From Josephine Posti's Center Court blog,
Finally, a grievance filed by the Mt. Lebanon Education Association could cost our community an additional $900,000. While we do not agree with their position, we must reduce costs to account for that potential liability. Hopefully, this issue can be resolved prior to arbitration but a hearing and award may not be known until after the 2012-13 budget is adopted.Why isn't it being disclosed that the grievance is a recurring cost? I know I heard the solicitor say that it is recurring, but I have yet to see that anywhere in print. Not on the "unofficial blog of Mt. Lebanon School Director Josephine Posti" or in any newspaper. That might be a question for tomorrow's coffee.
Also from her blog,
We've gotten some great feedback about those reductions from members of the community, including students. We hope to hear more between now and May when we adopt a final budget.
Here is my contribution:
From: egillen476@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 10:16 AM
To: School Board Email list
Subject: parking fees
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 10:16 AM
To: School Board Email list
Subject: parking fees
Board directors,
I am still watching the special budget meeting, but I do have a suggestion for charging student parking fees fairly. When a child is on the free or reduced lunch program, the guidance department is able to waive SAT and ACT testing fees, as well as some application fees for colleges. If you are concerned about some students' families going through hard times, perhaps you would consider waiving the parking fees for those financially disadvantaged students. It can be done quietly and without embarrassment to those families.
Elaine Gillen
I never got a response from Josephine. She might be praying for me, but she is not emailing me. Thankfully, I did get a response from one board director, Bill Cooper. Thanks, Bill.
From: William Cooper <WCooper@mtlsd.net>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Date: Tue, Mar 27, 2012 12:16 pm
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Date: Tue, Mar 27, 2012 12:16 pm
MTLSD DISCLAIMER: THIS TRANSMISSION IS INTENDED ONLY FOR THE USE OF THE ADDRESSEE AND MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT IS PRIVILEGED, CONFIDENTIAL, AND EXEMPT FROM DISCLOSURE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. IF YOU ARE NOT THE INTENDED RECIPIENT, OR THE EMPLOYEE OR AGENT RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERING THE MESSAGE TO THE INTENDED RECIPIENT, YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT ANY DISSEMINATION, RETENTION, DISTRIBUTION, OR COPYING OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS COMMUNICATION IN ERROR, PLEASE NOTIFY THE SENDER IMMEDIATELY.
8 comments:
I wonder if the VOICE OF MTL and the BUILD OUR SCHOOL NOW people showed up to ask why the "$18 more a month" wasn't sufficient to complete the project?
Wonder if they're asking why staff must be cut and why they'll be paying fees for things they didn't have to before?
Wonder if they realize once that fee door is opened sending your kids to district schools will be like ordering off the ala carte menu - expensive.
Yes, I know it's the governor's fault. He forced the administrative pay raises, the teachers contract and last but certainly not least-- the high school project on the board.
Eat hearty VOICE and BOSN, you ordered it.
Giffen Good
Don't forget this golden oldie, Giffen:
http://www.reallebo.com/2010/04/my-mother-toaught-me-never-to-lie.html
In just one post, I was called a liar, a fear monger, disingenuous, well, you can read all the things my baggage-free commissioner and school board liaison said on her now defunct Real Lebo blog.
She writes, "insinuating that the board is planning to close neighborhood elementary schools, create substantially larger class sizes, cut curriculum and programs, cut field trips and activity travel, lay off teachers, administrators and support staff, and the list goes on. If this isn’t fear-mongering, I don’t know what is."
Now you know why I have this blog?
Elaine
-Elaine,
You baggage-free commissioner said:
"the board is planning to close neighborhood elementary schools, create substantially larger class sizes, cut curriculum and programs, cut field trips and activity travel, lay off teachers, administrators and support staff,"
Really?? Do you think she will vote for fields instead of NEEDED SCHOOL PARTS?
SHAME ON HER!!!!!
John
So much for fear-mongering...God thing the California crunchies are so visionary, too. I mean, because of people like her, California is crime-free, solvent, one of the most robust business climates in the world and they strictly adhere to the US Constitution. What a great example to follow here in Mt.Lebanon.
On a serious note, I wish to congratulate JoBama for her amazing turnaround. She went from lonnie-left uber-progressive to conservative in short order. See, that happens when people suddenly realize money doesn't just appear from nowhere. JoBama spent years catering to the teachers and ignoring the will of the community. She did so despite being told it wouldn't work out well. She is now standing up to the unions (finally) and telling them she'll cut jobs if it'll pay for the high school. She's even going so far as to suggest closing at least one elementary school and, just so the union can't see what other pain is coming, has decided to keep secret the "below the line" cuts. If anything, the conservatives in this community should be thanking her. Because of her actions, fewer people will choose to live here, which means even fewer kids than predicted, which means reducations in services which (gasp) means lower taxes! Yay!! Way to go, JoBama! Keep standing up to the teachers and the unions, and keep pushing back. There has to be a line drawn somewhere and it looks like you found it. People like me have known for years there is NO correlation between smaller class sizes and better academic results. So kudos to you for finally accepting it. It's never too late for people to mature and get some sense. So welcome to the conservative fold.
Elaine: you and your patriots did an exemplary job signalling the town when the Board was about to make its descent. It is unfortunate that the town ignored the lanterns.
-Robert Newman, sexton
Anyone care to comment on today's coffee?
This isn't a comment on the coffee klatch conversations, but has anyone noticed that Commissioner Linfante's Reallebo.com blog no longer shows the comments and exchanges that occurred.
Isn't it funny that a public official doesn't want to have their past positions,statements and associations examined. Sure, it's anonymous post we should worry about.
Godfrey Hardy
Godfrey, nah, they are still there. This one had 69 comments, including these nice words from Elaine LaBalme:
"Ms. Gillen, I know you are a frequent contributor at other local blogs. Surely, you can reach out to Mr. Moertel and Mr. Ewing for their analyses in private and/or elsewhere and do not need to post your request at this blog."
http://www.reallebo.com/2010/02/school-district-budget-numbers-mocked.html
Elaine
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