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.
26 comments:
Why is it that Dick's Sports Complex in Cranbery has natural grass?
Giffen Good
Because Heinz Field and PNC Park have natural grass! Bill Hook
And back to Elaine's original thought. All these wonderful media outlets and not one will follow up with in-depth reporting on topics pertinent to the welfare of our community.
Mr. Mathews has to clarify and correct statements made by our district finance director. Why? Does the Almanac not have sOmeone on staff that understands finances? N one to turn to evaluate claims made by public officials?
The same goes for the Post Gazette and Trib. Commissioner Blumfield makes wildly optimistic claims regarding the maintenance cost of artificial turf. Did either paper go to any municipality with artificial turf and verify his numbers? No way , that would be too much work. It's far easier to play back words like some mindless tape recorder.
MTL magazine fer gid bout it! Party line is all you'll get there.
So our only source for really good and fair intelligence... is Elaine's blog. I have yet to see her restrict anyone from submitting information, facts or opposing views.
Well done Elaine!
Giffen Good
Thanks, Giffen. There have been a few comments that I wouldn't publish. But I do try give both sides a chance, provided they aren't belligerent or want me to promote a blog I wouldn't support.
Elaine
Here's an idea to move the ball. Going forward with something like this would test the sincerity, integrity and credibility of the three parties - YSA/Field Sports, Municipality and School District :
The Municipality together with the School District provide a 10-year, interest free loan of $500,000 each to a YSA/Field Sports consortium to be legally established, for the turfing of an athletic field in Mt. Lebanon to be determined by mutual agreement between the parties following public input. If the consortium defaulted on repayment of the loan, the consortium member organization, their player/parent membership and any successor organizations and membership would not be allowed to use any Lebo athletic fields until the entire outstanding debt was satisfied. This arrangement would extend to to the eventual need to replace and refinance the initial turf.
This may sound a bit bizarre to many because of strongly divided opinions and assumed obstacles, to the point that we collectively tend to have our feet firmly planted in midair on the fields issue. This is intentionally "outside the box" because otherwise we are essentially at a stalemate.
There are precedents worth considering in this regard on two-party arrangements between the Municipality and sports groups that if true cooperation and commitment would somehow prevail, could conceivably extend into a three-party plan.
Without going into all the details, two examples I am very familiar with are (1)the Muni loan of $250,000 to Indoor Tennis for a complete 2-court bubble system, with the final loan payment due in August. The debt cost has been built into the players and subscribers bubble fee structure; and, (2) the Muni loan of $75,000 to the Platform Tennis Assoc. for their one-half share of the cost of two additional paddle courts. Repayment comes from a $75/yr. assessment on each Mt. Lebanon Platform Tennis Assoc. member. Failure to pay excludes a member from being able to play on Muni teams and in matches and tournaments. Non-members, the general public, do not pay towards the debt service.
Pehaps there was a similar arrangement as well for the cost of the concession stand on Cedar between Dixon & Middle Fields....maybe others as well. Yeah, I know, it would be difficult to arrange because of PDE and other legal hurdles. But that's why we have solicitors and maintain good relations with State elected officials, etc. And some might object to a notion that the annual debt payment would amount to whopping $100,000/year when it is becoming increasingly evident that the YSA has been in arrears in their School District commitment for field maintenance. But, there are reportedly thousands of youth field sports players and even some adults ! Yet, consider that the Aqua Club, of what, only 150 or so members, pays $28,000/yr. for pool time, built into their membership fees & fundraising. And Travel Hockey pays $170,000/yr. for ice time. And that general public, resident & nonresident, users of tennis, paddle tennis, golf, ice rink and outdoor pool facilities pay for those facilities in the prevailing Muni fee structurs....and, very notably conspicuous in its absence, there is no Muni fee system for users of Muni athletic fields.
Why not give this a thought, and a comment.
Bill Lewis
I'll ask the same question I've seen posted before7---why is there even a discussion of turfing a field? This is playing right into the hands of the spend now/pay later crowd. How about if everyone keeps their eye on the prize, which in this case is establshing baseline financial responsibility and looking out for the entire community? Hmm? This kind of give-an-inch mentality is weak and its exactly how the SB got their way. Stop with the nonsensical compromisen feel-good stuff already. Start with the basics. Let's change the way things are done in Lebo. And that will start by cleaning house every election for the next several cycles.
Rather than borrowing or taking money from SD and municipal coffers the sports groups actually abided by the agreement terms.
Say $20,000 of the YSA $30,000 actually gets used by the district/muni to maintain and upkeep the current fields. Plus make sure that the upkeep is actually done and done right. $85,000 from the SD seems sufficient to drag infields and cut grass on their fields. Surely, the muni has a budget item already for field upkeep.
Seems a $100,000 used wisely should be sufficient to keep what we have in playable condition. Kids have managed to play their seasons with mismanaged and slipshod maintenance to date.
Then the $10,000 annual YSA and whatever funding raising/grants they can hook will be banked for future field improvements or creation.
Giffen Good
I forgot to add, before we go off making any type of plan, we need to figure out exactly what it cost to maintain a field. How many hours does it take to cut grass, drag infields etc.
Perhaps our municipal maintenance crews aren't up to the task, insufficiently crewed or equipped.
Maybe Truegreen or some private service could be contracted to do the job.
First though we need to know what it takes to maintain a field. I don't think anyone really knows here, if you compare our facilities to Scott, Dormont or Dicks/Cranberry.
Giffen Good
Bill, I appreciate your efforts to "move the ball." if we are talking about a $1 million interest free loan, I would like to put in a request for one of those too. I am good for it. I have not made any agreements with the muni or SD, nor have I reneged on any promises.
Elaine
Elaine, put me in for one also.
So, the district - $2 million short and spending $41,000+ to figure out how to get people to give THEM money, is suddenly going to act like a bank giving away interest free loans.
Wow!?
Giffen Good
... On the municipal side.
They raised taxes, instituted an $8/month tax on rain water, borrowed $2 million to pave streets, has a pension funding problem, a pool problem, a new building roofing problem and yet believes they have $1.3 million burning a hole in their pocket to buy artificial grass.
And don't forgot has yet to make any significant payment on the McNeily property.
Double Wow!?
Giffen Good
And don't forget the $25 block party fee.
According to Tuesday's Commission meeting agenda, it looks like Dave Franklin is getting his way with the sign ordinance going through even though the Planning Board voted against it. I can see it now, pretty soon there will be signs in the Commission Chambers, just like at hockey games.
Elaine
The commissioners must have determined it's for the best or heard from the community it's the way to go.
Continued discord over signs achieves nothing.
Giffen Good
the Funding Director didn't know the cost of turfing and lighting Mellon Field even though it was listed in the CIP.
the YSA didn't pay the $30,000 each year.
it seems the best way to fund a $500,000 five-year deficit is for the Municipality and/or the District is to charge a fee per sport per child like the Tennis,Golf, and Pool charge.
Usc is charging $150 for two sports if the fee isaid by August 1. They are charging $175 for two sports if the fee is paid later or in parts.
a fee schedule for all sports would make the burden equal for all residents and would cure the NSF problem.
Elaine---keep on saving us! We need all the salvation we can get!
Two days ago I actually had a friend, who is also holds an elected position in a nearby community, tell me that no one wants the problems we have here.
Now that's scary!
Maddie Miller
This community is a joke. Thanks Franklin, Posti, Brumfield, Linfante for ramming through your silly agendas, and also all those residents who have stuck their heads in the sand. "Continued discord over signs achieves nothing". Yup, don't want any "discord". It's so unbecoming. So give up. I just did.
Elaine, thanks for all you do but even with this blog offering factual information and an open forum, unlike the local government entities, it's a lost cause.
Gee, I wish you had signed this. I cannot give up. It may be eating me up inside, but I won't give up. When I was canvassing the neighborhoods last spring, I was horrified to hear how so many residents felt like they didn't belong here. A very small group of people has taken over this community. You named the heavy hitters. I went to a banquet the other evening where the majority of those in attendance were Mt. Lebanon residents. They felt the same way. How can so many people be so unhappy? Something has to give. It may kill me, but I am not giving up.
Elaine
So where are these unhappy people?
Could it possibly be that deep down they aren't as unhappy as they pretend to be?
Is it possible that Franklin (not even an elected official), Blumfield, Posti and Linfante have so much power that they can manipulate a community of 30,000+?
I'm not sure what to think at this point.
It should be interesting to see the vote on the signs. A 5 to 0 vote in favor surely indicates something.
Thoughts??????
Giffen Good
If the revised sign ordinance passes who gets the income from the signs? The municipality, the school district or the YSA or other athletic groups?
The way I see it the fields and the fences belong to the community regardless of whether they are school district or municipality fields.
Since they were built with money from either entities' general fund any and all revenue generated by the signs should go back into each ones general fund.
The YSA or other sports group shouldn't be allowed to take a share of the income!
Godfrey Hardy
Giffen,
You ask where are these happy people pretending to be unhappy???
Elaine
Elaine,
This may be a silly question, but are you certain the 10:50pm "Giffen" is truly the author of the other anonymously-logged-in comments with that name?
As we've seen so often here, anyone can use any name in this forum. In this thread alone, there are 20 comments. Only "E. T. Gillen" is authenticated.
Dave
Dave, I know. I am learning so much about this community, even though I lived here most of my life. Nothing surprises me anymore.
Elaine
I am ready to add my 2 cents after a couple of weeks of pondering. I never heard a real conversation about one of my initial conversations and I was kind of waiting for it to come up. What if the City says “hey we have $5 million to spend the next 2-5 years on Recreation,” how is the pie sliced? Would the Commissioners really consider throwing $1.5 to one turf field alone? That would throw out the pool right away. What about the other sports/Recreation facilities including the parks? Turf is really that important, yikes, I picked the wrong place to live then.
I find it a little worrisome that one of my relatives (active member of the YSA) has no clue about the other options on the table regarding the fields. All he has heard is turf, turf, turf. When throwing out Commissioner Frasch’s plan he liked it a hell of a lot more than the option to turf/light a school field. Is it up to LeboCitizens folks to tell the community all of the options? I find these to be our options right now: 1. Turf Lighting a school field (Mellon) 2. Turf Lighting a Municipal field (Dixon) 3. (or for a relatively similar price) fix a bunch of neighborhood parks, fix all the Municipal fields and begin the process of adding a new field (grass) in an area that desperately needs cleaning up. Do we have any more options? Oh, not doing anything. I don’t believe that’s what we should do, but it is an option. Ken Ward
Giffen, Truegreen is in the business of poisoning grass, and thankfully, that is not permitted on our school district's fields.
As to your question regarding how many hours it takes to cut grass, drag infields, etc. -- Isn't it likely that the school district and municipality already have a pretty good idea and records on how much time and money they spend on maintaining the various school and municipal fields?
Ken,
Me thinks that is the way the Double Dave's want it. Don't get the whole story out there. The Double D's mantra is turf, turf, turf. And it has to be a school district field, not a municipal asset. I guess it is up to Lebo Citizens folks to tell the whole story. I certainly think the most logical option would be your option 3. Commissioner Fraasch's option gives us more bang for our buck. But the Double D's are calling that area a micro field. What's up with that?
Thanks for spreading the word, Ken. I hope more people do the same.
Elaine
Tomorrow's commission discussion meeting agenda has been published on the muni website as well as lebocitizens. Here is the link. 5/8/12 Discussion Session Agenda I guess this will be discussed along with another joint discussion meeting with the school district. Greaaaat.
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