Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Commissioner Fraasch writes about the Muni's involvement in the appeal hearings - UPDATED

Take a look at Kelly Fraasch's blog, Muni involvement in property assessment appeal hearings… As I had written in a previous post and commented at last night's meeting, there was an item on last night's agenda, where the motion was made, but not seconded for Consideration to financially participate in the Mt. Lebanon School District’s involvement in property assessment appeal hearings. 


From reading Kelly's blog, it appears that the Commission never discussed this. Dave Brumfield said that it was his idea.  Kristen Linfante made the motion, so it looks like the school board liaison is all for it too.

Make sure you see the link Kelly provided to Tom Moertel's map on Blog-Lebo which illustrates the large concentration of over assessments in Ward 5 as well as Ward 1.


Update May 31, 2012 11:18 pm To be fair, here is a link to Kristen Linfante's blog, Why I voted "no" (anyone hear "Dueling Banjos" playing in the background?) She writes:

The commission met this past Tuesday night and had a lively discussion about a variety of issues.  One such issue was a propsal [sic] that Kelly Fraasch and Matt Kluck jointly proposed with regards to spending money out of our undesignated fund. 
She goes on to say:

It is my hope that we will come to a consensus that a bond is not only necessary, but the right thing to do.
As well as:
A bond, (and I'm not talking a huge bond, but a bond) along with a portion of our undesignated fund could address these concerns.
Her previous post was about Field Signs/New Revenue
...it is the responsibility of the commission to find new revenue sources for the municiaplity [sic]. 
 I am confused.  Is a bond, not a huge bond, but a bond a way to find new revenue sources?

Before they go away...

Before I delete the three polls regarding the Joint Maintenance Agreement I had on this blog, I thought I would record the final results in a post.

Based on the documentation provided on this blog, do you feel that the Municipality has been a responsible partner in the Joint Maintenance Agreement?
No 24 (51%)
Yes 23 (48%)

Based on the documentation provided on this blog, do you feel that the Shool District has been a responsible partner in the Joint Maintenance Agreement?
No 33 (70%)
Yes 14 (29%)

Based on the documentation provided on this blog, do you feel that the Youth Sports Alliance (YSA) has been a responsible partner in the Joint Maintenance Agreement?
No 39 (61%)
Yes 24 (38%)

Thanks to all who voted.

An open letter to the commissioners


Commissioners,
As promised, I am sending the USDA APHIS Wildlife Services Firearm Safety Review.   http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/Safety_Review/content/Firearms_Report.pdf I don't think I saw this in your deer management status report. It was discussed at length during several meetings. I had sent this to the prior commission.
Seven accidents were reported, from shooters shooting themselves in the foot to shooting through floor boards of their vehicles, all classified as Negligience, Ignorance or Carelessness.  On page 9, only 2% were randomly drug tested. Page 13, "firearm safety incidents were perceived as "no big deal." Check out page 14, 100% of the employees could not list all four WS fundamental gun safety rules. Notice on page 28, "Wildlife Services is being faced with the possibility of hiring Biologists or Field Employees with little or no firearm experience." THEY ARE NOT SHARPSHOOTERS!   As Tom Kelley reported last night, Wildlife Services shot from the back of pick up trucks. Page 30 indicates that WS Directives should clearly address whether shooting out of vehicles is allowed.  The recommendation is terra firma.
Now let's bring this back to Mt. Lebanon. Wildlife Services provided no insurance.  They take no responsibility. It would have been Mt. Lebanon's responsibility. As Dan Miller said, he would never use Wildlife Services again. They mishandled the Lindendale incident.  They lied to our police. They lost all credibility with our former commission. Craig Swope, from Wildlife Services was asked every year by Dale Colby, were there ever any accidents and Craig Swope would answer, "No sir."  I found SEVEN.
Kristen, you are doing a great disservice to the community by "reinventing the wheel." We have spent thousands of dollars doing surveys and studies on deer culling. As Dave Brumfield suggested last night, you have not explored all options. We know that there are deer here.  You will NEVER get rid of every single one. The ones that are permitted to stay could be the ones that jump in front of cars. They could be eating your neighbors' hosta (which by the way are their favorite food, so why plant hosta?) You mention that there was a herd of deer in Rockwood Park, which as you know is next to my house.  Come over some time and look at my untouched hosta. If there are so many and hosta are their favorite food, why are mine untouched? You are afraid of guns, Kristen? Try having men literally outside your bedroom window shooting deer. 
Elaine Gillen

Update May 30, 2012 12:10 pm
From: Kristen Linfante <klinfante@mtlebanon.org>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Sent: Wed, May 30, 2012 11:22 am
Subject: Re:

Thanks for the link, Elaine.
Kristen

Update May 30, 2012 4:44 pm
From: Kelly Fraasch <kfraasch@mtlebanon.org>
Date: Wed, May 30, 2012 at 4:12 PM
Subject: Re:
To: commission@mtlebanon.org, "Weis, Philip" <philip.weis@bipc.com>, Stephen Feller <sfeller@mtlebanon.org>, Tom Kelley <tkelley@mtlebanon.org>

Ms. Gillen,
Thank you for the information.
I do think we made a positive step forward last night by having all present Commissioners share support in having Phil draft an ordinance against the feeding of deer.
I firmly believe we need to stop feeding the deer immediately.  It's truly not helping the deer and actually hurting them in the long-term.  Not to mention, putting humans and deer at risk.
Secondly, I do have safety concerns about culling. 
I've had lengthy conversations with the previous Ward 5 Commissioner and find that services rendered for culling were alarming at best.
As a community, we can do better to co-exist with our wildlife and I would like to invest in those methods and educate our community before jumping into a management program.

Kelly

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Newsweek's Best High Schools 2012

It's that time again.  I wrote about this last year here: Newsweek's Best Public High Schools in America Newsweek released their list today.  America's Best High Schools 2012 Upper St. Clair ranked #244, while Mt. Lebanon was "close behind" at No. 518.

Other southwestern Pennsylvania high schools that made the list are:
      • No. 488 Fox Chapel Area

      • No. 624 North Allegheny 

      • No. 627 Pine-Richland 

      • No. 648 Quaker Valley

      • No. 662 Hampton
      • .


      This feels so wrong

      On tonight's Commission agenda:

      Consideration to financially participate in the Mt. Lebanon School District’s involvement in property assessment appeal hearings.

      Diversified Municipal Services, Inc. (DMS) represents Mt. Lebanon School District at first-level Allegheny County property assessment appeals. DMS develops evidence in support of sustaining current values on owner-filed appeals and appears at hearings to present the evidence. DMS charges the school district $150 for attending a hearing at which the owner is present and $100 for appearing for a hearing at which the owner does not attend.

      It is proposed that the municipality participate in funding this effort.

      Recommended Action: Move to direct the Municipal Manager to reimburse the Mt. Lebanon School District for 17% of the actual costs billed by Diversified Municipal Services in representing the taxing body at residential reassessment appeal hearings for the 2012 appeal year.Move to direct the Municipal Manager to reimburse the Mt. Lebanon School District for 17% of the actual costs billed by Diversified Municipal Services in representing the taxing body at residential reassessment appeal hearings for the 2012 appeal year.

      As was pointed out to me in an email:

      The municipality is using tax dollars to fight taxpayers who are using their own resources to defend their property value against an inflated tax dollar funded assessment.

      "By unlawfully delegating general authority to staff members (to file the appeals) the commission of Mt. Lebanon unlawfully discriminated against the intervenors and those property owners similarly situated in an attempt to require them to bear an unlawful and disproportionate share of the tax burden of Mt. Lebanon"
      -Raymond Cromer on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. William Anderson Jr. of 749 Gypsy Lane, published in the Pittsburgh Press 19-MAY-1976 on page 3.

      In yet another email:

      Where are the Lebo taxpayers who will suffer as a result? Why is there no injunction being filed against the District & Muni by those being affected? Why, why, why, ? ? ? ? Why have we become a herd (not a community) of sheep??

      Sunday, May 27, 2012

      Parking Authority overlooked over $800,000 in parking tickets

      Say what? Yes, since 1997, the Mt. Lebanon Parking Authority failed to collect over $800,000 in parking tickets.  I was at the commission meeting when the Parking Authority was dissolved and it reported by Marcia Taylor.  To say the least, we were shocked.
      Marcia Taylor, Mt. Lebanon's assistant manager, said there are more than 20,000 outstanding tickets, although some people have multiple tickets -- including one person with 159 tickets -- and some, just a few.
      I emailed the commissioners yesterday, asking for the list of names so that I may publish it here. I don't know if I will be asked to file a Right To Know. It should be interesting.

      Read more: http://triblive.com/news/1864441-74/parking-tickets-authority-lebanon-brumfield-department-ticket-unpaid-800000-charge

      Veterans Memorial Dedication this evening

      Please join us Sunday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. for the dedication of the Mt. Lebanon Veterans Memorial, Morgan Drive, Mt.Lebanon Park.

      The Pennsylvania sandstone wall is complete; the huge boulders and the flagpole are in place, and the marble panels are being installed on the obelisk. The rectangular marble insets in the wall and the grass that will be lighted at night are expected to be the most dramatic feature of the memorial; electricians were there today programming the permanent lighting and putting a”Ta Da” control, as architect Peter Kreuthmeier calls it, in place for the inaugural light-up at the end of the dedication.

      It seems almost too good to be true—and maybe it is—but the weather forecast for the 27th is perfect (and that’s a good thing, because there is no viable Plan B for the dedication.) The dedication, which begins at 7:30 p.m. at the memorial on Morgan Drive in Mt. Lebanon Park, will last about an hour. Everyone is invited to celebrate the happy conclusion of a two-year effort to permanently honor the men and women veterans who served our county in times of war and peace.

      A committee chaired by Wallace Workmaster selected the site and the design; a fund-raising committee chaired by Dan Gigler and Rocky Bleier raised more than $468,000 to build the memorial. Major donors, including Duquesne Light ($260,000) and Range Resources ($10,000) are recognized along with everyone who gave at least $1000 on etched glass panels that flank the memorial. The bulk of the funding, however, came in smaller donations, including $10,000 raised dollar by dollar by Mt. Lebanon’s elementary, middle and high school students.

      The ceremony will be filled with music, including a military medley played by Carnegie Mellon’s Skibo Brass,and several songs by the Patriot Chanters, a 24 member subgroup of the South Hills Chorale led by director emeritus Hank Monsch. Master of Ceremonies is KDKA’s Jon Delano; District Judge Blaise Larotonda will deliver the invocation and benediction, and Rocky Bleier will be the keynote speaker. An honor guard from the Marine Corps League will raise the colors; Mt. Lebanon’s “Bullet Bob” Daley, a World War II veteran will sing “the Star Spangled Banner,” and Ron LoVerde of Uptown Rhythm and Brass will play “Taps.”

      Parking could be challenging, as the tennis center and ice rink will be open (although baseball will have concluded). There will be a drop-off spot on Cedar Boulevard at the park’s entrance and people who are unable to walk that far may be dropped off directly at the memorial. Parking will be available at the Rec Center, the Commissioner’s Lot, the high school lot and the lots on Cedar Boulevard next to the fields.

      About 150 people will be able to sit. Thanks in advance to younger people for either standing or bringing blankets and sitting on the grass, freeing up the seats for veterans and older people in attendance.


      http://www.mtlebanon.org/index.aspx?NID=1986

      Friday, May 25, 2012

      South Garage Entrance Closed for Repairs

      The South Garage entrance will be closed for repairs from Saturday, May 26 (6:00 AM) through Tuesday, May 29 (6:00 AM),  Please use the 3rd floor entrance to enter the garage. Take Florida Ave. to Municipal Way. Vehicles parked above the 3rd floor are to use extreme caution due to the possibility of 2-way traffic accessing those floors above the 3rd floor entrance.

      Thursday, May 24, 2012

      Tax hike and cuts and reserves! Oh my!

      In case you didn't see today's PG, Molly Born had an article called, Tax hike, funding, job cuts, tap of reserves characterize plan in Mt. Lebanon. No surprises.  It was very, very, very, very,  (oops...one too many very's) difficult for the board to make $850,000 in cuts. No concessions from the teachers, Dr. Tim, or Ms. Jan.

      Tuesday, May 22, 2012

      So far, YSA leads in votes for both Yes and No - Updated

      As of Tuesday, May 22 at 11:07 a.m.


      BASED ON THE DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED ON THIS BLOG, DO YOU FEEL THAT THE MUNICIPALITY HAS BEEN A RESPONSIBLE PARTNER IN THE JOINT MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT?

      No 13 (59%)
      Yes 9 (40%)

      BASED ON THE DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED ON THIS BLOG, DO YOU FEEL THAT THE School District HAS BEEN A RESPONSIBLE PARTNER IN THE JOINT MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT?

      No 19 (82%)
      Yes 4 (17%)

      BASED ON THE DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED ON THIS BLOG, DO YOU FEEL THAT THE YOUTH SPORTS ALLIANCE (YSA) HAS BEEN A RESPONSIBLE PARTNER IN THE JOINT MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT?

      No 28 (63%)
      Yes 16 (36%)

      Granted, the YSA poll has been up 24 hours longer than the other two polls, but YSA is leading as the most responsible partner and the most irresponsible partner of the Joint Maintenance Agreement. 

      It would be helpful to the JMA partners crafting the upcoming extension to find out why people are voting the way they are voting.  

      How can the Municipality improve?  What about the School District?  Where have they fallen short? Besides YSA catching up in contributions, what else should be done? 

      In addition to voting, now is the time to share your opinion.  Do we forget the JMA altogether? How can it be improved, so that all parties are responsible partners in the Joint Maintenance Agreement?

      Update May 22 2012 6:36 p.m. Through a Right To Know, Marcia Taylor provided the following information regarding District payments for the Joint Maintenance Agreement.
      "These documents are printouts or copies for General Fund Account No. 01-2845-37102. This account is used for Ballfield Maintenance. These documents mainly show yearly totals, and are marked accordingly. Beginning with the 2010 year, we are able to show monthly data as well, and have produced that."

      District payments for Joint Maintenance Agreement

      Monday, May 21, 2012

      Change order tabled. Budget approved.

      It appears that there are some legal matters to resolve, so the first change order for the high school renovation was tabled.  It was removed from the agenda.  Details of the change order were mentioned in the post, Now on to Numero Uno Change Order 


      The Mt. Lebanon School Board approved the final budget for 2012-13 at the May 21 Regular Board meeting with a unanimous vote of 8-0. Mary Birks was absent. The final budget is $80,584,500 with a millage rate of 27.13 mills—a 0.5 mill increase from last year. The millage increase translates into an additional $100 a year on a home assessed at $200,000. The budget includes cost reductions of approximately $850,000. A list of those reductions is available here.

      The podcast is now available at lebocitizens.com.

      Sunday, May 20, 2012

      What's in it for the Municipality?

      Continuing the Joint Maintenance Agreement (JMA) thread, I started a new poll here on Lebo Citizens.  I have been questioning the Municipality's involvement in the JMA. What IS in it for the Municipality? Why should the Municipality be concerned with School District fields? The agreement has not changed since 1999.  The District fee has been $83,300 since Day 1. The YSA claims to have an increase in participants.  Why are they being charged $30,000 each year if field use has increased? They are wearing out the fields, based on their own reports. As it stands, the School District has been bank rolling the YSA during their "lean years." Recently, the District has been looking at various sports and clubs as possible cuts in the budget. Scott Goldman and Dan Remely voted for eliminating hockey and crew from their budget, while others have compromised with a $3000 reduction in the budget.

      The District would be able to control costs, in my opinion, if they did their own maintenance. Perhaps each school would be responsible for their own fields. I had suggested for different sports groups to adopt their own field, but that idea didn't seem to fly with some folks.

      I have been trying to come up with a list of pros and cons for the Municipality's involvement in the JMA partnership.  I haven't been able to come up with any positive points. If anything, it muddies the waters. If the Municipality got out of the District landscaping business, that would create a clear division when it comes to signage revenue.  The District is in an agreement with UPMC which permits UPMC to advertise for free within certain conditions. By not renewing the agreement, the Municipality would be free and clear of any sports agreements with UPMC.  They could have their own contract with UPMC and generate income for the Municipality.

      I am leaving it up to you, the readers, to come up with any reasons why the Municipality should be in such an agreement. 

      Friday, May 18, 2012

      Now on to Numero Uno Change Order

      According to the Construction Manager's Update, there are a few "Construction Challenges To Date" listed.

      Existing Utility Interference with Foundations
      Rerouting of Fine Arts Theatre Sanitary Line To Outside Science Building Footprint
      Storm Line Relocation To Allow Drilled Pier Construction To Continue
      Installation Of Water Line North Of Athletic Facility
      If we only knew someone connected with the Water Company.  Has anyone ever heard of PA 811 Call Before You Dig, the Pennsylvania One Call System? http://www.pa1call.org/PA811/Public/  They break it.  We pay it?

      Requirement to Import Materials
      The moisture content of the excavations currently stockpiled on the practice field is too high to properly compact for use as structural fill. We are in the process of working out change order language with Nello Construction.

      Remember this? http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/architect-says-planned-mt-lebanon-pool-600000-over-budget-588337/ We knew back in 2005 that the soil was wrong based on the soil borings. From the podcast, I got these numbers.

      The cost of the new materials for suitable fill is $350,000.
      The amount of voluntary credits for the old fill is $125,000.
      The net amount of the change order is $225,000.

      What is interesting is that $225,000 is approximately what we have spent so far on the Public Safety Building, another Nello work of art completed ten years ago. That was never right from the beginning.

      So on Monday evening, the board will be approving its first change order with Nello Construction - you know, the company who was $8 million cheaper or 20% lower than the next bidder.  I believe they were able to save the project from going to referendum.  Pick up the phone, folks.  Make the call.



      Thursday, May 17, 2012

      Tax likely to fill budget gap in Mt. Lebanon schools

      In today's PG, Tax likely to fill budget gap in Mt. Lebanon schools, the school board will be approving a .5 mill increase on Monday. I love their revenue-generating ideas.  That should cover the $30,000 a year commitment made by YSA.
      Revenue-generating ideas still stand: Formerly free sporting events would now cost attendees and ticket prices for events that charge admission would increase by $1, bringing in $18,400. Mt. Lebanon High School students would be charged $50 a year for parking, collecting $10,000. And an increase in building rental fees will net $8,000.
      Note how there were no pay freezes for Dr. Tim or Ms. Jan. Notice how there were no concessions made by teachers. The new budget will use roughly $106,000 in reserve funds.  The board made $800,000 in program and staff cuts. The millage increase would mean an extra $50 a year for a home valued at $100,000. If the district loses the grievance, it will be far worse for many years to come.

      Mt. Lebanon residents, are you content with this new budget? I am not. Are you still willing to hide and not take a stand? Still post anonymously here on the blog and not take action? I was drowning two years ago with the 10.5% increase.  It has only gotten worse. But we allow this to happen.  Is everyone that well off here?  I guess I don't belong in Mt. Lebanon.

      Wednesday, May 16, 2012

      More on Youth Sports Alliance...Updated 2x

      Four more years of YSA's 990's showed up in my email.  This is much better than what we are looking at from 2008 to January of this year, but they are still in the hole overall from calendar year 2004 to January, 2012.

      YSA 990 2004 Statement 1 shows $30,000 contributed towards agreement
      YSA 990 2005 Line 43a shows $26,000 contributed towards agreement
      YSA 990 2006 Line 43a shows $30,000* contributed towards agreement
      YSA 990 2007 Line 43c shows $30,000 contributed towards field maint. & improvements

      Since the last batch of YSA 990's didn't all match the school district's numbers, I would be curious to hear what Jan Klein's records show.

      From what I understand, YSA was not designated a 501(c)(3) until 2005. There are no detailed public financial records on the YSA prior to 2004.

      *Corrected amount. See page 17 of the PDF file YSA 990 2006, "Statement 1 - Form 990, Part II, Line 43 - Other Functional Expenses."

      Update May 18, 2012 8:25 a.m.

      From: egillen476@aol.com
      To: commission@mtlebanon.orgschoolboard@mtlsd.net
      Cc: TSteinhauer@mtlsd.netsfeller@mtlebanon.orgdavefranklin4@gmail.com
      Subject: Joint Maintenance Agreement
      Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 22:42:04 -0400 (EDT)


      Dear Commissioners and School Board Directors,
      I would like to bring to your attention several posts from the Lebo Citizens blog involving Youth Sports Alliance and the Joint Maintenance Agreement concerning maintenance of school district fields.
      Watching you agonize over cuts at the latest school board meeting, it might make sense to go after the low hanging fruit. Collecting YSA's outstanding payments could help eliminate some tough decisions for you.
      Elaine Gillen


      Update May 18, 2012 8:46 a.m.  Minutes from the 11-23-09 Commission meeting where Dan Miller asks some tough questions about the Joint Maintenance Agreement.  Note Bill Lewis' comments too!

      Authorities investigate bomb threat at Mt. Lebanon High School


      MOUNT LEBANON, Pa. — 
      A bomb threat was reported Wednesday afternoon at Mt. Lebanon High School.
      School officials said graffiti was found written on a wall in the6th-floor stairwell in the high school that stated, "Bomb 5-17 Everyone Die."
      The Mt. Lebanon Police Department was contacted. After investigating, they classified the incident as institutional vandalism.
      The high school principal, Brian McFeeley, sent an email to high school parents and students to inform them of the incident.
      McFeeley also said there will be an increased police presence at the school Thursday.

      Tuesday, May 15, 2012

      YSA vs. MTLSD - Updated

      The following letter to Lebo Citizens was submitted by reader and frequent commenter Richard Gideon.

      YSA vs. MLSD
      ..by Richard Gideon
      Lately there has been a vigorous discussion on this Blog concerning the Youth Sports Alliance (also called the Youth Sports Association in various publications), a 501(c)(3) tax exempt entity, and its commitment to contribute $30,000 a year toward the upkeep of sports fields owned by the Mt. Lebanon School District, but maintained by the Municipality. 
      On 1 May 1999, the School District, Municipality and Youth Sports Alliance (YSA) entered into an agreement to improve the quality of athletic fields owned by the School District. That original agreement had been renewed, but is set to expire on 30 June 2012.  According to an earlier post on this Blog, "The School District pays Mt. Lebanon $83,300 per year for both infield renovation work and maintenance of the turf grass athletic fields. The Youth Sports Alliance contributes $30,000 each year to the School District for the services."  But has YSA actually made its stated contributions?  This question was first raised when public information available on the web site GuideStar.org, which publishes IRS 990 forms for 501(c)(3) organizations, seemed to contradict statements made by YSA officials that their organization has kept up its end of the agreement.  GuideStar.org shows the following YSA 990-EZ forms:
      YSA 990 2008 Line 28 shows $3597 contributed towards agreement
      YSA 990 2009 Line 28 shows $30,000 contributed towards agreement
      YSA 990 2010 Line 28 shows $10,000 contributed towards agreement 
      Year 2011 is not yet available on GuideStar.org.  
      Mr. Chip Dalesandro of YSA paid a personal visit to Elaine Gillen, owner of the Lebo Citizens web site and the Lebo Citizens Blog, on 10 May 2012 and stated that "..all the fees for the joint maintenance agreement are paid in full. They have been paid in full every year."  He advised Ms. Gillen that Jan Klein, Director of Finance for the Mt. Lebanon School District, could verify this information.  I decided to write to Ms. Klein and ask her to verify this statement.  In writing to Ms. Klein I stated that, "I am not part of any organization in Mt. Lebanon that has any connections with either the District or the Municipality.  I am concerned about where my tax dollars are going, and whether my local governments (i.e., the Municipality and the District) are being used for the purposes of advancing the agenda of various, private, organizations; and being used either willingly or not.  I also have a pardonable curiosity about these reporting matters as the result of my profession as a registered Federal Contractor, which requires me to deal with the Department of Defense Financial Accounting System and the Department of the Treasury on a daily basis."  I asked Ms. Klein the following questions:
      1) Has YSA contributed $30,000 each year for the years 2008, 2010, and 2011?
            a: If the answer to #1 is yes, is this amount delineated in the District's annual financial statement?
            b: If the answer to #1 is yes, will you provide me with written proof of these payments?
      2) If the YSA has NOT made its stated contribution amount for the years 2008, 2010, and 2011, are you accruing that amount in anticipation of payment?
            a: if the answer to #2 is yes, did you disclose that on your annual financial statement?
            b: if the answer to #2 is no, have individuals contributed funds in the name of the YSA sufficient to make up the difference between what YSA reports in filing years 2008 and 2010, such that the total amount credited to YSA is the required $30,000?
      In asking these questions I was trying to determine whether there was a discrepancy between what YSA is reporting and what is on the District's books.  Since calendar year 2009 does indeed show that YSA contributed the agreed upon $30,000 it was not at issue.  If the District was showing $30,000 for each year in question I wanted to know if the accounting method was accruing that amount in anticipation of payment - a common technique in business.  I also wanted to leave as much room as possible for the benefit of doubt and honest mistakes, and I did not accuse either the YSA or the District of any shenanigans.  Ms. Klein answered my inquiry on 14 May 2012, in part, as follows:
      In response to your questions, we received the following payments from the YSA since December of 2007:
      7/27/2009 $30,000
      3/10/2010 $10,000
      7/27/2012 $30,000*
      All of the above amounts have been recorded in our Annual Financial Reports as part of our revenues for the appropriate fiscal year. They are not recorded in a separate line on the report, but rather grouped with other misc income.  Such amounts are subject to annual audit. No additional amounts have been accrued.  No donations from others on behalf of the YSA obligation have been received.
      *In a follow-up exchange of messages Ms. Klein wrote that this was, as I suspected, a typo - since this is still May of 2012.  The correct date is 1/27/2012 (27 January 2012).
      Noting that the year 2008 was missing (and at first suspecting that 7/27/2012 should have been 7/27/2011) I asked the following question:
      Should I then assume, based on your breakdown, that you did not receive any money from YSA in 2008?  They are showing $3597 contributed towards the agreement in that calendar year.  Since your figures are calculated from December, 2007, and your table shows the first payment since that time as being on 27 July 2009, I would like to be sure about this.
      Ms. Klein replied, "Those are all of the payments made to the District."  I must admit that I was a little disappointed in this reply, since I felt my follow-up question could have elicited a "yes" or "no" response.
      What may be surmised from the preceding discussion is this: 1)The District did not receive a $3597 payment from YSA in 2008 (otherwise their figures would not come out to an even $70,000 for the period of accounting from December, 2007 through 27 January 2012), and 2) there was no contribution made by YSA to the District in 2011, since YSA's 990-EZ forms are based on calendar years, and the last $30,000 payment to the District was made in January of this year.  Since the District has been paying the Municipality the contracted $83,300 per annum for field upkeep the taxpayers have been subsidizing YSA's missing contributions.  
      The years 1999 through 2007 are subjects for investigation as well.  I did not ask Ms. Klein about them because I had no 990-EZ evidence to use as the basis for formulating questions.  However, this is something that should be investigated.
      I think it is important, at this juncture, to point out that I am not accusing either Ms. Klein or Mr. Dalesandro of any malfeasance.  Ms. Klein was polite and extremely professional in her replies to me.  Mr.  Dalesandro is purported to be an honest man with a heart for kids' sports.  But Mr. Dalesandro is not an accountant and, by his own admission, does not get into the "financials."  What is abundantly clear is that there is a tangled mess of contradictory information concerning the YSA's relationship to the District and the Municipality.  And while it is quite possible all of this "mess" is due to benign neglect, ignorance of the law is no excuse, and it would behoove the YSA, and the District and/or Municipality if necessary, to make corrections to their accounts so that the public may have confidence in what it hears or reads from these sources.


      Update May 16, 2012 7:30 a.m. I have been able to obtain a copy of the Joint Maintenance Agreement Extension 

      -Elaine

      Monday, May 14, 2012

      Coffee with the Manager

      Tomorrow, May 15, have coffee with municipal manager, Steve Feller.  Steve will be at Uptown Coffee on Washington Road from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 7 to 8:30 p.m. Ask him questions, or discuss anything.


      
      

      About that budget...

      Remember this post? Relentless, is it? 
      According to a June 17, 2010 PG article, Changes could boost Mt. Lebanon in rankings, Dr. Tim was quoted as saying that we did not qualify for the U.S. News & World Report silver ratings.  By approving the high school's participation in the National School Lunch Program, its poverty rate percentages will be reported to Standard and Poor's for U.S. News & World Report's rankings. I am not sure there was ever a public vote for the national school lunch program since I cannot find it in the minutes. According to the CAFR, there is quite a jump in free or reduced lunches.  Interesting how we are now listed as a silver medal school on the U.S. News & World Report website. The demographic data is still from 2007-2008.
      It came to fruition. U.S. News and World Report Ranks Mt. Lebanon High School #8 in PA When the School Board discusses the budget tonight, please keep this in mind. It is only a numbers game and showing poverty rate percentages and the high school's participation in the National School Lunch Program got us there.

      Sunday, May 13, 2012

      We still can't pin him down - Updated 2x

      Even as late as Wednesday, we have not been able to get a straight answer from Dave Brumfield.
      Some residents were unclear Wednesday whether the money collected from advertisers will go to the municipality or the Youth Sports Association.
      "How the money will be handled has not been set yet," Mr. Brumfield said in an email Wednesday.
      http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/advertisements-coming-to-school-municipal-fields-in-mt-lebanon-635300/?p=0

      Update May 13, 2012 6:47 p.m. The Zoning Ordinance is online here.  The amended ordinance (823.5.3.10) recently passed is here. Please note that 823.5.3.9 is missing. Dave Brumfield avoided answering emails which questioned who would get the revenue from the signs.  Below is part of one such email.

      Dave,
      For starters, it's not clear to me who would get the money from the
      signs. I think this needs to be clarified.  The line between the
      municipality and the school district often seems blurred.

      Yet, when we question that, we get, "Why do you feel we shouldn't explore alternative revenue sources?" Dave, it is not that we are against alternative revenue sources. We simply want a definitive answer.  Who gets the revenue? The municipality or the sports groups?

      Update May 14, 2012 11:07 a.m. The missing ordinance 823.5.3.9 can be found here.

      Saturday, May 12, 2012

      Let's play Lebo Whack a Mole

      Remember this game? We would always play it when we went to Chuck E. Cheese's. A mole pops up.  You whack it and then another one pops up somewhere else. Whack a Mole.

      With all this talk about artificial turf, getting the "facts" from Jan Klein about YSA's contributions, and sign ordinance amendments, the school board directors have been getting a break.  Monday, the school board agenda includes these items popping up:


      More discussion about the final budget with the final vote being May 21. The school board is about to go down in flames on its latest budget. It'll be nasty and I think there may be a surprise or two waiting for us (things that haven't been discussed yet.) It may be the first budget in a few years that gets a few "Nays" which will be refreshing.  I hope the community doesn't sit back on this issue.

      The school board will be approving John Ferguson as tax collector and delinquent tax collector, at the rate of $10,000 a year.  This one confuses me. Is he still needed???

      Some new appointments are in the works.  They will appoint Jan Klein as Treasurer and Cissy Bowman as Board Secretary.  OMG.  Can she spell OMG?

      A potential change order for the high school project will be presented and reviewed by the Board. Nello Change Order HS2012-1  This is for the general contractor who was 20% lower than the next responsible bidder.  The $8 million difference saved the project from referendum. 

      And finally, the Board will be approving "Shame of the Nation" as a textbook for next year.

      So while we have been discussing lawsuits, signs, turf, and all the other stuff, the School Board has been quietly gearing up for big changes. I wonder what they are going to pop up with next.  Remember, everyone has the power to make a difference. 



      Thursday, May 10, 2012

      I had a visitor today...

      While I was on the phone today, there was a knock on my front door. It turned out to be Chip Dalesandro. He wanted to stop by to say that all the fees for the joint maintenance agreement are paid in full. They have been paid in full every year.

      I explained that the 990's that I posted previously on the blog, in addition to here:

      YSA 990-2008 Line 28 shows $3597 contributed towards agreement
      YSA 990-2009 Line 28 shows $30,000 contributed towards agreement
      YSA 990-2010 Line 28 shows $10,000 contributed towards agreement

      show something totally different. Chip assured me that I could get statements from Jan Klein showing that they have been paid in full. If that is the case, then YSA has bigger problems than they think.  According to the IRS Form 990, their accounting is waaay off.  And as I said to Chip, "If you think I am tough, wait till you see how tough the IRS is."  Chip was polite and respectful.  He had paperwork at home showing that everything was paid in full. Hopefully, this can be straightened out. If there is paperwork that shows otherwise,  I would be glad to scan it and post it here.

      By the way, I got zero feedback from the sports groups concerning the facilities spreadsheet that Charlotte Stephenson, Chuck Bachorski and I created. So much for working together.  

      Tuesday, May 8, 2012

      Just so you know...

      Tonight, the Commissioners will be approving the sign ordinance which the Planning Board voted against. As explained in the eblast below, it could help the municipality OR YOUTH SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS. We have already seen YSA's 990's.  In an earlier post, I showed how the YSA pays nothing for municipal fields. Here is a copy of the proposed ordinance. http://www.mtlebanon.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/8864

      Here is an eblast sent from Dave Franklin.  His wife is head of YSA.
      From: "Mt. Lebanon Baseball Association - LEBO BASEBALL" <mtlbball2012@gmail.com>
      Date: May 7, 2012 10:04:56 PM EDT
      To:
      Subject: MLBA - Field Signage Amendment Proposal


      Friends:

      Tomorrow night the Commissioners will vote on a proposed amendment to Mt. Lebanon’s current signage ordinance. The purpose of the amendment is to allow tasteful signs to be placed at our municipal fields, the stadium and at similar venues. This amendment will allow for the solicitation of sponsors (local businesses, larger companies, etc), who in turn will be featured on these signs. Importantly, these sponsorships will allow the municipality and/or the youth sports associations to raise much needed funds for field maintenance and improvements.

      If you support this proposal, please take 3 minutes out of your day to send a short email to the Commissioners (commission@mtlebanon.org) expressing your support for an amendment to Chapter XX (Zoning) of the Mt. Lebanon Code, Part 8, Section 823.5 (Authorized Signs).

      Thanks,

      Dave Franklin
      ********

      Here is my letter to the Commission.

      Commissioners,
      I see that you will be approving http://www.mtlebanon.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/8864 tonight.  There is nothing stipulated in the ordinance that any revenue generated from the signage will go to the municipality. You are changing an ordinance to help the sports groups.  That is not OK in my book.
      Elaine Gillen

      Monday, May 7, 2012

      Artificial Turf vs Natural Grass- The Knockout Punch

      We have heard a number of people post on this blog and elsewhere about how much cheaper it is to maintain artificial turf vs natural grass. But, that is only part of the story. You have to look at the whole story, or the life of the surface in order to make an informed decision on this.

      Please read the following links and tell me if you reach the same conclusion I do:

      http://turf.uark.edu/turfhelp/archives/021109.html 

      This site is found at the University of Arkansas division of Turfgrass Science. From the link:

      It is a myth that synthetic fields require less maintenance than natural turfgrass fields or to say that artificial turf fields are maintenance free. Synthetic fields require 1) additional infill, 2) irrigation because of unacceptably high temperatures on warm-sunny days, 3) chemical disinfectants, 4) sprays to reduce static cling and odors, 5) drainage repair and maintenance, 6) erasing and repainting temporary lines, and 7) removing organic matter accumulation. In a recent presentation by the Michigan State University, Certified Sports Turf Manager, she cited that the typical annual maintenance costs of her artificial turf fields ranged from $13,720-$39,220, while the typical annual maintenance costs of her natural turf fields had a similar range of $8,133-$48,960.
      Disposal costs
      When artificial turf (in-fill systems) needs renovating every 8-10 years, there is a hidden cost of disposal. Because the field is filled and top-dressed with a crumb rubber material (typically made from ground automobile tires), the material may require special disposal. Disposal costs are estimated at $130,000 plus transportation and landfill charges (3).

      http://cafnr.missouri.edu/research/turfgrass-costs.php/ 

      This site is the University of Missouri College for Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources. From the link:

      Fresenburg said there is a national trend toward high schools and parks and recreation departments installing the synthetic fields. Often the low cost of maintenance is a reason cited for the investments.

      "Don't let anyone come around and say it's for cost reasons," Fresenburg said. "Maybe they can say they'll have more events. That's true. I can't argue with that. No natural field is ever going to stand the same amount of use as a synthetic field."

      http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/aug/09/new-football-fields-replacing-grass-artificial-tur/

      This last article is the most interesting. This school district in Florida has decided to rip out its existing grass fields and replace them with turf. Total cost is over $6 million! But that is not the funny part.


      A guy late in the article suggest that the school district will save a whopping $10,000 per field a year in maintenance. This school district has 7 such fields that have been or will be replaced. Let's do the math. A savings of $10,000 per year per field for 10 years (the life expectancy of artificial turf) would be....drum roll please...$700,000.

      Even if you accept the idea that the school district will save $10,000 a year on maintenance, they will pay $6,000,000 to save the $700,000! Why would they do that? Because the $6 million is in their fund balance and it doesn't impact their ability to pay salaries to teachers and administrators.

      This last article is very much the position we find ourselves in here in Mt. Lebanon. We have a couple of bucks in our municipal fund balance and a vocal handful of sports people are demanding that we use that money to turf a school district field. Personally, I don't want to pay $1,000,000 to turf a school district asset in order to save $10,000 a year in maintenance costs. That math just doesn't work! Over ten years Mt. Lebanon taxpayers will end up $900,000 short for every field that gets artificially turfed. What I would like to see is the sports people do research like what has been done here. They should tell us how much we spend to maintain our fields and build the financial case for artificial turf. They should also build the environmental case and the use case. None of that has been done.

      Now I realize that the Arkansas article was sent in before by Chuck Bachorski, co-president of Mt. Lebanon Girls' Softball, to this blog under Turf War, but I felt that it needed to be mentioned again. When we all met, Chuck stressed how hard on the knees and how hot artificial turf gets.  Thanks again to Charlotte and Chuck for working together.

      Not again!!!!

      The county is considering another property tax increase next year. We just had a 21% tax increase this year. Seems as though the county wants to have a rainy day fund. To do this, the county may be:

      • Making renewed efforts to collect county debts, including back taxes.
      • Raising fees for use of county facilities like sports fields and golf courses.
      • Reducing or eliminating the discount period for paying property taxes early.
      • Cutting or eliminating the $15,000 homestead exemption.
      • Raising taxes for 2013 by as much as another mill.

      Here in Mt. Lebanon, our rainy day fund may be used to turf a field for rainy days. We do have that other rainy day fund called the stormwater fee.

      Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/region/allegheny-county-could-face-another-tax-increase-councilman-warns-634776/

      Happy Birthday, Johnny Unitas!

      Brookline great and NFL legend, Johnny Unitas had a rough start playing football. When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him in the ninth round, he was released before the season began.  Unitas was married with a child and tried to support his family by working in construction here in Pittsburgh. On weekends, he played for the Bloomfield Rams for $6.00 a game. Did they have artificial turf? No. Grass? Nope.  It was a dirt field. What is the moral of the story?  You know...
      Happy Birthday, Johnny Unitas.

      Friday, May 4, 2012

      Righteous Indignation: Excuse Me While I Save the World

      One of my blog readers informed me that "Righteous Indignation: Excuse Me While I Save the World" by the late Andrew Breitbart is a must read. Breitbart, a self proclaimed Internet addict, was known to the world as a conservative blogger who was compelled to cover stories that the media wouldn't touch. He died in March at the young age of 43 of heart failure.

      Breitbart believed that the left controlled the media and he wanted to take it back.  The Internet was his battlefield. Boy, can I relate. Here in Mt. Lebanon, we have mtl Magazine, inCommunity Mt. Lebanon, lebomag.com, and the Posti Gazette - both Center Court blog and the PG.  I want to do all I can to get the real story out there. Maybe it IS hate in my heart, but I am tired of being bullied in this community. Like Breitbart, I am an Internet addict. My epiphany was when the anesthesiologist had to take my iPad away from me before I went under the other day.

      Like Breitbart, I get a rush when I can uncover the truth through sharing documentation with the community. I have to confess, I loved when "Batman" left those comments after I linked the sports groups' 990's. I am sorry, but I am tired of being pushed around. Now we have a special interest group led by our commission president, who feels that the unassigned fund should go to turfing a school district field. Yes, thanks to the high school boondoggle, the school district has a field shortage, but whose fault is that? It was the poor planning of our illustrious school board and Master Design Team. Following the logic, should the commission be responsible for building a rifle range and tennis courts too? Where does it end?

      The Manager's Recommended Budget did not list turfing Mellon Field. Prior to the April 23, 2012 Capital Investment Hearing, the commission asked staff to put together a prioritized schedule of proposed capital expenditures. Those recommendations can be found here. I don't see Mellon Field listed in those recommendations. On page 54 of the Capital Improvement Program for 2012-2016, turfing Middle and Wildcat Fields is suggested as a solution to our field shortage by allowing for less stress on existing fields.  At the bottom of that page, note the last recommendation. In addition, similar improvements could be done at Mellon Field by the School District for an estimated cost of $1,120,640. Even an email from David Donnellan to the Parks Advisory Board (including the newest member of that board, Dave Franklin) and the Commission and Steve Feller https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B9r_1biKte_bZFdUTDgxOHhxWGM has nothing listed for turfing Mellon Field in the Parks Advisory Board report.

      Breitbart had a profound sense of right and wrong from a young age. In my mind, asking the municipality to correct a problem of the school district's own doing is wrong. The driving force is Youth Sports Alliance and our commission president;  the same people who have been referred to as NSF, deadbeat, and even the sports cartel. It is just wrong.

      Thursday, May 3, 2012

      Walnut Grill Opens May 4 (Updated)

      Walnut Grill Mt. Lebanon opens tomorrow, May 4 on Washington Road (in the former Molly Brannigan's location.) Their website describes Walnut Grill as a fresh, upscale casual dining experience fit for the entire family http://walnutgroverestaurant.com/  They will be open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner and offer a Sunday Buffet Brunch from 10am – 3pm.

      In honor of National Celiac Disease Awareness Month (May 1-31) I would like to mention that Walnut Grill also offers a gluten free menu. Yea!

      Update May 4 7:03 AM
      Eric Milliron, Manager, Commercial Districts/Economic Development, informed me that Walnut Grove officially changed its name to Walnut Grill a few weeks ago.

      Vicar Home and Garden's Outdoor Market This Saturday

      This Saturday, May 5, Vicar Home and Garden will be sponsoring their outdoor market, Fleatique Bonanza, from 9 AM to 2 PM. Vicar's is located at the corner of Castle Shannon Blvd. and Shady Drive.


      You’ll discover great finds and buys from popular South Hills shops and vendors, including yours truly. Fresh cut flowers, garden plants, furniture, jewelry, crafts, linens, vintage clothing, china, collectibles and many more treasures for your home and garden. Enjoy free street parking and refreshments.

      I will have a table with my "world famous" Design Your Own Baby Dolls, among my other crafts.  Stop by and say hi. Or drop me a line at EGillen476@aol.com if you have any questions concerning my custom made dolls or my other wares. Gotta pay for my website somehow. ;>)

      A dollar not borrowed is not a dollar and 77 cents saved.

      Yesterday's Almanac captured the essence of the District mentality. Mt. Lebanon resident, Bill Matthews submitted this letter to the editor.   Intent to spend a dollar still the same (Saved in Google Docs) Bill pointed out the twisted logic that Jan Klein shared with the Almanac.  Ms. Jan estimated that for every dollar the district did not borrow, it would save about $1.77.  The implication was that by raising taxes and preserving squirreled away funds for the renovation we can avoid buckets of interest expense. But the underlying intent is still the same - to spend a dollar.  Hence the savings is only 77 cents, not 177 cents.

      Now go to the headlines of the May 2, 2012 Almanac. USC needs more cuts (Saved in Google Docs) USC still needs to cut $520,000, after teachers' union concessions totaling $3.7 million over the next two  years. The new budget deficit would amount to $520,000.  USC is trying to hold their tax hike to .41 mill, not taking advantage of the higher exceptions granted by the state.  Mt. Lebanon has indicated that we will be getting a .5 mill increase.

      The Board plans to continue budget discussions at the May 14 Discussion Meeting. The budget will be approved at the May 21, 2012 school board meeting. Send your emails to schoolboard@mtlsd.net.


      At the bottom of both online articles:

      Posting on Almanac website suspended

      Beginning Tuesday, May 1, The Almanac will temporarily suspend the posting of reader comments on stories on the newspaper's website.

      The move is necessary as the newspaper prepares to install a new content management system and launch a redesigned website this summer.

      The comments feature will be restored at that time.

      Tuesday, May 1, 2012

      A closer look at fields

      AGREEMENT FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT ATHLETIC FIELDS

      CONSIDERATION OF A JOINT MAINTENANCE

      Mr. Brumfield said that on May 1, 1999, the School District, Municipality and Youth Sports Alliance entered into the first agreement to improve the quality of athletic fields owned by the School District. The joint agreement has been very successful, and all of the parties want the partnership to continue.
      This new successor agreement has the following major provisions:
      1. Term of two years beginning July 1, 2010 and ending June 30, 2012.
      2. The financial arrangements are the same as contained in the previous agreement. The School District pays Mt. Lebanon $83,300 per year for both infield renovation work and maintenance of the turf grass athletic fields. The Youth Sports Alliance contributes $30,000 each year to the School District for the services.
      3. School District employees are responsible for weekly infield dragging, irrigation and facility maintenance. The School District is also responsible for all lawn mowing.
      http://www.mtlebanon.org/archives/31/Approved%20Commission%20Minutes%205-10-10.pdf 

      Podcast of May 10, 2010 Commission meeting Part 1
      Podcast of May 10, 2010 Commission meeting Part 2


      This does not include the artificial turf in the high school stadium. So let's talk about what this means. YSA is paying nothing for municipal fields. The School District is paying $83,300 per year for thirteen fields. That comes to $6407 per field (confirmed with municipal data), which does not include the cost of the District employees cutting the grass, weekly infield dragging, irrigation and facility maintenance which is another $4000 (est.) which comes to roughly $10,000 per field or $130,000 for School District fields. Using the same math for the five municipal fields, it is costing us roughly $180,000 for fields in Mt. Lebanon. According to the agreement, YSA is to be contributing $30,000 a year for School District fields only. It cannot be documented that they have been making this contribution.

      Let's recap. We have McNeilly Field which we still owe all the money. We have YSA putting pressure on a commissioner, I mean, passionate to turf and light Mellon Field for $1 million, without any research done for the real costs. YSA is contributing nothing towards municipal fields. And the School District cannot confirm the $30,000 contribution from YSA. Oh my.

      YSA 990 2008 Line 28 shows $3597 contributed towards agreement
      YSA 990 2009 Line 28 shows $30,000 contributed towards agreement
      YSA 990 2010 Line 28 shows $10,000 contributed towards agreement

      Update May 2, 2012 9:15 AM
      November 16, 2009 Board Summary Agreement voted unanimously by the School Board

      Recreational sports groups in Mt. Lebanon had planned to donate money to help build community athletic fields on a parcel off McNeilly Road, but now they've learned just how much one municipal commissioner wants them to donate: $850,000.
      David Humphreys at Monday's commission meeting told representatives from the Youth Sports Alliance and other sports groups that since the project cost is approaching $2.5 million, he wants the groups to pony up $850,000.
      That would be half of the $1.7 million cost to do basic improvements to the 23-acre parcel.
      Bruce Fisher, of the Youth Sports Alliance, and Art McAuley, of the Mt. Lebanon Soccer Foundation, said the alliance has just received the proper tax status to raise money. McAuley said his group could pledge $125,000 but couldn't commit to the full $850,000 now.
      The groups are working with a fund-raising consultant and hope to have a plan soon.
      http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/townsouth-route-19-briefs-578029/


       In the July/August 2008 Mt. Lebanon Magazine, http://ebooks.mtlebanon.org/mtl/mtl-112008/pageflip.html page 9 Dave Donnellan said:
      Field options being considered It’s never been easy scheduling youth sports on Mt. Lebanon’s limited number of fields. But in recent years, with enrollment in recreational and club sports on the rise and weather as unpredictable as ever, the problem is getting worse. In 2003, more than 500 kids played soc- cer through the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Department. That number has steadily grown, and this year topped out at a whop- ping 1,201 for the spring and fall programs. That doesn’t even count the kids who play for the Mt. Lebanon Soccer Association, a private soccer group. Likewise, recreational T-ball grew from 70 kids in 2003 to 155 this summer.“Each spring and fall the youth sports as- sociations, the Youth Sports Alliance, the school district and the recreation department meet to determine the scheduled use of the fields in Mt. Lebanon. It is always a struggle to try to accommodate the needs of all the users,” says David Donnellan, Mt. Lebanon’s recreation director. “New fields and/or fields with artificial turf and lighting would help, not only to accommodate the growth in youth sports, but also would allow for taking fields out of service periodically so that they can recover and be properly maintained.”But what’s the best way to do that? In 2003, Mt. Lebanon municipality purchased 23 acres off McNeilly Road for $1.8 million in the hopes of turning it into ath- letic fields. Commissioners have held public meetings to gauge interest, but they have not continued on page 10 town topics Fast-tracking the revitalization of Mt. Lebanon’s commercial districts, and in particular the “Uptown” central business district, is the mission of Mt. Lebanon’s Economic Development Council (EDC) Task Force. Led by Commissioner Raja, the task force rep- resents various groups that have a stake in Uptown’s future. For the past several months, the task force has been meeting simultaneously with the EDC in public session at the municipal building at 7:30 a.m. on the last Friday of every month. There is a lot of brainstorming, as is typical when a group of energetic, creative people convenes. Some ideas are huge undertakings that could come to fruition in the long run; some may be pipe dreams. But other ideas have actually become plans that can be ac- complished over the short term. Here is an overview of things that have taken place or are in the works. continued page 8 More than 760 kids, preschool through second grade, signed up for soccer programs through the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Department this fall. The fields get heavy use and parking is often insufficient. Commissioners are looking at several proposals that would either increase the number of fields or extend the amount of time they can be used by installing artificial turf and lights. 




      Update 9:29 AM

      In Posti's own words, http://jposti.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html
      Then: "both parties sharing the cost" Now: Municipality only
      Then: "whether a $1 million cost is justifiable" Now: It's justifiable if the municipality pays all costs
      Then: "concerned about the environmental impact of artificial turf" Now: Turf away!
      Then: Posti wanted an overview of conditions and maintenance costs Now: Who cares?

      Read the text cut from the webpage via above URL link:
      During Mr. Silhol's Joint Steering Committee report tonight, he described a meeting he, Mr. Allison and Ms. Stipanovich recently had with two commissioners and Mr. Feller to discuss the option that would include installing artificial turf at Mellon as well as Wildcat. This option is obviously one that would need to be considered jointly between the Municipality and the District with both parties sharing the cost.

      This evening was the first time we discussed whether we as a board are interested in exploring this option. Some of the concerns I and other board members voiced included the fact that we've recently completed work on Mellon Field to improve drainage as well as whether a $1 million cost is justifiable in light of the high school project and our current economic situation. One of my biggest concerns with this project is that while the Municipality has done their own analysis of their existing fields, undeveloped land and District-owned properties that can be better utilized, we as a District have not yet done an analysis of our own field priorities. In order to understand where installation of turf on Mellon fits into the District's priorities, I would like to see an overview of all of the District's field conditions and what the short and long-term maintenance conditions may be. This is an issue that I raised last month when we approved an unscheduled capital expenditure for Jefferson Field. Mrs. Cappucci also requested a breakdown of how the fields are used - scholastic vs. recreation vs, club sports on each field.

      Another concern I shared was the environmental impact of installing artificial turf on these fields - something I believe we're obligated to consider. With our joint participation with the Municipality in the Cool Cities initiative, we do need to give joint consideration to environmental issues that impact the community.

      I'm looking forward to learning more about how this project being considered by the Municipality fits into the District's priorities. I do believe that both bodies value the importance of youth sports in our community and I think that there are those among us who would like to find funds to enhance and improve our available options but we also need to address and prioritize the needs within each of our individual taxing bodies while working jointly to find solutions that make sense to a constituency that we both share.

      Update 9:37 AM  Happy Birthday, Josephine. Thank you for praying for me.

      Update 3:59 PM MLSA 2008 990
                                 MLSA 2009 990
                                 MLSA 2010 990

      Update 4:51 PM 2010 Mt. Lebanon Demographics from US Census

      Update 5:01 PM MLLA 2008 990
                                 MLLA 2009 990
                                 MLLA 2010 990

      Update 5:52 PM MLBA 2007 990
                                 MLBA 2008 990
                                 MLBA 2009 990 
                                 MLBA 2010 not on file