Bleachers are back on the drawing board

WESTFALL - Moments after being voted into another term as school board president on Dec. 1, Sue Casey used her executive initative and returned the proposal for new stadium bleachers back to committee. The Delaware Valley School Board voted 6-2 in November to seek bids on the additional stadium seating, as Superintendent Candis Finan and board Vice-President John Wroblewski both warned of the danger of rioting among partisan crowds as the school’s football team grows more successful. Casey’s decision went without comment during the reorganization meeting, but following the session she explained that two of the votes in support of the bids, Chuck Pike and Denise DeGraw Fey, “are no longer on the board.” Casey and Pam Lutfy opposed the decision in November. That leaves the motion short of majority support and since preparing specifications for the bidding will cost $30,000 or more, “I felt it needed to be discussed further by the new board,” she said. Casey also announced that this would be her last year as president, and that she will not seek re-election when her term expires in 2007. Wroblewski and Jack Fisher both had expressed interest in serving as president earlier, but Wrobleski nominated Casey and Fisher added his support to the unanimous vote. Incumbent Lutfy and new members Ed Silverstone and Deborah DuCharme were sworn into their terms by Judge Joseph Kameen at the meeting’s outset. Robert Goldsack, the third new member was not on hand to be sworn. Wroblewski was re-nominated as the board’s vice-president. The board has three standing committees, which Casey appointed. Wroblewski will again head the long-range planning panel, with members Goldsack and Frankie Colletta. Lutfy will head the board’s policy committee, with members DuCharme and Bell Hodges Smith. Fisher will head the board’s finance committee which will also seat Casey and Silverstone. Additionally, Colletta will again serve as liaison for co-curricular activities and Goldsack will chair the board’s contract negotiations committee.