It is finally time for me to enter the rarified air of the blogosphere. I would like to start with answering a few questions related to the $800,000+ ticket issue and who may or may not be responsible.
- Didn’t anyone else know about the problem of unpaid tickets? – Most Authority employees knew there was little effort in collecting unpaid fines, but they had little recourse. Since their supervisor and Board members were the problem, and there was fear of reprisal, you get the picture.
- Payments made by cash in the ticket envelope and dropped in the fine box may not have been marked as paid. – I am unaware of any tickets not processed properly. The clerical staff responsible for entering and processing these payments, were capable and honest individuals.
- Mr. Brumfield was a former Parking Authority Board member. – Commissioner Brumfield together with the other four Commissioners took over in the final days of the Authority when the Parking Authority Board was dissolved. During this short period of time, the Commissioners did not have much time to look into the former Authority’s problems. Commissioners Brumfield, Kluck, and former Commissioner Miller should be applauded for their efforts in the consolidation.
- Were the problem individuals retained by the Municipality? – The Board, Solicitor, and Executive Director were not retained.
- Try Multi-tasking and looking down the road. Instead of always looking back to blame people, how about looking forward and figuring out how to PREVENT it from happening again. – Excellent suggestion and I believe this is already under way with the Municipality creating an ad-hoc board to provide advice on the future of parking needs in Mt. Lebanon. As far as looking back, how else can we learn from our mistakes if we don’t investigate?
If anyone thinks that unpaid parking tickets are the only issue, they are sadly mistaken. Here are just a few of the other negligent acts of the former Authority.
- Lease at 794 Washington Road – Over $25,000 lost in rental revenue, together with payments for utilities. When the Municipality vacated the old Tax Office at 794 Washington Road at the end of November, 2004, The Authority had many months of advance notice. Unfortunately, the Authority failed to successfully negotiate a new lease with the remaining occupant (SHACOG) for nearly two additional years.
- Lease at North Garage office space (Pepperberry’s) – Lost over $20,000 in lease revenue due to procrastination over negotiations. LaPomponnee’s finally came to the rescue and offered to lease the additional space.
- 424 Washington Road rent – The Authority failed to pursue over $11,000 in rent and utility charges by a real estate developer. This debt is still outstanding today.
- Academy Avenue Lot – Significant cost overruns from the original estimates (I believe in the area of $800,000) in excess of budget for acquisition of properties and construction of the Academy Ave. lot.
- Meter rate increase – Rates were increased in 2001, then rescinded in 2003, and reinstated in 2006. Unfortunately, the new rates were not charged until starting in 2010, and continuing through 2011. For each year the new rates were not charged, an estimated $100,000 was lost annually. This would equate to approximately $700,000 total meter revenue lost.
The way I see it, the unpaid parking tickets are just the tip of the iceberg. As I said above, these are just a few examples of the past negligent acts. We need to investigate now, and get the answers so this never happens again.
I made an attempt in 2006 to inform the entire Parking Authority Board of the various negligent acts by letter, but I received no response. I had also requested over the past two years at Commission meetings, that the Commissioners get a copy of the booting/scofflaw list. This list with the $800,000+ in unpaid fines was unfortunately not made available to Municipal officials until after the consolidation of the Parking Authority.
Dave Egler
25 comments:
Thank you Mr. Egler for stepping up. I don't know if you have the facts or not.
But I do hope your 5th bullet point of the first five is followed to the letter.
It seems we've had enough sloppy work, waste of taxpayer money by both the municipality and school district to drain our pocketbooks for quite a while.
Nor do we need another ill-defined JMA, or amismanaged Field Sign "Authority."
"Fear of reprisal"? At the parking authority? Are you kidding? What is it with people in this town worrying about backlash from various boards? What are they gonna do, send you to a secret prison located in Castle Shannon? This is exactly why certain people think they can do whatever or say whatever they like. Remember-they only have as much power as people give them either directly through agreement or indirectly through apathy.
While I appreciate Mr. Egler offering a little insight, it doesn't answer "who is responsible"? And if the unpaid tickets really are the "tip if the iceberg" and Mr. Egler knows more, he has an obligation, both morally and I'd bet legally, to detail those issues for the commissioners to investigate.
Sam, I beg to differ. I don't know Mr. Whose but if he is honest and correct in his statements then he's done his duty to this point.
He says he tried to alert the board in a letter to the shenanigans and got no response. He makes accusations as to where the bodies are located.
It's up to our elected representatives to get down and get dirty. Meet with Mr. Egler and get his side of the story as well the other side. Do audits. Not using the same friggin' auditor.
Now sure we taxpayers and residents can sing and dance all we want, but we have no power to do anything but make noise and vote.
Now Mr. Egler seems to think Mr. Brumfield and the commissioners are riding herd on this.
Mr. Brumfield though said in the press they were only interested in collecting the fines. That we MAY go back at some point and figure out what went wrong.
That doesn't sound to me as though we're going to get the facts or learn how to prevent similar nonsense in the future.
Oh yeah, the commission president, BOSN member, the guy that writes confidently that turfing and lighting Mellon will cost only $3,500/yr in maintenance and his cohort that was a leader in the "what the Kluck" protest exude proper oversight and diligence.
Yeah, the same people that pass a sign ordinance then say we'll worry about it's enactment and management later.
I feel secure now fer sure!
Sam,
I encourage you to step back from your keyboard and start attending Commission meetings, make your points and challenges in person in an open public meeting that is recorded and televised, and provide your true identy.
I'm really, truly getting tired of all you *anonymous* commenters demanding, challenging everyone else to do the work, particularly those of us who identify our real selves and seem to fear not !
Bill Lewis
Thank you, Bill. I had to cool off a bit before I responded. You said what I was thinking and worded it more appropriately.
I started going to commission meetings about 2.5 years ago. There was a guy who would get up every meeting, state his name and address, and talk about what a poor job the PA was doing. It was like clockwork. It got to the point, I knew his name, address, and what he was going to talk about. He would go into great detail and would end up being so frustrated because no one would listen. It, at one point, was so bad that the commissioners had to vote on letting him come back up to the microphone when he wanted to add another comment. I believe Raja was president at that meeting. I think there were three votes to allow him to speak. Raja wouldn't even vote since there already three votes. Oh, the commenter's name? Dave Egler.
Elaine
So you're all satisfied with "it wasn't me, it was them" as an explanation yet you all spent countless days wailing about the lost revenue? Got it.
Yes Dave, you and another member of the public named Dave, and another Bill besides myself had all presented evidence and made repeated pleas in public for years for proper elected and appointed officials to investigate the Parking Authority...it was only Dan Miller and Matt Kluck who took note of what we were saying and confirming, and eventually joined by Dave Brumfield, that the dissolution ball started rolling...all the while steadfastly opposed by Raja and Joe D.. It was only after Raja resigned to seek higher office and save the world that the opposition crumbled.
You by no means were alone in trying to expose the inner workings of the Parking Authority. It truly amazes me that it took so long - years - for public officials, elected and appointed, to finally take note and do something about it. Little Lebo is really no different than national, state or county laggardness and resistance in cleaning up its act.
Bill Lewis
Yes, Bill, looking at the PA minutes, the first order of business after Bonnie VanKirk took office was to appoint the commission as the new board officers. Raja was long gone. You're right. Two Dave's and two Bill's. Thank goodness for you guys.
Elaine
There are mixed messages here.
In the paper we read: "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."
But as Mr. Egler and others point out, how do you prevent them "happening" if you don't uncover the who, what and why's?
Mr. Lewis is 100% correct in his advice to "Sam Adams." But while attending Commission (and District) meetings is definitely the best option, for those of us who have business commitments on the nights those meetings are usually held there is one option that comes in a close second to being there: Listen to the Podcasts on Lebo Citizens (www.lebocitizens.com), and then E-mail the commissioners and let your feelings be known. I usually get feedback from various commissioners this way; and phone calls, too, from time to time.
Although grousing about the Municipality or the District on this Blog is therapeutic - and as an advocate of free speech I certainly encourage it - one should follow up by direct engagement with the powers that be.
M. Jennings,
I just approved your comment, even thought it was waiting to be approved from earlier this morning. I don't see us accepting any explanations about the missing $800,000. We need to get answers from the executive director, solicitor, and the auditor,don't you think? How about some more answers from the former board?
Elaine
Jennings is right.
Commissioner Brumfield in the press said the focus is on the fines... I assume that to mean... he's focused on collecting on the fines. He alludes to he (and I suppose the ad hoc parking committee) once again - MAY (not will, not are, not starting- just MAY) - go back and find out why this happened!
Doesn't read like there is any pressing need or intention to interview the executive director, solicitor or auditor. It appears it's all about getting their hands on money. Then they merge that with the spare $1.3 million, the future sign revenue and the Linfante proposed "small" bond and get on with turfing and lighting Mellon.
North garage theft, not from cars!
I wonder what Chief Ogden found?
Were the cameras ever installed?
Did the $6000 of overtime exceed the amount of the cash lost?
If so, did the municipality approve spending the overtime money for the investigation?
From the January 2008 PA minutes:
5) Discussion of North Garage theft
Mr. Baldwin updated the Board on his conversation with Mt. Lebanon Police Chief Thomas Ogden regarding the theft that occurred at the North Garage in September. Mr. Ogden indicated that the investigative services unit had been downsized and that it would take $6,000.00 in overtime to do a complete investigation. Mr. Ogden suggested that the Authority purchase surveillance cameras to monitor the cashier booth areas of the garages.
-John Adams
But wait... we have $1,300,000 in undesignated funds available to buy artificial turf.
I guess $6,000 of that came from the downsized investigative unit!
Make no mistake that isn't a dig directed at the chief or his force.
Having little experience with them they do a pretty darn good job with all they must have to deal with.
While I think it's good that Dave and Dave and Bill and Bill and other are bring these things to light. Have you ever considered that the reason they dont listen is because of the way you express yourselves? In the last 3 PA posts you have attacked the municipality, the fomer PA board, the Auditor, the solicitor, the employees. After reading the way they are treated I would ignore you too. Maybe if you were nicer they would listen. Maybe not.
Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I had to be nice.
Elaine
Elaine, may be you need to say "mother may I", "pretty please with a cherry on top".
What planet is that person living on?
You know when an employee sends a letter to the board and gets no response and it takes 2.5 years to even get info out to the public one tends to get "a little testy!"
I'm the nice, nice person (anonymous of course) is one of those people that hates anonymous bloggers too!
Anonymous @ 12:16 PM,
Try being nice in bringing gross, even blatant misbehavior and actions to the attention of those who are responsible as well as those responsible for the oversight of those culpable, for literally years, year after year, and being totally ignored.
And you expect *nice* now ? Tell you what - get off your anonymous duff and play your *nice* to those whom you feel have been so mistreated, seek absolute truth and resolution from them and report back with your success, OK ?
Bill Lewis
No one is saying you have to be nice. But dont you think people are more willing to listen if you talk to them instead of atacking them? Disagree without being disagreeable?
Oh there it is that kumbaya moment. The let's sit around the campfire, roast s'mores and sign songs.
Mr. or Ms. Nice, Nice. How about trying this one on for size!
How about our officials actually perform their fiduciary duties as they are obligated too. How about about actual transparency. How, things like let's make sure we have a quorum so anything we discuss is open to public review.
How about a director sends a letter about malfeasance you immediately investigate if it's true.
Then I'm sure the disagreements will disappear.
Wait. Is this Mary Birks or Josephine Posti?
This conversation borders on ludicrous. Let's focus on the issue, folks. It isn't about how nice or disagreeable WE are. This is about the Parking Authority. So let's get back to that, OK?
Elaine
You're right Elaine, this is about over $1.5 million (according to Egler 's list) missing, squandered, mismanaged or however one wants to call phrase it.
Add $1.5 million for the McNeilly property. Another $1 million(?) for Twin Hills. There's the new pool everyone wants. What do we have to show for it... Nada.
No pool, no improved fields, no paved streets. But we do have a street paving bond, a tax hike and a storm water fee. Disagreeable, nah why should we be disagreeable.
Don't forget the garbage dumpsters on Central Way we won't get rid of. No police or municipal enforcement, just a stinky public roadway next to an apartment building that can't be rented on the side with the stench and legal fees paid by the municipality to defend garbage dumpsters on a public street behind Bistro 19 and the pizza shop next door.
But if I sign my name or go to a public meeting to complain about municipal mismanagement I might get $400 in fines from my local magistrate that I don't deserve.
Anon.
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