JULY 1 - JULY 7, 2000
JULY 7, 2K
Shame on me?
Good morning. It is 47.7 degrees at 5:55 A.M. Nice days and cool nights.
A perfect summer so far.
I received an e-mail yesterday in response to the columns I wrote about school
taxes going up and no one saying anything about it. I want to share it with you seeing how
it does come from a School Board member, one of which voted against the increase.
Subject: Shame on you!
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2000 11:55:18 -0400
Mr. Beck,
I take exception to your comment in MLR 6/30/00 about secret school board meetings. You
always tout yourself as being completely truthful no matter who it hurts. It is common
knowledge to those who care that school board meetings are always the first and second
Mondays of the month unless otherwise specified. They are always printed in the
"Error" in the same place most municipal and county meetings are advertised, as
you should well know. They are in the legal notices. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to
find them. If we could get more people to come to these meetings maybe the message that
some of us are trying to get across will be more effective.
It's very frustrating saying "no" when 5 to 7 other people say
"yes" and you have no community support. Sure, after the fact people say thanks
for saying no, but if more people would attend meetings maybe it would convince fence
riders or the ones who just want to be on the winning side to think twice. I am willing to
talk to anyone face to face about school board business as long as it is a legitimate
concern and within the scope of the boards control.
Just for the record, when I got on the board, I was one of those who wanted to "cut a
fat hog in the ass" but I found out in short order that the school board has control
of only about 17% of district affairs. I can't remember off hand,
but the other percentages are divided between federal and state government. These
bureaucratic entities make all these rules we have to abide by, but seldom come forward
with the funds to help. But, what is the difference if we
pay it in property tax or federal or state tax. " You can pay me now or you can pay
me later. " We would be better off if Gov. Ridge becomes VP, then maybe we can get
someone in Harrisburg who is more public school oriented instead of playing politics for
"vouchers".
Again, I am willing to discuss any board business, with the exceptions covered by
"sunshine law", any time with anyone. I just hope people use common sense and
respect my private time. I prefer to conduct business during normal business hours. I hope
I have cleared up some things and have challenged people to participate in THEIR school
business.
I am: Bob Tingley
School Board Director
e-mail ting7@penn.com
For the record I did not accuse the School Board of having "secret
meetings." What I said was:
"School Board meetings for some reason are well kept secrets and no one
attends and that makes them believe that they can do whatever they want and they generally
do. Thus our taxes go up and up and up."
Are you a product of the Bradford Area School System? Perhaps you should learn to read
before you write. And that statement was in response to a letter in which the writer
complained that they never knew when the meetings were scheduled. Evidently that reader
and very many others do not comb the legal notices of the newspaper to find these things
out.
County Commissioners' meetings on the other hand are well attended for the simple
reason people know when the meetings are. They are publicized because they are
controversial (at least they used to be) and it made print. You could do that if you
wanted but I doubt that you do. In fact the people want Commissioners' meetings at
night so more people can attend but the "Cowardly Lion" is afraid of the people
who have elected him and thus another promise is broken. But back to your letter.
I know how frustrating it is to be the odd man out. For four years I had to take what I
could get most times. I voted no more than anyone else. I fought inside to get some of
what I stood for done. Part of that was budgeting. Do you know how to create a budget? I
doubt it. If you did then you wouldn't be giving us that line of bull a mile long about
how ".... the school board has control of only about 17% of district affairs."
That's Cheri O'Mara talk and everyone of you swallow that hook, line, and sinker. Until
you understand a budget you cannot even attempt to convince me that is true.
What is so obvious is that the school board members, you included, depend on what the
Superintendent and her people tell you. They tell you what they need and then you vote on
it with just their say so and no outside independent people exerting oversight for you.
Look at the half a million you spent on furniture. Who exerted oversight on that one? It
seems to me that you signed a blank check. In the meantime try telling the senior citizens
on fixed incomes how they are going to pay the extra few dollars that you sent on to them.
The time has come to be innovative. Do you think we can be that? Do you think this town
is open to something new?
One of my readers has a great idea. He wrote:
I do believe you are missing the boat. I moved from Bradford to Missouri several
years ago. All City Council and School Board meetings are broadcast on the local TV
station. Now, if I own a paper, I would do an in-depth story on the new TV station at
Bradford High. Then ask them what Bradford as a town has to do to get these meetings on
the air. If a person is really interested they
can tape it. It also closes the loop hole in Smethport. Instead of night meetings anyone
working can tape it. It also my keep the commissioners awake. It may not be the answer but
it is a start. If you use this please only the first name thank you.
No. Thank you!
What do you say, Bob? Why not put the meetings on the air? In fact all
meetings should be taped and rebroadcast during the week for all to see. That would keep The
Error honest and it would serve as a safeguard on the slanted and biased reporting
that goes on.
Think of it. The people could see Larry Stratton sleeping and Jim Weaver blustering and
Al trying to be intelligent. They could see you voting against higher taxes and they could
see the rest of the sheep doing as they are told. What an idea! City Council meetings,
township meetings, the whole shebang! What do you say, Bob?
I will wait for your comments and those of the readers at editor@mlrmag.com.
JULY 6, 2K
Thank you Jocko
Good morning. It is 50.4 degrees at 6:02 A.M.
Chris McGonnell sends me material from time to time. Today's piece, in light of one
of the stories in The Error : "Beck Lawsuit thrown out" is appropriate.
Subject: An elderly woman judgment
A small-town prosecuting attorney called his first witness to the stand in a trial
-- a grandmotherly, elderly woman.
He approached her and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know me?"
She responded, "Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Williams. I've known you since you
were a young boy. And frankly, you've been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you
cheat on your wife, you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs.
You think you're a rising big shot when you haven't the > brains to realize you will
never amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you."
The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and
asked, "Mrs. Williams, do you know the defense attorney?"
She replied, "Why, yes I do. I've known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster,
too. I used to baby-sit him for his parents. And he, too, has been a real
disappointment to me. He's lazy, bigoted, and he has a drinking problem. The man
can't build a normal relationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of the
shoddiest in the entire state. Yes, I know him."
At this point, the judge rapped the courtroom to silence and called both counselors to the
bench. In a very quiet voice, he said with menace, "If either of you asks her if
she knows me, you'll be jailed for contempt!"
And so it is in a small town, or in a small county like McKean.
Jocko, or for the rest of you who read this daily, The Honorable John M. Cleland,
President Judge of McKean County, in fact the only Judge in McKean County except for
visiting Senior Judges, which kind of makes him President of nothing, has rendered his
decision. It took him two months to give that decision.
Now early on I made a request that he recuse himself and get off of the case. I didn't
believe he could be fair.
Forget the merits of the case. I am not about to discuss them here, because as The
Error and the anonymous author of the story so well stated:
"Franklin is expected to be a witness against Beck at the October trial. Beck, who
is acting as his own attorney, will have the opportunity to cross-examine his former
campaign manager if he takes the witness stand."
Count on that!
But lets look at the thinking of old Jocko when he decided to stay. That in itself
raises quite a few issues. Many of them linked to my Civil Rights and the civil rights of
a whole lot of people in this county and counties all over the nation where we depend on
justice from one county judges.
Jocko recused himself in the Criminal Matter that is finally coming to trial after five
years. He claimed at that time because of the history between the two of us that if he
ruled against me and found me guilty, that could be taken as prejudice. He further stated
that if he ruled in my favor and found me innocent, then it could be taken that he was
intimidated. That was one hundred percent correct. So what changed?
Nothing. Not a damn thing!
Civil or Criminal, justice is justice. He set his own prescident when he withdrew from
the first case. He should have withdrawn from this one. But he didn't and no matter how
strong or weak my case was against Mr. Franklin, his ruling is immediately suspect in my
mind and the minds of a whole lot of other people. Did he give me justice? Hardly.
How could he?
I am the person who wrote: "It seems that John Cleland has never met a child
molester or rapist that he didn't feel sorry for."
I wrote that in response to his typically easy sentences for those crimes. Someone
selling marijuana gets a heavier sentence as a rule, and DUI offenders are summarily
treated much worse. In many rulings, it seemed the punishment hardly fit the crime.
And I guess I did call him a draft dodger from time to time. I do remember bringing up
his protesting the Vietnam War and successfully avoiding military service while I and a
whole lot of other men gave up years of our lives to serve. As I recall it was just over
six years for me.
Then lets not forget all the times that as a County Commissioner I said no to the
imperial Cleland.
Let's not forget that he sued me individually and with the other two Commissioners when
we told him we might not pay for all the kids he was shipping out of the county to $100 to
$500 a day institutions. Let's also not forget how I wrote the budgets that took money
away from him and some of his pet ideas. Is this a payback for all of that. With him
staying on the case it certainly seems so.
He could have handed this off to Judge Alexander or Judge Wolfe. Had he done that I and
it was thrown out, then I wouldn't have a gripe. Not one. But with him staying on with any
of the Senior Judges available, that certainly does give rise to the appearance of
impropriety, one of the big no no's in being a Judge.
So what do I intend to do? Should I appeal his ruling or should I sue him personally
for violating my Civil Rights?
Time will tell. Comments are welcome at editor@mlrmag.com.
JULY 5, 2K
Good morning. It is 52.3 degrees at 6:12 A.M. Happy Birthday John Walter, we
miss you.
Thank you for the card, Mary. It was Michelob Light, not Bud Light. I didn't
see any majorettes like that, but there was a pretty nice bartender at Bleachers. Sam
liked her, too. He even said a word. Lunch!
I was watching Erie news this morning. There was an accident up there last
night and the person in the accident had to life flighted to the hospital. That fits in
with what Tom Clark has today.
What's Up With That? By Tom Clark
I heard something rather disturbing the other day. Perhaps it's old news and I missed
it the first time around. It may have been reported in the Error but, then again,
that doesn't necessarily mean it is true.
I was talking with a friend of mine who works at the Bradford Regional Medical Center.
We all know what kind of deals the head honchos there swing from time to time, usually in
their favor. This time, it didn't swing their way.
I asked my friend why the Mercy Flight helicopters that transport patients from BRMC
land at the UPB campus and not at the Bradford Area High School parking lot.
He told me that either the city or the Bradford School District wanted BRMC to sign a
high-dollar lease for use of the school parking lot as a heliport.
Now, I can see this surfacing if BRMC wanted to use the lot for auxiliary parking for
its staff and visitors. But, charging for Mercy Flights to land there?
How cold and callous can anyone be? Who's stupid idea was this? It seems to me that the
extra distance an ambulance would have to travel to UPB to transport a patient could be
the difference of life and death.
I tried to delve into this a bit further but hit a few stone walls. Apparently, the
parking lot is jointly owned by Bradford City and the Bradford School District. It's
unclear if it is a split or joint ownership, no one wanted to comment on it.
Some said that it is BRMC's own fault. When they did some renovation work, a rooftop
heliport was in the plans but was never completed. Could have been budget reasons, I don't
know (there I go again, sounding like the Error!).
I don't care who's fault it is or what the reasons are for either the city or the
school board attempting to charge BRMC for helicopter landing privileges. The bottom line
is that, sometime, it is going to cost a person his or her life, and the owners of the
high school parking lot should be held accountable.
If I lived near the hospital, I would let a Mercy Flight helicopter land in my yard.
And, if my lot was large enough, I would let people park their cars there for free.
Another point my BRMC friend made was the parking situation around the
hospital. Yes, parking spots can be a scarcity. The city knew that when they decided
to cash in on the problem and erect parking meters wherever they could.
There is one aspect of city business that I would like to know more about. How much
does the city collect per month on parking meters and fines? I have never seen any reports
or mention of it at City Council meetings.
Where does the money go that the city collects? Is it quietly slid into a general fund?
Does it somehow find its way into Ray McMahon's OECD pockets? Parking money is, basically,
unreportable, so it wouldn't be hard to bury it.
I would hope that the money is directly used for Public Works, such as sprucing up Main
Street. Please, please, please don't tell me it goes to the Parks Department, because that
means it does end up in McMahon's hands.
By the way, I noticed a day after my column on the Parks Department that their workers
were out piddling around with the wading pool at Jack Burns Park on North Kendall Avenue.
With any luck, McMahon willing, it will be open in time for Labor Day.
There's allot of screwy stuff going on around the city, and I'm making it my job to get
to the bottom of it. If there is something fishy you would like me to check out, please
e-mail me at tcclark@2-cool.com.
Comments are welcome at editor@mlrmag.com.
JULY 4, 2K
Independence Day chatter
Good morning. It is 64.4 degrees at 5:50 A.M. Judging by the Erie weather the day
should be a mild one with no rain. That's good. We are all going to Warren for the annual
parade at eleven this morning.
Now I have never been one for parades. I hated them when I was in the military. I hated
marching in them and I hated watching them. Nothing has changed in thirty years. I still
hate them so I will be watching my parade in the Moose Club and next door at Bleachers
Pub.
I caught the on line article in The Bradford Error yesterday about a seemingly
insignificant upgrade in service. One of our readers thinks differently.
Mr. Beck: As usual the "E" had an announcement about
the great things that are happening in the Bradford Area to our cable TV system.
One little paragraph said something that there would be changes that
would require digital equipment to receive the new signal. It also stated that the cable
company would rent the digital equipment so subscribers would be able to receive the new
channels, etc. Why I bring this to your attention is that a few years ago there were some
changes made to the system. One of the changes was to move the Weather Channel from
Channel 24(I think) to Channel 38. Now this sounded OK but it cost many subscribers more
money. Most of the older TVs and VCRs did not have the range to receive Channel 38. So
unless we purchased a new TV or VCR it was necessary to RENT the Cable Company equipment
to receive the weather channel. At that time I called the city office and tried to explain
what was happening. It was treated as not being important. With the news item in today's
"E" I made a call to the city office asking for the mayor. So far I haven't
received an answer to my call. Perhaps this is not too important but if some slick changes
are made without any questions many people will be forced to discard their present
equipment or will have to be renting digital equipment from the cable company. Not knowing
what the exact changes are being made it makes me wonder if anyone else knows especially
those who control the cable franchise. Thanks for reading this-I would rather not have my
name linked to this query but use the material if you think there should be some attention
brought to your readers.
Interesting to note.
One of our other readers has discovered something of interest, too.
Bud,
Go to bradfordpa.com and click on the Economic Development link on the
right-hand side of the page. Under KOZ, you will see this text:
Pennsylvania's new Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) Program is a key
development incentive in the Bradford area. The Bradford Area KOZ
includes 18 Sites totaling more than 477 acres. A key incentive for the
KOZ Program is elimination of virtually all state and local taxes until
the year 2111.
Is the year 2111 a typo? Should it be 2011? Do businesses locating in
the zone really get a 111-year tax break? If it's a typo, you could have
some fun with it. If not, you still could.
Obviously it is a typo! NOT even the benevolent Tom Ridge would give that much away,
unless of course it was a relative or an old buddy from Erie. And the way the KOZ was set
up, it will never benefit any of us. No. It will benefit FORM's. Remember what that is? Of
course you do! Think about it.
Get the list from Bradford and you will find out most of the property is owned by
FORM's. I had to vote on it and they skillfully drew the lines and selected the property
so that they could have it all - and they do.
As for the problem with the digital up grade in Bradford, all the executives at
Zippo have already up graded their home entertainment centers to digital equipment, so
don't expect any help from the mayor. This is a done deal. Big Mike wants it so the city
will get it.
And from our friend down south............more about Dogpatch...
Ghostwriter strikes again
Do You Believe In Magic? (Shoppin’ TuneFul)
Do you believe in Magic, how the shopping can start?
If the town is ready for a brand new Wal-Mart.
And maybe, if the prices are right
I’ll meet you tomorrow in the middle of the night
And we’ll go shopping baby then you’ll see
Wal-Mart is magic and the magic is free
Our own little hangout, well, now, "Golly gee"
Do you believe in Magic?
Do you believe in Magic, let the prices fall
Wal-Mart is op’nin' and it’s killin’ them all
On Main Street, where the merchants weren’t smart
They could’ve lowered prices, would have been a start.
Believe in the Magic that can set us free
Believe in the prices that we want to see
Believe after bowling shop ‘til quarter to three.
Whoa, do you believe?
Hey, baby, ain’t this shoppin’ just grand?
This Wal-Mart is happenin’, it was such a great plan
And baby, just look at that grin
On the face of the smiley on that greeter’s pin
The face of the greeter is a real treat
The face of this greeter makes my life complete
The face of a Center Streeter off of relief
Do you believe in Magic?
Wow, baby, take my hand in yours
We’ll shop until morning in this Superstore
We’ll buy batt’ries for our run-down jeep
We can afford them now the prices are cheap.
Believe in the magic of a downhome price
Buyin’ shoes and groceries, and not thinkin’ twice
Boy that Mr. Walton guy he sure was nice
Hey, do you believe?
Do you believe, like I believe?
On Main St. now more stores will leave
Do you believe, like I believe………………..
Ghostwriter in the Sky
Have a safe Fourth of July. Comments are welcome at editor@mlrmag.com.
JULY 3, 2K
Comments on ho hum
Good morning this Monday in the middle of a holiday weekend/week. It is 64.8
degrees at 6:52 A.M. I've been outside sitting on the deck enjoying the morning with a cup
of coffee. Rain is coming down from Lake Erie and should be here shortly.
Comments turned after Friday's column. We even got a poem out of it.
Subject: Ho Hum
Mr. Beck,
What truth you write of Brad ford's plight
Their looking glass now screams.
They see their woes right past their nose
That pushes away their dreams.
"Don't bother me," comes easily
To those who can't perceive
That they alone control their home
And get what they receive.
To put the blame on one so tame
As you, is not polite
"They" bear the shame of those so lame
Who just can't get it right.
"Sit back and pay, day after day,"
Is what they think is cool.
But you and I can sure reply
We know that they are fools.
"Get off your duffs, you lazy fluffs
And tell those rulers loud
That no more will you take it still
And sing that "No" so proud.
Unless you guys get awfully wise
Your future drains away.
Just like the oil from Bradford soil
Unless you have your say.
The Error lies, it's no surprise
The judgement's up to you.
To get the truth, the smarter sleuth
Reads the Mountain Laurel Review."
So, Mr. Beck, hey what the heck,
Don't waste your time on those
Whose looking glass says "Kiss my a--"
And deals out more blows.
Just be content to let them vent,
Lament and sing their blues.
For they have lost, again at cost
And that's not brand new news.
Just laugh out loud at this dumb crowd
Who doesn't have a clue.
That hemlock town is going down
And they can't blame on you,
This town's demise from all those lies
"Sit back" no longer works
'Cause deep inside, they've lost their pride
To Bradford's "rich-kid jerks."
From afar---Ghostwriter in the Sky
And we had one liners.
Bud: Well said and well done.
And we heard from former residents.
Subject: school taxes
I've been reading MLR for about 6-8 months now and, although I am from
McKean County (George Petrisek country in fact), I left a longggggggg time ago so I find
MLR quite refreshing -- I find it interesting, but hard to believe, that the school board
meetings aren't published far and wide -- they're public meetings and under the state's
Sunshine Laws must be published. Do the your corner of the world a favor and publish the
dates/times of board meetings and see if it makes any difference in attendance.
Unfortunately, the problem you mention persists even where meetings are
widely publicized -- no one attends! Personally I don't recall if it was that way when I
was in school, but then...I really didn't care about school boards, taxes etc. then and I
left soon after Anyway, I do enjoy MLR -- eve bought your first two Cornplanter books a
few years ago.
Volume Three is done and I am preparing to go to press with Volume Four later
this year. That will complete the series of Chronicles. We will be selling them over the
net within the next month.
And about the asbestos.
Mr. Beck. What a vivid reality to give us. Because of the actions, or non actions
of the school board and the administration many of our children are in all probability
dying as we speak. They don't know it yet but they will within only a few years more into
their short lives. A real shame. Thank you for keeping that memory fresh. Maybe, just
maybe, some of these people will still be around to answer for what they did. And if not,
they will answer ultimately in the end. Just like the war criminals they will all say they
had no knowledge or were just following orders. Thank you again for keeping the memory
fresh in our minds.
Comments are welcome at editor@mlrmag.com.
JULY 1 & 2, 2K
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