News & Notes, October 2021
Note from the editor
I met a real throwback to a simpler time at a recent candidate forum. John Gorman, longtime Mount Joy Township supervisor. He spoke with passion and pride about paying off the township’s debt, highway rights of way, property tax rates, etc. Yet even in Mount Joy, he is dealing with accusations of tearing down opposing political signs and, of course, the high stakes conflict about the solar farm.
Local elections used to be easy to ignore. We expected township Supervisors to make sure the streets get plowed and otherwise keep our taxes low. We expected Board of education candidates to be good citizens who were volunteering to make sure teachers get hired and the school buses run on time—and keep our taxes low. Candidates for Borough offices should make sure they can have the Memorial Day parade, make sure the police have up-to-date radios, and keep taxes low. <Yawn>
Unfortunately, we do not live in that world any more. We now live in a world where our Republican friends and neighbors consider Steve Bannon an appropriate after-dinner speaker and Doug Mastriano a strong candidate for governor. Where a Republican columnist calls for rank and file Democrats to be assassinated and not a single one of our fellow church goers, volunteers, or business colleagues from the Republican side protested, “hey, that’s a bit much, I know one who seems nice.” And it is affecting our local elections.
We saw on July 4, 2020 and the following weekends what happens when you have a police chief who considers out of town armed militias to be colleagues in law enforcement and who considers peaceful local demonstrators to be trouble-makers. We’re watching a potential educational disaster unfold before our eyes as “Moms for Liberty” spreads the word that our schools currently are teaching students that they should hate everything about America and begins to assemble lists of books students shouldn’t be allowed to read and subjects teachers shouldn’t be allowed to teach—and teachers who should be disciplined or fired.
Every election is vital now. Your vote in 2021 for township supervisor of elections may have more influence over the 2024 outcome than your 2024 vote. Your vote for school board may determine whether your kids are exposed to the real U.S. history or whether they are subjected to some Disney version of our national story. Your vote for judges may determine the outcome of the governor’s race—or whether we continue to have expanded Medicaid. Your vote counts!
A statement from Marty Qually
One thing I would say about local elections is how incredibly important they are. In my opinion, local and county elections have the most impact on our daily lives. Local elections don’t just represent the largest share of tax dollars for the average person, they impact your life in many ways. How your children are taught, how your community is planned, criminal justice reform, and environmental security. These are just a quick list. Local elections allow you to personally meet and interact with candidates. And your support has a much greater impact on how they do.
Finally, these local elections are how we replenish our bench.
So turn out and show your community what values you support. Change starts here at the municipal and school board level and next year we can work on state and federal reforms.
DFA Op Eds and Public Statements
DFA held the first of what we hope will be a continuing series of “Community Conversations,”(mostly non-political discussions with interesting members of the community.The first guest was Bill Gilmartin.
Education task force.Leon Reed spoke to the GASD school boardon the topic of social studies education.
Jenna Aurand Scott and Leon Reed wrote anop ed on the achievement gap and transparency.
Government accountability task force.Will Lane wrote anop ed on preserving our democracy.
Healthcare task force.Katy Giebenhain wrote an op-ed “We May Actually Agree on Drug Pricing.”
News from Friends and allies
Community Policing Task Force.At the beginning of 2021, the Gettysburg Rising Police Accountability Task Force put together a coalition of Gettysburg area community groups to establish a positive constructive dialogue and improve communication between the Gettysburg Police Department and the residents of the wider Gettysburg community. Since then, members of the Community Policing Coalition have met three times with Chief Glenny and other local law enforcement representatives, including the state police and the sheriff's department. At the last meeting in May, the chief noted that the summer was calm. He also reported that the Borough has begun bike and foot patrols to provide more interaction with residents and the department is also trying to get police officers to community events to interact with attendees. The department will also be restarting "Coffee Hour with Cops." They expect to have their policies on the department website by the end of the year, which is a state-mandated deadline. There are plans in the works to pre-tape a police forum with community leaders that would be live-streamed. Gettysburg residents could submit questions in advance. Coalition representatives will be meeting with Chief Glenny and other law enforcement representatives again in November. Sherri Alms is the task force and coalition facilitator and welcomes your feedback as well as your participation. You can reach her atshalmsgm@gmail.com.
Political candidates
Some notable candidates
Going in to vote in a local election is often a depressing experience. In Cumberland #4, for example, there are usually a handful of races with NO candidate, a couple with a Democrat running against a Republican, and the majority with a Republican running unopposed. In the terms of the political cliché, Democrats have a “shallow bench” in Adams County.
The only way to solve that problem is to identify and elect young, talented candidates for local offices and let them get experience in the political arts, including fundraising and campaigning. Ideally, strong candidates for commissioner or state senator emerge from the ranks of experienced office-holders who already are experienced campaigners. Three candidates in this election to keep an eye on (and elect) are:
Chad-Alan Carr, Gettysburg Borough Council, at large
Sara Laird: Carroll Valley Borough Council
Matt Nelson: Bermudian Springs School Board
Statewide judicial races
Judicial races once were the ultimate non-partisan races. All nominees were judged to be “highly qualified” by the American Bar Association and the contested races tended to be low key. Now, judicial races may be the most critical partisan races of all. Courts were called on to settle the 2020 elections and there is no reason to think this will change anytime soon. In fact, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court was the only court, out of more than 60, who gave Trump’s lawyers a victory in his lawsuits attempting to steal the election from the voters. Electing Democrats is as important in these races as it is for a seat in the legislature.
The Democratic candidates for Judicial positions are:
Supreme Court: Maria McLaughlin
Superior Court: Timika Lane
Commonwealth Court: Lori A. Dumas
Commonwealth Court: David Spurgeon
Important note: all four candidates for retention are Republicans. A no vote is recommended.
School boards
There are no unimportant or noncontroversial school board races. The Republican party has decided that “critical race theory” isn’t just a good local issue but the central “fire the base up” strategy for dividing the populace and winning elections this year and in 2022. Moms for Liberty chapters are being organized around the country, including Adams County. These organizations are identifying books that should be removed from classrooms, targeting any sort of equity training, identifying teachers who should be disciplined or fired, and working to change the curriculum to de-emphasize racial justice issues. This is already being seen in the races for the Gettysburg Area school board, where the local organizer of Moms for Liberty (Michelle Smyers) is one of the candidates for school board and two others (Jeremy Davis and Ryan Morris) generally espouse the same views.
Right wing groups such as the Oath Keepers are also organizing to elect members to local school boards who will rubber stamp proposals from groups like Moms for Liberty. It is vital to elect strong candidates who will advocate for the schools to local school boards.
Democratic candidates for Adams County school boards
Gettysburg
Jimmie Phelps
John Ramirez
Carrie Soliday
Also recommended by the Democratic candidates:
Kenny Hassinger
Upper Adams
Susan Crouse
Eduardo Ponce
Littlestown Area
Brian Lawyer
Dolores Dee Nester
Carl Thompson
Conewago Valley
Amanda Sipe
Fairfield
Kelly Overholzer Christiano
Tedd Sayres
Bermudian Springs
Amanda Lee-Milner
Matthew Nelson
Local races
Statements from candidates: Borough offices
Rita Frealing, Mayor of Gettysburg
Voters of Gettysburg, you may have read of my qualifications to be the Mayor of Gettysburg, both educational and job experience, including twenty-plus years of government service. I learned valuable communications skills while working in government, plus reporting news in Harrisburg and Gettysburg.
I am a proud native of the Gettysburg area, was born at the local hospital, and attended St. Francis Xavier School and Gettysburg High, before pursuing my education at Penn State and the Dickinson School of Law. What those bios do not say is how thankful I am to have grown up in the Gettysburg community, nurtured by relatives, teachers, and friends, many of whom are still with me today. I had the opportunity to see a bit of the world, and work in rewarding occupations, but also had the good fortune to return to Gettysburg. Running for the seat of Mayor of Gettysburg is my way of giving back to the town that raised and nurtured me.
The job of mayor is an important one. The duties of the mayor in Gettysburg include oversight of the police department, performing marriage ceremonies, and casting a tie-breaking vote when there is a tie vote of the council.
The mayor is also an ambassador for the borough to the outside world, and can be an advocate for the borough in order to achieve successful outcomes for our community. I will support local citizens and businesses as they recover from the effects of the pandemic. A mayor can generate energy toward inclusion of all citizens in borough issues, and attend community meetings about housing, transportation, and employment, which are important issues facing Gettysburg. I have the energy and community knowledge to pursue an active version of being the mayor.
Chad-Alan Carr, Gettysburg Borough at Large
I truly hope everyone gets out to vote Nov. 2 for this very important election. Voting is how change happens.
My entire life experience as a teacher and producer is cemented in my ability to bring people together to work on a common goal. For over a decade, I have worked to bring more peace, love, happiness, and equality to Gettysburg. With your help I will continue to do so...working for everyone no matter if our views are different or the same.
The pandemic has been difficult on us all in many different ways, but it also brought racism, hate, and inequality to the forefront of many conversations. It can be hard for some to have difficult conversations, but we need to listen to each other to try to understand. We will not always agree, but we can try to be empathetic towards each other’s struggles.
Raising property taxes is certainly not always the answer. Exploring other creative ways for bringing additional income into the Borough will help us keep a solid Police Department, and Borough Staff, that must all be held accountable to the taxpayers. I plan to move our community forward with more inclusion, communication, transparency, and accountability.
Our unique and versatile town thrives on both tourists and local shoppers. It is important for small businesses to appeal to a wide range of consumers. Because of this, I believe it is important to reevaluate some of the restrictions that are placed upon the businesses within the Borough. Many of these restrictions inhibit the small business owner’s ability to thrive. We must support small businesses...now more than ever.
If you live anywhere within the Borough Of Gettysburg and are registered to vote, then you will see my name on your ballot for Gettysburg Borough Council Member At Large.
If you do not live within the Borough Of Gettysburg you can not vote for our mayor or council, but I thank you in advance for supporting our famous town. We need you as well. It takes all of us together to make Gettysburg a very special place to live, work, and visit.
My campaign platform of issues is online atwww.Chad-AlanCarr.com.
Statements from candidates: GASD school board races
John Ramirez
I feel that my background and skill set can be utilized in collaboration with the experience of the other members of the Board in striving to meet the vision and goals of the students, parents, community and Superintendent of Schools.
Many experts have projected the difficulty our students will have returning to regular in-class instruction. There will be challenges to all in the school system once schools are able to open completely. The challenge for the Board and the Superintendent will be to help navigate this transition seeking to regain student academic success and a return to educational normalcy. Although the Board does not run the district it strives to ensure that the district is well-run.
I realize that I am just one vote among nine and that my role will be to contribute to the discussion whenever I can and be open to learn from the collective experiences of the Board. My primary goal will be to help maintain and improve the physical safety, cognitive development, academic achievement and career goals of all the students within our district. These objectives should be consistent with established professional and educational principles of “Best Practices” as established by the Superintendent, School Board, professional faculty, and all school personnel. Above all, I seek to find common ground and focus on what can be agreed upon by promoting honest and respectful dialogue among the Board, school staff and the community.
In conclusion, although students may have different learning styles, I believe that all students can learn. Our students remain the most important constituents in our public
I was born and raised in Upper Manhattan, New York City. My parents were from Puerto Rico. As an undergraduate I became interested in psychology while working in a community mental health program and at a drug treatment detoxification and maintenance program in the Bronx, New York.
Working as an assistant nursery school teacher in an innovative school program for children of schizophrenic mothers I realized the importance and impact that a male teacher and a positive role model could have on young children at risk.
I worked in a special drug awareness program in a high school and later earned a Guidance Counselor Certificate. In addition to teaching in New York and New Jersey colleges, I held several positions in higher education administration as a Registrar, Financial Aid Advisor, and Academic Counselor. I earned my Master of Arts in Psychology and be, Columbia University.
I retired in 2011 after 20 years as an Associate Professor from the Department of History and Social Science from Middlesex County College in New Jersey where I facilitated the learning of up to 480 students per year. My teaching responsibilities included Psychology, Education, and Student Development classes, both in-person and on-line. After retirement, my wife and I moved to Gettysburg, “The best small town in America,” where her family lives. For the last several years I have volunteered at local organizations and participated in many community, cultural, and social activities.
Carrie Soliday, GASD School Board
The most important issue the board faces currently is the election. Electing candidates that support ALL of our students, and are committed to keeping politics out of board activities is critical. The first four candidates listed on the ballot are committed to ALL of our students and keeping the board apolitical.
After the election, the most important issue facing the Gettysburg School Board is to balance fiscal conservancy with provision of high-quality opportunities for all students to meet college and career expectations. There are clear signs that the achievement gap is widening in the district and students are not meeting acceptable levels of proficiency across all 10 indicators for all student groups. Fiscal conservancy is a must because our schools are funded primarily from local property taxes and 40% of our students are considered economically disadvantaged.
There are typically two specific pathways for school board members to make a difference for constituents - 1) in school board sub-committees and 2) school board meetings. To effectively use those pathways, it is important for a school board member to listen to all stakeholders and it is important to prepare for all school board meetings by reading all documents and asking questions. Listening to constituents, such as community members, parents, and students of the school district, happens in interactions throughout the community, during public comment, letters to the board, survey results, and so on... In listening to constituents there are consistent concerns about the lack of diversity among school staff, the health and wellness of students, frustrations with the 2020-21 educational model, school tax rates, and how tax dollars are spent. There are solutions to all of the concerns and most of the topics listed are routinely addressed. The one topic that has not been addressed in board subcommittee meetings or board meetings is the diversity of the GASD staff. Students of color make up greater than 20% of the school population yet there is only one teacher of color in the district. The solution lies in how GASD will attract highly qualified teachers/staff of color to job openings. This might begin with reinventing a club like Future Teachers of America at the high school, inviting students to join the Early Learning Program at Adams County Technical Institute, ensuring job postings are in media sources beyond Adams County, etc. If elected I will continue to listen, to use the typical pathways of solving issues such as board subcommittee meetings and board action. I will also explore an atypical pathway to find a solution for attracting a more diversified candidate pool and I would volunteer to reinvent a club like Future Teachers of America to inspire students to consider joining the education profession.
Jimmy Phelps
I would love to see the school district find new ways to encourage communication with families so that families have the opportunity to share their thoughts on the issues facing our district. Personally, I will reach out to friends and neighbors as well as make myself available to talk to any parents or others invested in the well-being of our students. Depending on the issue, I would seek out the opinions of individuals who know more about a certain topic or field. In addition, I will continue to use my candidate Facebook page to interact with the community throughout my tenure on school board.
I am proud to volunteer throughout my community. I am currently a GARA (Gettysburg Area Recreation Authority) board member as well as an assistant scout leader for Boy Scout Troop 79 and an assistant coach with Gettysburg Cal Ripken Baseball. I have been a parent volunteer at Lincoln Elementary School for over five years and have helped coach a Franklin Township Little League Baseball team for several seasons. Last summer I designed and led the construction of the bicycle pump track at the Gettysburg Rec Park. I care very much about our community and speak routinely with members of numerous organizations and individual citizens in order to address issues and concerns in our area.