HAMMONTON BLOG

Date: 01:35 PM Nov 23, 2006

School Deficit Balloons

Date: 02:01 PM Nov 23, 2006

A previous board member has jokingly refered to himself as a member of the "Infidel Board" since the current board blamed the past board so often. Maybe they should not have been so critical. It's the board under Rehmann and Giralo that ran the high deficits.

The teacher's union backed the Democrats. Unfortunately, now those jobs are at risk as well as the level of the kids educations and something needs to be done to fix the school finances once and for all.

Date: 04:50 PM Nov 25, 2006

The only thing that can be done to stop years of Republican mismanagement of te schools by Rehmann and Giralo is for the union to unite behind Demorcratic leadership and call for their resignations.

Date: 04:58 PM Nov 28, 2006

This is what happens when the Republicans take control of everything. If they win more seats next year, it will be a disaster. Jimmy Bertino will take everything that is not tied down.

Date: 10:12 PM Nov 30, 2006

Republicans Lorretta Rehmann and Joe Giralo continue to ruin our school.

These problems didn't exist when Democrats like Jim MacLane were in office.

We need serious changes in the school board. Rehmann and Giralo have to resign. They have ruined our once proud school system.

Date: 10:13 PM Nov 30, 2006

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY SHOULD DEMAND REHMANN AND GIRALO RESIGN. THE REPUBLICANS HAVE RUINED OUR TOWN.

Date: 07:18 AM Dec 2, 2006

Because of all these problems, the Republican Party is falling apart and spliting up again due to political infighting.

The Hammontonian web page (http://www.hammontonian.com/) has an article that some Republicans are nervous some of their newly elected people are going to leave their party. We need to recruit them to be Democrats to get seats on Council! We need to be talking to them NOW.

Date: 09:30 PM Dec 7, 2006

It has become apparent that the Republicans, under big campaign contributor Loretta Rehmann and Republican Joe Giralo, have turned the school into the "Titanic."

Now we also know from the mayor that the Republicans almost bankrupt the municipal government and also wrecked the hospital.

These people have no clue! We need to get them out of office!

Date: 07:55 AM Dec 19, 2006

The Republicans are the most corrupt organization in our nations history. These people have no limits. See http://www.democrats.org/a/national/honest_government/abuse_of_power/ for more details. How do we know what is really being done with the taxpayer's money?

Admin: I had to fix link, originally led to a proxy server, guess we know who posted it.

-- Edited by Admin at 08:43, 2006-12-19

Date: 12:28 PM Dec 19, 2006

Good job Admin. The National Democratic Party is giving the leadership to fight Republican corruption on the national level. Here at home, we all need to watch out to uncover the corruption at the local Republican Club!

Admin · Status: Offline

I made no response to the post. I only stated I had to fix the link that was originally posted. What goes on Nationally does not neccessarily follow down to the local level.

Date: 03:35 PM Dec 19, 2006

Don't you support the National Democrats in their efforts to root out Republican corruption at all levels of government? Or do the local Democrats feel they are marching to the beat of a different drum and not really like the rest of the Democratic Party?

Admin · Status: Offline

Of course we want to root out all coruption, all I am saying is that just because it exists at National Level doesn't mean it exists here too. Of course, I am not saying it doesn't exist either. We have been very vocal on many issues at Town level and will continue to do so.

Date: 09:36 PM Dec 23, 2006

Kopkowski and Cuneo picked up $20K each. Did you make any money Jim?

Admin · Status: Offline

Get over it. Those payments were 100% approved by the entire Board and were a bargain compared to what we would have paid a Construction Management firm to oversee the project. Believe me those fine men put in much more time than they were compensated for.

Date: 02:12 PM Dec 24, 2006

Yes. And the other nice thing is that just before he left, the business adminstrator (Cuneo) shredded all the financial documents so that no one really can ever find out how much the school building cost. Isn't that nice?

Admin · Status: Offline

Nothing was shredded. It's all there, how else could the auditor have balance the capitol account? I don't believe Mr. Cuneo's replacement knew what she was looking at, so they don't have any idea what records they have found and what are still in boxes.

Date: 08:09 PM Dec 29, 2006

Jim MacLane has admitted he doesn't have any data top back up his claim that the school cnstruction was on budget. No wonder the current board says his board did not know what they were doing!

Admin · Status: Offline

You just don't listen do you??? I said I no longer have the documentation. It's been over 5 years since I left the board, I just didn't keep it. I had it all then and I remember it well. We knew what we were doing, just look at the fine buildings we ended up with, state of the art and the envy of South Jersey.

Date: 03:30 PM Dec 30, 2006

The building is crap. MacLane was over budget. He is embarassing the Party.

Date: 08:46 AM Dec 31, 2006

Will you please just go away. The building is beautiful. But anytime you are forced to hire "low bid" you are going to get some cutting corners.

The building was on budget, and it opened on time. There were no problems with that building that woudn't of happened anywhere else.

Date: 08:24 AM Jan 1, 2007

Jim MacLane is an embarrassment to the Demcratic Party. He and his boss only care about themselves. They haqve no idea how much was spent on the high school. They drove the district t ruins.

Admin · Status: Offline

Just stop, I don't know why I bother you so much. You're non-stop bashing is way past getting tired. You have no facts to prove your statements. I have my service on the board and my knowledge of the facts to back me up. I had the facts, but didn't save them, you never had the facts. If you think what was done 5 years ago is the reason for today's problems, then you have no clue as to how things work. However, if you want to go with that thought and the happenings of 5 years ago are the reason, then you are saying it is even more the current board's fault because they did nothing to react to the situation.

-- Edited by Admin at 08:14, 2007-01-02

Date: 03:12 PM Jan 6, 2007

It is not fair to attack Jim MacLane. He knows that Jimmy Bertino is a lying thief who talks out of both sides of his mouth and has been milking the town for years. In his time in office, Bertino has walked away with much more than $50,000 of our hard earned money.

Date: 03:15 PM Jan 6, 2007

MacLane, Diaz and Cafiso 2007. New Democrats for a new future! This is the powerhouse ticket the Dems have been waiting for to regain seats on council.

Date: 10:49 PM Jan 7, 2007

I've heard people talk about Diaz at my job too. Will enough Republicans vote for him since now they have people on council? Plus how long has he been in Hammonton. That's an important factor to many voters.

Date: 06:22 AM Jan 8, 2007

Jose' was born and raised in Hammonton. With the exception of serving overseas defending our country in the Navy, he has been here all his life. Read his bio. Just google him you'll see.

Admin · Status: Offline

Someone please tell me how long someone has to live here to know enough about what is going on and is able to serve the community they have embraced. What is so special about the Country of Hammonton that we think the only way you can serve is if you were born here. Are we that different than all the other people on earth? Are there no ideas from outside our beloved borders that may be good for us? Are we that closed minded, closed borders, self loving that we can accept no outsiders into our community?

Date: 07:28 PM Jan 9, 2007

Yes.

Date: 09:18 PM Jan 12, 2007

This whole mess is the fault of the Capoferri-MacLane board.

Admin · Status: Offline

Each and every budget year stands on it's own. Nothing is held over from the previous year. Your assumption that actions from 6 years ago had any effect on this year's budget just shows your ignorance. You have always been jealous of Mr. Capoferri and I guess you are now jealous of me too.

Date: 06:29 PM Jan 17, 2007

It would be nice if every budget stood on its own. Of course, we all know that is not true. Bonds and leases have to be paid each year. So if you bond or lease something now, you commit for the term of the note to pay that money every year. Also, if a boiler system doesn't work, you commit for those energy costs every year.

Admin · Status: Offline

While it is true that bonded items are a chargeable item for the life of the bond, it does not change the fact that each year the payment is part of the annual budget. And each year the budget is the amount of money you have to spend THAT year. And if you overspend that year it does not have an effect on any other year besides the fact that the debt could be carried to the next year. But each year still stands alone as a budget and each year you can not spend more than you budget or more than you receive in revenues. There were no carry over budget deficits from the previous board. Each and every year had audits that were glowing. This year's deficit can only be attributed to this board and this administration, including the recently retired Business Administrator.

Date: 06:09 PM Jan 18, 2007

That is right. You cannot blame Jim MacLane for what Republicans Loretta Rehmann and Joe Giralo have done to our school as President and VP of the school board.

When Jim was VP this did not happen. It is the Republicans who are incompetent!

Admin · Status: Offline

At the 1/18 School Board meeting, BA Barbara Prettyman announced that the district is coming in under budget for this year.

Date: 05:46 PM Jan 26, 2007

"Also, if a boiler system doesn't work, you commit for those energy costs every year."

That boiler is state of the art. The only problem with it, was that no one knew how to use it. The head of facilities was let go at the end of that year as a result.