I'm No Longer Meeting You Halfway

Norman Rockwell's famed painting,

'Freedom of Speech' depicts that speech

happening at a town meeting.

Perhaps the most important, and least appealing aspect of municipal government is the much-maligned public meeting.

They are almost always in the evening, when all of the good TV shows are on, and it can be hard to navigate the language and procedures to get a feel for what's being accomplished -- or not accomplished.

And let's face it, people in the audience, and on the dias, have been known to drone on at public meetings.

That's where your local news sources comes in. We usually have a fair bit of experience in that department.

In my case, it's more than 30 years and, remember, I'm being paid to be there -- at least for now..

The public meeting is the place where elected officials, and the paid staff, interact with and are, to some extent, accountable to the people who elected them and pay their salaries.

The public meeting is where those things most likely to affect your life on a daily basis -- things like trash pick-up, water from the tap, your neighbor's noisy rooster -- can be taken up and addressed, not always to our satisfaction.

But knowing which meeting to attend, when your issue is going to come up, why a particular motion is important, can be a difficult needle to thread. After all, who wants to go to them all?

And all too often, important matters come up that were either not on the agenda, or whose importance was not clearly outlined on the agenda.

Traditionally, this is where local news has served a public purpose, paying folks like me to know what meeting is important, and to be there when the agenda looks boring but something vital comes up unexpectedly.

As I have written about here previously, and, some would argue, ad nauseum, that vital public service is being threatened by a variety of factors. Local newspapers are struggling and closing and the public they once served is less informed as a result.

That is true here in Pottstown as it is all across the country.

All of which brings me to today's point.

Thanks to government offices being closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Tuesday saw seven different meetings (that I know of) that should have been covered:

The Fifth Street home where an Airbnb is proposed.

• The Pottstown Zoning Hearing Board heard testimony on a request to convert a large home on Fifth Street into an Airbnb, an application borough council opposed. I didn't go to that meeting, so I don't know yet what happened. And so, neither do most of you.
• In the next room in borough hall, the Pottstown Borough Authority met and, according to the agenda, set the new water rates for 2020. An attachment to the agenda made it clear what they are and I have reported on it previously, but I didn't go to that meeting, so I don't know yet if anything else happened. And so, neither do most of you.
• In Royersford, the Spring-Ford Area School Board met for a work session. One of the items was discussion of a $176 million preliminary budget for the coming school year. The board is scheduled to vote on adopting it at another meeting Monday night, during which two other municipal meetings that should be covered will take place (more on that later). I didn't go to the school board meeting Tuesday, so I don't know what was said. And so, neither do most of you.
• In Limerick, the township supervisors met and their agenda included discussion of the construction of a new firehouse for the Linfield Fire Company. I didn't go that meeting either, so I don't know if anything happened. And so, neither do most of you.
• The Douglass (Mont.) Township Supervisors also met Tuesday, but because they do not post their agenda online, I can't even tell you what I missed because I wasn't there. And so, neither do most of you know what happened either.
• In Upper Pottsgrove, I've confirmed the Township Commissioners voted unanimously to advertise an ordinance to abolish the township planning commission and replace it with a planning committee. I wasn't there, so I won't have a report on that for a day or two. The final vote on whether to move ahead with it is scheduled for Feb. 3.
• The meeting I did go to was the Phoenixville School Board, which, evidently, had a rocky start to its year. With several new board members, the video from the Jan. 13 meeting shows the board convening, heading immediately into closed-door executive session and coming out more than an hour later and immediately adjourning. Tuesday's meeting was a continuation of that meeting.

U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan

Among the things discussed was the revelation that the Pennsylvania Department of Education has cited the district for disproportionately suspending students of color.

The picture is muddled and I am meeting with Superintendent Alan Fegleyy and Assistant Superintendent LeRoy Whitehead today at noon to get it sorted out before I report something incorrectly about a very important and sensitive subject.

Speaking of today, if you've read this far and you live in the 6th Congressional District, you may want to attend a meeting I will be covering. U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan will be holding her 15th Town Hall meeting at the Colonial Theater on Bridge Street at 7 p.m.

As you may have read recently, in 2019, Houlahan held more town hall meetings than any other member of Pennsylvania's Congressional delegation, a report put together by CoverThis.com.

That means I will miss the Lower Pottsgrove Township Commissioners meeting tonight where the agenda indicates architects will present the latest plans for the new $8.2 million township building.

But, check out Joe Zlomek's Sanatoga Post news site. He will likely be there and have a report for you.

And when Monday rolls around, there are three meetings which should be covered. In addition to the previously mentioned Spring-Ford School Board's voting meeting, the North Coventry Township Supervisors will meet.

Last night, Chairman Jim Marks, who was at the regional planning meeting I was covering, revealed that two important officials, longtime Township Manager Kevin Hennessey and Police Chief Robert Schurr are both retiring, "so we're dealing with that."

An older version of the plan for New Hanover Town Center.

And perhaps most significantly, the New Hanover Township Supervisors and Planning Commission will conduct a joint meeting on the proposed massive New Hanover Town Center project, which includes shopping centers and more than 700 new homes.

That meeting will be held at the township recreation center, 2373 Hoffmansville Road, starting at 6:30 p.m., according to the legal notice published in The Mercury on Jan. 15.

"We're expecting a crowd," New Hanover Supervisor Kurt Zebrowsky said at last night's regional planning meeting. "It's going to be some meeting."

Don't worry, I'm not going to miss that one.

Spring-Ford Board Resisting Sleep Study Push

With Phoenixville changing its school start times and Owen J. Roberts taking another look, Spring-Ford is being urged to take similar steps.

But it will be an up-hill climb if the reception activists have received lately is any indication.

As she has at previous meetings, Kate Doyle, an Upper Providence resident and Evans Elementary School parent, again appeared before the board to urge it to agree to have Spring-Ford cooperate with a teen sleep study arranged through the Montgomery County Board of Health.

School Board President Tom DiBello continued to voice his opposition to moving school start times.

He said to get the amount of sleep the studies suggest, school would have to start at 9 a.m., which none of the handful of districts in the state that have changed their start times have done.

"I'm not turning this district down for 15 minutes," DiBello said.

At the Feb. 19 meeting, DiBello addressed Doyle by saying "he did not feel that the district needed a lot of fancy studies as he could get studies that would say anything he wanted them to say. Mr. DiBello indicated that he is hearing that a lot of parents in the Phoenixville School District are not happy with the change in school start times," according to the meeting minutes.

However, the minutes also indicate DiBello said "that he does not really buy into most of this but his position is that if we have 8,000 students and the majority of the parents want to change the start time then he is fine with changing the start time," according to the minutes of the Feb. 19 meeting.
Board member Edward Dressler has expressed interest in the subject and pointed out that all that was being asked was participation in a sleep study.

"We just want to look at this, I mean how much time did we spend looking at intramural athletics?" asked Dressler in reference to a lengthy discussion about baseball initiated by DiBello.

"It's free data. Why are you opposed?" asked board member Kelly Spletzer.

But opposition came from several corners. Board member Clinton Jackson asked Doyle how many of

Kate Doyle

Pennsylvania's 500 school districts have moved to later start times, and she said about 15 but many more are in process.

Among them is Radnor School District, which has conducted the sleep study Doyle is advocating for and is expected to release the results this week. Also looking into is is Springfield School District, she said.

Parker Sheehan, a ninth grade student, honor roll student and member of the color guard, said "she loves Spring-Ford but she is exhausted and so are all of her friends," according to the Feb. 19 minutes. "Ms. Sheehan advised that she cannot fall asleep before 11 or 12 no matter what she does. She added that she does not have a phone or a television in her room. Ms. Sheehan stated that she wakes up at 6:00 a.m. and leaves for the bus stop at 6:45 a.m. She commented that even waking up one hour later for practices on Saturday makes a huge difference as she has so much more energy and feels so much more better."

But student board member Nandini Patel said at the same meeting that she and Julianna took the initiative to talk to some other high schoolers and middle schoolers. "She indicated that they found that although the students are tired in the morning the delayed start would push back the after-school activities which would impact homework time so either way they will be going to bed later. Nandini stated that the majority of the students she asked want to keep the start times where they are as it is not too early or too late," according to the minutes.

Solicitor Mark Fitzgerald said a long-established district policy does not allow surveys by outside agencies to be taken, but Doyle said the county would work with the district to ensure it is something the school board feels comfortable distributing.

DiBello said he is not sure the district should go to the trouble given "we don't even know its a problem."

But Doyle said the evidence is building.

When Phoenixville appointed a committee to look into the matter, it found lack of adequate REM sleep among teens produces several negative psychological affects including grogginess, increased aggression increased depression, anxiety, reduced ability to learn and decreased creativity.

Physical affects of sleep deprivation include weight gain, increased release of stress hormones, reduction of growth hormones and a weakened immune system.

Sleep deprivation also leads to decreased coordination, meaning more accidents and injuries on the athletic field, as well as, when combined with grogginess, more vehicle accidents involving student drivers, the Phoenixville study found.

New Computers, New Curriculum

The board adopted most of its agenda last night in a series of unanimous votes and within those votes was agreement to spend $740,000.

But while the vote to spend that money came quickly, the decision to spend it did not explained Erin Crew, Spring-Ford's Director of Communications, Marketing and Media.

The larger portion of the expenditure, $460,000, is for new math curriculum materials, and new health and physical education curriculum, all of which was only adopted after much study and consideration.

As for the other $280,000, that was for the purchase of 700 laptop computers that will be put into the hands of the incoming freshman class. And the following year, the next incoming class of freshman will receive laptops, as will the junior class.

Crew explained that unlike other districts, Spring-Ford took a slow approach to incorporating such technology into the classroom, taking five years to first get the computers into teachers hands, to ensure they were trained and had incorporated them into their work. 

Students could use the laptops in class, but not take them home, she said, at least until next year.

And with that, here are the Tweets from the meeting:

Spring-Ford Resists Sleep Study

Spring-Ford Ready for Island-Hopping Musical

Photos by Evan Brandt

THEY HAVE MERIT: Spring-Ford Schools Superintendent David Goodin, left, and Elaine Ruppert, 12th Grade House Prinipal, right, congratulate this year's National Merit Scholar finalists at Monday night's school board meeting. They are: Anya Aggarwal, Sarah E. Chiaradonna, Megan A. Englert, Kristine Luo, Caitlin McGee

As is so often the case, Monday's Spring-Ford School Board meeting was geared toward celebrating the district's successes, and pending successes.

The Ram Buddies program is explained.

In addition to recognizing this year's National Merit Scholar finalists, as seen above, the board also learned about the district's "Ram Buddies" program at the 8th Grade Center, through which Spring-Ford students volunteer in classrooms with students who have developmental disabilities.

Many of the students talked about the benefits to both sides of the relationship and one regular education student it had made her realize what profession she wants to pursue.

The board, and a rather sizable audience, were also treated to a preview of the high school musical, "Once on This Island," which will be staged at the school on March 1 and March 2.

Here is video of their performance:

Alexander Cifelli, the teacher in charge of the theatrical production for the past few years, said more than 90 students are involved in the show, between cast and crew.

He likened the show to "Romeo and Juliet meets The Little Mermaid."

The board's student representatives, Nandini Patel and Julianna Lelli updated the board on a recent visit by students from Ireland.

They also broached the idea of initiating a new program of "student ambassadors," with one or two students from each grade representing the district on special occasions.

A blazer example

They also proposed that the district purchase blazers with the Spring-Ford emblem for the
ambassadors to wear on official occasions.

School Board President Tom DiBello was so impressed with the idea that he said if money cannot be found in the budget for the purchase that he would pay for them himself.

Board member Clinton Jackson offered to split the cost with DeBello if necessary.

When it came time for his report, Superintendent David Goodin "went to the video tape" (If any of you out there are old enough to remember that phrase...)

Here it is:

The board also spent some time discussing the varagies of the state budget and state funding.

Board member Edward Dressler said while Gov. Tom Wolf's budget calls for an additional $72 million to help pay for special education costs, those costs have risen by $1.54 billion.

State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-146th Dist.

He also said a new statewide report shows that Pennsylvania ranks ninth in the nation for the amount of money money it spends per student on public education -- $15,418.

More worrying is the fact that only five states in the nation spend less on public education than Pennsylvania, and that the average districts receives just 56 percent of its funding from the state and the rest comes largely from local property taxes.

DiBello said in Spring-Ford, local taxes pay for roughly 80 percent of the district's $170 million budget. About $30 million of that budget is due to special education costs, for which the state provides only $2.5 million.

As it so happened, state Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-146th Dist., was in the audience.

A former president of the Spring-ford School Board, Ciresi said he is supporting two bills that might help the district's finances.

Kate Doyle

One he described as "an aggressive reform bill on cyber charter schools;" and the other would release school board from adopting annual budgets before knowing how much they will be receiving from the state.

"You wouldn't have to do quite so much crystal ball gazing," he said explaining the bill would require school boards to adopt school budgets 30 days after the state budget is adopted.

The board wrapped up its meeting by hearing from two mothers who are advocating for a later start time for the older grades, citing recent pediatric studies that indicate teens are are being physically and psychologically harmed by being woken up too early.

Stacey Fonash

Kate Doyle and Stacey Fonash told the board there is good reason to address the question considering the new science.

"When we know better, we should do better," Doyle said..

Just last month, after nearly a year of study and discussion, Phoenixville School District moved its start time 35 to 45 minutes and after months of being addressed on the issue, the Owen J. Roberts School District is now exploring the idea.

The OJR board's next meeting on the subject is scheduled for March 14, also at 7 p.m. in the high school LGI room.

And with that, here are the Tweets from the meeting:

No Teen is An Island