MCDONALD Mayor's wife questions fliers about opponent

The board president said he learned of the letter after working at the polls.
By MARY SMITH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
McDONALD -- The board of education told Elizabeth Border, wife of newly re-elected Mayor James Border, it will look into how a flier was given to four high school students to be passed around the village before Tuesday's election.
The flier was billed as being from the friends of Jack Dugan, Border's opponent in the election.
Elizabeth Border told the school board Thursday she was told by parents that the students, all friends of her son's, were enlisted in school and paid $25 each to pass out the fliers.
She said the students were asked to do the job by a school guidance counselor, who gave them maps of the sections of town they should each cover.
The mayor's wife wanted to know where the fliers were run off and who paid for it. She asked why the numerous schoolteachers, coaches and Superintendent Michael Wasser were listed on the flier.
The board said it will investigate.
Village Solicitor and board member William Roux cited a board policy that states the board will not hear public complaints of personnel or school officials in public session.
Wasser said he is a friend of Dugan's and has been a village resident 47 years.
He told Mayor Border, "I run the school district, you run the village. I exercised my right as a citizen. I too am a taxpayer ... & quot;
Wasser also said he has set up a meeting soon with the mayor through the village administrator to discuss the matter.
Board president Robert Jones promised the board would look into the matter. Jones also said although his name was on the letter, he didn't find out about it until Monday night when his wife asked him about it.
Another resident commended Wasser for his action handling problems that developed last month when the newly replaced Roosevelt School gym floor was being varnished. Wasser said the varnishing work was shifted from daytime to evenings. The floor will be ready for pupils to play basketball Monday.
The new floor had been damaged in flooding in August and had to be replaced. After the flooding, Wasser said 10 pupils reported not feeling well, some with headaches, others with stomachaches and some with asthma. Some of the pupils went home.
In regular business Monday, the board granted raises of 3.25 percent to Norma Pignanelli, the treasurer's part-time aide, as of Nov. 1, from $13,000 to $13,420; and to Pamela L. Streb, secretary to the superintendent, from $27,200 to $28,0843.