Although a $6 million fundraising target within that campaign was set for the building, donors were told in campaign materials that they could earn name recognition by "creating endowed scholarships, rather than for supporting the convocation center as a capital project."
This is a quote from
CalU fundraising for center ineffective. One of our school board directors teaches at California University of PA. Cal U set a goal of $6 million and to date has only collected $3,000 in private donations.
When told Friday of the amount of private donations raised by CalU, state. Rep. Joseph Markosek, D-Monroeville, minority chair of the House Appropriations Committee, expressed surprise the project progressed with so little university fundraising, especially in a bad economy in which there is concern about mounting public university debt.
"I think any reasonable person would raise an eyebrow and want to know more of the details and ask some tough questions," he said. "This is a situation I think deserves more scrutiny."
This situation deserves more scrutiny? State Rep. Markosek, you should see what we are doing in Mt. Lebanon!!!
23 comments:
Lucky for CalU they didn't buy a PK feasibility study. Had they, it's quite possible they'd have a negative $40,000 balance.
Godfrey Hardy
Anybody who thinks "Oh, this would never happen here" needs to have his/her head examined.
What's even more sad is that in trying to be the best at all costs, we are losing what we were.
Maddie Miller
Cal. U. was an unusual situation; their largest donor passed away.
John
Has anyone heard about rumors circulating in the back rooms of some athletic groups about the Blue Devil football coaching job ?
Allegedly, seems the missus of the guy being offered the job may not want to move here. And, the financial package offering is reportedly about $125,000 per, exceeding even that of the former coaches dream package. Reportedly, some parents are driving this because they think this package and an increased athletic emphasis will give their boys better chances at athletic scholarships. Thats the buzz.
Looks like athletics may have a much higher ranking in the fundraising plan then previously imagained, and this will be one of the "compelling cases" ?
Stay tuned to the *Theatre of the Absurd*
Veblen Good
If that rumor is true about the football coach compensation, every student that will be asked to pay $50 parking permit fees, every student that will pay a fee for anything, any member of the rifle team or their parents should be livid. Same holds true for teachers and staff looking at a possible furlough or school closing.
If they don't get their butts to the board meetings and raise holy hell they deserve what they get.
Elaine you've been carrying the ball far too long. Let those who stand to lose the most get involved.
Over on Blog-Lebo, Rob Gardner is pleased.
*The HS project is underway
*The SB, having decided to explore a capital fundraising campaign, is going about it the correct way
*The SB and Commission are not only finally talking to each other, but collaborating
*The Washington Rd business district is more vibrant than ever (despite several residents decrying its decline not long ago)
We're busy enjoying and participating in the community we love, believing that the best is yet to come.
Rob Gardner
There is that word again. Collaborating. I don't call it collaborating. It is bullying.
As far as the business district, the vacancy rates for retail & office space in the Central Business District (CBD) on Washington Rd. a/k/a "Uptown" are very high historically. The reassessment increases for 2013 are going to drive some tenants away on top of the 21% increase in County millage + 14% increase in Muni + ? % TBD in District millages for this year, 2012Vibrant? Ha!
Rob Gardner was on the staffing team that recommended wage freezes, early retirements, increasing class sizes and closing an elementary school.
I am glad he is happy. Maybe he can explain it to the 700+ students who signed a petition to get rid of a C.S. coordinator. I hope you go to Monday's budget meeting, Rob. That is, unless you want to find out about the Allegheny Co. property tax assessment appeal process at the public library on Monday night.
The only thing I have to lose, is paying higher taxes. I don't have to worry about fees or furloughs, and yet I choose to be involved because I care. Rob, your optimism is refreshing, but people are going to remember that your team wanted to cut staff and wages. http://www.mtlsd.org/district/stuff/2009/mtlsd_staffplanningteampropsal11.11.pdf
I can just sit back and watch it all happen.
Elaine
Pay the coach that much and raise ticket prices for games and it will be the last game and contribution they'll see from this resident.
USC and districts all across the state, including Manheim Township, are looking for ways to save money.
Our merry crew of mentally challenged directors seems to find a new way to spend money they don't have almost every day.
Hey, board members, does a 42,000,000 budget hole ring a bell?
Mr. Kubit, if Eddie Jr. wants to take a Mind Trip to Philly, you buy his ticket.
Cheech Marin
Wasn't Rob the soothsayer Gardner, the brilliant mind behind the Build Our School Now group that was lobbying for the $150,000,000 New high school building?
Mr. Gardner, financial wizard and prognosticator that you are, please tell us how deep in the red would the district be if they had followed your advice?
How much money above and beyond $30,000,000 would the board be trying to find to pay for it?
Cmon Rob don't just run in and make wild claims, show us the math.
Godfrey Hardy
Anon nailed it, and it's the same senitment as other people have expressed--get involved or get out of the way. If people complain but do nothing, then the community truly will get what it deserves. Our school board is delusional. The days of putting sports first is gone. And why would any parent in the community be thinking about college scholarships? I thought Lebo people could afford anything? Ha ha ha.
Elaine, a neighbor and ML grad made a great observation today. Instead of paying 40,000 for the feasibility study, they should have taken that 40 grand and purchased 40 thousand Mega Ball tickets for tonight's drawing. The prize was over 200 million, and the results for the SD would probably the same, nothing to show for the investment. Scott Townsend
With the $41,000 available, the administrative position Jennifer is lobbying for could remain filled and the unrealistic fundraising expectations of the school board would be rendered useless.
Constance Spicuous consumption
Constance,
My thought exactly. Judith Kolko's salary could be paid for by the money being spent on a feasibility study.
-Charlotte Stephenson
Here's a wild suggestion, that might kill two birds with one stone. There is a website called EveryPenny.com.
Here's a brief synopsis of EveryPenny.
"It’s time for schools to expand their donor base and reduce the financial burden on parents to support fundraising efforts. Increase awareness of every fundraising opportunity, reach out to the greater community and receive incremental donations by utilizing EveryPenny’s social media and marketing tools. School-specific fundraising websites and online donation capabilities make it easy for individuals to take action and join in the fight to support basic programs that are no longer supported by government funds.
Reach new donors through popular social networking websites
Keep parents informed through dedicated fundraising websites
Provide friends and relatives from outside the area with an easy way to donate funds
Higher profit margins with online and text message donations
Increased parent involvement and participation
Incremental donations from individuals outside the community
Reduce shrinkage and loss of cash
Reports and analytics give insight into which fundraisers are most successful [this will be extremely useful once the PK relationship ends. We'll have reports on what works and what doesn't should future campaigns be needed.)
Could this fall under the community service, thereby saving the position and then raising the balance of the PK feasibility study. Mrs. Posti may have a $10,000 start to that goal, and the students could perform community service to bring in the rest thru EveryPenny.
Just a thought and might be worth investigating.
Dean Spahr
To Cheech,
As a parent who has a child that has participated in Odyssey of the Mind, at Markham school and in middle and high school, I can tell you that the district pays absolutely nothing for the children to participate. All expenses except the registration fees ($10 for regionals and $75 for states) are paid for by the parents of the children on the teams. The registration fees are paid for by the Markham PTA. (Most of the schools follow this model) The parents pay for all supplies that the children use for their performance which can be a couple of hundred dollars for regionals. If a team goes on to states, they pay for anything that the team decides to change in their performance and also pay for transportation, lodging and meals while away. This equates to a couple of hundred dollars per family. If a team makes it to the world finals, each family probably pays around $1,000 or more for their child to participate. I'm not sure what the board is approving on Monday, but it has nothing to do with the competition that Mr. Kubit's team is attending. The state finals are in the Poconos, not Philadelphia. So Mr. Kubit is paying the bill.
I hope your information is correct since you didn't sign your name to it. I wouldn't want to be getting a board member off the hook that easily. ;>)
Elaine
The issue is not about whether Mr. Kubit or any parent pays expenses etc. for Odyssey of the Mind.
The issue is - does the school district incur any expenses. Do they pay for teacher/coach, travel for same?
At a time when then are not filling teaching positions, laying off staff and possibly closing a neighborhood school, eliminating the rifle team, it's may be a conflict of interest for a board member to vote on something that benefits their own kid.
If on the other the school is only condoning the team, then by all means go for it.
Cheech
High, I mean, Hi Cheech, I agree with everything you are saying. You make valid points. I wish you would use your real name. I hate to cut you off, but it is starting to get out of control again.
Elaine
As far as the coaching job, Melnyk is a social studies teacher and would have a teaching position.
I just looked on the district website to see if the preliminary budget has been updated for tomorrow's meeting. Nope, it has not. "The List" is posted as the preliminary budget as well as the link to the reduction list. We wouldn't want to see an updated budget before a budget meeting.
Elaine
Hello Ms. Gillen,
Just to answer Cheech's question, if you care to. Teachers may volunteer to help Odyssey and many times if they do, the parents pay their travel expenses, not the district. The majority of the time though, parents are the coaches of the OM teams, especially at the elementary and middle school level. The high school sometimes has a sponsor who is a teacher because the high school PTA has not been a big fan of the OM program for some reason. The school may be used for a practice location, but that is about all the support we get. In fact, OMers would love for the district to give more recognition to what is a fantastic program for kids, especially kids who don't necessarily have the athletic ability or musical ability to excel at something. I was happy to see the teams actually be recognized on the website for a change instead of just the sports teams. I don't say all of this just to support a board member who coaches I just defend the OM program because it is so misunderstood sometimes and deserves some recognition.
The Deadbeat Athletic Supporters are telling us a football coach is worth more than a teacher. See what happens when WEAK directors and commissioners let them pick their neighbors' pocket.
By the way we haven't heard from the VOICE of DISHONESTY lately. He must be busy busting his neighbors' piggy banks.
John
Thanks for that friendly reminder. It IS nice to see kids recognized for something other than sports or music. But I got into trouble for doing that as you can see from an earlier post.
It is a shame that the high school PTA is not a big fan of the program.
So let's recap. The high school PTA is not a big fan of OM. The district wants to eliminate the community service coordinator. And we are going hog wild on hiring a football coach. Boy are our priorities out of whack!
AND no budget to review for the budget meeting tomorrow. And people are upset because I am critical of the board president who plagiarizes, tells us to file RTKs if we want answers, and ignores the stakeholders? Oh yeah, totally out of whack.
Elaine
Anon 2:03 that's fair enough.
Never opposed the OM program, only 'asking' if it is receiving money while others like the community service office, are being cut or budgets reduced.
Nor debegrading the program.
Signing off, Cheech
Anon 9:05 AM, the agenda for tonight's budget meeting mentions Philadelphia, not the Poconos for the OM trip. Is this another case of the Board approving something that they know nothing about?
Elaine
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