TIPS AND SNIPPETS: Only in NJ, Only in GC, Rumors, Top Towns
Monday, March 08, 2010
By Bill Cleary
ONLY IN NEW JERSEY-The United States Department of Education recently announced the finalists of the Race To The Top program. A pool of 41 applicants competed for over $4.35 billion in school reform grants as part of President Obama’s economic stimulus proposal. The goals of the DOE’s Race To The Top is to reward student achievement through the development of strong standards combined with quality teachers in the classroom, and encouraging students in lower performing schools to improve.
Although the state of New Jersey submitted an application it was not chosen. The reason, according to NJ Commissioner of Education Bret Schundler, is because the teachers unions did not back the federal program.
Schundler states, “President Obama’s education initiative, Race To The Top, embodies many ideas that Governor Christie and I agree with and will advocate for in the next four years. While we are extremely disappointed that New Jersey was not included as a finalist in this first round of funding, we are not surprised.
“From the start of this process it has been clear that while the Corzine administration submitted a good application, a major deficiency in New Jersey’s submission was the lack of support from local union leadership. With union leaders in more than 350 participating districts refusing to sign on, it would have been very difficult to convince the U.S. Department of Education that New Jersey was united behind this effort.
“In these extremely difficult fiscal times, the entire education community in our state must come together to fight for New Jersey and put the best interest of our children first. As we begin to work on the second round due in June, I am encouraged that the NJEA leadership has agreed to work on this with us. With their support of what the President is seeking from New Jersey, I’m convinced we will be able to put forward a winning application.”
The U.S. Department of Education chose schools in: Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee. The final winners slated to receive portions of the federal grant will be determined in April.
ONLY IN GLOUCESTER CITY-Jim Bowie Johnson, who retired from his job as
Public Works Director in December has been hired by the City as a consultant at a hourly wage of $15.00 per hour. A CNB news hound told me that Mr. Johnson will be overseeing the construction of the riverfront walkway at Proprietors Park, some the remedial work at the Johnson Blvd. ball fields and other future projects. Four years ago Mr. Johnson was in charge of the Democrat Club doing his best to keep the long time incumbents in office. He was vilified by the present Mayor and Council as one of the reasons why the city was at a standstill and needed changing. My father, George Cleary use to say, “The City Democrats will fight each other tooth and nail. But come election time all is forgiven. On the other hand the local Republicans continue the fight right into the polling booth.” Just goes to show you Dad, publisher of the Gloucester City News for 39 years, knew his Gloucester politics. He died in 1994. I still miss him to this day.
RUMOR MILL-One of the latest rumors to be circulating through Gloucester City was about Paul Kain, former city clerk and one time city administrator. He was supposedly working for the Delaware River Port Authority. I contacted DRPA spokes person Edward Kasuba about Mr. Kain’s alleged employment. Ed said there was no one by that name on the employee roster.
Gloucester City Mayor and Council passed a resolution at its December 7th work session to terminate the employment of Municipal Clerk Paul Kain. Kain had been absent from his position since July 10, 2009.
THE TOP TOWNS LIST IS OUT-Gloucester City is ranked 428 out of 566 statewide in New Jersey Monthly’s 2010 Top Towns list. Researchers at Monmouth University's Polling Institute considered eight categories best representing the quality of life in New Jersey's 566 municipalities: population growth, home values, property taxes, land development, employment, crime rate, school performance, and proximity to services.
The rank for other area towns: Audubon 127, Audubon Park 198, Brooklawn 309, Camden City 481, Deptford Township 500, Haddon Hts. 90, Haddon Township 129, Merchantville 221, Mt. Ephraim 392, National Park 471, Oaklyn 175, Westville 385 and Woodbury 353.
Bedminster Township in Somerset County is number 1 and the town that came in last was Wildwood City. COMPLETE LIST OF TOP TOWNS
Send your Tip or Snippet to [email protected]
