A Tabling Bear Down
POTTSTOWN, PA – Another defeat handed to Team Hylton. For those keeping score…that’s the second one of the week.
At last Thursday’s regular meeting of the Pottstown School Board, board member Valerie Harris, who earlier this month was defeated as a county GOP register of wills candidate, unsuccessfully tried to table a motion on administration raises.
Unfortunately, the reasoning behind the failed tabling attempt had nothing to do with saving money for the taxpayers…and everything to do with the relentless negativity and malicious personal attacks of fellow board member (and Harris’ 2009 running mate) Thomas Hylton.
Once again, Pottstown School District Director of Development Terri Lampe was the missed intended target of Team Hylton’s failed parliamentary procedure blunder. In case you missed it, check out today’s Mercury for the article on the botched tabling attempt:
Pottstown administrators’ get salary hike paired with less expensive health plan
As our smart and savvy readers will recall, Ms. Lampe was the former Economic Developer for Pottstown until Tom Hylton pushed to have her position eliminated in 2008. Why? Because Hylton took offense to the comments Ms. Lampe made in a February 16, 2008 Mercury article on the borough’s new blueprint for economic progress: “I heard loud and clear from everybody, even the staff, that the zoning is so confusing and negotiable; that the current process is unwelcoming” – the zoning Ms. Lampe was referring to was written by Tom Hylton.
Another reason for Hylton’s Hatred is that Ms. Lampe was named as one of several individuals to serve on the borough’s newly formed Zoning Review Committee last July…a committee that will overhaul the economically damaging zoning ordinance that Hylton wrote ten years ago. For a more complete background on Hylton’s non-fruit bearing zoning crusade…check the Zone of His Own section from the second part of our Save Our Land, Save Pottstown – Just Say No trilogy.
Perhaps Hylton should join Pottstown Mayor Bonnie Heath in a “Haters Who Hate Different Opinions” group therapy session.
For anyone who questions Terri Lampe’s superb productivity as Development Director of the Pottstown School District, please review the following: During 2009/ 2010 the development department/team and foundation brought in about 2.4 million for the Pottstown School District. Through Ms Lampe’s hard work, the PSD realized a 21st Century grant for secondary education. While the district received this grant in past years, the state wanted to see more partners, so five different community partners were realized by Ms Lampe. Another grant under Ms Lamp’s tenure was ‘Weather Bug’. That project/program was funded entirely through Ms Lampe’s negotiations with Exelon. Her work helped the PSD secure a $32,000 system which cost the SD nothing. Ms Lampe is also highly regarded outside the Pottstown School District campus. Over the past eight months Ms Lampe has spoken in Pa and NJ on her position and how it has influenced a partnership between the school district and the Pottstown boro. Many school districts are interested in or considering replicating her position. In the last two weeks she presented to the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit. About 80 superintendents, assistant superintendents, and business managers were in attendance at the MCIU. Ms Lampe has also been approached by the school districts of Lower Merion, Boyertown, Twin Valley and Souderton in regard to what she is doing in Pottstown with the development and educational foundational for the SD. In addition, while Bob New has expanded his Mid-Atlantic Consortium of Educational Foundations into a new national organization called National Consortium of Educational Foundations, Ms Lampe has been asked by Bob to be an advisor to this group which she has been doing for several months.
And finally, back in the Pottstown boro, is the long awaited PAID. Ms Lampe has worked very hard to secure her seat for the school district at the PAID table. (As PAID is presently looking for the person to lead PAID, Ms Lampe with her outstanding credentials should be named to head PAID) As part of PAID, she is a key stakeholder and decision maker for the economic development of Pottstown. The Pottstown boro needs to take a very hard look at Ms Lampe to head PAID or they are missing a real opportunity to move this community forward for the residents of this town. (Terri will do more than hang purple lights and hold expensive masquerade balls at taxpayers’ expense). Prior to Ms Lampe’s position as Director of Development for the PSD, Ms Lampe was an outstanding Economic Development officer for the boro of Pottstown. Had Mr. Hylton and his cohorts not demanded the elimination of Ms Lampe and her position, the boro may not have needed the ULI study and the creation of the new PAID.(more time at the expense of the boro) Ms Lampe had done all the research and preparation for the so much needed economic development of the Pottstown community. (Once again Tom Hylton sent this town backwards because Ms Lampe’s plans interfered with Tom’s personal selfish agenda.) At this time Pottstown needs Terri Lampe’s background, knowledge, and experience to fill the position as Director of PAID because she, unlike anyone else, won’t require a year to get the PAID director’s office moving for the boro of Pottstown (and timing is crucial for this boro’s economic survival).
Now when Ms Lampe’s value to the Pottstown community and PSD is questioned, I resent Mr. Hylton’s and Ms Harris’ comments. Why are they trying to drive out a forward thinking person of outstanding talent! (Are they intimidated by Ms Lampe’s ability to make good things happen?) The Pottstown School District and the Pottstown boro should consider themselves to be more than fortunate to have Ms Terri Lampe’s outstanding experience and talents moving the Pottstown community forward both educationally and financially for Pottstown’s future.