Email Obtained by MoreThanTheCurve.com Shows 2009 Democrats Running for School Board Encouraged to Mention “Responsible Contracting” in Fundraising Letter to Unions

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 Email 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.