The Last days of The Englewood Trolley Service

Have you ever ridden the Englewood Trolley? I have been putting it off for a long time. Now we have until June 30, 2013, it seems to enjoy this ride. There has been much talk about how this quaint reminder of days gone by is not used by anyone. I am beginning to think that some of us are invisible. The 2nd Ward Councilman said that he has never seen anyone on the Trolley. Well, the only time that I have seen it empty is when parked in the garage. Perhaps Mr. Cohen should come down off the hill sometimes. I am getting the strange feeling that  some folks would just like to control the very air we breathe. So I guess the people on this Trolley are plain old invisible. Very Ralph Ellison.

If the folks on the East Hill don't use it, why not stop the one that is wasting time and gas going up there. Sounds like a viable plan to me. Seems like the real problem is the people on the Trolley trying to get something for their tax dollars.

Perhaps those of you who ride the Trolley should speak up. You are allowed. Someone might tell you that you make a big deal of everything and threaten to get nasty, but I have found that life goes on after evil people get nasty.

Take a Trolley Ride Englewood. June 30th is not that far away. 

Get yourselves a free Trolley Ride. Make a few phone calls. There is little reason to suffer in silence. There is a lot of NASTY in the world.

First a Tsunami, then a surplus, go figure.

Artificial Light, Sleep Deprivation and Breast Cancer

A friend who lives on Howell Road in the 3rd Ward just sent me these photos. I was flabbergasted. I would never sleep if this situation existed outside my bedroom window. Experts say that this much artificial light affects more than just a person's sleep patterns. It has been linked to cancer. Studies have shown that females who work the night shift are more likely to develop breast cancer. Is Howell Road now a high risk area for breast cancer in women/men? Yes, men may also suffer from breast cancer. After thanking my lucky stars that this situation is not in my front yard, I decided to write this. Why are the lights on at Herring Field when there is no game in progress? Those blaring lights are wasting energy, causing night blindness in plants and possible breast cancer in humans. Why?

You would think that the person or persons responsible for keeping the Parks would make sure that these lights do not come on when there is no game in progress. What would happen if these lights illuminated the 1st or 2nd Ward homes at night? Residents in this area must begin to protest such wasteful and dangerous health practices in our City. These lights are focused almost directly into the windows of Glenbrook Parkway apartments and the homes on Howell Road. The glare is evident all the way down the block to Glenbrook Parkway.

There are lots of children in this area. We do not want them to be put at risk for breast cancer.  They also need uninterrupted sleep in order to be fresh for the learning required in school. Sleep deprivation has been known to affect the learning process. They are already working against the odds. We must eliminate all obstacles to success.

I am encouraging the residents of this area to make the call to the City Manager and ask that these artificial and very bright flood lights be regulated to shine on nights and at times when games are in progress. Someone must know when that is. I am sure that there is someone already on the payroll that might have this added to the duties they perform. It does seem a tiny responsibility that will mean so very much to the residents in this area.

Further reading on the issue...

A very interesting study done on the elimination of artificial light

http://jdmoyer.com/2010/03/04/sleep-experiment-a-month-with-no-artificial-light/

Environmental Factor: Artificial Light Stimulates Breast Cancer

https://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2006/january/science-artificial.cfm

RCEP Consultation on Artificial Light in the Environment
Martin Morgan-Taylor∗
http://www.darksky.org/

New Research Shows Artificial Light at Night Stimulates Breast Cancer Growth in Laboratory Mice
https://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsroom/releases/2005/december19/index.cfm


                                         "... And how are the children?"

Line 2 is An Empty Ballot Position

Attention Englewood Voters: 

This is a reminder that Debra Richardson-Zarate (Line 2) is not running for the School Board. Her name is on the ballot but she is NOT running. 

Skip down to #'s 3 - 4 -5

She is supporting Devry Pazant Jeff Carter Carol Feinstein. Lines 3 - 4 - 5.

Get out and vote. All is not well in Public Education in Englewood.

All is not well when all 9 members of our school board belong to a secret organization that does not answer to or include the entire community. 

All is NOT well. Bottom line, the good old boy's private club is not good for our children. Test scores are among the lowest in the County. 

Both the Middle School and the High School have had 7 principals in the last 9 nine years. Math and Literacy scores are among the lowest in the county.

You be the judge. Is that a great 9 year track record or just plain old blind trust on our part?

Life In Engleworld: Who is the REAL Poster Child for Greed?

"Dr. Carlisle agreed to a salary of $200k/yr, which was $50k less than his current salary in Port Chester. He had already completed his New York pension eligibility. It should be noted that his salary was $20k less than the salary due the current Superintendent." Eugene Skurnick  (Elected to the Englewood City Council since this article was published.)

That is eternally funny. Dr. Carlisle may have agreed to $200k/yr, but did anyone in the district have the authority to pay him above the state mandated CAP on Superintendent salary? Is this another example of how Engleworld is Above the Law? He is now being paid $64,500 above CAP which is $167, 500. That is enough to pay the yearly salary of 4 of the paraprofessionals needed to educate the Special Needs Children in the Englewood Public School District.
          
How many faces do you have Mr. Skurnick? Which one are you showing the residents in the 3rd Ward when you make statements like the ones in that article? It does not benefit the residents in the 3rd and 4th wards when there are tax cuts for the rich. Our fees actually go up to cover the flat taxes. There is no advantage or savings for us when the rich get lower taxes or when the developers get tax abatements. How dare you equate the Salary of the Superintendent to the salary of a fireman or policeman. 

                                                   Video was Uploaded on Nov 10, 2010 

The Six Million dollar question is still the same. How does our very colorful Governor allow 

Englewood to get away with this? Check out the highlighted amounts below.

Salary is calculated based on the number of students in the district.

Student Enrollment of District(s)		Maximum
	0-250	$125,000
	251 – 750	$135,000
	751 – 1,500	$145,000
	1,501 – 3,000	$155,000
	3,001 – 6,500	$165,000
	6,501 – 10,000	$175,000

WHAT IS THE REST OF NJ DOING IN RESPONSE TO THE NEW LAW? 

WHAT ARE OUR NEIGHBORS DOING?

Let us make an extreme comparison.

Middletown School District in Monmouth County, New Jersey

Student Enrollment: 10, 145     (as of October 15, 2012)

Students on roll regular and full time 8, 591

Superintendent Salary for 2013 - 2014  $187,500.00  (page 28 of 29)

A Regional District that includes: 12 Elementary Schools, 3 Middle Schools and 2 High Schools

Check out the transparency demonstrated in Facility Use.

Now look at a few that are a little less extreme in comparison. Note that all schools listed have more students than the Englewood Public School District. 

Teaneck

Superintendent Salary:  $167,500 (page 13 of 31)

Student enrollment: 4,083 (October 2012)

Schools: 4 Elementary, 2 Middle, 1 High School

Willingboro (they say we are like this one and I don't know why. Well, we did have 3 Assistant Superintendents at one time.)
Students: on roll full time 2012 -  3,782

Schools: 5 Elementary, 1 middle, 1 Alternative, 1 high school

Superintendent Salary: $167,500

Assistant Supt   $145,000

Assistant Supt   $130,000

Assistant Supt   $125,000   

Hackensack

Students: 4,713

Superintendent Salary: $167,500 (page 20 of 36)

Schools: 4 Elementary, 1 middle, 1 high

Tenafly

Students: 3,224

Superintendent Salary: $225,630 (hired July 1, 2010) Mandate November 2010

Schools: 4 Elementary, 1 middle, 1 high

Fort Lee

Students: 3,324

Superintendent: $167,500

Schools: 1 Pre-School, 4 Elementary, 1 Middle, 1 high

Englewood

Students: 3,001 (or less)

Superintendent: $232,000

Schools: 1 Pre-school/Kindergarten, 1 Elementary, 1 combined Elementary & middle, 1 middle, 1 high school, 

Carlisle's Contract:  Carlisle started with $208,000 salary. His contract was signed December 21, 2010.  Examine the Contract. Only the then President and Carlisle himself signed the contract. There was no witness and no Board Attorney signature.  What happened in Englewood exhibits far more arrogance than in Parsippany. At least Dr. Seitz was already on salary and seems to have been doing a fine job. What did Dr. Leroy Seitz do to the big Guy? Is it because this is his home County or is the big guy playing favorites?

Parsippany (at the time of the video below) 

Students: 7,250  (at the time of the video)  (2012 - 6,120)

Superintendent: $212,000  (Dr. Leroy Seitz resigned 2/13/13) (new Supt salary: $177,500)

Schools: 9 Elementary Schools, 2 Middle Schools, 2 High Schools, 1 Adult & Community Education Center

How is the rest of the State dealing with the Salary CAP Law? A few stories are listed below.

Reactions in the press..............

Salary CAPS take effect...

http://www.njsba.org/sb_notes/20110208/CSAcap.html

Parsippany Mayor stands up for his town. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/10/parsippany_mayor_tells_school.html

N.J. education chief can impose salary caps on superintendents, appellate panel rules. http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/10/nj_education_chief_can_impose.html

Christie Administration Acts on Superintendent Pay Cap Reforms to Put Students First http://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/552010/approved/20101101b.html

Executive County Superintendent Review of Administrator Contracts http://education.state.nj.us/broadcasts/2011/JUL/12/3503/Administrator%20Contracts%20Q&A%20(7-11).pdf

The Administrative Code is Law as established by the legislature, not by an Englewood Councilman.

http://www.nj.gov/education/code/current/title6a/chap23a.pdf

West Windsor-Plainsboro

http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2013/03/west_windsor-plainsboro_superi_1.html

Parsippany - He was dubbed the "Poster Child of Greed".  He was already on staff and became the example and the Governor's target when the CAP was mandated. 

http://parsippany.patch.com/articles/seitz-resigns-as-superintendent-of-schools

West Orange

http://thealternativepress.com/towns/west-orange/articles/west-orange-board-of-education-announces-resignat

Princeton:  Princeton Superintendent Judith Wilson to retire rather than take $52K pay cut under salary CAP.

http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2013/03/princeton_public_schools_super.html

This is for Englewood FAST. Fiscal Accountability started March of 2006. If your main concern was really about Fiscal Accountability, we would be on the same page. Make a note of it.

http://www.state.nj.us/sci/pdf/SCIHigherEdReport.pdf