The Pri nce Ge orge’s Pos t A C OMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FOR PRINCE GEORGE ’S COUNTY Since 1932 Vol. 77, No. 39 September 24 — October 1, 2009 Prince George’s County, Maryland Newspaper of Record Phone: 301-627-0900 25 cents State Overpaid Dozens of Retirees Retirement and Pension System Does Not Plan to Recoup Excess BY KAREN ANDERSON some of these retirees have Capital News Service been counting on this money for more than two decades. ANNAPOLIS - The "From the state's perspec - Maryland pension system tive, maintaining that level of overpaid 45 retired non-faculty benefit is not necessarily employees at the Maryland expensive. There are people School for the Deaf by a total who are receiving $1,100 a of $487,000 over 22 years. month and it would go down to Unfortunately for the recipi - $800," Esty said. "It means a ents, it's a mistake that could lot to the retirees." hurt them more than it does the State Treasurer Nancy Kopp state. said those retirees whose bene - The error led 45 retirees to fits are in question gave hands- count on an amount of money on care at the Maryland School that won't likely continue. It for the Deaf during their work also led an additional 56 active for the state. employees to expect more "Put a human face, as the money in retirement than will board had to do, with people actually materialize. who retired thinking these An official decision is pend - would be their benefits," Kopp ing consultation with the state said. CAPITAL NEWS SERVICE PHOTO BY LAURA GURFEIN legislature, but the Board of The overpayment, which Calverton Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Matthew Hartman helps Milto Tasissa, 9, with her haiku about Sept. 11. Trustees for the State was discovered in May, result - Retirement and Pension ed from a decades-long mis - System does not plan to recoup communication between the excess payments. It does, how - State Retirement Agency and ever, plan to immediately cor - the Central Payroll Bureau. Teachers Put Youngsters in Touch with 9/11 rect the mistake for active The Central Payroll Bureau employees and cut excess allo - classified 10-month non-facul - Most Were too Young to Remember This Tragic Event Happening Eight Years Ago cations to retirees beginning ty employees at the Maryland BY LAURA GURFEIN ties, according to language arts who they respect very much, very sad tragedy/So many lives next April, according to several School for the Deaf as full- Capital News Service teacher Constance Wood. was there, that will mean a lot lost?" wrote D'Angela Pierre, 9. members of the board. time for working the 10 "We have so many countries to them," said Principal Mary "Early in the day/The two Sue Esty, assistant director months the school is in opera - BELTSVILLE, Md. - On the here, we're like a mini-United Tschudy. towers burned down/Snapshot for the American Federation of eighth anniversary of the Sept. Nations," said Wood. "They Wood helped Hartman teach memory," wrote Sean Harris, 8. State, County and Municipal 11 attacks, teachers here at don't look at each other any dif - the class, going through the Students who needed help Employees in Maryland, said See PENSION, Page A 3 Calverton Elementary School ferently because" that's what haiku on a projector. As Wood were partnered with a classmate engaged students in creative they're accustomed to. read them aloud, she started to who had already finished writ - projects and class discussions In Matthew Hartman's cry. ing. Cidnee Joseph, 10, helped to commemorate an event that fourth-grade class, students lis - "I didn't mean to do that," Milto Tasissa, 9, with her last most were too young to remem - tened to their teacher's experi - Wood explained. She quickly line. ber. ence of seeing the Twin Towers pulled herself together. "Many people died," Milto Teachers here say that, given collapse from his New York Wood and Hartman walked said slowly, holding out a finger the student body's diverse racial office window. Then they wrote through the class helping stu - with each syllable. "Oh, that background, it's important to haiku poetry about Sept. 11 and dents with their haiku, clapping share feelings about an event looked at images from a book out the five-seven-five syllable that caused tension between on a projection screen. pattern of the three-line poems. See 9/11, Page A 3 different religions and ethnici - "The fact that their teacher, "Why did this happen?/A PHOTO BY THETERRIBLYGREAT, COURTESY FLICKR StBaOBtBeY MFCaMAcHeOsN Shortfall on BRAC Transportation Projects BY (BRAC)plan, is inadequate. The planned "A lot of states are finding that the stim - White Doctor and Hispanic nurse check young child. Capital News Service projects include improving intersections ulus money is coming in," Herr said, "but around the three sites to ease traffic conges - that revenues are down because of the ANNAPOLIS - Maryland will need to tion. recession." spend an additional $315 million to $470 "State and local government officials Andy Scott, the Maryland Department million on transportation projects around said they plan to fund and complete these of Transportation official who coordinates Study Shows Feds three military sites, according to a new improvements but are uncertain whether BRAC activities, said the "order of magni - study by the Government Accountability they will have the sufficient funds to do so," tude" of the funding shortfall is correct, but Office. the study states. that the state has been able to pare down Will Need to Fill The report, released Wednesday, found Philip Herr, the lead author of the study, some costs as it works through the design that the $95 million the state has allocated said other states are facing comparable process. to improve transportation infrastructure financial problems as Maryland. As the Still, he said that the widespread eco - Health-Related around Aberdeen Proving Ground, Fort base realignment moves forward, Herr said nomic decline and competition with other Meade and the Bethesda National Naval that even with an influx of stimulus money Medical Center, all of which are expanding states are still struggling to finance highway Jobs in Maryland BY BOBBY MCMAHON Department of Veterans Affairs, under the Base Realignment and Closure projects. See BRAC, Page A 5 Capital News Service employs about 3,000 workers in five outpatient clinics, two ANNAPOLIS - If you can major hospitals and one extend - work a stethoscope, Uncle Sam ed-care facility in the state. INSIDE could want you very soon. Diana Davis, chief of human Highland Elementary School The U.S. government will resources for the organization, Neighbors Columns: Fayettville Intercepts BSU need to hire more than 50,000 said about 26 percent of its most Wins National Blue Ribbon Morningside, Brandywine, Th e Fayetteville State new doctors, nurses and other essential employees -- includ - Clinton and Suitland health professionals nationwide ing nurses, pharmacists and BY University defense LAURA GURFEIN of these students, said Myrtle in Neighbors, Page A2 in the next three years, accord - doctors -- will be eligible for Capital News Service turn. This year, 314 Blue intercepted five Bowie ing to a new study from the retirement in 2013. Ribbon Schools were chosen by Borderlands Photography State University passes Partnership for Public Service, Because of the recession, SILVER SPRING - placing in the top 10 percent on Exhibit Coming to County and turned that into a a non-partisan group that advo - Davis thinks many of those state assessments or dramatical - Secretary of Education Arne Gateway Arts District Show 30-20 victory. cates for the importance of gov - employees may choose to stay Duncan recognized Highland ly improving in those test on the job longer, but she fore - Aims to Raise Awareness of Sports, Page A6 ernment service. Elementary School as a 2009 scores over a five-year period. the Ecological and Cultural According to the study, the sees that there may still be an Highland Elementary made National Blue Ribbon School at Costs of the Border Wall Recession Hurts Green government will need these increased need for staff to treat a school assembly Tuesday, cit - great progress on state exams. soldiers returning from Iraq and and Current Immigration Non-profits of every stripe health workers and others to ing the principal's leadership as Highland Elementary Afghanistan. Policy have been suffering from the replace retiring baby boomers key to significant improvement missed its Adequate Yearly "We already have pretty Community, Page A3 economic downturn. In a as well as to address the chal - at the school. Progress goals on Maryland robust recruiting activities recent survey 75 percent lenges created by two ongoing "Leadership matters tremen - School Assessment exams for going on to recruit for those Statewide Freight Summi t reported feeling the effects of wars. dously," Duncan said of four consecutive years, landing positions." Davis said. "A lot of Officials Discuss A Long- the downturn from both gov - The hiring binge could mean Highland Principal Ray Myrtle, it on the Maryland State it is going to depend upon what Term Vision For Freight In ernment and private founda - a boon to federal agencies locat - who he said "fundamentally Maryland tion sources. ed in Maryland. The Veterans turned around" the school. Business, Page A5 EarthTalk Page A7 Affairs Maryland Health Care "I couldn't be more proud" See RIBBON, Page A 5 System, a division of the See JOBS, Page A 5 A2 — September 24 — October 1, 2009 — The Prince George’s Post Towns and N EIGHBORS Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards’ Legislative Update In and Around Morningside-Skyline Congresswoman Donna F.