Saturday, July 5, 2014

Food, Glorious Food!

Just seventeen months ago, Board of Education member Pat O'Neill was urging county citizens to fully fund the MCPS budget request. On February 25, 2013, she stated that $75 is "not even a fancy steak dinner that somebody is paying for". Telling Montgomery County citizens to "stay home on Friday night" instead, she told us to put the money that we would be spending on that "steak dinner" toward "our kids".

October 2, 2013: Pat O'Neill was a participant in the dinner at Fagers Island, Ocean City. This $509 dinner was charged to Montgomery County taxpayers, and not only was steak consumed, so was Prime Rib, Sea Bass, Lobster Tail, and Surf and Turf. And don't forget the Calamari appetizer, or the Barbecue Shrimp appetizer, or the tuna, or the smoked fish appetizer.

Only after being busted for chowing down on the taxpayer's money while today running for re-election, does Mrs. O'Neill NOW say: "I hope this whole episode is a lesson learned for everyone, that when you're on the taxpayers' dime, you have to exercise good care and prudence."

8 comments:

  1. In the age of internet and video teleconferencing, why do they find it necessary to go on vacation in order to conduct their business?

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  2. What's with the initials? What kind of inside baseball is that? What are they hiding?

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  3. I was intrigued by the receipt as well. Here’s a listing of those stealthily noted:

    CB: Christopher Barclay, BOE Member, District 4 -
    SB: Shirley Brandman, BOE Member, At-Large -
    PK: Philip Kauffman, BOE President, At-Large -
    JK: Justin Kim, BOE, Student Member -
    PO: Patricia O'Neill, BOE Vice President, District 3 -
    RS: Rebecca Smondrowski, BOE Member, District 2 -
    RI: Roland Ikheloa, BOE, Chief of Staff -
    JS: Please identify -
    JPS: Joshua P. Starr, Superintendent -

    I’m not sure who “JS” is (maybe Starr had seconds… kidding). If anyone knows who JS is, please identify. I believe that RI is Roland Ikheloa, BOE Chief of Staff (please confirm). And where were Judith Docca, BOE Member, District 1 and Michael A. Durso, BOE Member, District 5? I guess Docca already maxed out her BOE spending with thousands in taxicab fare. Also, who’s the vegetarian meal for? It was only $14.00. Given their propensities with BOE credit card abuse (Barclay: $1,500 of personal expenses and Smondrowski: hotel for hubby), my guess would be that Barclay and Smondrowski ordered the most expensive meals. But we may never know.

    I wholeheartedly agree with Janis Sartucci… when teachers have to use their own money to buy class supplies while BOE members are dining on surf-and-turf at taxpayer expense, something is horribly wrong.

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    Replies
    1. The vegetarian entrée actually cost $18.00!

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    2. Could JS be James Song?

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    3. Do you mean James Song, the Director of the Division of Construction? I guess the Super and BOE were having a celebratory dinner in honor of all the new schools that have been built in Montgomery County during the past few years.

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  4. Let's remember it is the County Council that approves all this spending. They have signed off on every penny. Where are the councilmembers, every single one of whom was re-elected in the primary to go forward in the general election? We would like to hear from them.

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  5. And how many MCPS families are living below the poverty line? Yikes!

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