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
48 comments:
If the accounting is in keeping with the same standards upheld in the Joint Maintenance Agreement I suspect we'll never really know if tickets were paid or not.
After all one way to pay for a meter infraction was to slip the fine in cash into one of those yellow boxes and forget about, no receipt, no cancelled check.
If it's logged in incorrectly who'd be the wiser that the ticket was never logged as paid?
Gffn Gd
Giffen Good, I bought you some vowels. It would be interesting to see the list of names. I wonder if people would be surprised to see their own names on the list. I am not accusing anyone of this, but didn't the city of Pittsburgh have problems with this? Cash payments went in someone's pocket or something like that?
Wouldn't you just love to know who the offender is with 159 tickets?
Elaine
While the thought of "overlooking" $800,000 in these tough economic times makes me sick, I can't help but wonder whether the real motivation is simply that it's easier to just raise taxes.
Add in many peoples' disdain for authority and belief that the laws/rules don't apply to them and you have a financial disaster waiting to happen.
The municipality could have gotten some payments just by threatening to publish the names.
How can we expect our tax dollars to be handled correctly and wisely when simple traffic ticket fines aren't handled correctly?!
Maddie Miller
the former chairman of the parking authority is now the co-chair of the Strategic Plan for the District. oh my!
batman
How many fields cam $800,000 fix?
Susan Frost
"batman"
I cannot find a link on the district website for the strategic plan committee. Would you mind sharing that with us? I believe I know who you mean.
Also, I found this loan. Was it ever paid back? What was the amount, anyone know?
Loan agreement
Then there is an amendment to the agreement. Agreement amendment
Elaine
Here are the minutes for the loan agreement.
http://mtlebanon.org/archives/31/Approved%20Commission%20Minutes%2011-22-10.pdf
Elaine
"batman"
Josephine Posti's President's Report from November 2011 provided the information I was looking for.
http://www.mtlsd.org/district/stuff/2009/schoolboardpresidentreport11.11.pdf
Faith Stipanovich and Al Frioni are co-chairs. BTW, Faith was not the one who was former chairman of the Parking Authority.
Elaine
Some heads should roll over this. We are rapidly losing our reputation as a "well-run" community.
This is absolutely appalling. There is no excuse.
Sign me Outraged
I found these minutes to be rather interesting.
Oct 14 2010 meeting minutes
Elaine
The town didn’t overlook the $800k the authority did. For like 10 years and probably buried the info too. The way I’m reading it is that the town just found out that it was that much. I guess you can say why didn’t the town know earlier- but wasn’t that the reason for dissolving the authority in the first place? Didn’t some fancy auditor do the books for the authority?
I’m confused by the taxes comments. Since the $800k in loss revenue was accrued before the town took it over how did it have much if anything to do with our taxes? Doesn’t seem that the real issue is what our parking rates could’ve been, or how far they could’ve gone in upkeep of their facilities- had they bothered to collect the tickets?
Isn’t it safe to assume that if the town felt the authority was run well they would have left it alone?
Didn’t heads roll? If its a new head- whose head do you mean?
I think the town was smart to dissolve this thing!
from the MLPA minutes
12) Mr. Frioni read a letter from Washington School Principal, Bob Mallory requesting reduced cost parking in the South Garage for staff. Discussion followed. It was agreed that an offer should be made with specific conditions.
How much lost parking revenue was given to school staff at the expense of the residents of Mount Lebanon?
sign me puzzled
I think zero was lost. I don't think it ever happened.
Elaine
Elaine, it was McCandless last year:
http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/ex-secretary-pleads-guilty-to-stealing-60k-from-no/nGbPT/
David Huston
Anon 9:33, how does it affect our taxes? Who is paying for the maintenance on the South Parking Garage?
And if there is no relationship between the authority and the municipality why does the muni get to collect on the overdue fines?
Gffn Gd
The point is that we are paying for the maintenance NOW because arguably the authority didn’t collect the $800k THEN to put into it THEN. Right? Maybe. Lets say the authority screwed it up. Thats why they were disbanded right? You also seem to be saying that the town got to collect the overdue fines- instead of the fines themselves...? From what I was told the town didn’t get any of the money until they started to dissolve this thing. Authority money was separate from town money- hence one of the reasons to have an authority...? My point is that the town didn’t collect the $800k because they were busy hanging out. They didn’t collect it because it was the authority’s job to do so. Our taxes did not go up or down because of anything to do with the $800k. Whether or not they do in the future- I have no idea. The town gets to collect on the fines or overdue fines NOW because they dissolved the authority. Clearly with good cause. Maybe one could ask why it took so long to do in the first place.
Hello, knock, knock... Is there anybody in there?
From the Trib11/10...
Trib: Cost may climb to pull up to curb in Mt. Lebanon
Parking rates could rise once the Mt. Lebanon Parking Authority shuts down and turns its assets over to the municipal government, a move that will force two nonprofits to find new homes.
Mt. Lebanon's commissioners last week ordered the parking authority to disband by 2012 and to immediately start handing over revenue from tickets written by municipal police officers. To cover about $85,000 in lost revenue from those tickets in the meantime, the authority might have to raise rates at meters and garages by a yet-to-be-determined amount, said Chris Musuneggi, who was elected chairman of the parking authority's board last week."
So they raised rates to make up $85,000 in lost revenue while they have $800,000 in unpaid fines. And we all still pay those higher rates and drive business away and no one wonders about who is managing things around here. Incredible!
Just like the SD. They gotta charge STUDENTS $50 to help balance the budget, but no one wonders about $50,000 in missing YSA funds.
Dave Roberts
How does someone get away with 156 unpaid parking tickets? I mean it's not like they did it once and disappeared.
Especially since the police were using this equipment.
This is interesting...
Mt. Lebanon Police Camera System Scans License Plates
MT. LEBANON (KDKA) ― If you don't pay your parking tickets, Mt. Lebanon Police will find you, thanks to a new auto license plate recognition system.
The two-camera system is on loan for a trial period.
They use infrared technology and can scan every license plate the police vehicle passes.
"The rear facing camera is to catch the plates in the opposing traffic lane as they're moving," explains Deputy Chief Ken Truver.
He says the system will alert to cars on a list from the National Criminal Information Clearinghouse.
That list is updated back at the station twice daily and then updates the officer's computer.
Once the camera alerts to a matching license plate, the interface box in the backseat tells the officer using the laptop.
"The officer gets information over the air of a bank robbery suspect and there's plate information, he can place that information right there in real time and the software will pick up that plate if the car, if the police car passes it," explains Truver.
All other plates and information scanned are ignored, although they can use it.
If a crime was committed in a neighborhood where the cruiser patrolled, police can go back and see what cars or plates were in the neighborhood.
The cameras are being used to locate outstanding violations in Mt. Lebanon and to aid Allegheny County enforce its scofflaws.
Isn't also so typical of our elected officials that they don't care how things got screwed up... They just want the money! See Brumfields comments in the Trib.
Gffn Gd
Elaine, I'm beginning to wonder and worry about the class of people residing here in MTL.
Is there a caste system in place, a clique or has the community become the poster community for the me generation?
A good poll would be:
If you got a parking ticket in a MTL metered spot would you:
Pay it
Ignore it
or
I'm one of the blue blood gentry and therefore excluded not only from fines but the original meter fee as well?
Appearing in the Trib:
"That was sort of a shock to us," said Mt. Lebanon Commission President David Brumfield, a former board member of the parking authority. "Why these things (occurred) -- hasn't been our focus. After we've dealt with the fines, we may try to go back and figure out why this happened."
Mr. Brumfield, as a constituent I expect you to focus on why this occurred! As well as why there has been no accounting on the Joint Maintenance Agreement.
It seems when it comes to accountability, finances, sweetheart Tiff deals, property, equipment and building purchases things here in MTL are getting a little too loosey goosey.
Sure try and get the $800,000, but this resident wants to know why this went uncovered for so long.
I suspect if we don't get to the bottom of it, in 10-20 years we'll discover hundred of thousands in field sign revenue missing too!
Still waiting for the facts and proof of your estimated cost on turfing Mellon, Commissioner!
Gffn Gd
Giffen,
Dave Brumfield slipped up and said Mellon field last night, when Kelly and Matt were trying to get the board to move forward with the surplus. They proposed a plan that would cost approximately $900,000 which included fixing fields and parks. Both Dave and Kristen would not vote for it. They would also not approve a mower for the golf course. They were all instructed to come forward with a list. Matt and Kelly were the only ones who complied. Kristen wants to have a deer culling. Yet, she felt that $900,000 was too much to vote on, and in the same breath she talked about a bond which was worth millions. Dave doesn't think it is worth it to fix Brafferton, Bird Park, develop Cedar Blvd. and I forget which other field. OK soccer moms, where are you? What happened to all the pleading about the soccer field being a mess? Kristen and Dave are against it. They want to take out a bond and not use the money that we have. When the heck did that ever make sense???? My guess is that that is where Mellon turf comes into play - in the bond. But guess what folks, it takes four votes for a bond. Looks like the fields are not going to be fixed, folks. Or maybe the Commission is waiting for that YSA plan to be unveiled. Yeah, right.
Elaine
What the f#%@!
Commissioner Brumfield was on the board of the parking authority and $800,000 in fines was never recovered!
Commissioner Brumfield was involved in youth sports and JMA payments are missing!
Now Commissioner Brumfield is going to formulate the plan for how the municipality is going to handle field sign advertising revenue.
Now I'm not insinuating that Mr. B is pocketing money, but it appears obvious that he isn't the guy that should be overseeing or developing plans for anything that has to do with revenue!
GMan
"GMan"
Rest assured that the sign revenue issue is being taken over by Kelly Fraasch. Last night, she presented guidelines and had a slide presentation of fields and where the signs could be placed. She has set up a price list for various signs and is requiring that all revenue go to the municipality, as it should! This should have been done before the sign ordinance was voted on, but I am feeling better that someone has actually invested the time to think this through. She also rought samples of signage material. It was an excellent presentation.
Elaine
*She also brought samples of signage material.
Elaine
Thanks for the update Elaine.
Wasn't Brumfield the guy that said turfing and lighting Mellon would ONLY cost $3,500/year?
I ran across this-
How much does it cost to keep stadium lights on?
For example the ones AT&T park, how much do they cost to keep on per game?
John Piontkowski
1 vote by Can Duruk
Difficult to cite exact answers for AT&T park, but for comparative purposes, Chase Field in Phoenix uses 850 1500 watt metal halide lights. Thats 1275 Kilowatts/hr. at .10 cents per kilowatt, the cost would be about $127 an hour to operate. These stadiums were built within a few years of each other and have similar seating capacities.
http://ecmweb.com/mag/electric_h...
Now I understand Mellon isn't Chase Field but I'll bet the lights would cost at least $20/hr to operate.
3 hours a night, 7 days a week = $420 in electricity alone.
May be we can get Comish Brumfield or pro-turfing environment protector Papke to offer more exact numbers.
I agree with GMan... good point!
Gffn Gd
Elaine, picking the sign material, the available spaces etc. Is the easy part though I'm not trying to diminish Kelly's hard work.
I'm sure picking the parking meters, parking spaces and setting the rates were done with the same diligence when the parking authority was established. But now we find $800,000 was never collected... why?
GMan
I did notice that the Parking Authority had $800,000 in reserves. Hmmm...
Elaine
Just to be clear I'm not against signs around ballfields. There is a ball field just up the hill from the Dormont Pool that has signs and bunting up right now.
Even when there aren't games going on it looks like something will be happening there soon as opposed to our dead zone fields.
GMan
The $800k wasn't collected because the parking authority was incompetently run. Most likely the board never knew how bad because they weren't told the truth. What was the director there doing? What was the auditor doing? What was the solicitor doing? Wasn't Raja the liaison there for a couple of years with his keen financial eye?
The $800K in reserves is their built up funds to defray capital borrowing costs (maintenance, upkeep, new construction). The town can only use it for those things as well. The falsehood about the town consolidating to "get" this money was drummed up by those supportive of the incompetent independent authority operation.
Anon 7:30 AM - this is really f@&#ing scary!
"FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2011
Trib: It's official: Mt. Lebanon Parking authority to end
POSTED BY JOE POLK AT 1:25 AM / 1 COMMENTS
By the end of the year, the Mt. Lebanon Parking Authority will be no more.
The board of commissioners has been absorbing the functions of the parking authority for the last four months. Most authority employees have been hired for positions within the police department, public works department and tax office."
So the employees of this bumbling authority that couldn't fulfill it's obligation to collect parking fines are now employed in the police dept., PW, and THE TAX OFFICE!
Is this a great municipality or what?
Hey everybody, if they couldn't keep track of parking tickets I wonder if they'll care if I ignore some tax bills too?
Dave Roberts
I think you are being a bit broad by blaming all employees of the authority. For example, what did the authority public works employees have to do with collection of delinquent tickets? Aren't you really trying to ask whether or not the person (people?) who was responsible for collecting the delinquent tickets at the authority are doing the same or similar job in the municipality? (And by the way, I strongly doubt that an employee of the authority was someone how more culpable in the this than the director.) Also, the tax collection aspects of the municipality have always been among the top in the county for collection results. Unfortunately the state decided that the majority of their work will now be transferred to a county wide system.
Elaine could you post this question.
Who would remember if they paid a parking fine or know if it was logged in as paid up to fifteen years ago? I mean seriously, if I got one I always drop the correct cash amount in the envelope and dropped it in one of the convenient yellow drop boxes and consider it case closed. Now I wonder if I'm on the municipalities list and will find my vehicle booted some day!
The municipality is offering an amnesty program to collect at least part of the money owed. From June 1-20, people who received a parking ticket between January 1997 and December 2011 can pay the original fine, generally $6 or $10 per ticket.
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.
Those with more than five unpaid tickets might be subject to booting, towing or citation from the district judge, Taylor said.
"We're being fairly aggressive," she said. "We're going to stay on top of this."
How the parking authority missed such a large number of tickets is unclear. Rich Sahar, the parking authority's executive director for 35 years, could not be reached. David Duessel, president of MaherDuessel certified public accountants, which audited the parking authority for years, did not return calls.
An honest resident
10:47 AM,,, are you saying that NOT ONE employee of the now defunct parking authority had knowledge of $800,000 in unpaid tickets?
Here is today's job report as published by the Associated Press.
"WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose last week to a five-week high, evidence that the job market remains sluggish.
The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications for unemployment aid rose 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 383,000. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, increased for the first time in a month to 374,500.
Economists were disappointed by the data, particularly when coupled with a separate report Thursday that showed only modest hiring by private businesses in May. On Friday, the government will report on May hiring by private and public employers."
I'm betting a good many of those 383,000 laid off workers were doing their jobs too.
10:47 AM. How does one person get by with 156 unpaid parking tickets?
Are you trying to say the director hide the unpaid fines from every employee in the authority, from the auditor, from the board.
If that is your case, then its more imperative than ever, contray to what ex-board member and now commissioner says, to get to the bottom of how this happened.
Dave Roberts
I would like to know if the PA solicitor could be reached. I believe it was Mr. DeLuca. Can he be sued for the $800,000, couldn't he? Wouldn't he have insurance to cover that? And how about Blaise? Did he receive any notice of these outstanding tickets?
I am not holding the muni responsible because they knew things weren't right.
Elaine
Funny how people jump from "everyone knew" to "no one knew." The extremes are ridiculous and neither is likely accurate. Of course some one knew, all I suggested was to not blame the road crew for it.
I also suggested that its logical to ask whether those who knew or should have known are still working in similar capacities.
I think its fair to assume the director knew, fair to assume the auditor should have known, fair to ask what the authority solicitor was doing, and fair to assume that some employee over there knew something about this. Rumors of problems at the authority have been around for awhile. Funny that even when wannabe-fiscal watchdog/Senator Raja was over there for a couple of years evidently thought everything was fine since he did not support consolidation.
That is interesting about Raja. Care to elaborate on his reasons for not supporting consolidation? Anyone else on the same page as him? My guess is if he was against it, then his sidekick/ my former commissioner would have been right there with him.
I never got a response from the commission when I asked for the names. I guess I have to go about it officially and submit a RTK.
Elaine
12:26 PM you're right it is wrong to throw an acquisitory blanket over the whole crew.
But Commissioner B's call to just focus on getting the money from the unpaid fines is even more ludicrous.
Perhaps the people in the know are still being employed by the district. Perhaps the auditor hide the info.
If this were you're private business I'm betting you'd get to the bottom of $800,000 in missing receivables toot sweet!
Same thing if you had a business maintenance agreement with two other firms, I'm sure you'd know if one entity was behind in their payments by $50,000.
Same as if one municipal employee boots my vehicle because they think I didn't pay a parking fine (I got some and paid them immediately by dropping cash in the envelope and putting in the drop box) there is going to be one helluva a battle.
Raja's main argument was that he couldn't see how it would save money. He cited the municipal report that said some of the staff costs would increase $57k, while some of the staff reductions would decrease costs by $100k for a net savings of 43k. His "logic" stopped at $57k, perhaps because one of the possible layoffs included his former campaign staffer. That staffer was hired after Raja was elected commission, to a position that had been eliminated as unnecessary by the authority a year or so before, without the position being advertised, and hired by a board that had two members of the Republican Committee on it, the same Republican Committee that Raja had become chairman of, and to which the staffer served as his party secretary... okay, meanwhile when Raja was the authority liaison he also pushed forward with a free 1 hour parking plan- that later had to be rescinded because the authority lost over $20k from it. And despite the targeted savings from consolidation (which has since doubled and almost tripled), despite the reduction in FTEs, despite the proposed elimination of a layer of "government," Raja voted again and again to keep the inept authority structure in place. "Conservative" thinking at its best, or cronyism? We report you decide.
All the more reason to get to the bottom of the overlooked and uncollected fines.
I remember a case a number of years ago where several Pittsburgh Parking Authorities were caught stealing the money from meters it was their job to collect.
It was only thru a heads up provided by a diligent desk jockey who's job it was to log the revenue that the theft was uncovered.
Alerting his superiors allowed them to catch the thieves and fix the way the money was handled.
Commissioner Brumfield just doesn't want to know. Reminds me of Sgt. Schultz from Hogan's Heros, "I know nothing!" he just wants the money.
Just so the MTL public information official doesn't feel left out!
I nearly fell off my stool at The Saloon when I read this on the Mt. Lebanon Mobile site:
"Premium Parking Enforcement
Parking in Mt. Lebanon is at a premium, therefore violations of parking privileges are strictly enforced. The Mt. Lebanon Police Department and the District Magistrate, enforce such violations by issuing parking fines.
If you receive a ticket please pay promptly. Delay in paying will result in a higher fine amount. Follow the time table on the ticket or on the links to the left for how much is due on the fine depending on the ticket.
How to Pay a Ticket
Payments may be paid by cash, check or credit card to Mt. Lebanon Municipality in a few ways. You can put your sealed envelope in one of our fine boxes (pictured above) located near meters in both the Washington Road and Beverly Road Business Districts. You can also mail or bring your ticket payment to our office located at 710 Washington Road. Invoices on outstanding tickets are mailed weekly."
Does anyone want to hazard a guess on the amount of postage spent sending weekly invoices to the person with 156 unpaid tickets? Is MTL become a cruel joke or what? Common on people- wake the hell up or quit.
Gffn Gd
Anon 2:41 PM You certainly have some very specific information. Have you considered contacting the media or calling the hotline? Not the Raja hotline - inside joke. If you have more information, I will be glad to post it.
I filed a RTK today asking for the names of those with the outstanding parking tickets.
Elaine
Another hilarious posting from the infamous Public Relations department:
"If you notice any unkempt properties, burned-out streetlights, stop signs in disrepair, or anything amiss, make a report at MyLebo, mylebo.mtlebanon.org. "
mylebo, anything amiss - you ask! Yeah something's amiss!
Look at the ineptitude, mishandling of money and paperwork and see if you can figure it out.
Maybe you and your fellow employees can meet at McNeilly Park for a retreat, symposium or crying session.
Ah yes, beautiful, McNeilly Park-- that obscenely expensive, conveniently located, monument to the finest in Mt. Lebanon recreational facilities brought to you by none other than the hard-working municipal staff, commissioners and their good friends at the YSA.
How could anyone find anything amiss here?
"We do follow up on all tickets. Not paying them is a criminal offense. No tickets get 'fixed' in Mt. Lebanon." - John Gross, former executive director of the Mt. Lebanon Parking Authority, published in the Pittsburgh Press, 09-MAR-1978, page 6
David Huston
Wouldn't you think that after- say 60 parking fines went unpaid by one individual- some one in the parking authority would say, next time THIS VEHICLE is in violation called the police to come install a boot.
Seriously, how difficult would that be?
Or maybe once a week the meter maids are given a list of the top ten scofflaws that don't get a ticket without being booted at the same time.
Bet unpaid fines would disappear over night once the word got out.
Never happen though here because that would require some thought and some effort.
It's far easier to raise taxes and float bonds!
Gffn Gd
No reply yet on the RTK Elaine?
Why aren't the unpaid tickets reported on the police blotter, say once they aren't paid and go to the fine plus penalty phase. To me this is as bug a crime as disturbing the peace or disorderly conduct, which are reported immune blotter.
Most of us have gotten a parking ticket at an expired meter at least once and most of us probably pay them immediately. But those who ignore them, especially the person with 156 is essentially saying: "screw you, I'm to important to deal with meters or fines" and that does disturb the community's peace and compares to disorderly conduct.
Mr. Roberts
Mr. Roberts,
I officially filed that RTK with Steve Feller on Thursday at 2:40 PM. Steve acknowledged receiving it. They have five business days unless they file an extension.
Elaine
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