Untrue Rumor

[justfacts]

I received an e-mail today about a rumor. At first I was going to respond to only the sender. But as I finished the response I put in a P.S. that made me reconsider.

The response should quell the untruth in the rumor for many more people in the District. They should be made aware that the rumor has no basis in fact - and it could be a devastating rumor if not counteracted.

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e-mail received:

Re: are rumors true?
« Message sent on Today at 5:06pm »
The rumor was that Mr Hevesi called people on the Library board and to discuss the dismissal of Richman?

I received a phone call early in the morning yesterday to tell me this.

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My response to the e-maill:

No - That rumor has no basis in fact.

It is true that immediately following a meeting last week between some District personnel and some BOE members with the Library Board President and Vice-President (and some financial Library staff members) there was a call from Hevisi's office with regard to the meeting and the actions of the District in not properly adhering to the District's requirements to provide proper funding for the Library by any of the means available to the District.

It is a statutory obligation of the District to supply these funds - and they were negligent in doing so last year. The meeting concerned their apparent attempt to repeat the actions of last year and the Library Board had clearly reiterated the duty of the District in a letter to each Board Member. The call from Hevisi's office, made partially because of e-mails and phone calls I made in previous weeks to apprise them of the current funding status, backed up the Library's position. The call was strictly fortuitous timing on the part of Hevisi's office.

Richman "checked with his attorney" and had follow up calls to Hevisi's office, that reaffirmed the Library's position.

The improper funding actions of last year are being reviewed by Hevisi's office at the request of the Library Board, but have resulted in no decision as yet. A decision may have to await the result of a general audit to find out if the interest charges on a non-existent Library TAN are being made twice over.

Ed.

P.S. If needed - to quell an improper rumor - feel free to cut & paste this into a post on the topic. Other Plainedge residents should know of the meetings about Library funding and activities of the Library on their behalf with regard to proper (or improper) charging for interest that has already been paid for by them. That should be determined by Hevisi's office.

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[Go Plainedge!]

Thanks Ed.

The metamorphosis of information can be confusing.

[davinci]

GOOD NEWS JUST ANNOUNCED
RICH-MAN IS LEAVING
BE SURE TO ATTEND THE BOARD MEETING ON TUES.

[plainedgewatcher]

Maybe Labelle will go with him and save the Community the time!!!

[thewildrover]

justfacts said:

I received an e-mail today about a rumor. At first I was going to respond to only the sender. But as I finished the response I put in a P.S. that made me reconsider.

The response should quell the untruth in the rumor for many more people in the District. They should be made aware that the rumor has no basis in fact]

Lets follow the Factsmans lead and wait to see.................above board is what WE should strive to be, very unlike this administration.....WE are better then them.........

Rumor and innuendo only demeans US...........

Confirmation brings us to a whole other dimension......

The dimension that P-townwatcher calls a "New Plainedge"............

I like it!!!!

[justfacts]

To Clarify initial post:

Hevisi's office did not discuss Richman's dismissal with the Library Board. There is no connection between Hevisi's office and dismissal of Richman - He has no authority to do so. And the independent Library Board is not authorized to play any part in such a School Board task.

Only the School Board and the Commissioner of Education could be involved in dismissal efforts of the Administrator.

The rumor that is prevalent, and has been for many weeks, is that Richman will give notice to the Board of his plans to retire at the end of this coming school year (in 2007). Again, that is a rumor and is not due to become a fact - until the Board (and we) see Richman's retirement notice from him in writing.

How many are going to tonight's Board meeting? Thursday's?

Ed.

[gopybl]

Hello Everyone !!!! Sorry for being off the scene for a while. I have been attempting to complete the baseball season with all this rain we had in April & May.

I heard a very disturbing rumor the other day and hopefully Mr. Facts, Wild Rover and all the other loyal posters on here can dispell this rumor for me......

I heard that Dr Richman is retiring and his successor will be Ms. P'simer....OK

I also heard that the BOE is going to allow Dr Richman to stay on as a PAID consultant to transition the district to Ms. P'simer....THIS IS DISTURBING.

Based on what I have heard....We would then be paying for Ms. P'simer (and hopefully the BOE uses some discretion here) and Dr Richman his consulting fees at the same time. This sounds like it could cost the district even more money than we have been paying in the past?

Someone please tell me that this is not the case!!!!!

[Say What Again]

Excuse me for saying so, but if he is retiring from the position and the board is going to pay him a consultative fee to consult and instruct his allegded replacement, then why not just deny his resignation? why pay someone else during the time they requre "hand-holding"? I see no reason for the town to have to pay a salary AND a consultative fee AND a pension for 1 job.....stands to reason that maybe they should be looking for someone with no question as to their qualification to do the job, no? (no offense to Ms. P'simer of course, just seems like a lot of double and triple dipping to me)

That'd be like me telling my boss on Friday that I'm retiring but that I'll see him Monday - keep paying me....in fact, make it Tuesday

[concerned]

I still have not received a clear answer despite efforts to do so....is Dr. Richman retiring and if so, when? Maybe someone on this board can help me.

[Go Plainedge!]

According to minutes I have read on Felice's website, this retirement will be effective June 2007.

It appears as though Felice copied the agenda that was distributed at the last BOE meeting making this statement.

It also stated that they have all agreed to appoint Ms P'Simer as the replacement. This was done without any research as to who else is available outside of the district.

Most companies, when hiring from within, will at least research other possible candidates to make sure the internal candidates are best qualified.

I guess 7 people didn't feel it necessary to do that.

[justfacts]

Since this name has come up so often - here's an old Bio!

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New School Year Brings Staffing Changes to Plainedge District
By Jessica DeStefano, AUGUST 17, 2001, Massapequa Post.

This September, Plainedge Schools will welcome three new faces to administrative positions within the district, and bid a fond farewell to two retirees.

Chris P'Simer, Mark Nocero, and Emily O'Brien, all of whom were once teachers in the district, are moving on to higher positions in the school system. Richard Staudt and Thomas Gibbons, two long-term members of the Plainedge Schools' administrative staff, retired this summer.

P'Simer, formerly principal of Sylvia Packard Middle School, was recently appointed by the Board of Education as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. She will replace Dr. Lee S. Wilson, who served for the past two years as Interim Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. Nocero, formerly principal of Eastplain Elementary School, will take over the reins as principal at the middle school, while O'Brien is appointed as principal of Eastplain. All appointments were effective July 1, 2001.

P'Simer has enjoyed a varied and distinguished career in Plainedge. She began as a math and computer science teacher. Shortly after joining the district, she was asked to head the newly formed Plainedge Teacher Center, where she served as director for over ten years. During that time, the program grew from a few computer courses for teachers to a comprehensive faculty development and parent education program.

While a teacher, P'Simer was elected secretary of the Plainedge Federation of Teachers. She took an active role in strategic planning, serving on Planning and Action Teams. In Jan. 1996, she was appointed Director of Staff Development and continued in that position until being named principal of the middle school in Sept. 1997.

Since her focus and area of specialty has always been curriculum and instruction, P'Simer said she sees her position as a "natural move," one she has been preparing for throughout her career. "I've thoroughly enjoyed my time at the middle school, where I've been fortunate to work with wonderful kids and a cooperative, dedicated and energetic staff, but I look forward with great anticipation to my new position," she said.

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At least some background information, especially from the pre-Richman era, is better than no information.

Ed.

P.S. As for the School Site providing authentic recent information on the topic of Staff backgrounds - - - Don't Bother! Like many other Modules on the District site, this one is also NOT WORKING!