Oh joy. It is here.

Sorry to break the news to the folks still at work, but when you get home today, your first storm water bill will be waiting for you. It is the full $32 for four months - no 2% discount.  The discount won't start until January 2012. 
I was under the impression that it was decided that the fee would start in January, not September as originally discussed.  I guess I was wrong.


Update September 1 12:37 PM

This is an important notice from LeboALERT.


Bill mailed to you from Jordan Tax Service is for new storm water fee. Letter 
enclosed with it explains. Questions, call Jordan, 412-835-5243 or 724-731-2300.

Steal This Report

In Steal this report: college plagiarism up,

You may know of it among your college friends, or if you're a parent, among your kids' friends: plagiarism is becoming as common as Wi-Fi connections at coffee shops.

The Pew Research Center, in conjunction with the Chronicle of Higher Education, recently surveyed 1,055 college presidents from two- to four-year schools, private and public. More than half of those top officials said they've seen an increase in plagiarism in the past 10 years. Nearly all of them say computers and the Internet have played a major role in the rise in stealing others work and claiming it as their own.

We could have our School Board President go on a college lecture circuit to discuss plagiarism.  What are we teaching our kids when one of our own does it and has no consequences?
.

Park plans may come to a grinding halt

Friends of Robb Hollow Park's Mary D'Angelo sent me an interesting letter today from the PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources.  It was sent to Steve Feller and calls for the end of shredding and composting of leaves or other vegetative material (that includes trees) in Robb Hollow Park.

Mary wrote in her email, "Imagine enjoying life near a park that contains only the leaves that nature puts there! Bet you’re smiling~I am!"

The DCNR letter states that equipment must be removed from that park immediately.  Looks like McNeilly Park may have to be the new home of the Beast.

B.Y.O.T.

While Dr. Steinhauer pitches his technology presentation on "Bring Your Own Technology" and the sports groups plead for more fields, in addition to the multi million dollars being spent for the high school sports facility, here is what Chartiers Valley is doing with their money. They are providing 1,325 laptops to their high school students.  The students will return them upon graduation.

While our school board discusses the pluses and minuses of auxiliary gyms, spends almost two months discussing Blue Devil blue, and sports groups rally for more fields, CV students are enjoying the smell of new computers.  Go Blue!

Update: Chartiers Valley secondary students each to get computer,

The One-to-One laptop initiative came about because of feedback from parents, faculty and administrators during last fall's strategic planning process, which determined that integrating technology would improve student enthusiasm for learning and consequently boost achievement.

In Mt. Lebanon, the school board directors will be getting new laptops, to replace the ones that were supplied in the "Go Paperless" test a year ago. 

Dr. Tim Steinhauer Speaks, Again

The following letter to the editor was submitted by frequent commenter and Mt. Lebanon resident, Steve Diaz.

In the September 2011 edition of Mt. Lebanon Magazine, Dr. Tim Steinhauer, the Superintendent of the Mt. Lebanon School District, offers comments on the high school renovation project and more.  What Dr. Steinhauer has to say should be of interest to the residents of Mt. Lebanon.  Dr. Steinhauer's published comments include the following items of note:

1.  "We are currently in the redesign phase [of the high school renovation]."  Really?  What phase is that, Dr. Steinhauer, as no "redesign" was ever on the original project time line.  What he means is that the district will try to save its project from the recent bidding fiasco, but not go back and review whether it was properly scoped in the first place.  For example, he somehow manages to clarify by continuing that "..we don't see any significant loss in space...[e]verything that we had anticipated will be there,...[b]ut we've cut out about 30,000 square feet..."  Apart from the fact that his words directly contradict themselves on their face--how can you have "everything" anticipated if you cut 30,000 square feet out of the design, a very significant amount, unless you admit that there was that much excess in the original plan as bid.  Thank you for your clearly unintended admission, Dr. Steinhauer.  The student population of the school district is in the process of significant decline and we simply do not need more space.  One might at this point also ask, if the last plan (as bid) was styled "the minimum necessary for a 21st century education", don't we need some further explanation?  Will the administration and the school board stop hiding behind their fingers and recognize how "ridiculous" your position is under any rational evaluation (the quote is an adaptation of a characterization of the current political situation in the school district by citizen Josephine Posti, as attributed in the press)?

2.  "The board has set a maximum total cost of $113 [million].  So we're working hard to bring that cost back down."  So, in plain English, it sounds to me like the district plans on spending $113 million, regardless of what they can get for the money, and will nonetheless call the expenditure a "win".  Just as with the 30,000 square feet Dr. Steinhauer indirectly admits was not essential to the program benefits in his interview, one has to read between the lines for what is not said to find the meaning of Dr. Steinhauer's words.  Among the matters not addressed is why so much money would be spent for fiber-optic cables, when in the 21st century everything is migrating to wireless...there is another huge unnecessary cost for the lack of alternatives analysis still in the board's plans.  It seems clear that behind closed doors nothing has changed, the board and the administration yet do not hear the popular lack of confidence in the due diligence and decision making of those in control of the district.  The administration and the school board still do not hear people saying that the total cost has to come way down below 100 million, and/or there needs to be an election to give the public the final say on our schools and the massive economic impact that an over 100 million dollar project (and the taxes needed to sustain it) will have on our community. $113 million it is, though, because that is what they want and such a sum does not legally require an election.  But, be careful, project critics, to be "respectful" while you are being bulldozed.  Where is the respect for the obvious public sentiment in Mt. Lebanon either from Dr. Steinhauer or the board?  4,000 people have objected to the $113 million expenditure, Dr. Steinhauer and members of the school board, are you listening?  Rhetorical flourishes are no substitute for substantive change in response to public input.  Are you listening?  You have admitted that the project scope was too grand, so rather than cut "cost" to evade an election, why don't you consider the popular will as to the scope of the project--why can't you fix and maintain rather than trash and overspend?  Are you listening?

3.  On the topic of administrative reorganization, the superintendent states:  "...[O]ur venues of communication weren't always as strong as they should have been."  It is less than obvious what that peculiar syntax may mean, Dr. Steinhauer (ignoring your "Gorceyism"--what is a "venue of communication" anyway?).  In this part of the interview, Dr. Steinhauer goes on to say:  "I think the lines of communication, the lines of deployment of initiatives will be much cleaner, much more input from the grassroots level of the teachers."  So much is well said, I think, if he means that teachers should be allowed sufficient leeway to reach the students as they encounter them.  So long, that is, as there is accountability for performance and results, too.  It is never the child's fault if the curriculum fails---our falling academic rankings demonstrate that such deterioration takes place over years, meaning not because of the transitory student population, but because of the permanent administrative and teaching regime (have you seen "Waiting for Superman" yet, Dr. Steinhauer?).  While giving teachers accountable flexibility because he believes in "much more input from the grassroots level", Dr. Steinhauer and the school board seem to compartmentalize that value when it comes to paying any attention to the grassroots level of parents, voters and taxpayers on the subject of the renovation.  Our superintendent seems confused, if not hypocritical in his approach.

So, again, it is a fascinating interview for the insight it provides on the rationalization and politicization of our schools by the current administration and leadership.  There are more tidbits overtly stated, and even more yet to be gleaned from this timely interview.  I commend reading Dr. Steinhauer's multiple messages to the citizens of Mt. Lebanon as part of the continuing effort to comprehend "the riddle inside the mystery wrapped in an enigma" that is the policy of our school district (and the original quote is from Winston Churchill for those of you may wish to know the source of my adapted, but borrowed, phrase).

From behind my reading glasses.  Steve Diaz.

It made the Trib

In today's Trib, Much ado about....Mt. Lebanon board chief's blog, Posti (Sorry, I can't call her anything else)

"would be more attentive to citing and linking her material in the future. She said Gillen's call for her resignation was "ridiculous," but not unexpected.
"I think she's called for all of us (on the board) to resign at one time or another," Posti said."

Ridiculous? Take a gander at the latest poll.  I am not alone.

Update August 27, 2011 8:45 AM I changed the date of the poll to close on the same day as the next School Board meeting.


Read more: Much ado about....Mt. Lebanon board chief's blog - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_753219.html#ixzz1W2Cx08Ss

Consequences, not corrections (with more incidents)

Update August 23, 2011 9:53 PM
Steve Diaz and Dale Ostergaard had another email exchange, this time over fear and intimidation on the School Board.

Update August 23, 2011 11:19 AM
Map of US visits since I posted the expose. Don't bother counting; there are 26 states highlighted.  In total, it has been viewed in four countries. 

Update 6:55 PM 
Another example was sent to me.  Keep 'em coming.
http://jposti.blogspot.com/2010/04/plancon-process.html
Description of PlanCon 


Update:  Here is another incident for Mrs. Posti to address.
http://jposti.blogspot.com/2011/04/voucher-bill-passes-appropriations.html 
"While SB1 was originally targeted to families making under $29,000 in failing schools or school districts, as amended SB1 would offer vouchers to families earning up to $67,000, even if they live in top school districts and even if their children have never set foot in a public school." 


Check this one out: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=208420045843951&comments
 "Where SB1 was originally targeted to families making under $29,000 in failing schools or school districts, as amended SB1 would offer vouchers to families earning up to $67,000, even if they live in the top school districts in the state and even if their children have never set foot in a public school." 


Let's see how many others we can find, folks.

The School Board President has apologized and corrected her Center Court blog to include sources for the three incidents that were exposed on this blog.  She was caught.  So what will become of this?  Probably nothing. Are there any students who were caught plagiarizing?  Were there any consequences? Feel free to comment here.  I am opening this up again to accept anonymous comments, just for this particular subject. If it is appropriate, I will approve it. Parents, we have a School Board President who basically says, "Do as I say, not as I do."  What if you had a child who was caught plagiarizing?  Were there any consequences? There should have been, according to the District website.  How do you feel knowing that your kid paid the price, but the School Board will look away when one of their own does it?

What are the consequences?  The District clearly says that there are severe consequences to plagiarism.  If your child apologizes and makes the appropriate corrections, that's good enough, according to the School Board President.  How many colleges or employers operate like that?  What consequences are in store for Mrs. Posti?

Where is President Posti’s Integrity? (updated six times)

I have received the following document from an anonymous source. Based on this easily verified information, do we want a school board director, the president – no less, of an “award winning” school district plagiarizing? President Posti majored in English. Her livelihood is public relations. As a professional, a parent, a graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School, a school board director, and a blogger, Josephine Posti is a disgrace. How could she, in good conscience, sign this Parent Plagiarism Statement downloaded from the District website at http://www.mtlsd.org/highschool/stuff/plagiarism%20quiz%20v2.doc pledging that her son or daughter is expected to demonstrate academic integrity in all his or her schoolwork?  Where is her integrity?

Rampant Plagiarism by Mt. Lebanon School District Board President Revealed

There have been numerous instances over the last year of Mt Lebanon School Board President Josephine Posti stealing information from websites and posting it on her blog as her own. In the three instances outlined below, I have copied word for word her blog post and indicated in yellow highlighted text where that information was sourced from and the original text of that source. Again, Mrs. Posti has never indicated that her sources were from anything but her own intelligence.

There are very specific documents available on the District website that deal with plagiarism (see http://www.mtlsd.org/highschool/highschoolplagiarismlessons.asp

Grade 11 Plagiarism Tutorial):

Plagiarism (and avoiding it!)

If you intend to pursue a career or an education, you must not plagiarize.

Plagiarism is theft.

Plagiarism is stealing somebody’s idea or words without giving credit to that person. If you do not clearly tell your audience that you were not the person who came up with it, your audience will believe that the idea was yours. You are stealing credit for another’s work.

In the real world, people who plagiarize are punished. The same is true in high school and college. Do not risk your academic standing by not carefully and completely citing your sources. Please refer to the Student‐Parent Handbook for Mt. Lebanon School District’s policy on Academic Integrity, including plagiarism.

What follows are three of examples that were found after only a few minutes of searching.

Complete document is here. 


Update: Direct links to Josephine Posti's blog.
Instance #1 direct link 
Instance #2 direct link
Instance #3 direct link
More can be found on her blog just by searching key phrases on search engines such as Google. 

Update 1:30 pm
I have been told that Josephine Posti has an accreditation in public relations. http://prsa-pgh.org/bio.php?n=150 
From the website, http://www.prsa.org/Learning/Accreditation/ 

What is APR?
APR is a mark of distinction for public relations professionals who demonstrate their commitment to the profession and to its ethical practice, and who are selected based on broad knowledge, strategic perspective, and sound professional judgment.

I do not have a degree in English, journalism, or even fiction writing, but I was able to pass the plagiarism quiz on the District website. 

Update 11:00 pm Screen shots of posts
Instance #1 Mergers and Aquisitions
Instance #2 Act 1 Exceptions
Instance #3 Single Prime Approved 


Update August 22, 2011 Response from Josephine Posti, Mon. Aug 22, 2011 12:07 pm

Dear Mrs. Gillen,
Thank you for bringing that to my attention.  As your anonymous source may have 
noticed, I share information from a variety of sources and endeavor to attribute 
them and include links to original sources.  I've made those corrections and 
provided additional information on my blog.

Best regards,

Josephine Posti
President
Mt. Lebanon School Board
412.667.1479
http://jposti.blogspot.com

Mission: To provide the best education possible for each and every student

Update 12:33 PM

Josephine Posti has entered a new post on her Center Court blog. Corrections 

Update 5:04 PM

http://jposti.blogspot.com/2011/04/voucher-bill-passes-appropriations.html 

"While SB1 was originally targeted to families making under $29,000 in failing schools or school districts, as amended SB1 would offer vouchers to families earning up to $67,000, even if they live in top school districts and even if their children have never set foot in a public school." 

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=208420045843951&comments

 "Where SB1 was originally targeted to families making under $29,000 in failing schools or school districts, as amended SB1 would offer vouchers to families earning up to $67,000, even if they live in the top school districts in the state and even if their children have never set foot in a public school."

Compensation Policy

The following letter was written by Mt. Lebanon resident, Steve Diaz.

Sat, Aug 20, 2011 2:07 pm
Members of the school board:  Well, another interesting unanimous decision has come down from you disposing of our money.  Apparently you have now, cumulatively over the past 2 years, given a total of some 11% of salary increases to the district superintendent, and given him more time off as well.  Given the state of the economy in general, and of the finances of our school district in particular, it bears some analysis as to what might be the basis for such a decision.  I suppose there were objective professional criteria used to justify such a decision, but in examining those I personally think might be pertinent I find myself once again baffled by the seemingly careless way you dispose of other people's money (in this case, the money of the taxpayers of the Mt. Lebanon School District.)

Among the criteria I would expect the school board to consider in determining any potential increase in compensation might be:  (1) academic performance of our schools; (2) management of the school renovation process; and (3) our general fiscal condition.  By any of these objective standards, your decision is unwise and unfounded.  First, with regard to academic performance, since the superintendent was hired we have realized a steady decline in our standing against other competing local districts, including the currently No. 1-ranked district in Allegheny County, which it may recalled "lost" our current superintendent (many residents of that district tell me due to his performance there, while others say he left to find a new construction project).  Second, in view of the incredible fiasco we have had with bids, consultants, estimates, failed and mismanaged public hearings and processes, ineffective permit presentations (including a lost lawsuit against the municipality for which the taxpayers had to pay the costs of both sides), the school board seems to have completely exculpated its chief manager, the superintendent, from any performance responsibility for the results (which is curious, given that you don't accept any responsibility either, leaving no one accountable for the waste and failures in that matter to date--oh, I'm sorry, I forgot that it is the outside consultants, whose contracts you have also not terminated, who bear all the political blame, but none of the performance responsibility for that).  And lastly, there is the matter of the fiscal shape we are in. You have significantly raised our taxes this past year, and but for the tradition of no tax raise in an election year, you will certainly to do so again next year, regardless of public input and pressure against it (most of those of us who pay the bills have not enjoyed 11% increases in the past 2 years).  We are hopelessly undone by the likely costs of our ever-shrinking "renovation" project, and we have had no special insight or leadership from our top staff member, who you generously reward financially.  We have a massive coming pension obligation that will have to be paid for, somehow, but I guess you are prepared just to raise taxes as much as "necessary".  Nonetheless, money is an object in this district at this time.  Do you have any idea, from the earned income tax or otherwise, whether the taxpayers of this district have, on average, had such a generous increase in income?  Did you measure your generosity with our money against our ability to pay?  Is there some rational fear of losing a uniquely qualified employee or other "special" reason to ignore the fiscal facts of the day in setting the pay for the superintendent?  Once again, your judgement in fiscal and oversight matters is demonstrated to be callous to the needs of the community you serve and to the efficient and economical use of our money.

The first time I ever addressed the board I told you that "now is not the time" for lavish expenditures and tax increases.  You did not heed my advice.  Since that time, not only has the financial situation deteriorated to Depression conditions (I remind you that there is an effective unemployment rate in excess of 16% according to all mainstream economists, and there have been more home foreclosures in the US in the past 3 years than in the 1930's), but the situation has only gotten worse, worldwide.  We now find that all of your contrived "planning" to allow our valuable school assets to deteriorate by a deliberate policy of not maintaing them in a cynical attempt at self-justification for building a new high school, regardless of need or affordability, has come to a dead-end--unless you tax us even more (the limit to your willingness to borrow, however, seems to be reached at your desire to do anything to avoid a public choice, that is, and election, as would be necessary if more borrowed funds are required, apparently because you understand that you would lose such an election).  I have yet to mention the underlying inconvenience (from your perspective) that our already small school district of a mere 5,000 or so students, is on a downward population spiral, according to your own figures.  We simply don't need to ruin this community financially to educate our kids. Have you forgotten that this is about the quality of education we offer in Mt. Lebanon?  The strongest argument can be made that you are not only tax-insensitive and arrogant, but that you are pursuing policies that inexorably lead only to the destruction of quality education in this community.  If all the points are ultimately about the children and their education, then your misuse of our assets is a true man-made disaster of intellectual dishonesty.  Your decision to grant an economic reward for the kind of leadership under which this school district currently strains is merely an indication of how education unfriendly you truly are.

I would be disappointed, but, being a rational man, I have come to expect the irrational and the irresponsible from this school board.

With Due Respect.  Steve Diaz

Thank goodness for Office Depot

Just days after approving a 3.5% increase or 5.42% when including the additional week of pay (Bill Matthews' calculations on Blog-Lebo) for Dr. Steinhauer, we read this tale of woe.

Mt. Lebanon School District spokeswoman Cissy Bowman said tissues are among the few items elementary school students are asked to bring at the height of the winter cold season; the district provides most other school supplies. Mt. Lebanon students are expected to provide their own backpacks, binders and, for high school students, graphing calculators, which can cost $100 or more, depending on their complexity.
The district's budget for supplies has shrunk year after year, down 2.7 percent in 2011-12 to $1,325,716, said Bowman.
"Our supply budget's gone down; it keeps getting sliced and sliced," she said, but parents haven't been expected to pick up the slack yet. The district has been able to maintain its current system through a favorable contract to buy supplies through Office Depot, Bowman said.

This also follows the Technology Presentation given on Monday evening. See page 15 for "Bring Your Own Technology." 

Are we still excited?  After all, it's for the children.

Read more: As supply costs rise, school districts conserve, look to parents - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/s_751993.html#ixzz1VWoOkZkd

Important message from Dr. Steinhauer

Note: This was not sent to me by Dr. Steinhauer.  It was sent out to parents with children in Mt. Lebanon Schools. One of those parents, in turn, forwarded it to me. 

Dear Mt. Lebanon Parents,

I am writing to inform you that the Mt. Lebanon School District administration was notified by the Mt. Lebanon Police Department today, August 19, 2011, that Christopher Childs, a former volunteer with the High School track team during the 2011 season, was arrested on multiple charges alleging improper contact with a Mt. Lebanon High School student after the school year ended. The former volunteer is no longer involved with the team.

We are cooperating fully with the Mt. Lebanon Police Department. I want to assure you that we will take all appropriate measures to protect the health, safety and welfare of Mt. Lebanon students.

I also want you to know that the District guidelines require coaches and volunteers in the athletic department to submit state and federal criminal clearances before working with students. This individual’s clearances showed no prior violations of any kind.

The safety and security of each and every student is our top priority. We take our responsibility very seriously and work diligently to have comprehensive procedures and guidelines in place to protect our students.

If you or your child has any information or concerns regarding this matter, please contact the Mt. Lebanon Police Department. Please feel free to contact me with any general questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Dr. Tim Steinhauer
Superintendent of Schools
Mt. Lebanon School District

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_752476.html

Please and Thank You

I had an email exchange with Dave Brumfield this evening concerning McNeilly Park.  I asked if I could publish the exchange.  Here is the whole exchange per his request.  Start at the bottom.


From: david brumfield <davidcbrumfield@gmail.com>

To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Aug 18, 2011 10:21 pm
Subject: Re: Please and thank you

As long as it is the whole exchange.  Then that would be fine.

Dave

______________________

On Aug 18, 2011 9:13 PM, <egillen476@aol.com> wrote:

May I reprint this on the blog? It might clarify the issue for people.
Elaine


-----Original Message-----
From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: davidcbrumfield <davidcbrumfield@gmail.com>
Sent: Thu, Aug 18, 2011 8:21 pm
Subject: Re: Please and thank you

That shouldn't be your problem, Dave. Think about what the Municipality is responsible for. Infrastructure. Following your logic, more people use the roads than fields. Actually, recreation shouldn't even be on your minds in this economy. Just my opinion.
Elaine

_____________________

From: david brumfield <davidcbrumfield@gmail.com>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Aug 18, 2011 8:01 pm 

Subject: Re: Please and thank you
But shouldn't we focus on what helps the most residents. Also keep in mind the SD is actually removing a field, at least for 4 years, they are not adding any.
Dave
______________________

On Aug 18, 2011 7:52 PM, <egillen476@aol.com> wrote:

Hi Dave,
People of all ages use the pool. I know people use the pool for rehab too. I understand how the locker rooms are not family friendly. Just a few things off the top of my head. I don't use the pool, so I can't comment on the condition of it.
Elaine

____________

From: david brumfield <davidcbrumfield@gmail.com>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Aug 18, 2011 7:35 pm
Subject: Re: Please and thank you

Elaine,
Why the pool and not the fields. The fields get more hours of us[e] for the same money. Just curious as to what you see the difference is?
Thanks
Dave
_____________

On Aug 18, 2011 7:21 PM, <egillen476@aol.com> wrote:

Hi Commissioners~

Please consider postponing the development of McNeilly Park. While I understand your reasons, I don't think it is wise to take on more debt than needed. I don't think people are opposed to updating the bath house, pool, or buying a fire engine, but in my opinion, the community can't really handle more money being spent on youth sports than what is being done through the School District. Please don't say that it will only be another $200 a year or whatever the number is. We are hearing that it is ONLY $xx a month for too many things now. And saying that it will increase the value of my house means nothing to me. I have no plans to sell my house. ... I gave up lattes long ago.

Thank you for commenting on my blog, Dan and Dave!

Elaine

Two commissioners commenting within 24 hours!

Thanks goes out to Mt. Lebanon Commissioners.  Two of them took time out to comment on this blog. Thank you for the open dialogue, Dave and Dan. We may not agree, but it is refreshing to see open and direct responses from our elected officials. This is the way government should work.  Thank you!

More on the Recreation Bond

Do we want to spend $3.1 million developing property on McNeiily Road? I have had a couple of emails asking, "Where exactly is McNeilly Park?" After David Huston and his daughter were kind enough to show me last week, I can tell you. If you are looking at the Citgo gas station on McNeilly Road, the entrance to the park is to the left of the parking lot. It is very easy to walk around since the Municipality (or someone) has been cutting a pathway in the grass. 

I imagine a traffic light will be needed at that intersection now.  Is that Brookline, Baldwin, or Mt. Lebanon? 

According to the Trib, parents and coaches of Mt. Lebanon athletes are interested in developing McNeilly Park.

Members of the youth sports community were planning to attend to show support for adding more athletic fields to the McNeilly property.

The meeting is this Monday at the Municipal Building. The discussion session generally starts at 6:30 while the Commission meeting starts at 8 p.m. For those who have never attended, the discussion session is open to the public, but are not allowed to speak.  If you wish to comment, the opportunity to speak is at the beginning of the 8 p.m. meeting.  A sign up sheet is in the back of the room.

It goes without saying that our taxes will go up. To contact the commissioners, email them at: commission@mtlebanon.org

To see the conceptual plans for McNeilly Park, visit http://mtlebanon.org/DocumentView.aspx?DID=4045 and http://mtlebanon.org/DocumentView.aspx?DID=4046

Isn't it his job?

Josephine Posti included a list of Dr. Steinhauer's "accomplishments" in her President's Report on Monday.  The Board voted unanimously to approve a 3.5% salary increase, in addition to giving him five more vacation days and to reimburse him for up to 15 days of unused vacation. Where I worked, it was "Use 'em or lose 'em." These vacation days are in addition to a four day work week in the summer.
At what point are his "accomplishments" considered as part of his job description and not to justify a 3.5% increase? Why are we cutting out "his" bike racks and in turn, giving him a raise?

Mt. Lebanon superintendent to get 3.5% raise

Is it time to call the hotline?

Someone sent me these two pdfs which I wanted to share on this blog. Hotline poster 1 and Hotline poster 2. Do we want a renovation that has been downgraded, just to get that shovel in the ground? Check out the latest Lebo Citizens poll. Only eight have voted to say that they like the new design. You don't suppose that any of those eight were school board directors, now do you? That would be as low as speaking at an Act 34 Hearing.

Creative Accounting

Over on Lebodesign.net, Dan Rothschild posted Raiding The Pantry. After reviewing "THE LIST" of 197 cuts to the project, this architect feels that "the Board may also be misusing the process of Add Alternates and Deduct Alternates in their quest to come under the $113 million requirement."
If you watched or listened to Monday's School Board meeting, Dan questioned where the $900,000 is coming from to pay for the food service equipment that was cut (#187A.) Good question.  It comes from Jan Klein's bag of tricks.  After all, the directors are being told by Ms. Klein that they "should" still be able to do this project without needed referendum.
Larry, are you still excited that Celli is excited, even after all this input?

Joint Steering Report and the Recreation Bond

Did I hear that right? At 00:59:07, Josephine Posti says, "For Joint Steering..."
The School Board is already trying to get their mitts on the Recreation Bond mentioned at the last Commission meeting. Listen to Josephine Posti at  00:59:25 on last night's podcast.  Mrs. Posti and Commissioner Brumfield "talked about having the recreation department and the athletic department share information regarding anticipated field and gym use needs, in light of the Commission discussions
regarding the proposed Recreation Bond."
This was after she spoke to Commissioner Brumfield about the education credit and the stormwater utility fee.  When are they meeting?  Are they meeting privately?  What is going on?

"if you think you hate it now, wait until you drive [build] it!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTaTitRENDM

(You have to click on this link to view the video.)

Chevy Chase plays the role of the Mt. Lebanon Taxpayer.  Eugene Levy plays the role of the constuction manager.

Superintendent's raise and contract amendments published

From Monday's meeting agenda:

(5) Annual Salary for Superintendent: RESOLVED, that Dr. Timothy Steinhauer’s salary for the 2011-2012 fiscal year is set at $151,420, an increase of 3.5%.

(6) Amendment to Superintendent’s Contract: RESOLVED, that the Amendment to Dr. Steinhauer’s contract, increasing the maximum number of vacation days and reimbursed unused vacation days, is approved in the form presented.

Update August 14, 2011 2:30 p.m. Median salary for a superintendent in Pittsburgh is $136,141. Considering Dr. Steinhauer was never a superintendent before coming to Mt. Lebanon, here is yet another example of the School Board being fiscally irresponsible with our money.  I remember Josephine Posti comparing Dr. Tim's salary to others in the AIU last year, but she failed to mention that the others were not getting on the job training and were seasoned superintendents.

Get out the snow shovel

In case you missed yesterday's P-G article, Changes said to save $16 million on high school renovation work, Josephine Posti told Kaitlynn Riely, in a phone interview, that groundbreaking should take place sometime in early December. The article was in my newspaper yesterday, but had not made the online edition until today. Some quotes from the article include:

"We feel with these cost reductions that we've made, not only is the building in no way denigrated, we're excited about how the new building is going to be changing the cultural landscape of the community," Ms. Posti said in a phone interview. "It still is just a really fantastic project that we're looking forward to getting started."

and

Ms. Posti said Wednesday that she thought the roughly $16 million in changes left the project "in really good shape."

and the best one

"The majority of the savings will not have any impact on the design," Ms. Posti said.

The project should be ready to bid around October 7.  The District hopes to open the bids two days before Thanksgiving, on November 22.

Can we disagree without being disagreeable?

I was blind copied on the email that went out to many Mt. Lebanon residents announcing a public forum that is also posted on the Center Court Blog.

In the media, on the playing field, in the halls of government and in our neighborhoods, conflict has increased and public dialogue is often hostile, causing many of us to wonder….can we disagree without being disagreeable?

I hope the School Board Directors attend the forum. If there is one thing that has divided our community, we all know that it is the high school renovation. The Concerned Citizens of Mt. Lebanon joined together trying to be heard, but ended up being bullied, accused of fear mongering, denied Right To Know information, sued, ignored, cut off at School Board meetings, being the target of Almanac letters written by School Board Directors, had unanswered emails and phone calls, and on and on.

One way to prevent people from being disagreeable is to be willing to have two way conversation.  I remember hearing one review team meeting podcast where dialogue was discouraged. Announce on the agenda that you will be discussing single vs. prime.  Print "THE LIST" well before the Architect's Update, not minutes before the meeting.  Perhaps sending "THE LIST" directly to the resident/architect/blogger requesting "THE LIST" would have been appropriate.

Even the School Board Members cannot disagree without the risk of being ostracized.  How sad.

There is a lot written about this topic. From Disagree Without Being Disagreeable:

It Starts At The Top
It is the leader's job to provide the vision for the group. A good executive must have a dream and the ability to get the company to support that dream. But it is not enough to merely have the dream. The leader must also provide the framework by which the people in the organization can help achieve the dream. This is called company culture.
When your company culture allows people to challenge ideas, suggestions, and plans, you create an organization of thinking, committed people capable of producing the kind of innovation and productivity required to succeed today. However, if your company culture does not allowed dissent, if people who suggest alternatives are castigated for not being "team players", you produce an environment of fear, stagnation, and antipathy. Not allowing appropriate dissent will kill your company [or school district].

 and

Foster a culture in your company where differing opinions are encouraged. Avoid the temptation to surround yourself with individuals who are so similar to you that they can't offer a different perspective. Don't surround yourself with people who are so afraid that they won't dissent. Reward creativity and original thought in your decision-making process. Hang on to those people who have mastered the art of disagreeing without being disagreeable. Maybe then you can avoid being blindsided by events.

 The Board can't say they were blindsided by the chain of events that have occurred.  They have been warned time and again.  The Posti Postulate is alive and well.

I started a new poll and hope that people vote.  It is a way to agree or disagree without being disagreeable.

Who is getting the scrap?

Who is getting the scrap from Building C?  If you were listening to KDKA, the price of gold is the highest it has been in a long time.  Remember the copper downspouts stolen in Virginia Manor? How about the garbage picker who takes every electrical appliance pitched just for the copper wire in the cord?  Someone even took the old wire stands from my yard signs that were bundled for the trash.

When they start demo-ing Building C, unless the SB has it written that we have the rights to all that scrap, it will be taken by the contractors or the garbage picker. The contractors may be sitting there hoping it isn't noticed.

But since the School board refuses to revisit Building C, maybe it won't be addressed. Here's a heads up. In 35 years or so, when the renovated high school is torn down, the aluminum wire won't be worth as much as copper wire.

Developing McNeilly Park

Listed on the August 9, 2011 Commission Discussion Session agenda, the recreation bond issue will be discussed at the August 22 meeting. http://www.mtlebanon.org/archives/35/Discussion%20Session%2008-09-11%20revised.pdf

As I had mentioned here, a significant project scheduled for 2012 is developing McNeilly Park. The link to a September 2008 Gateway study was sent to me today. http://www.mtlebanon.org/DocumentView.aspx?DID=2660 


After last night's meeting, I stayed and chatted with a couple of the commissioners. They believe that we need to build value into our homes by improving our recreational facilities.  Just putting this out there. Let the commissioners know what you think. You can email them at commission@mtlebanon.org.

Sorry, but there are no plans for a meth clinic or a W Hotel in the ice rink.

Sour economic growth report threatens construction recovery

From RSMeans:

State and local construction spending is next on the high risk list because these government would get no increase in federal grants.  Instead, small cutbacks are likely to trim the federal deficit.  Many state and local governments would have to trim construction spending from their own funds as a weaker than expected economy both reduces their expected tax receipts and raises their unavoidable social welfare and income support expenses.

It was reported to me that Tom Celli had an interesting note to self on his paper at last night's Architect Update. "Act excited." Larry Lebowitz was excited that Tom Celli was excited.  In case the SB hasn't figured it out yet, we know that it is all choreographed.  It is obvious. Please stop moving your lips.

Our country was downgraded for the first time in history.  We have a petition of 4,000 asking to cut back on the cost of the project.  RSMeans recommends trimming construction spending.  WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET YOUR ATTENTION?

The list is here and on the District website!

The School District just published the 197 Potential Project Cost Savings Worksheet. It shows what was accepted, rejected, or pending. This is going to take some time, but something just caught my eye.  They have agreed to eliminate the storm water detention tanks (#17) . Would someone explain that to me before tomorrow's Commission vote on the storm water fee.

Update August 9, 2011 3:47 p.m. Baxter Elementary School Wiring "A Crime"  

Aluminum wiring was spliced with copper wiring, the copper placed on the ends, and the conduit pipe hid the fact that much of the wiring was aluminum, he said. "This was criminal, and anybody who would do this should be put in jail," Lane told the board.

Update August 10, 2011 1:02  p.m. What are the dangers of aluminum wiring?

Aluminum does not make as good of a wiring material in a house or any building as copper, which is used for most electrical wiring. Aluminum is a softer metal than copper, meaning it can become damaged more easily by over-tightening a screw when making connections for a light switch, for example. The damaged aluminum wire will come apart, leading to arcing and the potential for a house fire.

Why take the risk to save a few bucks? Aren't our kids worth it?  It IS "for the children." Didn't the SB already apologize once to the Fire Department? 

Update August 12, 2011 5:14 p.m. The Aluminum Wiring Information Website More warnings plus photos.

It's a fee, not a tax.

More suggested fees from Raja. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11217/1165248-455-0.stm
Another honest mistake? Remember this? http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2011/06/honest-mistake.html
and this? http://www.careerbliss.com/company-reviews/cei-america-reviews-328814/ Google for more reviews.  Pretty interesting.

President Mary Birks?

http://www.corporationwiki.com/Pennsylvania/Pittsburgh/mary-birks/52343576.aspx

Are they moving their lips?

My family has been in sales for two generations. My father, my father-in-law, my brother, my brother-in-law, my husband and I were all peddlers. So you can imagine our dinner conversations. We had a favorite joke. 

Q. How can you tell when a salesman is lying? 
A.When he is moving his lips. 

Not to say we lied, but that joke always made us laugh.
Fast forward to present day Mt. Lebanon. Our School Board has been peddling the high school renovation for several years. Some directors have been selling harder than others.  I have been following one of the more vocal sales people, I mean, directors on Center Court blog.  I came across this post from January 2010. Act 34 Resolution Passes

Last night, the Board approved the Act 34 resolution which provides the maximum budget for the renovation project.  This document provides the basis for the public to provide testimony at a public hearing on February 22.  It was approved 6 - 3 with Mr. Fraasch, Ms. Stipanovich and Mr. Ostergaard dissenting.  This was a significant vote, one of several we've already taken that include hiring a construction manager, architects, approving LEED certification commissioning, issuing the initial phase of financing and accepting recommendations brought forward by the Community Advisory Committee.Those of us who supported the resolution provided information and clarification on where we are in the process and how we got there.  Mr. Remely reminded us that there is significant opportunity to bring that $113MM down but by setting it, we assure the public it will not go up.  He offered detailed suggestions on ways we can reduce costs as we move forward with the project.  This includes creative purchasing, using a single prime contractor, energy efficiencies and other operational cost savings that he estimates could result in a $22MM reduction, equating to a 2.5 mill reduction to the project's impact.  Some of us committed last night to not spending those savings on additional work but passing them onto the taxpayers.

I could go on, because the post is rather long. Please read the post and decide if they are moving their lips.

Now that we have been downgraded...

Today's headlines on AOL (yes, I am still on AOL)
U.S. Credit Downgrade By S&P Darkens Economic Outlook, Stokes Recession Fears

This got me thinking.  What about Mt. Lebanon? Will this affect our Municipal and School District portfolios? According to School District Policy DFA/EPS/NSBA, the investment company is to be rated in the highest category by a nationally recognized rating agency. (S&P?)

I would ask the head of the Audit and Finance Committee this question, but that committee has been eliminated.  I would ask at the next Policy Committee meeting, but I see that the next one will be September 6, 2011 at 4:30 again.
Is it time yet to revisit this renovation? According to the School Board, probably not.

On Monday's Agenda...

The agenda for Monday's School Board Discussion meeting lists, "Approval of Annual Salary for Superintendent" as an action item for the August 15, 2011 Business meeting.  Nothing else is mentioned. I seem to remember a figure attached to that annual action item. While we are all wondering what that number might be, here were Dr. Steinhauer's 2010-2011 Goals.

Superintendent Goals for 2010-2011

1. Fiscal Management - The Superintendent will operate the District in a fiscally responsible manner, identifying cost savings and revenue generating opportunities.

2. High School Project – The Superintendent will continue the District’s efforts to build/renovate the High School.

3. Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) – The Superintendent will implement the terms of the new teacher CBA.

4. Strategic Plan – The Superintendent will guide the District in making progress toward meeting or exceeding all goals established by the current Strategic Plan. In addition, the Superintendent will position the District to begin development of a new strategic plan during the 2011-2012 school year. 

5. Student Achievement – The Superintendent will implement measures to improve student achievement.

6. Technology – The Superintendent will direct an assessment of the District’s technological capabilities.

Also scheduled at 7:00 p.m. is an Architect's Update. An update will be given on possible cost reductions along with next steps in the re-bidding process. Architects Update Scheduled for Monday

Some good, solid ideas for the recreation bond money

How about a meth clinic in the ice skating rink?

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Recreating Recreation

I recently visited the Peter's Township Recreation Center and was impressed. Visitors can't help but be impressed by the brand-spanking new building, the amenities and the attention to detail. But this is not merely Peter's Envy. Although I realize that Mt. Lebanon's 30+ year old recreation center is adequate in many ways, seeing what Peter's did made me wonder: are we really planning and funding our recreation programs as well as we could?

Peter's rec center features multiple indoor basketball courts (almost all being used when I was there), games like fooseball, ping-pong, etc. as well as an upper level track that people can use to walk or run in the comfort of an air-conditioned, enclosed facility, year-round. There are also classrooms, like Mt. Lebanon, but with storage space for supplies, a laptop projector, good lighting and adequate furniture. The place was jumping. There were teens, kids and adults all using the center in the middle of the day. The skatepark in the back was also being used when I was there. The center offers a full schedule of classes appealing to every age and ability level.

The difference between Peter's and Mt. Lebanon is that I got the impression that Peter's assessed who their demographic was and how to meet their needs before building the rec center. This isn't to say that MTL didn't do the same thing 30 years ago when it built our rec center, but 30 years later, it's spending tremendous amounts of money repairing things that aren't being utilized to their potential. An example is the ice arena, a facility that loses money at a high rate every year. Most recreation programs don't make money but I use the ice rink as an example of one of the more expensive services to the community - a community nextdoor to Castle Shannon's Ice Castle. Now, I'm not here to argue the merits of having a municipal ice rink. I've used it a handful of times since I first moved here when I was 11, but I'm sure there are diehard skaters out there who use it regularly. I don't play tennis, either, but I think the tennis center is a much better investment of our recreation dollars. The courts are continually in use year-round and the maintenance cost is minimal compared to the upkeep of an ice rink.

So what am I suggesting? Well, since it's unlikely that we'll ever do anything that's actually useful with the ice rink, like make it into a methadone clinic or a W Hotel, I suppose we keep paying to have it resurfaced, pay for new Zambonis and continue to upgrade the AC and refrigeration when necessary. But why not think outside the box and discuss making it rather than a portion of Mt. Lebanon Park into a skate park. How about expanding the recreation center itself to the ice rink floor to allow them to offer better programming for the two populations that are actually growing in Mt. Lebanon: adults 25-44 and children under 5. Or how about taking a page out of Bethel Park's recreation book and make it into a Lifespan Center for older adults?

Adult recreation programming is currently limited to daytime classes with little variety. How about putting in a yoga studio that offers 6AM classes? Throw in a little wireless network while you're at it so I can finish some work while my kid's in ballet. The ice rink is the perfect size for an indoor track that would snake around the exterior. It'll never happen, but this is due to the fact that we've been in the recreation game longer than Peter's Township and have so much invested in our infrastructure that we can't imagine tearing anything down, even when they're duplications of services offered close by. Rather than taking a look around at all of the commercial and private ice rinks and swimming pools in the area, we continue to spend money on our own infrastructure for the simple reason "we were here first," rather than investing that money into new opportunities.

This isn't an observation unique to Mt. Lebanon. Change is scary, especially when you're trading in something known for something unknown.

More School Closings

In today's PG, Oliver and Langley high schools on closing list. Why are we above that?

And in the same paper, Law could restrict school construction projects.

In Mt. Lebanon, the district has been planning to renovate its aging high school and hoped to break ground for the project in April. But the start of the project was delayed due to bids that came in well above the $113.2 million amount projected by the architect and project managers.

Now the district is in the process of finding cost savings so the work is within the budgeted amount. To pay for the project, the district has borrowed $75 million and plans to use money from its capital fund -- as well as institute a second bond issue around 2014 -- to pay for the remainder of the work.

"Our focus in borrowing the second bond issue is to minimize the millage increase, if necessary, to raise those funds," said Janice Klein, finance director. "What the state has done, it has taken away the ability to have an exception to raise millage. We want to keep any millage increase, if necessary, as low as possible."

Once Mt. Lebanon finishes its high school renovation project, it won't need to do any projects for the next several years because other buildings have been renovated in the past 15 years.

How many people disagree with that last statement? Isn't it that mentality that got us into trouble with the high school? Let's not do anything to our buildings for the next 15 years. 

I found this March 23, 2005 PG article today.

Finance Director Jan Klein said she believed there was enough money remaining from the 2003 $50 million bond issue floated by the district to cover the costs of the projects, including the overages.

Mt. Lebanon schools award contracts for Hoover, Washington  We all remember how that turned out. Anyone noticing a common denominator?

 

Which is the better way to do business?

Update August 6, 2011 http://jposti.blogspot.com/2010/07/single-prime-approved.html What changed from this 2010 Center Court post?
***

Check out this article http://www.mbawpa.org/8524_MBA_mag_v5.pdf and read what our solicitor says about using single-prime contracts.

When the discussion among school district boards turns to the Separations Act, the “Districts say that when multiple prime contractors are hired to work on a job, they often are not used to working

with one another,” says Tim Allwein, Assistant Director for Governmental & Labor Relations,

Pennsylvania School Boards Association. “This creates difficulties in creating a cooperative relationship among the contractors, problems with change orders, and can prolong construction

—which can add costs.”

“Running a job single prime is a simple way to save money and get the same quality product,” comments Tom Peterson, Solicitor for the Mt. Lebanon School District. Competition for school district work is quite strong and so are the time constraints around getting the job done. Because of the tight scheduling, “selecting a single prime contractor to manage the job would get the work done on time.”

Which Is the Better Way to Do Business?

“School districts in particular have many places to spend the savings that are realized when the job is run through a single prime contractor,” explains Peterson. “The private sector has the option to choose the most cost effective way to run their projects, but public entities have only one option.”

And Allwein agrees that cost savings is one of the biggest factors for school districts when they

apply for the waiver: “Bidding out the job to multiple prime contractors adds cost and increases the price of the project, which directly affects the school district and the taxpayers.” The State saved over $28 million in the two years operating under the mandate waiver program.

SAVING MONEY BY DEPENDING ON THE GC’S EXPERTISE

School districts often employ the expertise of a construction manager on larger, more complex projects. Mt. Lebanon’s elementary school renovations job is being run under multiple primes,

for example, and is so large that the district hired a construction manager for the first time. When school districts can waive the Separations Act and bid out their construction work to single prime contractors, the single prime contractor is responsible for handling all of the subcontracting work: “The GC knows the schedule and how each of the subcontractors work, ensuring a smoother operation, a drastic reduction in change orders and fewer unforeseen problems,” says Johnston. “This process is much easier on the school districts” and more cost effective. “But the costs aren’t always limited to actual project costs,” states Tom Landau, President, Landau Building Company. “When projects fall under the Separations Act, the GC is ‘assigned’ to coordinate and take responsibility for how the project runs. But the GC doesn’t have leverage to make the other contractors perform because the money doesn’t go through the GC,” says Landau. The issue: “The owner depends on the GC to make the project work, but the GC has no control.”

Are people finally starting to catch on?

New Yorkers Fleeing State:

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/new-yorkers-fleeing-state-ncx-20110803

 

The Tax Foundation ranked New York highest in the nation in the combined state and local tax burden in 2008. And as small-business lobbyist Mike Durant noted, New York has also "consistently ranked worst or in the top three worst in business climate. You can't suck every penny out of people and expect them to remain in New York."

 Replace New York with Mt. Lebanon and it really means something.

And this gem from James Fraasch's blog from 10/11/2009 (Oh James, we wish you were still on the Board)

http://lebosbupdates.blogspot.com/2009/10/state-budgets-across-country-struggle.html

"Next, let's take a look at New York. You may remember back in April/May that New York planned on implementing a 30% increase in taxes on the wealthy. They saw it as an easy way to close their budget gap. The income tax increased 3.45 percentage points to 10.4% on people earning greater than $250,000- one of the highest rates in the nation. Other states across the country waited to see what the outcome of this taxation would be. Well, here in this article from Miami (Florida was apparently one of the states watching) New York Governor David Patterson admits that the higher tax rates have "yielded lower than expected state wealth". Twenty-percent lower to be more exact."

and

"The second lesson to be learned (thanks to New York) is that increasing taxes on the wealthy will only make the wealthy leave. There were some high profile defections from New York from Rush Limbaugh to Tom Golisano (owner of the Buffalo Sabres) to Nancy Bell (a manufacturer who moved her facility to Florida). All three of these people moved their residences to Florida to avoid the higher taxes. The fact is, you need the wealthy. You need them to stay and invest and employ people."

Is New York finally learning what happens when you tax people more than anyone else?  Those people can vote with their feet. The exodus of people creates a terribly vicious cycle where the same tax burden is spread across a dwindling number of residents.

I have news for you.  Our taxes are going up next year. The commissioners have held out as long as they could.  It is coming. Add to that, the recreation bond that is in the works. While the School Board plays games with multiple-prime contracts just to get the bids down for the high school renovation, we can look forward to more budget cuts. 

As James Fraasch wrote back in October 2009,

Income tax and sales tax revenues to governments will not recover until employment recovers. This means we have at least two more years of state and federal budget cuts coming.