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Flush bank account laid bare Montour School District's workings
Getting
an education in politics
Sunday,
April 03, 2011
By
Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The new boss
A veteran
of numerous school systems, and one-fifth owner of consultancy Educational Management Group LLC, Mr. Boyer, 72, worked for
districts statewide before joining Montour in 2009.
Mr. Boyer became the subject of an Ethics Commission investigation after the district he headed hired his firm, EMG,
as its temporary business manager. A person whose identity hasn't been revealed filed a complaint saying the arrangement was
a conflict of interest.
"How can he be the superintendent on a payroll, and his own personal company, of which he is a percentage of an owner,
be consulting?" Montour board member Cynthia Morrow asked.
Mr. Boyer said EMG was only retained -- at $4,300 a month from September through last week -- because questions about
Mr. Reichl's status, and litigation with former assistant business manager Peggy Schweitzer, prevented the district from making
a permanent hire.
He said that for $4,300 a month, EMG has studied the renovation project, the prospect of putting cameras on buses, cleaning
needs at the high school, and more.
Last month the district settled with Ms. Schweitzer, who was fired by Mr. Reichl, for $110,000. She starts tomorrow as
the new business manager.
Mr. Boyer said a superintendent shouldn't get involved in "Republican-Democrat types of things, and by the same token,
you shouldn't be influenced by them."
He did, however, contribute $250 to John Weinstein's campaign in November.
"I was invited to his cocktail party," Mr. Boyer said, "and instead of taking a complimentary ticket, I paid for one.
"I chose to go. After all, he's a county official."
First published on April 3, 2011 at 12:00 am
Not Enough Said:
During Rep. Tim Mahoney's appearance on WMBS 590 April 15th with host Bob Foltz, the representative announced an advertisement
would be placed in newspapers around the state seeking bids for conducting a consolidation study to be completed by the Summer.
Not Enough Said:
Who got the bid is the first question we would ask the state legislator the next time he appears on the WMBS 590 radio
talk show program.
The second question would be: Did you read the Standard and Poor Study available from the state Legislative Budget
and Finance Committee in June 2007 before you initiated your initial House Bill 351, back when?
The third question would be: Did your study really bid out for $100,000?
There are several other questions, but we'll save those for posting here at a later date if they are not asked by
the host of the radio talk show program, Mark Rafail, when the state legislator appears on his program.
Worthwhile Study Consolidation of schools needs examined
Herald-Standard.com Friday, April 15, 2011
State Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-South Union Township, wants to study the feasibility of consolidating the administrations and
business operations of the public school districts in the county, essentially merging the county's six districts into one.
According to Mahoney, a study will be completed this spring that will examine possible cost savings through the consolidation
of the six county school districts, including Uniontown Area, Albert Gallatin Area, Brownsville Area, Connellsville Area,
Laurel Highlands and Frazier. The move would create one administration to run the six districts but each high school would
maintain its identity.
Once the results of the study are announced, Mahoney wants to issue decided by a referendum, perhaps as early as next fall...
http://www.heraldstandard.com/opinion/editorials/worthwhile-study/article_10f8c43f-b4e7-5a60-81ef-11552dd6fff2.html
Not Enough Said:
Herald-Standard.com Editorial Approves of the process of examination of consolidating schools for Administration/taxation
purposes (hmm not a word about one that has already been completed that being the Standard and Poor Study... oh you know
the rest by now...)
Odd that a local news operation has not mentioned that study and this effort to propose 7 local schools consolidate
into one has been around for several years now. At least since 2007, gasp.
Not Enough Said:
Odd isn't it, state Rep. Tim Mahoney is never asked why the need for a study of consolidation of Administration and Transportation
of local area public school districts when the PA State Legislative Finance and Budget Committee already commissioned a Study
which was conducted by Standard and Poor.
We're still pondering why any local study is necessary when that Standard and Poor Study well, you've read Volume 2,
right?
It pairs school districts, theoretically, and there is only one such paired in all of Fayette County, given the cost-savings
parameters in the study, and that one is paired with another district outside of Fayette County.
Go figure why a $100,000 localized study is needed to determine - that.
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