The effort to bring a “Responsible Contractor” policy to the Colonial School District goes back to at least the 2009 election based on a a copy of an email MoreThanTheCurve.com obtained today. The redacted email (two names were removed) was provided to us by a former elected Democratic official within Montgomery County. We are told the two removed names were candidates for school board in 2009.
The email, sent in July of 2009 by then Conshohocken Borough Council member Jason Salus (D) and Area Leader of the Democratic Party in the municipalities that comprise the Colonial School District, provides suggestions on how to approach unions for contributions to their campaigns, how much they should ask for and what to expect. This is the second email MoreThanTheCurve.com (see the 2014 email) has obtained that shows Salus contacting school board members and/or candidates and mentioning a “Responsible Contractors” policy.
Here is the 2009 email:
The fifth suggestion jumps right off the page:
On the School Board you will work to promote “responsible contracting” to ensure the highest quality work product for our tax dollars
Something else also jumps off the page when you review the spreadsheet Salus sent of union people to ask for contributions:
Organization | Phone | ASK FOR | HOPE FOR | CANDIDATE ASK | |
Unions | |||||
Painters | Frank Watton (fwatton@dc21.com) — lives in Plymouth | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Electricians Local 380 | Dave Schaaf (dave@ibewlu380.com), Fran Clark (fran@ibewlu380.com) | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Steamfitters #420 | Chris McInerney (cmcinerney@lu420.com) | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Boilermakers | James Banford (fax: 215-785-5867) | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Bricklayers | John Phillips (jcp@bac1pa-de.org), Dale Douglas (ddouglas@bac1pa-de.org) | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Carpenters | Dave Gannon (dg1000@verizon.net) — lives in Plymouth | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Cement Masons #592 | Mike Fera (mf592@aol.com) | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Operating Engineers #542 | Bob Heenan (iuoelocal542@yahoo.com), Lou Agre (agrelou@gmail.com) | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Iron Workers #401 | Joseph Dougherty (jdoc@local401.com) | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Laborers Union #135 | Dan Woodall (dwoodall135@comcast.net), Janet Suber (JSuber135@comcast.net) — sent email welcoming Tom to the team | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Plumbers | John Kane (fax: 215-677-7102) | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Reinforced Iron Workers #405 | Al Frattali (alfrattali405@qwest.net) | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Sheet Metal Workers | Joseph Sellers (jsellers@lu19.com), Joe Rispo (local19pal@yahoo.com) | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Sprinklerfitters | Wayne Miller (savelives@sprinklerfitters692.org) | $1,000 | $250 | ||
NECA | Ken MacDougall (kmacdougall@neca-pdj.org) | $1,000 | $250 | ||
Teamsters #384 | Mike Bonaduce (mbonaduce@teamsterslocal384.org), Steve Gallagher (gallagher384@gmail.com) | $1,000 | $1,000 | ||
Asbestos Workers #14 | Martin Campbell (insulat14@aol.com) | $1,000 | $250 |
The Dave Gannon mentioned in association with the Carpenters Union in the above spreadsheet is now on Plymouth Township’s Council. He is a Democrat. Yes, its the same Gannon.
This year, during an earlier meeting when the “Responsible Contractor” policy was before the current Colonial School Board, Board President Felix Raimondo mentioned that he had spoken with Dave Gannon, a member of Plymouth Township’s Council, about the policy. This stands out because Raimondo spoke with Gannon about it, but admittedly no members of the school board.
The Colonial School Board considered a “Responsible Contractor” policy in 2014 and voted against it. It is now being considered again and will be voted on Wednesday, August 15th.
Last night Dave Gannon voted in favor of a “Responsible Contractors” ordinance for Plymouth Township. It passed.
More to come.