APRIL 3 - APRIL 9, 1999
APRIL 9, 1999
Denials and placing blame....and misinformation and cover-up
Good morning. It is 41.2 degrees at 5:01 A.M. and it is about to rain. You can
smell it in the air!
Before I put in what you have to say about a few things, I find it uncanny that as I
print out info on the situation at the Senior High School, my fellow antagonist, Jim Buck,
is taking such an opposite and liberal stand on such a touchy and health sensitive issue.
Just reading his article, complete with front page picture, in yesterday's Era, one
might believe that asbestos is not only a benign substance, but something
that all of us should hoard and bring home just so we can say we are the first on our
blocks to own such a wonderful thing.
The title of his article, Out in open air, says it all! That is the
problem and for some reason Jim doesn't, can't, or won't understand that when asbestos
is out in the open air, it is a dangerous thing. Just because you don't see asbestos
dust, that doesn't mean that it isn't there.
For some reason I am getting the impression that if I had taken the side of the school
officials and attacked the workers (as The Era has done) Jim would have rallied
to the side of the two men who blew the whistle on this situation. If that is true, then
both Mr. Buck and The Era are not to be trusted. Where is objectivity? Where is
the truth?
I am bracing for a barrage of manufactured letters to Other voices
calling for me to mind my own business and allow the "competent school
officials" to do their jobs. I am also preparing for another editorial in Comment
& opinion that will accuse me of last minute ploys to draw
attention to me in the election.
The fact of the matter is, with no issues on the table except for the ones that
Jim Buck and The Era have manufactured, I could have easily sat back, said
nothing, and taken 40 - 50 percent of the vote on May 18th, more than enough to win the
nomination once more.
I didn't! Why? Most of you already know the answer. Many of you are
saying it.
" I want to point out the EPA inspector was quoted as saying "appears
to be in compliance with (the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act)." He did not
say that they were or even appeared to be in compliance with (Asbestos School Hazard
Abatement Act).
And while $75,000.00 is a fraction of 7 million, it is also, though a
larger one, only a fraction of O'Mara's annual salary."
and,
"You've really done your homework on the asbestos issue. Kudos to you and a pox on
those who don't listen to you. In fifteen-twenty years they will wish they had
listened."
and one that was also sent to Other voices:
"Another election year, another issue. Is this really a political issue for Bud
Beck or is it just common sense? You are betting the lives of your children on this one so
don't laugh it off. Ask questions and
demand straight answers.
"According to Buck's article, there is no local, state or federal requirement
calling for asbestos to be removed from buildings. That information is correct, but there
is a regulation calling for and yes even demanding asbestos abatement, specifically in
schools. If you want to read it you can download it from the internet.
"Code of Federal Regulations
Title 40, Volume 22, Parts 700 to 789
Revised as of July 1, 1998
From the U.S. Government Printing Office
"Pay close attention to paragraph 763.85. Does our school district have these
records, did they perform the initial inspection as mandated in Title 40 and have they
performed follow-up inspections
within each subsequent three year period as required by this Federal Regulation? If the
BSD is in compliance how could they be surprised to find asbestos? If they were in
compliance they should already know the location of all the asbestos in the building both
friable and nonfriable, have records of required periodic inspections and any abatement or
removal that might have been performed.
"Did Jim Buck ask to see these records or was he just given a misguided tour. My
guess is that he did not ask, not because he was afraid to expose a Cavalleroish records
system but more that he
just did not have even the slightest idea what to ask about. His mission was to discredit
Harold T. Beck, why should he cure his ignorance of federal regulations with a little
research prior to his tour
and after the published invitation? He would have us believe that this whole thing was
orchestrated by Beck. Buck needs to start using a different font, the slant on this one is
way too obvious. I did not write the regulation nor did Jim Buck but I did read it. Why
didn't he read it before writing his story?
Bernie (The JERK) Moore
75 Belleview Av.
Bradford Pa 16701
Ph# 362-6344
e-mail: cnac@penn.com
and,
"My husband is working at the High School and was there when Jim Buck was given
his tour. They showed him what they wanted him to see, not what he should see. If they had
taken him just a little deeper into the school he would have seen exposed asbestos on the
floors and the ceilings and not one ounce of containment anywhere. He would not have seen
where there was negative air flow as Mr. Beck described yesterday in his article. Instead
he would have seen that the air was flowing freely and if dust existed, everyone was being
exposed. We were not Beck supporters until this started, but if the Era wants him out so
bad that they have to cover up for Cheri O'Mara, then he has our votes."
That's what you say. What is Mr. Buck really doing?
On April 5, 1999 Commissioners Larry Stratton, Harold Beck, and James Weaver
were faxed the following from Jim Buck:
"In compliance with your new policy regarding access to public information
pertaining to the operation of county government, I am writing to formally ask that I be
provided with an opportunity to review and photocopy records pertaining to the asbestos
abatement project that took place in the courthouse in the 1980's or 1970's. Your earliest
reply to this request would be appreciated in light of the current allegations being made
by Mr. Beck against the Bradford Area School District."
I responded to Jim on behalf of the commissioners.
"Really, Jim!
"I do not believe that any of the three of us would have a problem with you
reviewing the records if we had the slightest idea where they were. I believe that I can
honestly state I would not have a clue where to start. Furthermore, a twenty year span in
which to search would not only be prohibitive from a time standpoint, but nearly
impossible.
"Might I make a suggestion. Review your own archives at The Era and
specifically key in on dates when the project took place. With that information we may be
able to find the section of the basement where the records might be so we could start our
search.
"At the same time, I am forced to question your motives by beginning such a
search. I fail to see the correlation between asbestos that was removed from the Court
House twenty or thirty years ago and the lack of proper precautions with regard to
asbestos during construction at Bradford High School during the months of September,
October, November, and December, 1998, and January, 1999."
Does Jim have his own agenda? You had better bet your life he does! He is
furthering his own agenda at the expense and the safety of school children, too.
If you hate me that much Jim, be a man about it. I am alot older than you and
not in as good a shape as I used to be, but if you have to, come see me this weekend and
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT AND BE A MAN! Quit hiding what this is all
about. Just say you hate my guts and get it over with. Before long you will begin having
trouble going to the bathroom if you don't get this out of you.
By the way, Jim is at it again. In his article that I am sure he is hoping to win some
kind of award for, he incorrectly states as a finishing aside:
"Interestingly, one of the plumbers who filed complaints with OSHA was later
appointed to the McKean County Solid Waste Authority, Dave Hickey, who contacted OSHA in
November, 1998 was voted onto the SWA in January by Beck and Commissioner Jim
Weaver."
WRONG!
Dave Hickey, Senior was appointed to the Solid Waste Authority, true. Dave Hickey,
Junior contacted OSHA in November, 1998. Get your facts straight, Jimmy, and stop
shooting from the hip!
I really can't help wondering if all of this doesn't have a whole lot to do with a
saying power woman Marty Robacker Wilder, Managing Editor of The Era
has been known to say quite frequently? That being:
"Don't piss with people who buy ink by the barrels."
Oh my! Have I done something wrong to incur her wrath, too? If I have, let me say this
about that:
"Covering up the asbestos that the children in the high school have been
exposed to is not going to be as easy as sweeping under the rug time when your fellow power
woman wrecks her car and has the boys in the bus garage fix it so it doesn't get on
the insurance; or, not reporting when she sets off a false fire alarm at the school
and causes the fire department to respond because she was smoking in her office."
No, it isn't good to mess with people who control public opinion; but it is wrong to
hide the truth and that is exactly what you are doing. At the same time, you are being
very unprofessional. That, my dear, is conduct not all that fitting for a power woman.
Comment on this article at rdhedbud@penn.com.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON ASBESTOS
Subject:
The Code of Federal Regulations
I do apologize for misdirecting all of you on the WWW, but if you follow these
instructions to the letter you can access the proper regulation, again, I am sorry.
1. Bring up the web address as shown below.
2. Next click on (Search the entire set of CFR databases by keyword
(current data)).
3. In the search box type: "asbestos school hazard abatement act" (just like
that, with quotation marks and in lower case)
4. You will receive 5 hits, choose hit #3 in the txt form.
5. Enjoy reading.
http://www.access@gpo.gov.
This document is sponsored by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and
Records Administration on the United States Government Printing Office web site.
Questions or comments regarding this service? Contact the GPO Access User Support Team by
Internet e-mail at gpoaccess@gpo.gov; by
telephone at (202) 512-1530 or toll free at (888) 293-6498; by fax at (202) 512-1262.
APRIL 8, 1999
A STRANGE NIGHT AT THE HOTEL
Good morning. It is 3:08 A.M. and a line of thunderstorms just rolled
through. It is 52.3 degrees outside. Today I want to tell you about the other
night at The Bradford Hotel. It was one for the books.
I wandered in about nine. The bar was empty. I was hoping Jim Buck was there so we
could talk. He was no where to be found. Little did I know that he was feverishly working
on a literary assault on me, attempting to expose me for the dirty dog that I am. Never in
my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I would fall into the sights (once more) of the
unnamed, anonymous, never pictured author of the Comment & opinion
column in The Error.
Anyway, I was crushed to be compared to Captain Queeg aboard the U.S.S. Caine; I
always imagined myself as Don Quixote! I never wanted to accuse anyone of stealing
strawberries. I wanted to tilt windmills - after I had my hernias repaired of course! Oh
well. How others see you.
To make things worse, I was reeling from a letter someone I knew a long time ago sent
me.
He wrote:
"Before you became a county commissioner I really thought you were an alright guy.
You always brought out things in your paper that the people wanted to hear. The good old
boys that ran the county, the way they did their jobs, and how different you would do
them. You were my HERO. Well, you sure have let me down. You are doing the same thing you
say they did. You want to run the whole show, you want to be the Chief. You may be smart,
but you are not that smart. Let people do their own job and you do your 's. Quit trying to
tell everyone how to do things your way. That is what makes our country great. Everyone
has ideas on everything
and everyone is different. Wake up and remember where you came from, no one likes a
bully."
I was crushed! I really respected this person’s opinion. He wasn’t
specific but I was assuming that he was talking about the asbestos thing. I was really
taking a beating over that one.
The pretty bartender came over. "What can I get you, Bud?" she asked.
I wasn’t driving and I was a little up tight. "Heck," I said. "Give
me a cold beer - Mick Light."
She broke the cap on the bottle and placed it in front of me. As I raised the bottle to
my lips a voice next to me spoke softly, yet with some firmness. "Do you really need
that, Harold?" the voice asked.
"Yes I do," I said turning to see who it was. As I did, I was speechless.
Sitting next to me, wearing a Seneca head piece very similar to the one in my office,
was an Indian. He was wrapped in an animal skin jacket and had a long ornamental earring
dangling from his left ear. He had five gold bracelets on his left wrist and was holding a
long pipe that was sporting eagle feathers matching the ones that were also in his head
piece. He looked very similar to the picture of Chief Cornplanter that was on the cover of
VOLUME ONE of CORNPLANTER CHRONICLES!
"Hello," I said. "How are you tonight?"
"I’m fine, Harold," he said to me. "You are the one I am worried
about."
"Me?" I asked. "I’m fine. Really. I’m fine."
I took a drink of my beer. It tasted good. I hadn’t had a beer in over a year and
there is something about not only the taste, but the smell of that first beer after so
long a time.
"Do I know you?" I asked.
"Of course you do," the Indian answered. "Don’t you recognize
me?"
"You look very familiar," I said. "I’m tired and I know I should
know your name but for some reason it escapes me. Can I buy you a drink?" I asked.
"No," the Indian said. "While Indians can handle whiskey better than
Irishmen, both are equally dangerous. I would like a cup of coffee, if I could," he
said politely.
I asked the bartender to make a fresh pot for the Indian when about the same time
another voice came into the conversation.
"What was that about Irishmen?" Bill Peckham, probably one of the finest
Chiefs of Police in the history of Bradford, PA, asked.
"He said that God invented whiskey so the Irish would not rule the world," I
said to Billy - a fine Irish crooner in his own right.
Bill laughed. "You got that one right."
Dave Sheffer chimed in, too. "That’s for sure."
I turned to the Indian. "What is your name, if you don’t mind me
asking."
"No, I do not mind," he said. "It is Ganiodieu," he told me.
The hair stood up on the back of my neck. "Ganiodieu!" I gasped.
"Yes," the Indian said.
I took a long swallow of beer and looked the man seated next to me square in his blue
eyes.
"Chief Cornplanter?"
"I always liked Captain Abael (O’Bail) but never liked my Christian name of
John. My brother called me old Blue Eyes, but that never caught on after I killed the
first man other than him to call me that."
"Oh," I said.
"But that’s not important. Tell me about this business with the
asbestos," he said in a commanding tone. "You seem to have a whole lot of people
upset with you. Why do you get your self into things like that anyway? Whatever possessed
you to run for public office? Why a county commissioner? I was going to burn the ones in
Warren County alive in the Court House over my taxes. What a thankless job! Has anyone
threatened to burn you alive yet?" he asked.
"No," I answered him. "And I don’t want to give them any ideas,
either."
About that time Grant Nichols showed up. He sat down and listened to the conversation.
I tried to answer Cornplanter’s question about the asbestos.
"The High School is going through a renovation. They are fixing things and are
giving the school a seven million dollar face lift. Part of that is improving the plumbing
and things like that. They were working last September when the kids came back from summer
vacation. They were already breaking into the walls and the ceilings then and that is
where the asbestos is located.
"There is a law called AHERA, which the school officials who are saying everything
is alright fail to mention. They talk about how all old buildings have asbestos somewhere,
and how it doesn't do us any harm. They just don't mention the requirements of AHERA,
which is about asbestos in schools. Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act.
"One key provision has to do with the notifications required when workers come on
site to do whatever might result in ACBMs (asbestos-containing building materials) being
disturbed.
"Inspection, AMP (Asbestos Management Plan) and O&M (Operations and
Maintenance for maintaining ACBMs in place and preventing fiber release) documents have to
be available for inspection by anyone at the central office of the SD, and those that
pertain to a given school building must be present and available in that building.
"Any work in a school building that will or may disturb ACBMs (other than a tiny
amount such as three linear feet of thermal insulation, three square feet of VAT floor)
should be treated as an asbestos abatement project--professionally designed, performed by
companies and workers trained and licensed for asbestos work, and overseen appropriately.
Building occupants must be notified by notices, signage and barrier tape should delineate
the work area, HVAC services must be turned off or isolated so no air is exchanged with
other areas, negative air should be employed to prevent fiber release outside the work
area. Even glove bagging should be done under negative air conditions-- HEPA vac attached
to port in bag so if the bag ruptures (a not uncommon occurrence) there will be implosion
rather than explosion and fibers will be captured rather than released.
"My information is that the workers of the plumbing and heating contractor were
not given the required notifications. There were no worker protection procedures. The HVAC
was not turned off, but air was circulated between the work areas and the user-occupied
parts of the building. Oversight personnel for VES were not present, some exposed and
damaged ACBMs were sprayed or wrapped after they were brought to the attention of
supervisors, no respiratory protection was required or furnished. One of the workers had
been trained and employed as an asbestos worker a few years ago so he knew something about
AHERA regs. Of course most P&H workers employed by regular contractors do not know of
those regs.
"I am told that most architects and engineers don't know their asbestos from a
hole in the ground. That's okay so long as when they design school projects they consult
with other professionals who are qualified in asbestos hazard control, and use licensed
APDs (Asbestos Project Designers) to design all asbestos-related components of the
over-all project, including demolition and anything else that causes surfaces to be
breached.
"Both OSHA and EPA are involved as regulatory agencies in a project like the
Bradford HS renovation. EPA handles enforcement WRT government/municipal building owners
and their employees; OSHA does the same WRT private sector ones. OSHA adopted the EPA
worker protection/respiratory protection rules and standards. The employees of the
contractors would be covered by OSHA; school district staff would be covered by EPA. AHERA
rules are supposed to protect all building occupants and the public at large WRT asbestos
in schools.
‘The problem arises because persons exposed to asbestos are deemed to have been
harmed whether or not they exhibit symptoms of asbestos-related illness. To be placed at
risk of harm is to be harmed. The latency period between exposure and onset of symptoms
would seem to make it difficult to establish cause and effect.
"That is why a person is injured if you cause them to be at risk of exposure, or
place them in a situation where there is clear potential for exposure to the harmful
substance. Why should one of our children attending the school, or one of the teachers
working at the school, or even one of those workers on the job have to live the next 10,
15, 20 or more years wondering whether they are harboring asbestos fibers in their
alveoli, their pleurae, or their mesothelium? By the time they develop crepitant rales
(crackling wheezes) from progressive scarring of lung tissue, or clubbing of fingers and
toes from oxygen deprivation due to disabled alveoli, the entities that were responsible
for exposing me to the hazard may have died or dissolved. The information may be difficult
to come by, years after the exposure. So the harm is done when the exposure or risk
situation occurs.
"It seems that everyone in that building may have been exposed during those fall
and early winter months before the asbestos was brought to everyone’s attention by
some of the workers. Now the School District is saying that air tests taken in February
and March are safe. What about the air tests that were not taken in September, October,
November, December, and January? Air containing asbestos dust may have been circulated and
re-circulated throughout the school for that time. Students remember the exposed pipes and
dust falling off those pipes. These are the same students who have gone through the Fretz
renovation. It seems that all of these projects just follow them and they are conditioned
to ignore the disruption. That in itself is not fair, but to brush the fact that they may
have been exposed is unconscionable.
"They are saying that I am making this an election year issue to get attention. I
don’t have to do that! Just showing up I get attention. Hell, Chief," I said.
"I would have done this even if I wasn’t running for re-election. It is the
right thing to do. People need to know these things and the responsible parties need to be
made accountable."
Chief Cornplanter sat back and lit his long pipe. He drew in deeply. "This is
pretty much like when the English used to give Indians blankets from people who had
measles. They didn’t care if people got sick and died. All they cared about was
getting the credit for giving gifts and getting things done. Killing Indians was one of
the goals. Are they trying to kill the children?"
"No!" I answered. "This is not on purpose. It started with the best of
intentions. When the problem arose they tried to keep it quiet and deal with it. They
didn't do enough fast enough and that was when the workers got involved. They went to the
bosses of the job and then they went to the newspaper. The newspaper just tried to explain
it away because the woman in charge of the school and the woman in charge of the newspaper
are fellow power women. They were protecting one another."
About that time Sheffer began mumbling under his breath about how he lost a "damn
good customer over this power woman thing." He shook is head. "That one
used to smoke like a chimney, but she could really pack it away. It was like there was no
tomorrow with her!"
Cornplanter shook his head. "Giving whiskey to a woman is worse than giving
whiskey to an Indian; but not worse than giving it to an Irishman."
"Hey!" Peckham said. "Take it easy on the Irish!"
"I knew a warrior like you," Cornplanter said to me.
"What happened to him?" Sheffer asked. "Someone shoot him?"
"No," Cornplanter said. "He believed that things should always be right.
He stood up for the weaker members of the tribe. He used to tell me when he thought that I
was being unfair to them. He was a real pain in the ass."
"What did happen to him?" I asked.
"Not what you would think," he said. "I didn’t kill him. I thought
about it though. He turned out alright. He became chief after I died."
I finished my beer and Cornplanter sipped his coffee. I wasn’t sure that Grant
knew who the man was and I found myself wishing that Jim Buck or even the power women had
come in to see who came to visit with me.
"Cheer up," the old Indian told me. "Everything will be okay. You have
made people aware of what is going on. With any luck, no one will get sick in twenty
years. Really, twenty years is not all that long of a time when you are 266 like me."
The chief had a point. I took what he said to heart.
"Thanks," I said. "You were a big help."
"I know," he said. "Now, on the next installment of CORNPLANTER
CHRONICLES, I want you to have me telling Morrison.................."
Comment on this article at rdhedbud@penn.com.
The reader should note that the technical part of my narrative to Chief Cornplanter was
given to me by Conewangus, an expert in asbestos. Conewangus gave me the words to say just
as Cornplanter does when I write about him.
APRIL 7, 1999
Asbestos, the internet, and the election
Good morning. It is 4:44 A.M. I've been up for awhile, sitting in the dark,
just thinking.
"Boy, you've done it now," I can almost hear my father say in my
ear.
I always seemed to have the knack of getting into things intelligent people steered
away from if for no other reason, what they would open up would be more trouble than it
was worth. Quite a few people look at the asbestos thing as just that.
When I turned on my computer a while ago, I closed my eyes for a moment. Just imagine
my surprise when I saw Receiving 3 of 96 on the computer screen when I retrieved
my mail.
This guy doesn't like me!
"Mr. Beck it just amazes me the crap that can roll out the end of your fingers and
onto a keyboard. You have in the past said you aren't a politician and as a matter of fact
take offense to being called one. Well I can think of no better word to describe you then
a politician. Politics is the name of your "game" and you seem to play them just
like the rest of your "kind". Use people and be buddy-buddy with them while they
are doing you good but brush them off and be abusive when you need them no longer. It's
surprising how you and Jim Buck have in the past not gotten along and in recent weeks have
been like old buddies (at least according to your articles here recently). Now it looks
like he has something on you and it's time to brush and bash again like before. It also
seems that what you've been typing on your page isn't "fact" anyway. I'll be
awaiting that you have to smear Jim with now that he has called you a liar.
"On another subject, asbestos in the Bradford school. I quote what you typed,
"How do they know whether or not the wrapping has been disturbed unless they inspect
it closely?". Well how the hell do you know the same Mr. Beck? You haven't yet been
to the school to find out anything have you? You have said you will be going but have not
yet. So all YOUR going on is the "word of mouth" that you get from all your
"little spies" you seem to have all over the damn place and a few pictures.
"What I also find amazing is the amount of people that you have (supposedly) found to
kiss your ass. It amazes me that you never seem to get any hate mail or at least you never
seem to print any of it. All you ever print are those letters that make you out to be our
county "savior" so to speak. As far as I'm concerned you are far from a savior.
For one, on the touring theme that you and your fellow commissioners have gone back and
forth about. What you guys were doing (maybe still are) is blackmail in my eyes. "Put
in who we want as the leader or we will take our funds elsewhere!" What else is that
but blackmail?
"You are nothing else but a POLITICIAN. All of you are the same and always will be.
Your "facts" can usually be taken with a grain of salt. I know the Bradford
Error isn't the best at publishing what might be "facts" but for some reason I'm
believing their "facts" over your "facts" more and more all the time.
Rick P.S. Not a registered voter and never will be!"
Wow! I can at least take some solace in the fact that he isn't going to vote
against me. But then there was a short note in the mass of mail that flooded into me.
"Keep up the good work there's more us standing behind you than you know. Take
care. P.S. The food was delicious."
and, I received some information on Penn Environmental and their involvement
with the Veterans Administration from some work they did at the Veteran's Medical Center
in Batavia, NY. It seems, from reading the ruling of ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE KREMPASKY, this
is not the first time that they have been embroiled in a conflict. The information on a
settlement came with a note:
"I know that I am sending you a lot of information that you might already have but
here is something that we might face in the future with Penn Environmental.
"Also, are you aware that Penn Environmental has been cited no less than three
times in the past few years by the EPA? I also have some of that information, do you want
it?"
Of course I do!
The crux of the information I received was that Penn Environmental billed the
VA for $41,240.51 for extra work that they encountered while working there. The VA denied
the claim and then they went to the Administrative Court for a decision. Penn
Environmental was awarded $19,620. 53; more than one half of what they claimed for extra
work.
That's a good question, Bernie. Is that in our future? And, if it is, will we
even know about it? After all, you know how Cheri and the School Board spend our money.
Then there was the internet access thing. I sent the following letter to The
Bradford Era.
To whom it may concern:
The article in the ERA today, April 6th , was not only unfair, but borders on libel. It
alleges in inference that I made personal long distance calls on my computer and charged
them to the county.
While I pointed out to Mr. Buck in my answer to his prepared statement that I am unique in
the respect that I personally pay for my own internet access, he failed to note that. At
the same time he failed to note that other departments, including the Judge's Office and
the District Attorney, regularly charge the county for their access charges. I also
pointed out that I have historically used my own access to up load and down load files in
association with the annual task of preparing the County Budget.
Not withstanding that, Mr. Buck alleges that I made 60 calls to an access point for
America On Line in Altoona in a 12 month period. That is an average of 5 calls a month,
hardly a significant number. Even at that, when I scrutinized the bills that Mr.
Buck copied, I found that on many occasions when calls were made, I was not in the county
or the Court House. On one occasion I was on vacation in Florida talking to Mr. Buck long
distance from a personal cell phone regarding the Land Fill. At other times I was
attending commissioners conferences in Harrisburg; in Pittsburgh lobbying for Family
Centers, or testifying before the House of Representatives in support of legislation that
would benefit the area.
It is unfortunate that as your paper and your reporters pursue more awards at any cost
that you fail to get all the facts before you begin printing stories. It seems to me that
you are guilty of exactly what you have accused me of doing, shooting from the hip without
getting all the facts. Maybe that explains why you are turning a deaf ear to the facts
surrounding the Asbestos in the High School.
Sincerely,
Harold T. Beck
McKean County Commissioner
Jim Weaver wrote a letter to The Error, too.
He pointed out that Mr. Buck once more was wrong when he named a time and date
when he was supposed to have attended secret meetings with Chem Nuclear. Mr. Weaver
demanded an apology and a retraction because the fact of the matter is that he was
somewhere else on the date printed; and, he in fact never attended any meetings with Chem
Nuclear.
But, on the issue of the net and certain phone calls and me allegedly
threatening the telephone operator with her job, I got the following:
"Tell me Mr. Beck. How do I get a cushy job at the Court House answering phones
and making twenty grand a year and hospitalization benefits on top of that? I want to put
my application in for the next one!"
and,
"I called the Controller's Office to check on how much the phone operator makes. I
was told her annual salary for 1999 is $20,391.40 and her benefit package was worth
another $8,211.06. Does that add up to $28,602.46 for a person who answers telephones and
works the switch board? I don't agree with much of what you have to say, but if you were
talking about eliminating my job with an automated system, I would personally set you up
on the internet charges just to justify my existence. Maybe you should check her
out!"
and,
"The get Harold Beck saga continues! When do they bring out the girls you have
stashed in your closet at the court house? Internet access charges! Get real!"
and,
"The Bradford Era and all those women (Jim Buck included) must really
hate you. What did you do to them? Who did you refuse to go to bed with? Hell hath no fury
as a woman scorned! When do we get the juicy details? I know the story has to be
great."
and,
"How much are the internet charges? I want to sent the county a check for them. I
am a Senior Citizen who attends one of the Senior Centers you commissioners have so
generously given very much money to and if you are spending tax dollar once and for all on
us elderly then I want to help you out of this mess. If you really made those calls and I
don't believe that you did it, then you must have been doing work for the county. A
telephone operator no matter how much she makes should keep her big mouth shut and thank
the Good Lord that she has such a good job and not bite the hand that feeds her."
and,
"The closer we get to election day the more dirt the ERROR will parade before us.
Why do they have to be so negative in a period when the three of you have done only
positive things? I don't care about sixty phone calls to Altoona. Mr. Beck is right. Check
the judge and the DA and their phone records too. Why did they just pick on Mr. Beck? Tune
in for more election year BS as this continues."
and,
"Keep you chin up and keep fighting them. We are all out here and we are behind
you."
and,
"Tom Ball's deputy's husband is running against you and Mr. Stratton. Does the
telephone operator support him? It took more than the telephone operator to tip off Jim
Buck. It was probably the Controllers Office too. There are rats all over your ship. You
should smoke them all out."
And there are more, except I get tired posting them and then proofing them. It is hard
work. But thank all of you for your time and the notes of support.
I wanted to tell you about what happened at The Bradford Hotel last night.
Chief Cornplanter came in! Maybe I can write that one tomorrow. God Bless all of you.
Comment at rdhedbud@penn.com. not
to be confused with Penn Environmental.
APRIL 6, 1999
It must have been Castro!
Good morning! It is 39.6 degrees at 6:14 A.M. For some reason I could not
access the web server to post my morning article. Instead, I wrote the letter that appears
in the place of yesterday's column. You were concerned.
"No article today 4/5/99? Am having difficulty accessing your website. Hope
everything is fine with you. Will keep trying."
and,
"What gives? This is the first time you have ever missed! Have they finally gotten
to you?"
and,
"Where are you this morning? Out campaigning? I will check later and hope you are
safe."
and there were more that said the same thing. There were exactly 79 more and
thank you for your concern. Here we are today.
Sam wrote to us about: GAS OUT DAY
"I couldn't find the original suggestion quickly but as I understand it, the
suggestion was to buy gas the day before or after April 30, 1999. That results in the same
total local consumption and therefore is not likely to have much effect on the price of
gas in McKean County or anywhere else for that matter.
"I occasionally get to your area and it seems as though the price at the stations in
Warren near the refinery usually have higher prices than stations much farther from the
refinery. The same seems to be true of the Oil City/Rouseville stations. If cost of
delivery was of any importance in the final price, then those stations should sell gas a
little cheaper as there is less cost in delivery.
"I don't believe there is any other way to fight gasoline prices other than to use
less of it and decrease the demand. It is very difficult to do that since we all like to
travel a bit more than absolutely necessary and as long as it does not take food off the
table or hurt out children's well being, we continue to buy and travel.
"You might be better off to keep each other informed as to what stations in each
locality are selling gas at the cheapest price and all buy gas there if possible. That is
more likely to get some reduction in prices when individual stations sales drop and prices
are cut to get some cash flow back."
and then there is the asbestos thing;
"Mr Beck; Differences aside, thank you for the expose' on the asbestos situation
at the high school. As a step-parent to a senior attending there, your article fostered a
concern for the staff and students alike. Please fill us in on the possible effects that
exposure to this hazardous material in whatever amounts, small or large can have.
Also have any steps been taken to minimize the risk since your article was published? I
would hope so!"
Publisher's comment: As I read the article about the asbestos in your favorite
publication, once more they are attempting to brush it under the rug. Now they would have
us believe that pipes wrapped with asbestos are safe even when they are exposed
to the air. They claim that as long as the wrapping is not disturbed, all is fine.
How do they know whether or not the wrapping has been disturbed unless they
inspect it closely?
They are making an eyeball guess and they are saying that all is well.
I cannot be dismissed as easy as they have dismissed the complaints of parents.
Even with the alleged minor problem in the girls locker room, the clothing has yet
to be returned and now parents are told to make a list of articles and present receipts
for the clothing so they can be reimbursed. The article in you favorite publication does
not tell you that! This is a massive case of misinformation by the media in order to
protect these actions.
There is still some work going on in Warren with the web server so I will end now. More
on all subjects including Jim Bucks three columns of bunk later. I will print the minutes
of the meeting word for word - not just Mr. Buck's interpretation.
Comment at rdhedbud@penn.com.
APRIL 5, 1999
Getting the facts on ASBESTOS!
The web was down for maintenance this morning. Fear not! I still caused
trouble. I sent the following letter and intend to follow this up. More later!
Ms. Maureen O’Mara, Superintendent of Schools
Bradford Area School District, Bradford, PA 16701
Dear Ms. O’Mara:
Information regarding the presence of EXPOSED ASBESTOS at the Bradford
Senior High School has recently come into my possession. On Thursday, April 1st,
I published seventeen pictures taken in the Bradford Senior High School showing EXPOSED
ASBESTOS. Ironically, on that same day, a letter from you calling reports of EXPOSED
ASBESTOS and the presence of ASBESTOS DUST "rumors"
appeared in The Bradford Era.
As one of three elected McKean County Commissioners, I am charged by The County
Code, Act of August 9, 1955 (P.L. 323, No. 130) As Amended, with "the Powers and
Duties for the purpose of protecting and promoting the welfare of children in the
County." Furthermore, I am also charged to protect the general health and well
being of the citizens of the County.
The obvious discrepancy between the information I have received and certain statements
made by you, both in your letter of April 1st and in other statements reported
in the local media, gives me a major cause of concern. Therefore, taking you up on the
offer made in your letter to inspect the records of the school regarding ASBESTOS,
and by invoking Title 65, Sections 66.1; 66.2; and 66.3 inclusive, I would like an
opportunity to investigate your records and be allowed to copy those records, within the
next five (5) working days. I would also respectfully request the permission to have a
team of experts of my own choosing accompany me and interpret the records you have
available. I await your reply.
Harold T. Beck
McKean County Commissioner
APRIL 4, 1999
HAPPY EASTER TO EVERYONE. Here are some more letters.
About asbestos:
"Are they removing the asbestos from the school? If so, there are
FEDERAL laws on the proper way to do this. I would report them.
Start by calling OSHA in D.C. Violators can be prosecuted in federal
court, not county or state, or they can be heavily fined. This is so
important, I wouldn't even send my kids to school if I still lived
there."
Support for Gas Out Day:
"Let's do it!!!! My brother just informed me that in Atlanta,Georgia he only pays
$.85, that's 85 cents per gallon of gas!!!! And we are paying WHAT!!!!!!Come on, Bradford
and surrounding areas are smalllllll. Atlanta, Georgia is HUGH!!!Why are we paying such
high prices for gas??? I know, I know, Gayle Bauer, a dear friend of mine, explained all
this in the paper last year but still.....I say YES to April 30.1999 for a total "GAS
OUT DAY!!!!" GO FOR IT!!"
and with regards to the Knott / Krott controversy:
"Now that Tom Clark has established doubt by text comparison, I would like to add to
what he said and address Mr. Krott's explanation of the name confusion on the Era letter.
He stated in the MLR that the letter was correctly typed for submission, and the Era is
responsible for erroneously printing his name as Knott, not Krott.
It's not a news flash that the Era could misprint someone's name, but I
have always been under the assumption that they are careful when
printing a respondent's name. If one reviews their guidelines for
submission, it is stressed that the name is used for verification. If
this matter was of paramount importance, I may have been interested in examining the
original copy."
Your comments are welcome at rdhedbud@penn.com.
APRIL 3, 1999
And more letters
Use My Name On This One
From: Thomas Clark
"The cat's out of the bag, at least peering sheepishly from his cover.
Mr. Krott has claimed authorship of the Beck-bashing Era Letter to the Editor last week,
which I expediently dispelled. I commend him for accepting responsibility, but I still
question whether he was the actual writer. Allow me to explain my suspicion.
"First, a textbook crash course from Creative Writing 101. Everyone, consciously
or not, develops a distinct writing style, not unlike the uniqueness of their own
personality. Instilled by education, experience or attitude, a person normally
communicates in a uniform manner, especially in an editorial, narrative or a personal
letter. For example, some of my friends and associates recognized a Mountain Laurel
Review entry yesterday as my work. One who is familiar with my writing style would have
known that I penned the satirical letter pertaining to 'Round The Square and local infamy.
My use of subsentences and repetition avoidance of action words are characteristic of my
articles. With that in mind, compare Mr. Krott's alleged submission to the Era with his
latest response in MLR. Whether it is carefully structured or hastily written, similar
communicative traits would be evident in both letters. Formulate your own opinion, but I
can't believe that they were contrived and produced by the same person. Perhaps it is time
to allow this controversy to wane. I can't envision any positive reaction arising from an
ongoing volley of rebuttals between Mr. Krott, Knott or whoever he is, and me. Let's move
on to more important issues, such as improving the quality of life in McKean County.
"A footnote to the Era letter fiasco. Mr. Hauser thanked me for free publicity I
afforded him, apparently derived from my Era rebuttal. I
always assumed that one would thank another for positive publicity. It
is inconceivable to think I inadvertently helped him. I hope that I did
not leave him with the impression that I fell for his bluff."
Publisher's comment: Nay, nay, Thomas! Already as you have written and noted
what I have, Michael has already attempted to justify each and every item. Oh well! It was
for naught!
"Dear Mr. Beck,
"Some things never change. In spite of being sued ( twice by taxpayers and once by a
fellow township supervisor) for violations of the public notice requirements of the
Sunshine Act, Hamlin Township Supervisor Bill Kilmer is still having troubles. The latest
notice for a special meeting of Hamlin Township supervisors failed to mention the name of
the township that was having the meeting or who was having the meeting. Fortunately, Tom
Kreiner, who was recently appointed to fill a vacancy on the board of supervisors,
realizes the importance of public notice and public participation. The meeting was
cancelled until it can be properly advertised.
"A few months ago, I missed a special meeting. I went on the day the meeting was
to be held and found out I was a day late. Mr. Kilmer assured me it was my mistake, but
after checking the newspaper ad I realized the supervisors had held the meeting a day
earlier than it was scheduled. I wasn't the only person who missed that meeting. But, as
Mr. Kilmer assured me.....they didn't do anything important, JUST MADE THE FINAL PAYMENT
ON HIS CROOKED BRIDGE and things like that. Happy Easter!
"LEGAL NOTICE: A special meeting will be held March 31, 1999 at 10:00 AM at the
town-ship office for the purpose of correcting an on-going problem at the pump station at
the Hazel Hurst Sewer Plant."
Publisher's comment: The more things change, the more they stay the same. Were
you surprised?
and about our asbestos investigation:
"I've mentioned to you that my late husband was a disabled retiree of
the Air Force, but never told you what caused his disability and
death. It was ASBESTOS, which he handled while in the U. S. Air
Force. Good grief, if only people could have seen how he suffered.
If they could have seen how it affected my daughter to go thru this,
while she was going to high school. If they could have felt his
physical pain, and the whole family's emotional pain. If they could
have seen him go from a 185 pound man to an 80 pound skeleton. He suffered from
mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer ONLY caused by asbestos. There is no treatment, no
cure. Nothing helps, not chemo or radiation. He volunteered himself to be a guinea pig at
NIH in Bethesda, Maryland, in the hopes that research would aid the doctors in finding a
cure. While there, we met other victims of asbestos, all of them are dead now after
suffering horrendously. One of them was a lovely lady who lived seven miles from us. She
died six months after my husband. She was exposed by doing her husband's laundry. He
worked in construction and the asbestos fibers were on his clothes. He didn't get cancer,
but she did. It takes at least 20 years for the cancer to make itself evident after
exposure. I urge everyone to document, with pictures if possible, where their exposure
occurred. You all may need the proof some day. This whole thing breaks my heart. The
"powers-that-be" have NO IDEA what they are doing. Please do not sign my name to
this. Just call me anonymous."
Publisher's comment: The pictures have had a terrific impact on the community.
Our Kiwannis Kapers were done in the High School. At that time the girls rest room had an
exposed ceiling and people who were there remember seeing the exposed pipes that were in
the pictures published at this site on April 1, 1999. That being so, anyone who attended
the annual production was in all probability exposed to Asbestos dust that was hanging in
the air.
That, however, does not even come close to the continued exposure that the
students had from September until recently.
and a novel idea;
"This sounds like a great idea to me. THE GREAT "GAS OUT"
It's time we did something about the price of gasoline in America! We are all sick and
tired of high prices when there are literally millions of gallons in storage. Know what I
found out? If there was just ONE day when no one purchased any gasoline, prices would drop
drastically. The so-called oil cartel has decided to slow production by some 2 million
barrels per day to drive up the price. I have decided
to see how many Americans we can get to NOT BUY ANY GASOLINE on one particular day! Let's
have a GAS OUT! Do not buy any gasoline on APRIL 30, 1999!!!!! Buy on Thursday before, or
Saturday after. Do not buy any gasoline on FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 1999. Wanna help? Send this
message to everyone you know. Ask them to do the same. All we need is a few million to
participate in
order to make a difference!
Publisher's comment: Sounds like a winner to me. How about you?
Comment on this column at rdhedbud@penn.com.
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