School Board candidate Joseph Wertheim writes:

I have been a resident of Mt. Lebanon for 25 years. My father-in-law, my wife and my son all graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School. I am currently serving my second term as a Trustee of the Mt. Lebanon Public Library and I am President of the Friends of the Mt. Lebanon Public Library. I have been actively involved for many years with the South Hills Food Pantry, which serves needy residents in Mt. Lebanon and neighboring communities. I am a graduate of George Washington University with a degree in political science and am a retired financial advisor.

Over the years I have attended many school board meetings. School board members must be responsible for the welfare of the students and the welfare of the community. The school board must exercise fiscal discipline. Renovation of the elementary schools came in far over budget, and it appears that we are on the same path with the proposed high school renovation. There is a consensus within Mt Lebanon that the high school needs to be renovated. The current board chose to ignore advice offered by the Community Advisory Committee and they continue to support building plans that far exceed what is necessary to provide our children with a first class education. The current board hired an architect with limited experience in designing educational facilities, moved forward without a well- defined budget and promised that bids would come in well below projections. When the bids far exceeded expectations the board eliminated many areas previously proclaimed to be absolutely necessary. The Mt Lebanon School Board needs fresh vision that will serve both the students and the taxpayers.