at the work session. In September, a frustrated Cicero abruptly resigned and left the council meeting after members voted 5-3 to table a discussion on the disposal of videotapes of old council meetings.
The council didn't vote on accepting his verbal resignation in September. And Cicero didn't provide his resignation to the council in writing. All resignations must be officially submitted in writing and formally accepted.
At that time Cicero, along with council President Nancy Sherlock and Councilman David Rivella were in favor of getting rid of the tapes, some of which are as old as 15 years.
At Tuesday's work session, the council voted 4-3 to dispose of the meeting tapes. Opposing the disposal were council members Eileen Dreisbach, Fred Kerner and Todd Sanford.
Gema Maria Duarte can be reached at 215-949-4195 or gduarte@phillyBurbs.com.
Showing posts with label cicero. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cicero. Show all posts
Monday, October 18, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The Bucks Local News version
And now the Bucks Local News version
Victor Cicero abruptly resigns from Morrisville Council over issue of destroying meeting tapes
By Petra Chesner Schlatter
BucksLocalNews.com
MORRISVILLE -- Morrisville Borough Councilman Victor Cicero abruptly announced his resignation last night after council voted to table a motion to dispose of video recordings of public meetings, while also allowing Mayor Rita Ledger access to previously requested videos.
Immediately after the matter was tabled by a 4-3 vote, Cicero stood up and announced, "I'm resigning!"
Cicero, who had made the motion to destroy the tapes, said, "Good night. I don't know why I got involved. What are you afraid of? What a bunch of fools. I've never seen anything like this in my life."
When asked by phone Tuesday morning if he was indeed resigning, he would only say "I will not be at the next meeting."
Ledger said she had been asking for tapes from 2009 -- particularly November and December -- but hadn't been able to gain access to them despite several requests.
"I still haven't gotten any copies," she said at the meeting. "How can they be destroyed before copies have been given to somebody who has requested this twice?"
Borough Solicitor Todd Eisenberg said the recordings would be available to her before they are destroyed.
Eisenberg discussed the legality of disposing of recordings. He said the state publishes a document every couple of years, which outlines how borough records can be disposed of.
"One of the regulations is that video tapes of meetings can be disposed of after the minutes are approved unless the council finds there is a historical significance in keeping them," he said. "Most of the municipalities that I know destroy them after the minutes are approved."
Eisenberg said, "If a person, not just the mayor, wants them right away and we do not have the ability to make the copies we can send them out and have the copies made."
Ledger said those who request a copy should not have to pay if the borough sends the recordings out for a copy to be made.
Before his resignation, Cicero asked if the borough has the legal right to charge for a copy and Eisenberg said, "Absolutely."
Eisenberg said he would provide more information on the history of the disposal of recordings "so everyone will have a better feel. You have the right to get rid of these tapes. It's just an issue of, 'Do you want to?'"
Borough Council President Nancy Sherlock said prior administrations had conversations on this matter.
"There's no reason to have six, seven or eight boxes of all these tapes," she said.
Sharon Hughes, president of the Historic Morrisville Society, has been videotaping council meetings since she was told the borough's recording equipment was not working. She has volunteered to broadcast and record meetings for years.
"Why are you afraid? What is the word up there, we might be sued? Somebody's asking for tapes now and all of a sudden we have to have them destroyed? They've been sitting there for 14 years," said Hughes.
"They are a historic record of what this board has done...They are the history of this town. They are the history of this borough," she continued.
Hughes challenged the idea that Morrisville should be like other municipalities and destroy the recordings right away.
"Somebody wants records and other people up there don't want them to have them," she said, stressing that a decision should not be made quickly.
"It's not the right thing to do in my opinion," she said.
In a phone interview Tuesday, Mayor Ledger said she wanted the tapes for prosperity's sake.
"I'm the first woman mayor," she said. "I would like to keep the tapes of meetings that I preside over. It would be great for future generations of your family to see it ... and it is a way of making everyone accountable for their actions."
She would not offer comment on Cicero's resignation.
Sherlock said the issue would be discussed at council's Tuesday, Oct. 12 meeting.
"In Febuary 2009, council approved a motion declaring its intention to follow the schedule and procedures for disposition of records as set forth in the municipal records manual that that was approved on Dec. 16, 2008," Sherlock said in a phone interview Tuesday. "Since the resolution has been passed it is our duty to follow the guidelines ... We are not able to dispose of anything the commission deems historic or necessary to keep."
In other news, Ledger reported that she and former Mayor Lee Rockafellow met recently with the Bucks County Parks and Recreation Department about the future of the Morrisville Swimming Pool. They did a walkthrough of what was once a thriving facility, but is now a crippled community hub following a major flood. The community pool has been closed ever since.
Ledger said she will find out whether the county will work with the borough on getting the facility back in shape and open to the public.
The council also:
Awarded the 2010 Emergency Generator Bid to the low bidder, A.C. Scott Electric & Testing Co. for $80,000.
Appointed V.K. Macivana to the Morrisville Economic Development Authority.
Re-appointed John Eperjesi, Patricia Wilcox, Patricia Brofman and Lillian Piscopo for two-year terms to the Recreation Advisory Board.
Victor Cicero abruptly resigns from Morrisville Council over issue of destroying meeting tapes
By Petra Chesner Schlatter
BucksLocalNews.com
MORRISVILLE -- Morrisville Borough Councilman Victor Cicero abruptly announced his resignation last night after council voted to table a motion to dispose of video recordings of public meetings, while also allowing Mayor Rita Ledger access to previously requested videos.
Immediately after the matter was tabled by a 4-3 vote, Cicero stood up and announced, "I'm resigning!"
Cicero, who had made the motion to destroy the tapes, said, "Good night. I don't know why I got involved. What are you afraid of? What a bunch of fools. I've never seen anything like this in my life."
When asked by phone Tuesday morning if he was indeed resigning, he would only say "I will not be at the next meeting."
Ledger said she had been asking for tapes from 2009 -- particularly November and December -- but hadn't been able to gain access to them despite several requests.
"I still haven't gotten any copies," she said at the meeting. "How can they be destroyed before copies have been given to somebody who has requested this twice?"
Borough Solicitor Todd Eisenberg said the recordings would be available to her before they are destroyed.
Eisenberg discussed the legality of disposing of recordings. He said the state publishes a document every couple of years, which outlines how borough records can be disposed of.
"One of the regulations is that video tapes of meetings can be disposed of after the minutes are approved unless the council finds there is a historical significance in keeping them," he said. "Most of the municipalities that I know destroy them after the minutes are approved."
Eisenberg said, "If a person, not just the mayor, wants them right away and we do not have the ability to make the copies we can send them out and have the copies made."
Ledger said those who request a copy should not have to pay if the borough sends the recordings out for a copy to be made.
Before his resignation, Cicero asked if the borough has the legal right to charge for a copy and Eisenberg said, "Absolutely."
Eisenberg said he would provide more information on the history of the disposal of recordings "so everyone will have a better feel. You have the right to get rid of these tapes. It's just an issue of, 'Do you want to?'"
Borough Council President Nancy Sherlock said prior administrations had conversations on this matter.
"There's no reason to have six, seven or eight boxes of all these tapes," she said.
Sharon Hughes, president of the Historic Morrisville Society, has been videotaping council meetings since she was told the borough's recording equipment was not working. She has volunteered to broadcast and record meetings for years.
"Why are you afraid? What is the word up there, we might be sued? Somebody's asking for tapes now and all of a sudden we have to have them destroyed? They've been sitting there for 14 years," said Hughes.
"They are a historic record of what this board has done...They are the history of this town. They are the history of this borough," she continued.
Hughes challenged the idea that Morrisville should be like other municipalities and destroy the recordings right away.
"Somebody wants records and other people up there don't want them to have them," she said, stressing that a decision should not be made quickly.
"It's not the right thing to do in my opinion," she said.
In a phone interview Tuesday, Mayor Ledger said she wanted the tapes for prosperity's sake.
"I'm the first woman mayor," she said. "I would like to keep the tapes of meetings that I preside over. It would be great for future generations of your family to see it ... and it is a way of making everyone accountable for their actions."
She would not offer comment on Cicero's resignation.
Sherlock said the issue would be discussed at council's Tuesday, Oct. 12 meeting.
"In Febuary 2009, council approved a motion declaring its intention to follow the schedule and procedures for disposition of records as set forth in the municipal records manual that that was approved on Dec. 16, 2008," Sherlock said in a phone interview Tuesday. "Since the resolution has been passed it is our duty to follow the guidelines ... We are not able to dispose of anything the commission deems historic or necessary to keep."
In other news, Ledger reported that she and former Mayor Lee Rockafellow met recently with the Bucks County Parks and Recreation Department about the future of the Morrisville Swimming Pool. They did a walkthrough of what was once a thriving facility, but is now a crippled community hub following a major flood. The community pool has been closed ever since.
Ledger said she will find out whether the county will work with the borough on getting the facility back in shape and open to the public.
The council also:
Awarded the 2010 Emergency Generator Bid to the low bidder, A.C. Scott Electric & Testing Co. for $80,000.
Appointed V.K. Macivana to the Morrisville Economic Development Authority.
Re-appointed John Eperjesi, Patricia Wilcox, Patricia Brofman and Lillian Piscopo for two-year terms to the Recreation Advisory Board.
Councilman: 'Nothing is official' after resignation
It's a shame that this is what make the papers. Did anything else happen at the meeting or did they bicker over VHS tapes for a couple of hours and accomplish nothing else. We're sure there was other notable business that could have been covered by the BCCT reporter.
PhillyBurbs.com: Councilman: 'Nothing is official' after resignationBy: GEMA MARIA DUARTE
Bucks County Courier Times
Morrisville
As of Tuesday, Morrisville Councilman Victor Cicero officially was still on the council.
But late Monday night his status was questionable after he abruptly resigned and left a council meeting.
He didn't want to comment Tuesday afternoon, noting, "I haven't decided" and "nothing is official."
A frustrated Cicero left the council chambers after members voted 5-3 to table a discussion on the disposal of videotapes of old council meetings. Some council members had concerns about getting rid of the tapes, and the issue became a tit-for-tat among council members themselves and the public. That's when Cicero got frustrated and left.
Cicero, along with council President Nancy Sherlock and Councilman David Rivella, was in favor of getting rid of the tapes, some of which are as old as 15 years.
Two ordinances for tapes' disposal were up for discussion but not on the agenda because borough solicitor Todd Eisenberg provided the resolutions to the town the same day of the meeting, Sherlock said.
One resolution explained the reasons for the disposal and how the tapes would be discarded. The other resolution explained the process, Sherlock said.
Morrisville went from VHS tapes to DVD in June 2009, so Sherlock had suggested trashing the VHS tapes only and keeping the DVDs.
In February 2009 the council passed a resolution to follow the schedule of public information retention set by the state, so the resolutions were simply just following through with the 2009 resolution, Sherlock said Tuesday. The state schedule states that the meeting minutes are the official records.
"We don't need receipts from 1968," she said. "We have four or five boxes of tapes that are easy to get rid of. It's simply a procedure thing. The real records (of meetings) are the minutes, not the tapes. They are of no use to the administration."
Mayor Rita Ledger was particularly disturbed of the possibility of the tapes' destruction, saying Tuesday that she requested meeting recordings from November and December and hasn't been given the copies. Borough solicitor Todd Eisenberg assured Ledger she would get those recordings, which wouldn't be destroyed under the proposed resolution, Sherlock said.
To ease the concerned council members, Eisenberg will write a memo to the council explaining the process, Sherlock said.
Sharon Hughes, president of the Historic Morrisville Society, has been recording the meeting for years and suggested the possibility of donating the recordings to the local library or the historical society, Ledger said.
Hughes questioned the reasoning behind the sudden need to dispose of video tapes after years of being stored.
Sherlock assured Tuesday that disposing of the tapes has nothing to do with the public's request for copies of the recordings.
Since the issue was tabled, it will be discussed at the October council meeting.
September 22, 2010 02:10 AM
PhillyBurbs.com: Councilman: 'Nothing is official' after resignationBy: GEMA MARIA DUARTE
Bucks County Courier Times
Morrisville
As of Tuesday, Morrisville Councilman Victor Cicero officially was still on the council.
But late Monday night his status was questionable after he abruptly resigned and left a council meeting.
He didn't want to comment Tuesday afternoon, noting, "I haven't decided" and "nothing is official."
A frustrated Cicero left the council chambers after members voted 5-3 to table a discussion on the disposal of videotapes of old council meetings. Some council members had concerns about getting rid of the tapes, and the issue became a tit-for-tat among council members themselves and the public. That's when Cicero got frustrated and left.
Cicero, along with council President Nancy Sherlock and Councilman David Rivella, was in favor of getting rid of the tapes, some of which are as old as 15 years.
Two ordinances for tapes' disposal were up for discussion but not on the agenda because borough solicitor Todd Eisenberg provided the resolutions to the town the same day of the meeting, Sherlock said.
One resolution explained the reasons for the disposal and how the tapes would be discarded. The other resolution explained the process, Sherlock said.
Morrisville went from VHS tapes to DVD in June 2009, so Sherlock had suggested trashing the VHS tapes only and keeping the DVDs.
In February 2009 the council passed a resolution to follow the schedule of public information retention set by the state, so the resolutions were simply just following through with the 2009 resolution, Sherlock said Tuesday. The state schedule states that the meeting minutes are the official records.
"We don't need receipts from 1968," she said. "We have four or five boxes of tapes that are easy to get rid of. It's simply a procedure thing. The real records (of meetings) are the minutes, not the tapes. They are of no use to the administration."
Mayor Rita Ledger was particularly disturbed of the possibility of the tapes' destruction, saying Tuesday that she requested meeting recordings from November and December and hasn't been given the copies. Borough solicitor Todd Eisenberg assured Ledger she would get those recordings, which wouldn't be destroyed under the proposed resolution, Sherlock said.
To ease the concerned council members, Eisenberg will write a memo to the council explaining the process, Sherlock said.
Sharon Hughes, president of the Historic Morrisville Society, has been recording the meeting for years and suggested the possibility of donating the recordings to the local library or the historical society, Ledger said.
Hughes questioned the reasoning behind the sudden need to dispose of video tapes after years of being stored.
Sherlock assured Tuesday that disposing of the tapes has nothing to do with the public's request for copies of the recordings.
Since the issue was tabled, it will be discussed at the October council meeting.
September 22, 2010 02:10 AM
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