Sciotoville Community School was ranked as one of the two top charter schools in the State of Ohio recently by, two private education groups! Out of 332 charter schools in the state; Sciotoville Community Schools was choosen as the top charter school!
This news is great and wonderful for our community! Many Sciotoville residents already believed and knew that our school was top notch. And now, the proof has been given by these two private education groups. For those who hoped and wished for failure; "Whoop! There it is!"
This is exactly what our community wanted and had in mind when, they created Sciotoville Community School 9 years ago. The key word being community! Together the Sciotoville community joined together to create the top rated charter school in the State of Ohio!
In my opinion; this would make Sciotoville Community Schools the crowned jewel of "Choice Educational Options!"
Also, I would like to bring to everyone's attention a couple other admirable facts about Sciotoville Community Schools. Our school is a non-profit charter school and our school board does not recieve any compensation as board members! I don't believe there is another charter school or public school board that has board members that are not paid!
To view the Education Group's article in the "Enquirer"; click on the article heading at the top!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Sciotoville Community School - Top Charter School In Ohio
Friday, February 6, 2009
Portsmouth Daily Times View - Fascism?
On Thursday, February 5, 2009, the Portsmouth Daily Times printed an article on page A4 of the Opinion Page under; "Our View". Meaning the viewpoint of the Portsmouth Daily Times. The articles title was; "Election a sign of things to come". The author of this article is not yet varified but, we are checking for varification of the person who wrote this article. Once confirmed, I will release their name to the public.
I would like to make a few comments on a few of the statements made here in regards to this article. While I still have my rights to do so!
They claim that the taxpayers shelled out $30,000 for less than 10% of registered voters to cast their votes. This may be true! And, another view is that the taxpayers shelled out $30,000 for 90% of the registered voters to not cast their votes!
The author also claims that $1,250 per precinct or $25.90 was spent per voter. I claim that $27,204.02 was spent per registered voter who choose not to vote! Which would mean $2,795.98 was spent for those that did vote!
The author says this is a preview of things to come if council needs to go into bonded indebtness for anything over $100,000.00 we have to pass on the purchase, and set a date for a special election. But, not if the city does a little thing called; planning!
The author shows concern with the coming year and the city's need to make two emergency purchases. So, were the 582 citizens or in other terms; the majority of the electors! It's a shame that this amendment was not into effect when the city gave away $2,000,000.00 to the SOGP; that City Auditor, Trent Williams illegally collected from the taxpayers.
Citizens need to keep this in mind! Not one city official felt this amendment was important enough to show up at the Board of Elections to wait on results from the polls! Maybe the spending of taxpayers dollars is not as important as showing up to see if they were elected! So, they may be able to give themselves fat juicy raises while in office! Watch dog to lap dog transformation in progress!
The author had another issue with the verbage or definition of "majority of electors"! There it is again! Is it really possible that Trent Williams, the person entrusted with our city finances; the Portsmouth Daily Times and this author are that unfamiliar with the english language and the definitions of words or phrases? Do they lack the qualities needed for effective translation of the our native language?
The newspaper also views that 582 voters are holding Portsmouth City Council hostage! I don't know the total number of supporters of the SOGP. But, would bet that the author of the article in question and the Portsmouth Daily Times itself are members of the SOGP. And, they are guilty of taking the citizens of Portsmouth, Ohio hostage!
I do agree with this author on one issue though. There is a system already in place if you dont trust your councilperson. And, it is to vote them out of office! But, many believe that the four year terms are to long of a period of time to wait for a corrupt politician to be voted out! Answer: Rescind the amendment that changed it from 2 years to 4 years!
The newspaper also states that we place people in office to do a job. Wrong! We elect people to represent the citizens of this city and to do what is right for those citizens!
I have to warn you folks this next phrase will make you extremely pissed!
And I quote; "There comes a time when the philosphy of Democracy has to give way to the pragmatic reality of fiscal management. This just may be that time."
Who in the world does the Portsmouth Daily Times and this author think they are to suggest taking away our rights to Democracy! I'll tell you what time it is!
Its time to Boycott the Portsmouth Daily Times and any of the businesses that advertise with this newspaper!
We already go out of town for most of our goods and services anyway! We have other choices for health care and cars!
At the top right hand side of this page is a place that you can go and sign a petition against the Portsmouth Daily Times and it's advertisers! Please check it out and show them that you will not have your rights treaded on by them or anyone else with these Fascist Views!
Update: 2-11-2009
The name of the author of the article printed on February 5th, 2009 is none other than; Jason Lovins
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Now What? Ball is in Your Court Now!
Well, the verdict is in and the citizens of Portsmouth have spoken once again! No more blank checks totally $100,000.00 without first going to seek approval from the "majority of the electors"!
The citizens voted "YES" for the new Charter Amendment to "Limit the City's Taxing Authority"!
582 voted YES.
572 voted NO.
Now, we sit and wait! What will be the City of Portsmouth's next move? Rumor mill has it; that they are planning some kind of a legal challenge towards the amendment. Councilmen Haas and Mearan are appointed councilmen and are up for election this year. Their actions intended towards this amendment now... will most certainly set the tone for their electability this year. Notice I used the verbage "electability" not "re-electability". This because they were not elected by the "majority of the electors"!
Monday's Portsmouth City Council Meeting should be a rather informative meeting. Especially the "Special Session" portion!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Project Sciotoville - New Blog
Check out my new blog dedicated to exploring the idea of Sciotoville breaking off from the City of Portsmouth and becoming our own township or combining with either New Boston or Porter Township!
Just click on this articles title to go to Project Sciotoville!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Majority of Electors Defined
This article's purpose is to clarify the verbage in the Charter Amendment that is to be voted on in the February 3rd, 2009 Special Election.
It seems that those who oppose this amendment are not clear of some of the verbage in said charter amendment. In fact this very same verbage has been used by city officials in the past to desribe and articulate their ordinances and amendments.
The verbage that I am talking about is: "majority of electors". Dictionary.com translates the word electors as; a qualified voter in an election. Basically one who is registered to vote! Common sense translates the verbage in question to mean. The majority of the registered voters!
In Funk & Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary, it defines the word electors as; One who elects; a person qualified to vote. Again, a person who is a registered voter is qualified and is considered an elector!
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines elector as: one qualified to vote in an election; one entitled to participate in an election.
How can any person that is an elected official or that is a registered voter; not capable to understand and interpret the wording of majority of electors?
Friday, January 23, 2009
February 3rd, 2009 Charter Amendment Vote "YES"
WHY THE CHARTER AMENDMENT IS NEEDED
Approval of the Charter Amendment to Limit the City Council’s Taxing Authority Will:
Prevent the Mayor and City Council from arbitrarily raising your real estate taxes for purchasing major items such as buildings, vehicles, and equipment without the approval of the taxpayers. Such an increase is reflected in your current property tax bill and will also been seen in your 2010 bill. City income taxes already provide for such purchases in the various Capital Improvements Funds.
Require that the Mayor and Council plan for equipment replacement, property acquisitions, etc. in the appropriate Capital Improvements Fund budget.
Prevent the frivolous spending of tax dollars such as occurred (without taxpayer approval) for the $2 million purchase of the Marting’s Building.
Provide citizens a voice in long-term debt obligations, which have to be repaid in future years from increased real estate taxes.
Encourage responsible use of tax dollars entrusted to our city officials by requiring the ordinary maintenance of existing properties.
Require city officials provide a rationale and plan for major expenditures that cannot be financed by appropriate Capital Improvement Funds.
PLEASE VOTE “YES” ON THE
“LIMITATIONS OF TAXING AUTHORITY”
CHARTER AMENDMENT ON FEBRUARY 3, 2009
Distributed by James Wilson
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Do You Have One Of These In Your Neighborhood?
Both pictures above were taken by myself. They are of a burnt house on Rose St. in Sciotoville, Ohio. The picture on the left was taken on 12-4-2007. The picture on the right was taken on 1-7-2009.
When, I took the photo in '07; all I did was take just the one picture. The photo taken in '09; I had taken several photos of the property! The floor in this property is completely collapsed in the structure. Boards and planks are hanging from what is left of the roof in what was once the living room; and the roof to what appeared to be the bedrooms and bathroom was completely gone. I could see down into the basement area of the whole house from the porch area, where I snaped most of the pictures!
What is really disturbing the most is; nothing has been done to protect children from entering the property or to prevent them from getting hurt or even worse! Nothing at all!
I am not for certain but, I believe this property caught on fire sometime in October or November of 2007! A simple look at the fire alarm log for this property would reveal the actual date of the fire. This home actually set empty for a very long time prior to catching fire. I would expect that the utilities were not on at the time; the lady had been placed in a nursing care facility! Her son is now the owner since her placement and lives out of town.
Also, why has this property not been razed or ordered so by the City of Portsmouth? Coincidently, this property is only four houses away from Rose St. Park! With the intense vandalism that has obviously taken place at Rose St. Park. It makes one wonder if this was not done by the same hands that worked over the park!
If this house was setting across the street from Mound, Tracy or Alexandria Park, would this be permitted? Would the city not have this taken care of?
Remember folks! This has been this way for over a year now! I'm sure some of you may have one of these in your neighborhood that has been there even longer!
February 3rd, 2009 - A date of Prevention & Prohibition!
PETITION TO AMEND THE CHARTER
OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH, OHIO
To the Clerk of the City of Portsmouth, Ohio:
In accordance with Section 166 of the Charter of the City of Portsmouth, Ohio, we the undersigned registered electors of the City of Portsmouth, Ohio, do hereby request the submission to a vote of the electors of the city the following amendment to Section 47 of the Portsmouth City Charter:
Section 47(f): Limitations of Taxing Authority
No taxes may be levied on the property owners of the City of Portsmouth for the retirement
of any bonded indebtedness without the approval of such levy by a majority of the electors
of the City of Portsmouth. Bonded indebtedness for the construction, acquisition and/or
improvement of City property costing more than $100,000 in total may be incurred only by
approval of a majority of the electors of the city at the next general election or a special
election called by the Council. Expenditures for the construction, acquisition, and/or
improvement of City property in excess of $100,000 in a fiscal year, not funded by bonded
indebtedness, must be paid from Capital Improvements Funds, as approved in Section
47(c) and Section 47(d); an appropriate enterprise fund, or from designated grant funds.
This amendment shall become elective immediately upon passage by a majority of the
electors of the City of Portsmouth, Ohio.
Further explanation of the above Charter Amendment will soon follow... in layman terms if you will!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Playful City USA - Award Winning Park in Sciotoville, Ohio?
Monday, December 29, 2008
Department of Public Service - City of Portsmouth Part II
Department Commitments
Assume a positive intent. The blatant intent to deprive Sciotoville residents of services that are suppost to be provided as stated.
Deal directly with each other about conflicts. Is this a hint of this department failure to make proper documentation of reprimands and disciplinary actions with employees?
Listen: seek first to understand, and then to be understood. Is this intended for departmental use or is it to be practiced with the community you are suppost to serve?
Look for the lesson when mistakes are made. These are starting to describe a possible communication and employee conduct issues within the department!
Be trusting, trustworthy, and accountable. To whom?
Support group decisions outside of the meetings. What goes on in the Service Department; stays in the Service Department!
Treat others as they would like to be treated. A revision should be made to this commitment! It should also include the words: Unless they are from Sciotoville!
Be tough on the issues, tender on people. Again, unless you reside in the 6th Ward! Or, have a complaint about them providing deficient services!
Division of Fleet Maintenance
Mr. Murphy claims that this division of his department is responsible for maintaining 300 pieces of city equipment. This divisions responsibilities are as follows according to Murphy!
Tracks, maintains and services 300 pieces of city equipment.
Performs periodic oil changes.
Repairs and replaces tires.
Performs major and minor repairs on gasoline/diesel engines, transmissions, electrical systems, hydraulic systems.
According to Mr. Murphy's report; the city of Portsmouth should never have repairs made by an outside business to any of the 300 pieces of city equipment! No other entity should ever change the tires on any of the equipment! According to his own words this would cover preventive maintenance, major engine, transmission, electrical and hydraulic repairs! Then their should be no invoices from an outside source to ever perform any of these services! I would wager otherwise... and almost give the odds that the majority of the work is performed by other than city employees.
Division of Traffic
The Traffic Division's responsibilities are as follows. Again, per Service Director, Chris Murphy.
Maintains traffic signals, pedestrian signals, traffic signs and street signs.
Services traffic control boxes.
Paints curbs and center lines, municipal parking lots.
Paints stop bars and pedestrian crosswalks.
Maintains and services street lights.
Blocks streets during events and repairs.
Installs seasonal flags and holiday decorations.
Performs special projects for the city.
Division of Grounds Maintenance/Grounds Recreation
This division, along with the Street Maintenance Division; in my opinion are probably the divisions that waste our taxpayers dollars! I would love to actually see the work-orders that these two divisions claim they perform. My bet is; there is alot of falsifying documentation! I wonder if the Director practices Verification vs. Falsification?
Anyway! This is what this division does for the citizens of Portsmouth, per Director, Murphy.
Prepares grave sites for funerals.
Maintains 100 acre cemetery and fence line.
Mows along highways and city owned property.
Maintains and makes repairs to all parks and recreational facilities.
This is a complete bold face lie! If anyone would like to challenge me to this, I welcome it!
Removes and prunes city trees.
Removes trash from city parks.
Another bold face lie! Again, the same challenge applies! I have proof of these lies!
Chemically mows gaurd-rails, curbs, and sidewalks.
Fertilizes and seeds ball fields.
Please take a look at the pictures below! You be the judge if Public Service Director, Chris Murphy is telling the complete truth!
So... this is how Mr. Murphy and his Public Service Department; especially the Division of Grounds Maintenance/Grounds Recreation, clean and maintenance all the parks! As you can see from the last pictures; this has gone on for a couple of years now; according to the spray painted date on the wall, and no effort by him or his department has been made to correct it! Sound familiar? The city won't take care of the city building either! I also, have pictures of this same park over a year ago! I went to the council, mayor and Mr. Murphy and nothing has been done yet! Except, they wanted to chain and lock the gate to keep people out of it. Their claims were for chaining the gate closed was; it would keep the vandals out!
In all fairness, I do understand and recognize that if the city employees are not instructed by Mr. Murphy to do the work! Then, they are not going to do something that their boss doesn't want them to do. They for the most part should follow his instructions!
So... Mr. Murphy! You are the person who is at fault for the failure of what should be done! Some would call that "dereliction of duty!"
