Once again, Chasey, Forman and Kennedy have showed no regard to the voters wishes. No "scare tactics" here, facts plain and simple. KFC just does not care about the constituents, period.
By EMILY PREVITI, Staff Writer, 609-272-7221 | Posted on the Press of Atlantic City: Thursday, May 7, 2009
MULLICA TOWNSHIP - Two elected officials objected Wednesday to the way their fellow committee members handled re-examining the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District budget that voters rejected two weeks earlier.
The Mullica Township Committee voted 3-2 to pass the Greater Egg budget Tuesday, the night after the Hamilton Township Committee did so unanimously. Voters in those townships rejected paying the $24.7 million in taxes school officials said they need for the upcoming school year. Greater Egg's taxing districts also include Egg Harbor City and Galloway Township, where residents approved the budget.
Whenever voters defeat a school budget, the elected municipal officials from the taxing districts review the budget and make any cost-cutting recommendations before voting on it. If a local governing body votes down the budget, the county superintendent of schools reviews it before sending it to the state Department of Education.
Mullica Committeemen Mike St. Amour and Bernie Graebener cast the votes against the resolution. They said the document had been authored before the meeting, where Graebener suggested shaving the $67.6 million budget by implementing furloughs among administrative staff during the summer.
"It seems as if the three of them already had made up their minds," St. Amour said of the Republican committee members. "(They) basically told the voters, 'Don't bother to come up and vote.'"
Outgoing Mayor Janet Forman said she, Republican Committeewoman Kathy Chasey and Committeeman William Kennedy acted on the advice of municipal CFO Dawn Stollenwerk, who had attended a budget meeting April 28 among school and local officials.
"(The decision) had nothing to do with numbers of voters," Forman said, referring to the typically low turnout for school elections. "It was based on sound government."
Implementing the suggestion to impose furloughs would have meant renegotiating contracts, a process that would take more time than the two weeks remaining until May 19, the deadline for the final school budget, according to Chasey and Forman.
That's when Galloway Township Mayor Tom Bassford said he anticipates voting on the matter.
Egg Harbor City Council will discuss it in a special session scheduled to start at 4 p.m. today, according to Councilman Jack Peterson. Peterson said he did not anticipate making changes to the budget.
Chasey is seeking re-election in November on a slate with Bruce Crow. If victorious, Crow would replace Forman. Democrats Susan Polk and Anthony Gabris are challenging Crow and Chasey.
E-mail Emily Previti:
EPreviti@pressofac.com
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Mullica OKs defeated GEHR budget despite opposition
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16 comments:
What a lazy and useless team KFC is. The Press article indicated mayor and the rest never even met with the Greater Egg Harbor school district! They let an employee take the responsibility and do all the work .The voters turned the budget down and should have seen some cuts but again according to the Press the whole thing was railroaded at the last meeting and they didnt even bother to consult or take any of Graebners cuts. This must also explain why our taxes are up and we got no stimulus money. How KFC must really hate the residents and scorn the taxpayers. What are the 3 other candidates position on all this mess? Do they attend the committee meetings and can they at least respect all of the elected officials?
After reading Formans quote in the Press I was stunned just how much arrogance and contempt she has for everyone. Crow will probably get the voter anger here for being in the same party but she doesnt care I guess.
This shows how far the Republicans have changed since the days when Bob Hagaman was mayor. He would have heeded the will of the voters and insisted that the budget be cut. Not anymore. It seems that now the Republicans on committee are working for others.
I agree with the 8:13 poster that it was just laziness as to why they approved the budget. It was the quick and easy way out rather than have to do some work and present ideas. Its called passing the buck.
Why did I even bother to vote??!! My vote doesn't count and we should all just allow a select few to make the decisions for all of us?
The wheels on the bus go round and round, all through the town-first Sandman gets thrown under the bus and now Dawn Stollenwork, thanks to Janet Forman (ditto on Sandman) is getting blamed. Forman and Chasey love blaming everyone else and Kennedy is still trying to figure out what day of the week it is. All this because their pissed off at Graebener and St. Amour, so "Screw You Mullica"
Gee Janet, for someone who cares about the Township employees so much, you had no problems tossing two under the the bus, who's next Zoey?
Elections are supposed to have consequences, but not in Mullica. How much did the election cost? Why did we have it? Please let me know.
So, the moral of the story is that the only votes that really mattered were Chasey's, Forman's and Kennedy's and nobody else's.
This is not a very clear article. It gives two figures for the budget. Is it $24.7 or $67.6 million? Its as if some parts of it were cut so now it doesn't read very well, leaving the reader having to guess what was said but left out.
Moral of the story? Let's not forget that Board of Ed member Frank Kelly voiced his concerns over the morality of those on committee...again, we can see which 3 (Forman, Chasey and Kennedy) are truly immoral.
"(The decision) had nothing to do with numbers of voters," Forman said.
Do we live in a democracy or not?
I agree with the 815 am post about Bob Hagaman. He would have personally sat down with as many meetings as it took to get some cuts, He would have then listened to EVERYONE who had ideas to help and/or criticize. Thats the man he was! Chasey who was his trusted Deputy Mayor has undone everything he did and disgraced his office, his party and his town.
Under Bob Hagaman, the Republican party was one of fiscal responsibility and trying to keep the community rural, but no more. Its a sad state of affairs now that Janet Forman is the mayor and Kathy Chasey is the party's head.
This is reminiscent of Chasey's and Forman's arrogance when they pushed through eleventh hour appointments and overly generous salary and benefit increases just prior to Graebener and St. Amour taking office, despite the public asking them not to, which is costing the taxpayers today in increased property taxes.
You need to get over it! Paint your house or something! Keep your useless selves busy!
The last post was obviously from the town's self described Linda Lovelace.
That's right everyone.
Just listen to 4:39pm.
Go about your daily business,don't pay any attention to the people who are spending your money and planning your future. That's exactly what they want you to do.
If you care about Mullica,you better start paying attention and speaking out real soon.
RE 4:39pm post
In other words,
"Nothing to see here folks, move along!" (Or, just shut up and pay your taxes.)
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