As MoreThanTheCurve.com reported, the Policy Committee of the Colonial School Board voted 2-1 to recommend to the full board that it consider a “Responsible Contractors” policy. The issue is on the School Board’s agenda for its Thursday, July 19th meeting. The meeting is being held at 7:00 p.m. at at the District Office General Meeting Room at 230 Flourtown Road in Plymouth Meeting.

A “Responsible Contractors” policy would create a set of standards needed to bid on construction projects undertaken by the school district. Those for it claim that it provides assurances for safety conditions, skilled labor and the completed product. Those against it claim that specific aspects of the policy would limit the number of companies that can bid and can raise the cost of a project.

Note that tonight the School Board members will review the policy. It can not be approved tonight, it can only advanced to the agenda for the the August meeting. During the August meeting it can be reviewed for a second time and then a vote to  adopt the policy can take place.

We have been doing some digging since the Policy Committee meeting. Here is some of what we learned:

As we reported, Alan Tabachnick (D), who previously served on the School Board, shared that he had been approached in 2014 to consider such a policy. He stated that the board considered the policy, but ultimately decided against it.

Last week we received the below email from 2014 that shows local Democratic Party Leader Jason Salus encouraging four Democrats on the School Board to consider a “Responsible Contracting Ordinance” prior to the renovation of the high school. What is interesting about this email is that Salus emails everyone on their personal emails.

Since its about the School Board, why wouldn’t he contact them on their ColonialSD.org email accounts? The answer maybe that he didn’t want his email to be available through a right-to-know request. If its a good policy to consider, why wouldn’t he email all the members of the School Board?

As Area Leader of the Democratic Party for the communities in the Colonial School District, Salus was directly involved in the election campaign for those he emailed.

In regards to the article Salus shared, someone should ask Salus how much the Borough Hall in Conshohocken was over budget.

Since we are on the subject of email, did you know that Colonial School Board President Felix Raimondo asked that all School Board emails be sent to his work email address? 

We wonder how Teva feels about this? We wonder how much confidential School District business sits on Teva’s email server?

In our review of a specific set of emails involving members of the Colonial School Board, we did find that other members of the board are using personal emails. Its just not Raimondo. If an email or a chain of emails does not include a Colonial School District email address, it is not possible to review via a right-to-know request.

More to come.