Swinging the Dead

Ok, now I'm starting to get pissed off...

An article in the local paper, June 12th:

North Wales Library may lose lease
By: Mark D. Marrotta, Staff Writer

On June 22, the North Penn School Board will decide what to do about the lease under which the library occupies space at North Wales Elementary School.D. Michael Frist, the North Penn School District's director of business administration, said the board will vote on a motion on whether to give the library notice that its lease will terminate as of February 2007, with month-to-month extensions through the following December.Speaking Thursday, John Strobel, the school district's manager of support services, said the library would have to vacate its space for renovations planned for the school. The work at North Wales is part of renovations planned at various schools over the next five years, he added.Strobel explained that the work at North Wales will include a general updating of the building, mechanical upgrades and removal of modular classrooms.Strobel said the library occupies about 3,500 square feet. It would be possible to fit three classrooms there, he added."We're not anxious to move out," library co-director Jayne Blackledge said.The library has been in the school building since 1927, and has had a lease with the district since 1964, she added.Blackledge said the library has a 10-year lease, at $1 per year. She added that she believed eight years remain on the current lease term."We do have a couple of ideas" as far as alternative locations for the library, said its board president, Cathy Knee.But, she added, any options will require a considerable amount of money."We can't do much without it," Knee said.She added that the Friends of the Library organization will try to do some fundraising.

An email from Mrs. Blackledge, the co-director, June 19th:

Hi Readers,

There will be a meeting at the ESC on Hancock andChurch Rds. in Lansdale on Thursday, June 22 beginningat 7:30 p.m. Please consider showing your support of the N. WalesLibrary by attending!
We appreciate your caring.

The Library Board of Directors

Another article in the local paper, today:

NP board votes to not renew library’s lease
By: Mark D. Marrotta, Staff Writer

By a 6-2 vote Thursday‚ the school board voted to notify the library that its lease will terminate at the end of its current term‚ on Feb. 28‚ 2007. The motion‚ made by board member Frank O’Donnell and seconded by John Schilling‚ also provided that the district will be willing to continue the lease on a month-by-month basis through Dec. 31‚ 2007. The dissenting votes were cast by Vice President Timothy Kerr and board member Rick Miniscalco. The library has occupied space at the school since 1927. Administrators said the library would need to move for planned renovations that would include removing modular classrooms. The 3‚500 square feet occupied by the library could provide space for about three classrooms. During the public comment period before the motion was made‚ Cathy Knee‚ president of the library board‚ asked for the vote to be postponed. She said the library’s future had not been addressed. Kerr asked whether the support services committee‚ which had previously discussed the lease termination‚ had discussed the issue with members of the public. “It’s been an ongoing discussion‚” replied board member John Schilling‚ who chairs the committee. He added that the district will need to give the library ample notice of the lease termination. “We want to be fair‚” Schilling said. “I don’t think it’s important to pass this tonight‚” Miniscalco said. But Schilling responded that the district will still be in a situation in which the library will have to vacate the school. According to him‚ there is no option but for the library to find another location. Director of Business Administration D. Michael Frist said John Strobel‚ manager of support services‚ had talked to North Wales‘ borough manager about the possibility of having the library use space in borough hall. Board member Joseph Walsh asked what the notice requirements were under the lease. Solicitor Jack Dooley responded that the lease‚ originally entered in 1964‚ was for a 20-year term. At the expiration of that period‚ it was renewed for 10 years‚ and has been extended on a year-to-year basis since then. Dooley said the lease requires 60 days‘ notice of termination. He added that the notice will not have to be given until the end this year. However‚ Linda McAdoo‚ a former library board president‚ said an Oct. 23‚ 2003‚ letter from D. Michael Frist said the board had approved the lease would continue through 2014. O’Dooley responded that that was not the way the lease was written. A motion by Miniscalco to table the vote failed by a 4-4 vote.

The school board has done some crappy things in the past, but this is the worse. Ongoing, my ass! They slipped this vote by, specifically before the meeting in which people might actually voice dissent. Furthermore, I would like to add that they are all slimy corrupt conservative pricks, although maybe I'll settle with just "conservative pricks" concerning the two who at least had some balls and voted against the lease termination.

Other than that my day at work was just fine, although hot as hell. The sky was threatening, so of course I didn't go swimming with my last vestife of energy, and now soon it will be dinner time and then I will just collapse somewhere. Oh well... my old suit is slowly starting to disintegrate anyway, and I need to go shopping for a new one soon.