The Music Man has left town. At least for now.
In the Broadway show, Professor Harold Hill, the sly con man from Gary, Indiana, needed an issue to scare River City residents into trusting him. He told them that the town's new pool table was going to ruin their quality of life. And once they bought into his Trouble, Trouble, Trouble, Trouble, they were sheep ripe for shearing.
November has become Professor Harold Hill Month, with fear-mongers popping up everywhere at election time. But instead of pool tables, we hear about fictitious overdevelopment, or exaggerated town problems, or whatever boogeyman is convenient. There are no laws or controls on what a political candidate can say, or promise. He can outright lie about himself - and his opponent. He can tell one story in one neighborhood, and the complete opposite in another. Democracy is a license to be The Music Man. And, these Professors always have a solution: Trust me, mindless people. Too often, we do.
Just as Professor Hill "warns" River City parents to watch for the tell-tale signs of their children becoming "immoral", there are warning signs to help everyone spot a Music Man. Does he tell you his issues rather than listening to yours? Does he run a negative campaign? Does he spend more time attacking his opponent than offering solutions? Does he vilify the media when they reveal his shenanigans? Then you've got Trouble, with a capital T that rhymes with D that stands for Demagogue. But voters in Richland and Quakertown did the right thing last week - they tuned out The Music Man.
Rick Orloff overwhelmed Patrick Murphy, and earned a third term as supervisor, by winning all four districts with a whopping 60 percent of the vote. His 1189 votes were tops for any of the 35 contested candidates on the Richland ballot, and the largest total in township supervisor history. Republican Orloff's strong support from Democrats should be a wake-up call to both the Bucks, and area, Dem organizations. Despite gains in the county, Richland donkeys have being landslide losers in every election in memory, and as long as the local party is controlled by the current angry, personal-agenda-driven small group, there will be no opportunity for new blood, or new viewpoints.
And don't expect any reforms in 2009. Despite Murphy's embarrassing loss, he likely will run again. That would mean challenging his buddy, incumbent Mike Zowniriw, a lifelong Democrat who was elected as a Green, with Dem backing. In his four years in office, Z has two criminal convictions, three rebukes by judges, and plenty of well-publicized antisocial behavior. Both men have huge egos, and both are driven by their hatred of the other Richland supervisors, and the media. Trouble, Trouble, Trouble, Trouble - but as long as they are running the show, that is what Dems will get.
Quakertown voters reinforced - loud and clear - what everyone already knew: New blood on council is a necessity. President Dennis Hallman became the third incumbent to be shown the door this year. Music Man campaigns of Steve Biddle, and running-mate Nancy Roberts, were rejected. Newcomers Ed Scholl, Mike Johnson, and Michele Scarborough will join re-elected Jim Roberts on the dais in January.
Revamped council will have to deal with the pending Rental Property Inspection Ordinance, reinstating fire inspections, improving the downtown area, and cooperating with Richland on both traffic control and an age-restricted development on the former Krupp site. Expect them to replace ineffective solicitor Chuck Fonzone, who somehow missed those million-dollar no-bid contracts, and failed to warn the community about the electric contract rate hikes. And with Hallman gone, hopefully council will no longer muzzle public comment at their meetings, allowing input from all citizens.
Alas, one Music Man escaped the public's notice. Make that Music Woman. Ethically-challenged two-term school director Linda Martin was crushed by newcomer Dean Wackerman, but squeaked past another first-timer, Lou-Ellen Renshaw, by 51 votes to retain her seat. Martin's campaign of misinformation, and ignoring both QCSD ethics policy and state election laws, proved that a Music Man can, indeed, say and do anything. But because she is the key vote that keeps the old guard majority as the majority, don't expect any repercussions. If ever there was an incentive for at-large elections, it is Linda Martin.
But despite the old guard's best efforts, reform is inevitable. The voters showed their dissatisfaction by electing Wackerman and George Dager. Gone are many of the people most resistant to change - directors Phil Abramson, Bob Leight and Bill Laboski; former Superintendent Jim Scanlon; Assistant Super Jim Newcomer; Director of Elementary Education Debra Kopp; and Guidance Coordinator Mary Bogle. Forty-one staff have taken early retirement. There are few people left to defend Integrated Math, argue that SAT's are not important, or withhold survey results. But the public's tolerance for bickering has worn thin. Our directors must now produce results, not continuous controversy.
New Superintendent Dr. Lisa Andrejko's reform-like agenda, and her right-on attitude that the board should set her goals, then stay out of the processes she uses to achieve those goals, will go a long way toward taking politics out of our educational system. She has completely revised the administration hierarchy, eliminating some big salaries, and assigning specific responsibilities for improving weak areas of the curriculum. She promises to review every single budget item, to reduce the overspending that has skyrocketed district taxes for years.
The board's first mission will be that budget, including the new support staff contract. Directors must also address college preparedness, block scheduling, openness with the public and press, and the unethical conduct during the election campaign. Then it's on to major construction projects like renovations to the high school.
The 2007 elections are a message that the community is now watching every step our school board takes. If the directors don't produce fiscal responsibility, a meaningful ethics code, and high student performance without politics, there is another election in only two years. And The Music Man will be playing a different tune.