News Clues: June 21, 2001

News Clues
Just Enough News To Keep You Wondering

Read Reed’s Lips…No New Taxes
The fiscal school year begins July 1 and Mayor Reed’s Harrisburg school district budget of $94.98 million shows no indication of raising taxes nor laying off any personnel in order to achieve that figure. Reed said that feat was no small accomplishment, considering projections by the previous school board last September reported needing a 15.6 mill increase (a mill is equal to 1/10 cent) by July. Even four months ago there was an 8 to 10 mill increase expected.

“We cannot guarantee no-tax-increase budgets every year. No one can,” said Reed, “as the constantly changing federal and state laws and educational standards have direct fiscal impact with each succeeding year.”

Here are a few of the actions taken:
• Ways to conserve energy on school district properties have been identified through an audit and the changes will be implemented this year at a cost of a half million dollars, which should repay itself in three and a half years’ worth of savings;

• Employee benefits will be enhanced as well as an annual $580,000 savings is projected through the district’s partial self-insurance;
• The district will begin to crack down on collecting on the $18 million that it is owed in delinquent real estate taxes. The start-up effort is expected to yield $1 million in the first year;

• District administrators will be forced to take a substantial cut in travel and personal expenses, expecting to save at least $100,000 this year; and,

• Without sacrificing education, two dozen special education students will be moved to the Wordsworth Academy from the Capital Area Intermediate Unit (CAIU), saving $200,000. The special education transportation will also be moved from the CAIU to a private vendor, saving over $100,000.

Steelton Seniors Welcome Center
“With the establishment of a Youth Center in 1999,” said Steelton Mayor George P. Hartwick III, “it seemed the next logical step was to work towards creating opportunities for our senior citizens.”

The Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church at 221 S. Second Street in Steelton is the home of the new senior center, a place where the 19 percent of Steelton’s population that are over 65 can enjoy community programs. The new center is made possible by local businesses, public, private and non-profit sectors, as well as Hartwick and Dauphin County Commissioners John Payne and Lowman Henry. The center is open to all seniors, not just Steelton’s. Hartwick expects to bring the youth and seniors of Steelton together via these organizations’ functions and from those gatherings, he expects a new appreciation from the residents. “We can only prepare for our future by learning from our past,” said Hartwick.

Senators’ helpsammy.org Picnic to Benefit Child Burn Victim
On April 25, 2001, three-year-old Samuel Chapman suffered third degree burns over 80% of his body. Sammy is in the University of Chicago Hospital Burn Unit and continues to require mechanical ventilation and surgeries approximately two times a week. The doctors expect that Sammy will continue to be in critical condition for approximately two more months and then he will require extensive inpatient rehabilitation for six months.

Sammy has been through 11 surgeries and is in a sedated state. He has experienced minor infections, however, the doctors are optimistic.

The Harrisburg Senators announced last week that plans have been finalized on a fundraiser picnic to assist Sammy, who is also cousin of Senators’ relief pitcher Jake Chapman. The Senators will team up with the Harrisburg Senators Fan Club for the event, which is set for July 22 following the team’s 1:05 p.m. game against the Norwich Navigators.

Tickets for the picnic may be purchased at the Senators Ticket Office or Customer Service Window and the Senators will provide a ticket for the game, absolutely free of charge. Cost of the helpsammy.org Picnic will be $15 per person, fan club members will pay $10.

There will be a raffle at the picnic with autographed items as the prizes and fans may participate in the popular Baseball Jeopardy, hosted by Senators radio announcer Brad Sparesus. For more information call the Senators at 231-4444.

PinnacleHealth System Board of Directors Names New President/CEO
Roger Longenderfer, MD has been named the new president and chief executive officer of PinnacleHealth by the System’s the Board of Directors.

Currently the vice president and chief operating officer, Longenderfer will be filling the role vacated by the outgoing president, John S. Cramer, who announced his retirement from the post on June 12.

Longenderfer joined PinnacleHealth in October 1998 as the vice president for medical affairs. He was promoted to executive video president and chief operating officer in September 2000.

While at PinnacleHealth, Longenderfer has played a key role in a number of accomplishments, including the development of a successful transplant program and the management of the clinical consolidations between Community General Osteophatic, Harrisburg, and Polyclinic Hospitals.

“PinnacleHealth’s success comes from out top medical staff, our more than 4,000 experienced employees and investments in new technology and facilities,” Longenderfer said. “We will use all these assets to continue delivering compassionate, efficient care to the people who depend on us.”

Longenderfer will assume his new responsibilities on July 1.

Local Educator Lives Out
the American Dream
Karen Atland, head of the medical department at the Academy of Medical Arts and Business, is living out the American Dream, or at least Dan Rather thinks so. Altland is featured in Rather’s new book The American Dream, which shares the story of over 40 Americans who have overcome adversity to accomplish their lifetime goals.

Altland, the only Pennsylvanian featured in the book, is a native of York. Before the age of 21, she had survived family tragedy, nursed her mother through physical and emotional sickness, and gave birth to three children. Altland held on to her dream of a career in the medical field while struggling to make ends meet at a factory job where she did “very, very hard work” and was “very underpaid.”

When the factory closed down and offered employees educational stipends to compensate, Altland realized it was her chance. “It was hard, but I did it,” she said, when asked about going back to school. Altland, the mother of five, has been teaching at the Academy for nine years.

Being chosen as an example of the American Dream isn’t the only honor Karen Altland has received in the last year. The Career College Association also chose her for the National Achievement Award as 2001’s Teacher of the Year.
“I would never have believed that this would happen to me,” says Altland, “but it has.”