I bit the bullet and filed another Right To Know asking for a list of YSA payments made from 1998 to the present time. As of August 15, 2012, here is the list of payments.
Note, they are NOT up to date in their payments.
The District's own data shows that the YSA has still not paid a net $61,230 of its "legally obligated" payments to the District during the period of May 1, 1999 to June 30, 2012 inclusive.
How in the world can Klein & Steinhauer state that the YSA is up to date in payments, and that they are so wonderful ? They're deadbeats ! Has the District been able to document and demonstrate with actual records that the alleged "forgiveness" of the $30,000 2008 YSA payment was the result of SB action at a public meeting ? Did the District ever attempt to verify the excuse that the YSA did not have the necessary funds to make that payment...and go after the YSA after the YSA's IRS tax return for 2008 clearly showed they had sufficient funds after all ?
So team Klein-Hauer lied in public regarding school finances. Is that legal? I realize being stupid isn't but lying about public money?? And doing so with the intention of justifying borrowing more for the sole purpose of spending it? Maybe one of the attorneys in the crowd can help me but isn't that fraud? Oh, throw Larry in there and JoPo, too. Geez, the investigators are going to have a field day. Elaine, is there a way to contact them? I think collectively, with the information you've gathered on this blog plus a few of the more intelligent fans we could help the feds set a record for jail sentences imposed upon local school board members. Let's face it, the Rodella thing is just the beginning. Wow, come to think of it, if I were on th board and had been there with JoeRo, I'd be pretty damn nervous right now. Who knows what the investigators are doing--reading email, grabbing phone calls, diving into blogs and twitter accounts. I just want to see what they find when they open the school district books. Jan must be wiped out from juggling for so long.
Hope the Feds look real deep and real close into this part of the Ethics Code - "a member of his immediate family, or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated."
Wouldn't it seem that the YSA revenue and expenditures would be fairly constant from year-to-year. It's not like one year there are 4,000 kids playing sports and the next only 1,500. That suddenly one year they have to completely replace all the sports equipment, etc.
One would think the YSA board would be able to plan what they could afford to spend every year towards field maintenance and plan/contract accordingly. One wouldn't enter into a $30,000/year contract if they historically couldn't fulfill that obligation... Would you?
5:49 PM , I am copying something that was from a July 18 post, "Someone is lying." This was from my RTK. On June 20, 2012, you requested any and all communication regarding the dismissal/forgiveness/release/waiver of funds owed by the Youth Sports Alliance for the years 1998-present by any superintendent, financial director, school board director, or YSA member. Please be advised that the District is not in possession of any records responsive to your request.
I have been told by someone who was "around" at that time, that the man who is being investigated by the feds, released YSA from their commitment, but for some strange reason there are no records confirming that or from anyone else, for that matter. The School District has the burden of proof to prove otherwise. In my book, the YSA owes for 2008.
The FBI contact information is here in case anyone was wondering. FBI contact information Feel free to direct them to this blog. Elaine
I was also told that school board director Dan Remely also knows who released YSA from their 2008 obligation, in case the FBI wants to start there. I am sick of the lies. Elaine
What infuriates me is the constant lies, the two step, the protecting, and the complete lack of responsibility whether it's managing the YSA receipts, or the district contracts and finances. PKs going to raise $30 million in donations. No, PKs going to maybe raise $15 million. No explanation for the change or what the money will go to. We, the taxpayers, don't need to know. First single prime contractors are the way to run a building project. Then we enter into a multiple-prime agreement. The buildings going to be under $94 million. Oops, we're going to go to $113 million. No apology, no we screwed up, no admission that the people told them this is how it was going to go were right, Oh yeah, Dan Remely's ticked off... now. Where the he'll were you Nister Remely when your friends told you this project was a boondoggle from the start? You sat with your thumb in your ___ while certain board members picked your 'friends' apart in public. Spare us your indignation now. Need another example of the board BS. "I've heard some rhetoric during the past couple of weeks about how the District's spending is "out of control" and am here to tell you that it's very much in control,..." Jo Posti, Center Court May 2011 Then why'd we hire PK? why are we charging students parking? Why were we going to layoff staff? Why a list of 187 potential cuts? But after all those cuts and new fees we hand 21 administrators big raises and vacations. They have the nerve to sit in front of us and lie their tails off.
Wonder what happen to all those Voice of Mt. Lebanon people? Do you think they still believe this project is going to come in under $100 million dollars?
Of course spending is under contro--under Posti's control. What a sad little person she is. I'm sure she's the biggest fish in her tiny world. Bet she'll look great in an orange junmpsuit. And you're tired of the lies? Haha, where have you been? Those crooks on the board have been lying so long and so frequently I can't even get upset. Its tragically comical. They embody everything that's wrong with local government. Moat of the time, good, smart and professional people don't claw and fight dirty to get a seat on a local board. So we get stuck with the third string. That's become evident over the last few years. And now we have tey another scandal with the YSA payment issue. I'm not surprised. But I think the commission has an obligation to the residents to stay away from some dirty organization that wants to spend tax money on baloney wishes. Maybe Franklin can grow.a pair and offer some plausible defense?
I have gone over YSA's IRS Form 990's from 2004 through 2010 (those being the forms I have at hand), and compared them to what is being reported as "paid" by the District on this thread. There are three years in that spread that are baffling: 2006, 2007, and 2008.
In its statement to the IRS where is shows an amount contributed to the District, YSA states as its purpose: "Joint maintenance agreement with Mt. Lebanon Township and Mt. Lebanon School District. Intent of Agreement is to .... have regulare meeting between parties involved to discuss conditions of facilities, and to give input and formulate ideas for maintenance and capital improvements." (Note: the .... is on the IRS form - I didn't put them in) The District's figures and YSA's figures for 2004, 2005, 2009, and 2010 match without qualification. But in 2006, YSA shows a total of $33,234 in its declared "Joint Maintenance Agreement," but in a qualifying statement attached to this year's 990 YSA states that only $30,000 of that amount went toward "Field Maint. & Improvements." The rest of the amount was for "Dues" and "Mt. Lebanon (PCA Bottle of wat."(!?) In 2007 the situation is similar, except the declarations are reversed: YSA declares $30,000 on line 43C as "Field Maintenance and Improvements, but in its qualifying statement attachment it includes the "Joint Maintenance Agreement" statement as shown above, and declares the amount to be $31,409 ($30,000 for the fields and $1,409 for advertising).
But 2008 is the mystery year. The District says YSA contributed "nada"; but YSA, in part III, line 28, clearly states: "JOINT MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH MT LEBANON TOWNSHIP AND MT LEBANON SCHOOL DISTRICT INTENT OF AGREEMENT IS TO HAVE REGULAR MEETING BETWEEN PARTIES INVOLVED TO DISCUSS CONDITIONS OF FACILITIES, AND TO GIVE INPUT AND FORMULATE IDEAS FOR MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS" - $3,597. (Note: this is YSA's wording on its Form 990, not my attempt to shout!) In its supporting schedule, YSA calls this amount "DUES."
I'm willing to concede that YSA may have mixed up its reporting lines in years 2006 and 2007, and it is certainly clear that they did indeed contribute at least the amounts the District credits them. But I also think that a person with reasonable intelligence, perusing these documents, is entitled to a pardonable curiosity when the figures don't match or make sense, and neither the YSA nor the District seems willing to provide a clear explanation.
Over the years the courts have put forward a lot of different tests. A defamatory publication has been defined as: a publication “lowering the plaintiff in the estimation of right-thinking people generally” (Sim v Stretch); “a publication, without justification or lawful excuse, which is calculated to injure the reputation of another, by exposing him to hatred, contempt, or ridicule.” (Cropp v. Tilney); a publication tending to make a person be “shunned and avoided” (Youssoupoff v. MGM Pictures). A wide range of publications may be defamatory – for example, allegations that a person is a thief or a liar, an idiot or fool, corrupt, immoral, an adulterer, carrying a disease, bankrupt or unable to pay his or her debts.
So, any comment on your website that may have a negative effect on a person's reputation (other than a trivial effect) could be problematic
Ms. Gillen: Every day, on websites and Blogs across America, one can read the most outlandish statements posted by people of all political persuasions. An anonymous post by a pseudo-lawyer, couched as a Mafia style threat, does not rise to the level of "legal advice." It does, however, rise to the level of harassment and intimidation.
Consult with your own attorney. If you need better talent than the local variety affords let me know; one of the "fringe benefits" to my profession is that you make a lot of friends with legal folks at the national level, including those skilled in the First Amendment.
You know my feeling about anonymous posters; and I know you want to allow as much "back and forth" as possible; but it's easy to take a cheap shot at people, on both sides of local issues, when a person doesn't have the courage to put his name to his convictions (or "hers").
It's too bad our "pseudo-lawyer" does not offer the same advice to some of the other Blog owners in this benighted village. But I guess defamation of character only applies to those opposed to wasting public money.
9:59--if you have a case, make it. Otherwise go away. Scare tactics don't work. And while I'm glad you're adept at using Google, if you're an attorney, identify yourself.
9:59 AM, you need to site your sources. Looks to me you stole it from: http://www.forumgarden.com/forums/general-chit-chat/47148-careful-what-you-write-forums-2-print.html Is this Josephine? Elaine
9:59 Does this include malicious defamation of character-like e-mails written by school board presidents and circulated under fictitious names by PTA representatives and others?
If you Google what was submitted, it also takes you to a World Of Warcraft forum. It has been written many times, but you still need to site your sources, 9:59 AM. I wouldn't admit that I got legal information from a WOW forum either, buddy. Elaine
9:59 If you want to go down that slippery slope please by our guest. Just remember that you will have jeopardized your own professional, personal and political security (not that you really have it to begin with at this point. We're on to you and so are moany others.) Go ahead, open up the can of worms that you created. Do it!
What happened to playing fairly and honestly? The JoPo's of Mt. Lebanon have ruined any faith anyone ever had in a fair governmental process. It's way beyond dysfunctional. It's beyond time to vote the bums out!
Perhaps it's time for the FBI, PDE and Auditor General to interview past superintendent Marge Sabol. Most likely there would be a plethora of information upon which to develop a thorough investigation of the inner financial workings and quid pro quo culture of the MTLSD.
Mr Ewing was right. Good luck collecting from these guys!
ReplyDeleteWhere is Dave Frnaklin to answer this? Hello...? Dave?.....
ReplyDeleteI think he left town.
ReplyDeleteOther obvious points...
ReplyDeleteTimmy either can't add or can't tell the truth.
Possibly both.
The District's own data shows that the YSA has still not paid a net $61,230 of its "legally obligated" payments to the District during the period of May 1, 1999 to June 30, 2012 inclusive.
ReplyDeleteHow in the world can Klein & Steinhauer state that the YSA is up to date in payments, and that they are so wonderful ? They're deadbeats ! Has the District been able to document and demonstrate with actual records that the alleged "forgiveness" of the $30,000 2008 YSA payment was the result of SB action at a public meeting ? Did the District ever attempt to verify the excuse that the YSA did not have the necessary funds to make that payment...and go after the YSA after the YSA's IRS tax return for 2008 clearly showed they had sufficient funds after all ?
Either No or Underpayments by YSA
1999 =$ 7,230
2001 = 15,000
2005 = 4,000
2008 = 30,000
2010 = 20,000
-------
$76,230
Excess Payments by YSA
2002 =$ 5,000
2012 = 10,000
-------
$15,000
Look to see what is listed for the year 2011. Nothing. You need to add another $30,000 to your number.
ReplyDeleteElaine
Why isn't there a late payment penalty in the contract? Was that another concession?
ReplyDeleteAlso look at what you wrote for 1998 and 1999. Add yet another $30,000 missing.
ReplyDeleteElaine
Dr. S and JK certainly "exceeded my expectations!"
ReplyDeleteI thought they were only "slow."
So team Klein-Hauer lied in public regarding school finances. Is that legal? I realize being stupid isn't but lying about public money?? And doing so with the intention of justifying borrowing more for the sole purpose of spending it? Maybe one of the attorneys in the crowd can help me but isn't that fraud? Oh, throw Larry in there and JoPo, too. Geez, the investigators are going to have a field day.
ReplyDeleteElaine, is there a way to contact them? I think collectively, with the information you've gathered on this blog plus a few of the more intelligent fans we could help the feds set a record for jail sentences imposed upon local school board members. Let's face it, the Rodella thing is just the beginning. Wow, come to think of it, if I were on th board and had been there with JoeRo, I'd be pretty damn nervous right now. Who knows what the investigators are doing--reading email, grabbing phone calls, diving into blogs and twitter accounts. I just want to see what they find when they open the school district books. Jan must be wiped out from juggling for so long.
Hope the Feds look real deep and real close into this part of the Ethics Code - "a member of his immediate family, or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated."
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it seem that the YSA revenue and expenditures would be fairly constant from year-to-year. It's not like one year there are 4,000 kids playing sports and the next only 1,500.
ReplyDeleteThat suddenly one year they have to completely replace all the sports equipment, etc.
One would think the YSA board would be able to plan what they could afford to spend every year towards field maintenance and plan/contract accordingly. One wouldn't enter into a $30,000/year contract if they historically couldn't fulfill that obligation... Would you?
5:49 PM , I am copying something that was from a July 18 post, "Someone is lying." This was from my RTK.
ReplyDeleteOn June 20, 2012, you requested any and all communication regarding the dismissal/forgiveness/release/waiver of funds owed by the Youth Sports Alliance for the years 1998-present by any superintendent, financial director, school board director, or YSA member. Please be advised that the District is not in possession of any records responsive to your request.
I have been told by someone who was "around" at that time, that the man who is being investigated by the feds, released YSA from their commitment, but for some strange reason there are no records confirming that or from anyone else, for that matter. The School District has the burden of proof to prove otherwise. In my book, the YSA owes for 2008.
The FBI contact information is here in case anyone was wondering. FBI contact information Feel free to direct them to this blog.
Elaine
I was also told that school board director Dan Remely also knows who released YSA from their 2008 obligation, in case the FBI wants to start there.
ReplyDeleteI am sick of the lies.
Elaine
Jan Klein also knows.
ReplyDeleteElaine
FBI investigates corruption in schools. We saw this in the article concerning PA Cyber connections.
ReplyDeleteElaine
Did she get a 6% raise to keep her mouth shut?
ReplyDeleteIt was a 6.9% raise, but who's counting?
ReplyDeleteElaine
What infuriates me is the constant lies, the two step, the protecting, and the complete lack of responsibility whether it's managing the YSA receipts, or the district contracts and finances.
ReplyDeletePKs going to raise $30 million in donations.
No, PKs going to maybe raise $15 million.
No explanation for the change or what the money will go to. We, the taxpayers, don't need to know.
First single prime contractors are the way to run a building project. Then we enter into a multiple-prime agreement.
The buildings going to be under $94 million. Oops, we're going to go to $113 million.
No apology, no we screwed up, no admission that the people told them this is how it was going to go were right,
Oh yeah, Dan Remely's ticked off... now. Where the he'll were you Nister Remely when your friends told you this project was a boondoggle from the start?
You sat with your thumb in your ___ while certain board members picked your 'friends' apart in public. Spare us your indignation now.
Need another example of the board BS.
"I've heard some rhetoric during the past couple of weeks about how the District's spending is "out of control" and am here to tell you that it's very much in control,..." Jo Posti, Center Court May 2011
Then why'd we hire PK? why are we charging students parking? Why were we going to layoff staff?
Why a list of 187 potential cuts?
But after all those cuts and new fees we hand 21 administrators big raises and vacations.
They have the nerve to sit in front of us and lie their tails off.
Wonder what happen to all those Voice of Mt. Lebanon people?
ReplyDeleteDo you think they still believe this project is going to come in under $100 million dollars?
Of course spending is under contro--under Posti's control. What a sad little person she is. I'm sure she's the biggest fish in her tiny world. Bet she'll look great in an orange junmpsuit.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're tired of the lies? Haha, where have you been? Those crooks on the board have been lying so long and so frequently I can't even get upset. Its tragically comical. They embody everything that's wrong with local government. Moat of the time, good, smart and professional people don't claw and fight dirty to get a seat on a local board. So we get stuck with the third string. That's become evident over the last few years. And now we have tey another scandal with the YSA payment issue. I'm not surprised. But I think the commission has an obligation to the residents to stay away from some dirty organization that wants to spend tax money on baloney wishes. Maybe Franklin can grow.a pair and offer some plausible defense?
Franklin or the man who came to my door and lied to my face.
ReplyDeleteElaine
I have gone over YSA's IRS Form 990's from 2004 through 2010 (those being the forms I have at hand), and compared them to what is being reported as "paid" by the District on this thread. There are three years in that spread that are baffling: 2006, 2007, and 2008.
ReplyDeleteIn its statement to the IRS where is shows an amount contributed to the District, YSA states as its purpose: "Joint maintenance agreement with Mt. Lebanon Township and Mt. Lebanon School District. Intent of Agreement is to .... have regulare meeting between parties involved to discuss
conditions of facilities, and to give input and formulate ideas for maintenance and capital improvements." (Note: the .... is on the IRS form - I didn't put them in) The District's figures and YSA's figures for 2004, 2005, 2009, and 2010 match without qualification. But in 2006, YSA shows a total of $33,234 in its declared "Joint Maintenance Agreement," but in a qualifying statement attached to this year's 990 YSA states that only $30,000 of that amount went toward "Field Maint. & Improvements." The rest of the amount was for "Dues" and "Mt. Lebanon (PCA Bottle of wat."(!?) In 2007 the situation is similar, except the declarations are reversed: YSA declares $30,000 on line 43C as "Field Maintenance and Improvements, but in its qualifying statement attachment it includes the "Joint Maintenance Agreement" statement as shown above, and declares the amount to be $31,409 ($30,000 for the fields and $1,409 for advertising).
But 2008 is the mystery year. The District says YSA contributed "nada"; but YSA, in part III, line 28, clearly states: "JOINT MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH MT LEBANON TOWNSHIP AND MT LEBANON SCHOOL DISTRICT INTENT OF AGREEMENT IS TO HAVE REGULAR MEETING BETWEEN PARTIES INVOLVED TO DISCUSS CONDITIONS OF FACILITIES, AND TO GIVE INPUT AND FORMULATE IDEAS FOR MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS" - $3,597.
(Note: this is YSA's wording on its Form 990, not my attempt to shout!) In its supporting schedule, YSA calls this amount "DUES."
I'm willing to concede that YSA may have mixed up its reporting lines in years 2006 and 2007, and it is certainly clear that they did indeed contribute at least the amounts the District credits them. But I also think that a person with reasonable intelligence, perusing these documents, is entitled to a pardonable curiosity when the figures don't match or make sense, and neither the YSA nor the District seems willing to provide a clear explanation.
Over the years the courts have put forward a lot of different tests. A defamatory publication has been defined as: a publication “lowering the plaintiff in the estimation of right-thinking people generally” (Sim v Stretch); “a publication, without justification or lawful excuse, which is calculated to injure the reputation of another, by exposing him to hatred, contempt, or ridicule.” (Cropp v. Tilney); a publication tending to make a person be “shunned and avoided” (Youssoupoff v. MGM Pictures). A wide range of publications may be defamatory – for example, allegations that a person is a thief or a liar, an idiot or fool, corrupt, immoral, an adulterer, carrying a disease, bankrupt or unable to pay his or her debts.
ReplyDeleteSo, any comment on your website that may have a negative effect on a person's reputation (other than a trivial effect) could be problematic
what a bunch of cowards.
ReplyDeleteMs. Gillen:
ReplyDeleteEvery day, on websites and Blogs across America, one can read the most outlandish statements posted by people of all political persuasions. An anonymous post by a pseudo-lawyer, couched as a Mafia style threat, does not rise to the level of "legal advice." It does, however, rise to the level of harassment and intimidation.
Consult with your own attorney. If you need better talent than the local variety affords let me know; one of the "fringe benefits" to my profession is that you make a lot of friends with legal folks at the national level, including those skilled in the First Amendment.
You know my feeling about anonymous posters; and I know you want to allow as much "back and forth" as possible; but it's easy to take a cheap shot at people, on both sides of local issues, when a person doesn't have the courage to put his name to his convictions (or "hers").
It's too bad our "pseudo-lawyer" does not offer the same advice to some of the other Blog owners in this benighted village. But I guess defamation of character only applies to those opposed to wasting public money.
9:59--if you have a case, make it. Otherwise go away. Scare tactics don't work. And while I'm glad you're adept at using Google, if you're an attorney, identify yourself.
ReplyDelete9:59 AM, you need to site your sources. Looks to me you stole it from:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.forumgarden.com/forums/general-chit-chat/47148-careful-what-you-write-forums-2-print.html
Is this Josephine?
Elaine
9:59 Does this include malicious defamation of character-like e-mails written by school board presidents and circulated under fictitious names by PTA representatives and others?
ReplyDeletePlease, let us all know.
If you Google what was submitted, it also takes you to a World Of Warcraft forum. It has been written many times, but you still need to site your sources, 9:59 AM. I wouldn't admit that I got legal information from a WOW forum either, buddy.
ReplyDeleteElaine
Would love to see all thesubmissions, discoveries and motions that would play out in court!
ReplyDelete9:59 If you want to go down that slippery slope please by our guest. Just remember that you will have jeopardized your own professional, personal and political security (not that you really have it to begin with at this point. We're on to you and so are moany others.) Go ahead, open up the can of worms that you created. Do it!
ReplyDeleteWonder what happened to disagreeing without being disagreeable?
ReplyDeleteI know families can be disfunctional, but whole communities?
@7:56 It is a crock started by two of the biggest B's in town - SuMo & JoPo !
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to playing fairly and honestly? The JoPo's of Mt. Lebanon have ruined any faith anyone ever had in a fair governmental process. It's way beyond dysfunctional. It's beyond time to vote the bums out!
ReplyDeletePerhaps it's time for the FBI, PDE and Auditor General to interview past superintendent Marge Sabol. Most likely there would be a plethora of information upon which to develop a thorough investigation of the inner financial workings and quid pro quo culture of the MTLSD.
ReplyDelete