Information is pouring in today. First, Dan Miller has updated his blog to include a post about the rec bond. Thank you, Dan, for giving me the heads up. Compromise Rec Bond Resolution Update Sorry I didn't post it sooner, Dan, but as I had said, I was out most of the day.
I am still trying to put the pieces together. First of all, why isn't this being discussed at the next commission meeting? Joe DeIuliis missed the meeting. Now everyone knows that I am not a big fan of the guy, but maybe he has some questions. Or does this have something to do with the election? His opponent has already said that she is bringing it back up in January "when" she wins. Everyone knows I am not a big fan of her either, but if she is for it, I am suspicious - but that is another story.
I understand that there is another option that has surfaced. This letter was sent to Steve Feller today. I won't reveal my sources, but I can tell you that I didn't get it from Steve Feller or Matt Kluck. PNC advised against a line of credit, but Dollar Bank seems to want a chance to work with us. Wouldn't it be in the best interest of the community to hear what they have to say? The commissioners can vote on refinancing the bond and discuss the recommended budget on Wednesday and move the rec bond issue to November 14. To me, I think Dollar Bank is making a reasonable request. Wouldn't this be a compromise for a compromise rec bond?
19 comments:
Don't know how she does it... but is there anyone running for any office that is more in touch or more communicative on the issues than Elaine?
She's my pick for Ward 3!
Dick Saunders
Commissioner DeIuliis is just trying to sucker the sports crowd in his ward for another couple of weeks hoping to string them along with more empty promises of support just to get some votes out of them. Its been four years, he's not going to do it.
(By the way is his house again for sale?)
But now- dealing with a project Elaine that you have largely criticized- you think he may be on to something... seemingly because he wasn't at the last meeting and... maybe left to go work on a solution that could be unveiled at the next meeting but- not the next meeting next week?
Its obvious that the commission should tell the staff what to do asap before more town resources are spent or risked. If he votes no, he votes no. Would that really be a surprise? Why don't you put that as your new poll and lets have some real fun with it. Didn't he vote against his own pool plan a couple of years ago?
Not sure why this letter source is protected but wouldn't you agree that any financial institution is likely to be interested in a "chance to work with us" if it meant they would get paid? If you personally contacted every bank in the area and asked them if they wanted a "chance to work with us" how many do you think would decline?
Anyone else find it amusing that Commissioner Kluck seems to argue hearing from multiple lending options before moving forward but was opposed to doing a public bid for a $400 an hour service contract?
But since Mr. Kluck is certain he has the best funding option perhaps he would be kind enough to provide some examples of other towns that used a line of credit so we could see how that worked for them? When I googled "municipal line of credit" I kept coming up with foreign aid programs.
Just wondering: is there any reason you seem to be upset with a candidate expressing confidence that she would win a race? Do you expect a candidate to say "if by some miracle I win" instead?
Charles Jones
Charles, it might be time to mention that you are on Kristen Linfante's committee.
Elaine
Dick Saunders, like everything else, it isn't what you know, but who you know. Now, it is just going to be a popularity contest to see who wins in Ward 3.
Elaine
Charles, I appreciate you taking the time to submit an additional comment on this thread, but it is full disclosure time, don't you think? As I said, it is a popularity contest. Neither candidate is getting my vote. I am the only candidate who ran in the Primary and lost. Not good for the ego. And I certainly won't forget what you said to me at Foster School on May 17.
Elaine
Thats not a fair response Elaine. You should have posted my comment- now you paint it as if I was trying to stop you from saying whatever you wanted. Take a billboard out for all I care. I hope everyone votes against Joe, doesn't mean the issues I spoke of were wrong (and I am still not sure how they differ from you).
You should show good form and post my comments.
Charles Jones
Done. You still haven't disclosed that you are on Kristen Linfante's campaign committee. If I take out a billboard, that sign will probably be stolen too.
Elaine
This is why I am hesitant behind the urgency to bring up the rec bond this Wednesday. Here is Linfante's committee:
Executive Committee
•Robert Papke, Campaign Manager
•Craig Knox, Treasurer
•Hugh and Maureen Beal
•Mary and David Birks
•Sheryl Cohen
•Jennifer Cooney and Douglas Reynolds
•Karen Cullen
•Franci Eberz
•Beth Evans and Michael Blehar
•Pat and Geoff Hurd
•Dana and Charles Jones
•Elaine and Fen Labalme
•Barbara and Robert Logan
•Kimberly and Daniel Miller
•Anne Pillion and Robert Gardner
•Josephine and Steve Posti
•Sue and Rick Rose
•Mary Swindal
•Nancy and Scott Tashman
•Coleen Vuono
•Dianne Wainwright
There is only one person on that committee that I know and like. When it comes to election time, anything goes. Coincidently, Kluck and Joe D. are the only Republicans on the commission. The others that I have met on Linfante's committee have done some things that I absolutely disagree with. You can tell a lot about a person from the company they keep. Just because I don't agree with most of what Joe has done, isn't an automatic vote for Linfante. In my mind, it is going to be another four long years in Ward 3, no matter which one wins. Neither one of them will represent those outside of their circles. As I said, it is a popularity contest.
As far as his house on the market, Charles, I was criticized heavily for posing the same question when I was running.
Elaine
Okay thanks for sorta responding to my post and at least posting my responses instead of blindly referencing them. A lot of things you say and assume I find amusing but people can disagree.
I do think though that whether its personality or ideas- its always a popularity contest. You should know.
But if we go back to the main point your post- the Kluck plan (no bid $400 an hour contract plus a line of credit) versus the existing resolution and maybe see if we can find some more information on why one is better than the other.
(Or maybe Commissioner DeIuliis will just decide to show up and vote for the existing resolution...)
Charles Jones
I agree with Elaine; you can tell a lot about a person when you see the company they keep. She has accumulated the Lawsuit Committee of Rose, Eberz and Cullen plus number of malcontents who protested a town hall meeting based upon suspicion instead of facts. In addition Linfante supported a high school based upon her claim that she followed the project from the beginning. Then it came in $16 Million over budget. In other words she didn't do her homework she just talked like some of the others from Liberal Lane on her Committee.
Do we really want someone on the Commission who doesn't do her homework accepts help from those who sue seniors?
Mr. Ewing- From what I understand you were an elected official before (School Board, right?).
What do you think- good policy to issue no bid consulting contracts? Or- are you aware of any time the School Board did when you were there?
Charles Jones
Mr. Jones,
Personal service contracts need not be bid in competition. The Solicitor's contract and the Superintendent's contract are two examples. Before I was on the Board they hired a consultant who specialized in payroll issues. The consultant helped the Board align the pay structure along side job responsibilities based upon the Pittsburgh market.
The Board did this because they needed professional help in setting a fair and responsible pay structure for administrators. In my opinion, the decision was responsible and the School Board was transparent also.
Just curious, how much on a per hour basis has Celli made? He designed something that wasn't to code. He designed something that went out to bid twice. What did he make off of us? $6 or $8 million? He clearly wasn't designing us a plan to save us money.
Elaine
Mr. Ewing-
Thanks for your reply.
I didn’t ask if a government can do a non-bid contract. I asked if it was good policy to do so.
A couple of questions:
Did you just renew your solicitor contract? I understand that if you were satisfied with the work. But I also know that the town changed its solicitor a couple of year ago and went through multiple bids and interviews to do so. I know that you don’t have to accept the lowest bid for personal service contract but I just find it impossible to believe that Mr. Kluck’s $400 per hour/$16,000 per week/$64,000 per month etc. option is the best the town can do.
How did you find the consultant you used to do the payroll issues if you did not seek out options for the position? Did he just show up and people said lets go with him?
I have no issue with someone saying “they needed professional help,” just wonder how you possibly know that you are receiving the best advice for the best cost with taxpayer money if you do not even consider the possibility that someone else could be out there. At the very least it would increase your bargaining position, no?
Also, did that consultant or any contract that you participated cost as much as $400 per hour? Given that this "deal" is being "offered" by another Mt. Lebanon resident wouldn't it be good policy to demand a public bid? Is there any connection between the $400 an hour person and Mr. Kluck that anyone is aware of?
If I follow you I think you are saying that its possible such practice could be good sometimes. Ok. What about in relation to the contract proposal that is currently before the commission? No bid it?
Course maybe my gut is wrong on this one and I just missed the boat by not submitting proposals to governments!
Charles Jones
Elaine,
Mr. Celli renegotiated his contract downward to $6-$6.3 Million. His original contract was for 6% of the project's cost. Remember Option 1 was about $150,000,000 or about $9,000,000 in architects fees.
You may remember Mr. Celli saying he never saw such an involved Board on a high school project, That was a polite way of saying the Board was micro-managing the architect that they paid $6 Million to advise them what they needed to do.
Mr. Celli showed a slide in an Architect's Update showing *Zoning* as a criteria for the high school. Zoning disappeared from the *Tablets* that contained the 15 Design Criteria so instead of meeting the municipality's zoning requirements, the Board sued the Zoning Commission and suffered a second loss to the Zoning Commission in a zoning lawsuit.
Wasn't it Mrs. Rose who said "Back to court." when the Zoning Commission turned down the District's original zoning application? That lawsuit delayed the project by three months and forced the Board to accept an agreement they could have had three months earlier. It makes me wonder if the lawsuits will now move to the Muni side because Rose, Eberz and Cullen are on Linfante's election committee.
It wasn't Mr. Celli's fault the Board ignored his advice TOO.
Mr. Jones, Mrs. Linfante is your choice for commissioner.
What is her opinion on your questions? Just curious before going to the poll.
Dick Saunders
A very bright attorney recently told me that attorneys only ask questions to which they already know the answers.
Charles, your question "Is there any connection between the $400 an hour person and Mr. Kluck that anyone is aware of?" Kristen Linfante should know who brought the $400 an hour person to the table if she had gone to the meeting. It was Dave Brumfield, the one who was in the paper with Kristen Linfante when they were with BOSN, who invited him to speak to the commission. Maybe you and Kristen should be asking Dave these questions, instead of asking John.
Elaine
Mr. Ewing- I do appreciate your willingness to go back and forth. If you would prefer to do so off of this site let me know.
Elaine I again have to smile at your continued assumptions but if you do have the answers by all means please fill us in.
Commissioner Kluck was the only one that night who voted against the resolution. If you listen to your podcast you can tell that no other commissioner spoke against the presenter in any real way. So he may indeed be fantastic at what he does. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't publicly bid a contract of that magnitude (didn't he say that his work would likely be over three years possibly costing a couple million dollars?).
And if a commissioner doesn't think so I would like to know why. If they know the person in particular I find that to be more troubling. Elaine you seem so concerned about finances- do you believe this contract should be publicly bid or not?
Charles Jones
Charles, again, these are questions you should be asking the commissioners. Have you asked Matt Kluck why he voted the way he did? He, too, would be willing to go back and forth. I would think his opinions matter more than mine. My opinions and "assumptions" just amuse you.
Elaine
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