Posted: 4:41 p.m. Thursday, June 12, 2014

Middletown board selects next treasurer

By Rick McCrabb

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

Randy Bertram, the treasurer at Northwest District in Hamilton County for six years, was given “a slight edge” over the other candidate to be Middletown’s next school treasurer.

Marcia Andrew, president of the Middletown City Schools District, said Bertram was offered the position after the board met in executive session following interviews Tuesday night in the City Building. She said the board is entering into negotiations with Bertram, and hope to have a contract finalized before the next school board meeting on June 30.

Bertram could start his job on Aug. 1, the day after treasurer Kelley Thorpe’s resignation becomes official, Andrew said. Thorpe is retiring for “personal reasons,” she said.

Andrew said the district was impressed with both candidates, Bertram and Teresa Napier, treasurer at New Richmond District since 1995. But since Bertram works at a larger district than Middletown and he’s familiar with the area, he was the choice, she said.

Andrew said those who attended the public forum told the board they felt both candidates would be good fit in Middletown. After the interview, Rick Pearce, president of the Chamber serving Middletown, Monroe and Trenton and moderator of the interviews, collected the comment sheets and gave them to Andrew. The board then went into executive session where members were scheduled to discuss the candidates.

Bertram, of Waynesville, also has served as treasurer at Lebanon and Edgewood for two years each, and served as assistant treasurer in Hamilton and Xenia.

He called himself “a small-town guy” and said he’d be more comfortable working in Middletown, and it would reduce his work travel time in half.

Bertram said he left every district in a “far better place” after he served as their treasurer.

Since Bertram has worked in two Butler County school districts he owns “a great understanding” of the needs of its students, he said.

He also said the districts where he has worked have passed four emergency levies in four attempts.

“I have a proven track record,” he said.

 

I was on the panel asking ?s to the candidates, asked 3 of which I went off their list on all of them.

One concern that I would have is that two of his positions only lasted 2 years; I believe that most treasurers' initial contracts are for either 2 or 3 years. Non-renewed or left on his own after two years. He states that he left each district in better shape than he found it: in 2 years? The candidate from New Richmond has been in one district for almost 20 years.    just 1chmoore.

"As one who was there and involved, I ?ed both candidates as to how they would deal with up-coming projected deficits(2018?) due to operations spikes, how they might get involved with thev$$ losses due to enrollment exodus and the growing popularity of charter schools and home schooling, and finally--why they had a desire to come here"

THANK YOU SPIDER. YOUR COMMENTS ADD MORE INFORMATION AS TO WHAT WAS ASKED OF THE CANDIDATES. THE ARTICLE MADE NO REFERENCE AS TO SPECIFIC AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION.

"fact-checking being the responsibility of the BOE imo"

BINGO!!!! THAT IS MY REASON FOR THE POSTS......DID ANYONE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD MAKE SOME CALLS TO GET SOME FACTS CONCERNING THE SELECTED CANDIDATES JOB PERFORMANCE AT HIS OTHER PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT?....OR DO THEY WANT TO GET BURNT AGAIN LIKE THEY DID IN HIRING THORPE?

ACCORDINGLY,

HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD MAKE SOME CALLS TO CHECK OUT THE JOB PERFORMANCE, PRICE AND RELIABILITY OF A CONTRACTOR WHO YOU WANT TO DO SOME CONCRETE OR ELECTRICAL WORK. HOW ABOUT A QUALITY PAINTER BEFORE THEY PAINT YOUR HOUSE? THINKING ABOUT SIDING YOUR HOUSE? YOU'D CALL AT LEAST THREE SIDING COMPANIES BEFORE AGREEING ON THE RIGHT ONE, WOULDN'T YOU? THAT'S ALOT OF MONEY YOU'RE SHELLING OUT. BETTER MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE. SAME GOES FOR ANY BIG TICKET POSITION LIKE THE TREASURERS JOB. ALOT OF MONEY IN SALARY AND BENNIES PACKAGE TO MAKE A MISTAKE IN NOT CHECKING THEM OUT THOROUGHLY. FAIRLY IMPORTANT JOB DIRECTING ALL THE MONEY ISSUES TOO, RIGHT? COMPETENCY PLAYS OUT HERE ALSO.

AND NO, I WASN'T THERE BUT I SEE NO HARM IN QUESTIONING THE METHOD USED TO SELECT THE CANDIDATE AND ASKING IF ANYONE CHECKED OUT THEIR CREDENTIALS THROUGH THEIR PREVIOUS EMPLOYERS.

Actually they did hire from the fiefdom. Bertram used to work with Ison at Lebanon - as did several other new administrators hired this year.

Didn't want to go here but:
APPARENTLY YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER LOUD MOUTH JERK WHO LIKES TO RUN HIS MOUTH OFF ABOUT STUFF BUT NEVER ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING TO IMPROVE THE SITUATIONS YOU LOVE TO BEMOAN. SO UNTIL YOU'RE READY TO ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING OTHER THAN OVER-CAPITALIZED CRAP MAYBE IT'S TIME TO STEP BACK AND REALIZE THAT YOU'RE AS MUCH OF THE PROBLEM AS THOSE YOU WHINE ABOUT.

I've quite for a long time. And for good reason. Vet, why don't you retire south and leave us alone. Good Lord, If you are so damn concerned, why not attend the interviews and voice your opinion. I'll stay with your wife since that is your reason always, just for your to hear whats happening and for you to shut up!!! You know what they say....You can't complain if you don't vote. This the same thing. It's time for you and your attitude to just shut up. That includes the schools and the city. We would all be better without you. JMO!!

VV: now you know elementary kids in Middletown can't spell or put a complete sentence together. You remind us all the time. Must be one of the MUM voters that posted it.   Hey, Smartman! Glad you're back. I had to do double duty without you here.   just 1chmoore.

It's the way that these hitmen work, Vet---when trying to defend the in-defensible, go in to personal attack mode

Smartman thought that by outing my identity would some how hurt or silence me and help the school system to benefit his family. Nothing wrong with looking out for family, but didn't bother me in the least. And his chosen method really didn't play that well with anyone.

Well crap! Where did our pals go on this discussion? I kinda miss doing verbal battle with 'em. C'mon Smartman and Fmr Mid 81, show us what you got. Gotta have more of your hit and run tactics. Still waiting for someone in the schools and city building to tell you who to attack and what to say?

The new treasurer saga continues......

MIDDLETOWN

Board approves Bertram as new Middletown treasurer

MIDDLETOWN —
A little more than a year after the top Middletown schools official was hired, the district will take on a new chief financial officer.

The Middletown School Board of Education earlier this week approved the contract for Randy Bertram, the soon-to-be former treasurer of the Northwest School District, and a former colleague of Sam Ison when the two worked in the Lebanon School District.

Bertram will officially start on Aug. 1 to replace the retiring Kelly Thorpe, but will begin his tenure in earnest later this month, shadowing the exiting treasurer in hopes of a smooth transition between fiscal officers. He will earn $114,000.

“As we learn about the community more and more, it certainly does excite us,” said Bertram, who was pleased to have unanimous support from the board. He had worked in Edgewood and Hamilton school districts. “I’m really looking forward to coming back to Butler County.”

In addition to his base salary, according to Bertram’s contract, the school board agrees to contribute into a retirement account — $2,000 on July 31, 2015, $3,000 on July 31, 2016 and $4,000 on July 31, 2017 — provided he’s still employed by the district. He is also eligible for up to a 5 percent increase of his base salary annually. The actual percentage of any increase of Bertram’s base salary is dependent on goals to be achieved.

The school district received more than a dozen applications to replace Thorpe, and the school board interviewed three candidates. Two candidates were selected for additional rounds of interviews.

Ison said Bertram is coming from the Northwest Local School District, which is slightly larger than Middletown, “and that will serve him well with Middletown’s challenges.”

In addition to serving as the treasurer for Northwest district in Hamilton County for six years, Bertram was the treasurer for Lebanon and Edgewood schools and served as the assistant treasurer in Hamilton and Xenia school districts. He said he’s in the process of relocating to Middletown and was attracted to the city because it’s a smaller community.

Board member, the Rev. Gregory Tyus, acknowledged the departing and incoming treasurers.

“Thank you to Mrs. Thorpe for her work that she’s done for our district, and welcome to Mr. Bertram with the wealth of knowledge I know he has to offer our district,” he said.

Thorpe has served as the Middletown district’s treasurer since Aug. 1, 2011. She will resign on July 31, when her contract expires. She will leave the district earning $84,150 a year

SO, BERTRUM IS FRIENDS WITH ISON. ONE HIRING CRITERIA.

BERTRUM WILL BE MAKING $114,000 WHILE THE DEPARTING TREASURER MADE $84, 150.....QUITE A LARGE DESCREPANCY IN PAYOUT FOR THE DISTRICT. DOES BERTRUM HAVE THAT MUCH MORE EXPERTISE AS COMPARED TO THORPE?

STILL DON'T KNOW IF THE SCHOOL BOARD CALLED ANYONE WHO COULD VOUCH FOR BERTRUM'S PERFORMANCE AT NORTHWEST, HAMILTON, EDGEWOOD, XENIA OR LEBANON. CERTAINLY ENOUGH OPPORTUNITY THERE TO CHECK HIM OUT BEFORE HIRING HIM......BUT, PERHAPS TOO MUCH TROUBLE TO PICK UP THE TELEPHONE AND INQUIRE. DON'T KNOW.

AND YEAH SMARTMAN, I HAVEN'T RETIRED AND MOVED, FORMER MIDDIE 81, I'M STILL THE LOUDMOUTH JERK YOU LABELED ME, AND, I'M STILL ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS I WAS HOPING THE SCHOOL BOARD WOULD HAVE ASKED, BUT ALWAYS FAILS TO DO SO. NOW, I AWAIT THE NEXT BARRAGE FROM THE SCHOOL SUPPORTERS WHO CAN'T SEEM TO SEE THE FUTILITY IN THEIR LITTLE DISTRICT AND WHO LIKE TO TAKE OUT THEIR LITTLE FRUSTRATIONS ON THE FOLKS WHO CALL IT AS IT IS.   

STATING IT NOW... GIVEN HIS HISTORY OF MOVING FROM PLACE TO PLACE LISTED ABOVE, BERTRUM WON'T BE HERE MORE THAN 3 YEARS, ESPECIALLY WHEN HE FINDS OUT THAT THIS DISTRICT IS LIKE NO OTHER......IN MANY WAYS.