Change Orders for High School Project – This month’s list reflects five change orders for the regular construction work.
a. Change order #GC-03-03 is to Nello Construction for repair of Morgan Drive as required by the Municipality totals $63,148.
b. Change order #GC-04-04 is to Nello Construction for $30,093 for repair of utility line conflicts where the existing utility lines were mis-located on the site drawings.
c. Change order #EL-01-05 is to Farfield Electric Co. for $58,741for changes to the new electrical feed from Lebanon Ave. due to Duquesne Light’s redesign after the bids were approved.
d. Change order #EL-02-06 is to Farfield Electric Co. for a net credit of $6,279 for value engineering related to changes in electrical lines.
e. Change order #PL-01-07 is a net change to Vrable Plumbing for $17,195 for relocation of existing water lines and a change of some copper piping to PVC plastic.
f. Change order GC-05-08 is to Nello Construction for $11,431 for changes to retaining wall and pyrite remediation.
g. Change order #IN-01-01 is to Farfield Electric Co. for $272,497 for costs to date related to repairs necessitated by a damaged high voltage line off Cochran Rd. This is the first change order to repair the damaged electrical line and remediate the interior cleanup. We anticipate that there will be other change orders associated with this repaired electrical line.
What is pyrite remediation? Pyrite is a mineral also known as "Fool's Gold." When buried and undisturbed, it is benign. But when it is unearthed and exposed to air or water, it expands and reacts with the oxygen and water to form sulphuric acid. This expansion causes cracks in walls and foundations. Penn Hills has dealt with this issue during the construction of their new high school. Pyrite remediation to add to cost of new Penn Hill High School Is this the basis of the rumors circulating in Mt. Lebanon? Retaining walls? Why didn't you write about this, Josephine? "Denial" is a more than just a river in Egypt.
Looks like the taxpayers are getting hit with the repair to the damaged electrical line. Surprise, surprise.
80 comments:
That Penn Hills pyrite article is disturbing.
Remember one of the items the board employed to get the bids down after the first go- round was to accept fulresponsibility for any issues that were uncovered when Building C is demolished.
Looks like a big pyrite bill will be arriving,I'll bet ya!
Had they gone with rothchild's concept, the zoning parking debacle and legal battle could have been avoided as well as the purchase of $80,000 worth of geofoam and probably several hundreds of thousands of dollars needed to deal with uncovered pyrite.
But hey, Posti thinks she looks like a real construction guy in a hard hat and that's what counts.
And how many years...and change orders...are there to go?
Since much of the community did not support this project, it seems only fair that payment of the change order bills be made by those who supported it.
What a debacle!
It's really ironic...twice today I listened to Channel 11 report about some food award ML got as if it was world-changing, when the real story is that our massive building project is falling apart.
She went ahead based on the thousands of residents who supported the project. You know, the same thousands who showed up at the ridiculous ground-breaking where posti was dressed like Prince. Maybe she can explain at one of her contrived coffee chats just where the PK study is or how she and the other eight dwarves intend to keep paying for mistakes on their project.
Lots of $$$ in change orders already resulting from poor decisions up front and the project is only starting - what will be the financial damage in year 4?? It's frightening.
6:13 PM, I understand that Pursuing Ketchup will be making their presentation on September 17, so this should free up time for other questions at the cuppa Jo's.
Elaine
This is what happens when you ram a project through quickly. Don't ask the taxpayers to pony up the extra money.
8:21 the taxpayer will be ponying up for this project no matter what, even if the change orders force a referendum. There isno way the project will be halted or the athletic wing left unfinished
Also keep in mind any more PK raises, they take their cut off the top, usually anywhere from 8 to 15% depending on the terms the board agrees too. So if PK cones in and tells us there's $15 million out there - $16.5 to $17.5 million would have to come in to net the district that $15 million. Plus that doesn't include the staffers they talked about needing to hire to manage the funds.
For anyone who has been involved in construction or major projects, items b) and c) are not unexpected, nor do they foreshadow the sky falling. As for changes due to the damaged power lines, someone has to fix these and be paid for his/her efforts. These claims will be submitted under the various insurance policies. Net impact - 0. C'mon folks, if you aren't knowledgeable about something, don't feel compelled to chime in. It isn't bad planning or bad management of a project that creates some of these. Anyone who has done a home remodeling in an old Mt. Lebanon house should understand this.
9:52...you're off the mark so save the patronizing, chum. You know damn well this project was not prepared properly, didn't attract the best contractor and isn't being managed professionally or transparently. Anyone who has remolded a home in Mt. Lebanon can tell you if three folks who provide quotes tell you one thing and some guy in an old Datsun and stinking of menthol cigarettes tells you "nah, I can do dat fer a lot cheaper", and you go with the Datsun driver, you're going to have problems. So follow your own advice and if you don't what about something, don't chime in.
9:52 nice try... again! You're still going to cling that same sing song that every construction project come in over budget. That's not true and you know it.
A well managed and designed project, even a government construction can come in underbudget.
Items b and c aren't unexpected. Yeah, you're right - it's a tradition to start every school renovation with a fire. Sort of like breaking a bottle of champagne over the bow of a ship at launch... right!
Did anyone happen to pay close attention to Obama's convention speech?
He said: "Millions of students are paying less for college today because we finally took on a system that wasted billions of taxpayer dollars on banks and lenders" (I don't know how he figures that since I haven't heard of colleges lowering tuition, but that's another matter)
Conversely, what does our school board do... demand that students and their parents pay more for their "free" public education. More fees for advanced courses, sports and oh yes... Parking. Way to get with the program President Posti.
Cater to the administrators and teachers union.
9:52 DId you look at the Act 34 documents? Go ahead and check this out http://www.mtlsd.org/highschoolrenovation/stuff/act34.pdf
Scroll to blurry page 18 and you tell me if the community could have even begun to understand the project design elements. Did you know that the bid documents were so rushed and incomplete that the contractors were racing against the clock to slap their bids together? Here's one for you, what do "rejected" elements in the project cost savings worksheet mean to you?
http://www.mtlsd.org/highschoolrenovation/stuff/potential_cost_savings_worksheet_8.8.11.pdf
Still so confident?
This project was poorly planned and if you took the time to review the project, you would be very concerned too.
Getting back to change orders, was there any testing for pyrite done before the construction? Pyrite can cause serious damage to walls and foundations when it expands. Where is that cranky person from 10:33 this morning, accusing me and others about spreading rumors? There are real "issues" besides water pooling on the slab. Josephine, you need to get your facts straight before you blog about something.
Elaine
Good find, 10:36 PM! Nice to see the Board cherry pick.
Elaine
Yep, we taxpayers don't know what we're talking about.
We so ignorant we paid for two soil test. The first said don't build on the Horsman site. But, the experts on the board (they must be because they love to wear hard hats) ran another to get the results they wanted.
So us dumb taxpayers end up buying dirt to replace the bad we knew existed in the first place.
Then when the new dirt doesn't quite fix things, we pony up another $80,000 to fix the fix.
Oh yeah, you're so right 9:52 we don't know what we're talking about. That's why we listen to people that do.
Hey, 9:52, does your theory apply, too, to the unnecessary fireproofing removal that was done, too?
Elaine, did you see item #23. The board in its infinite wisdom removed pyrite remediation to keep the bid under the referendum limit.
Also pay close attention to item #9. I suspect the discussions on policy that holds purchases to under $10,000 without board discussions and approvals is in an effort to buy the casework for the library and science labs out of the taxpayers' eye.
Watch the limits are going to be raised substantially.
OMG, no I didn't see that. How do they sleep at night? Really.
Elaine
Retaining wall design issue, pyrite remediation required and lots of Geofoam to replace dirt fill to reduce lateral pressures on foundation walls. Nahhh, there's no problem anywhere at all.
Watch for the traditional topping out ceremony when the last piece of structural steel is put in place on a building project.
The school district in it's usual flair for the dramatic will, instead of placing a small tree and flag on the top beam will instead crash the high school flag pole through the auditorium main entrance.
Three community fire departments will respond to the event and PIO Cissy Bowman will tell the press, a good time was had by all and fortunately no one was hurt.
Careful on whether or not taxpayers are getting hit with the electrical line mishap.
I suspect there will be an insurance policy on the other side of this that will reimburse most, if not all, of the cost. Crossing my fingers.
The pyrite bit is an interesting one, though.
I just read through the comments and note that someone else made the same claim. The question isn't how much the taxpayers are on the hook for, the question is how much will be covered by the contractors insurance.
If it is not covered, then I will be angry about it.
10:36 here's my take on the worksheet:
12a on page 1 "Evaluate phasing to eliminate requirements for temporary sanitary line modifications". Rejected, hence the sanitary line that interferes
with the western column line was drilled through and damaged on March 28.
16 on page 2 "Review the foundation design for the building additions and new construction" is pending. Which way did it go?
28 on page 3 "Review swimming pool foundations - caissons, concrete walls, etc." Rejected. Does review mean double-check the design, or find ways to lessen the structural load?
30 "Change athletic wing framing to all steel frame, not masonry bearing for faster erection.
Masonry infill." Rejected
34 page 3 "Use masonry columns instead of tube steel at natatorium" Rejected
35 page 3 "Review masonry screen wall at cooling tower provided for acoustic purposes." rejected
How do these rejected item affect overall weight of the structure?
153 on page 12, "Revise relocation of temporary 5KV line".
It was rejected. Didn't PJ Dick claim the line was hit because they didn't know where it was?
6:39 please tell me you aren't that stupid!
Insurance paying for pyrite remediation, you're kidding. That isn't an insurance issue. You either budget for it at the beginning or pay for change orders later. The first go round on bidding included dealing with pyrite issues should the "arise"" pun intended. If they don't then I guess it would be possible to see the project come in under budget with an honest contractor.
The board in its infinite wisdom chose to absolve the contractors of any responsibilty if pyrite was uncovered. It was and now we're paying the price through a change order.
Look at the item for who's responsible for any issues uncovered under building C. The board chose to take that one also in their pursuit of this fiasco, to keep it out of the taxpayers vote in a referendum.
Had we gone with the CAC plan, the dirt, geofoam and most likely pyrite expenses would never had occurred. We also would have avoided the $5 million+ expense of tearing down a perfectly usable building C. But you keep bumbling around in the dark supporting your pals and believing your neighbors don't know anything.
Just wait till excitable Larry's policy board raises the limits for under the desk purchases. Remember this guy's area of expertise is how to skirts rules and regulations. Think there reviewing policy to drop Steinhauer's spending limit without public disclosure and board vote. Ha, ha, ha you crack me up.
6:39 it's not about whether we or an insurance company will pay for something.
You are now seeing in plain sight how these fine "volunteers" pulled the wool over their sleeping constituents.
The first round of bids cane in way over the spending limit that would have triggered a referendum.
Something they absolutely had to avoid, because Ed Kubit never ever had a majority of taxpayers ready to approve their plan. He never showed us proof did he.
So how did the skirt the rules, delete items until they could get in under the number. Knowing they could always pull off the project through change orders and off budget purchases.
Remember what Tom Peters said: "There is no minor lapse in integrity."
There were people that brought up the pyrite issues and others that we now find ourselves facing years ago.
You chose to keep your eyes closed 6:39, just as you're now believing that insurance will cover the mistakes. Apparently, you don't understand insurance any better than you understand construction.
Please, if you're considered running for a seat on the board -- do us all a favor -- don't. We don't need any more idiots on the board.
I guess whoever prepared the geotechnical report assumes no liability. Has that report been released or is that another RTK? Also, is there an updated cost reduction worksheet, or is that another RTK? I don't want to be accused of filing any frivolous RTK's.
Elaine
"If it is not covered, then I will be angry about it."
September 8, 2012 6:39 AM
What happens when you get angry? Are you going to make them take the building down and start over? I know you're going to send these wonderful, unpaid volunteers the bill. What a dolt!
Anyone figure out the alpha-numeric system for the change order designations ?
The prefix alpha's are obvious up to the #IN, which being electrical would seemingly be designated #EL like the previous Fairfield Electric items c. and d.. And, it is the first (01) in that category and does not follow the suffix numbering convention - it's 01 rather than 09.
Is this the 1st. change order to be covered by the master insurance policy ?
Geez, you are getting all bent out of shape.
The electrical line was not something that someone would have known without accurate drawings. Apparently someone was making architectural drawings with crayons or something.
Hitting that line accidentally will be covered mostly by someone's insurance.
The pyrite problem, no that is not covered by insurance. The board had a geotechincal report that said there would be no need for that remediation so they took it off the "to-do" list. Yes, that report conflicted with an earlier report (which is why that remediation was on the list in the first place).
What would your suggestion be? A third report? Or are you suggesting that someone on the board or in construction bought off the pyrite inspector?
I am curious to know what the dollar amount associated with that change was.
Hey 10:05
Do you have car insurance or homeowners insurance?
Well when a tree falls on your house and you expect your insurance to cover it, will I be calling you a dolt?
No, because you expect it.
Just like I expect that an accidental severing of an electrical line will be covered under any number of insurance policies related to this project.
If some idiot neglected to get the coverage, then yes, someone on the Board and on the construction management team (PJ Dick) needs to be held to account. As in the Board should reduce their fee to PJ Dick by whatever amount is not covered.
There's what I do when I get angry, offer a solution to the idiots that made the wrong decision.
Just guessing, but I would imagine IN represents something along the lines of INstallation or some such abbreviation, rather than EL.
Thereby making the deduction that the $ figure represents the cost of the new transformer and it's installation rather than "electrical work".
Just a guess.
1:11 really, you're going to compare a tree limb falling on your house to a soil problem in a construction project.
You wrote: "The pyrite bit is an interesting one, though.
I just read through the comments and note that someone else made the same claim. The question isn't how much the taxpayers are on the hook for, the question is how much will be covered by the contractors insurance."
First of all, homeowners insurance wouldn't cover a pyrite problem in a home remodeling and I'm betting the contractor's insurance wouldn't either, unless a policy was taken out specifically for the that possibility.
Second, the board absolved the contractors liability in the deduct alternatives.
Now there could be a potential lawsuit if Celli or PJDick mislead the board and told them pyrite was absolutely not going to be an issue. Then there might be a claim against the contractors performance liability insurance.
But that in no way relates to accident insurance that covers things like tree limbs.
First the district would have to prove fraud was committed by the contractor.
The same thing can happen when they tear down building C. The board accepted responsibility to pay for any problems that might be uncovered under it.
Wake the hell up!
If you knew anything, you would know it was Celli or PJ that did the soil test.
But, you keep blowing up about stuff that you don't know anything about so I guess I shouldn't expect that fact to get in the way of being a blowhard.
Fact is, construction projects carry insurance for mistakes. Do you disagree with that?
You are misreading what I wrote, and I will take responsibility for changing topics in mid-comment. I did not mean to insinuate that the pyrite would be covered by the insurance. It clearly wont be. But the electrical problem will be.
Yes, I am comparing your homeowner insurance to the high school project insurance. Why? Because you both would expect to be reimbursed for accidents that damage or destroy property. You carry homeowner insurance as a condition of being a homeowner. Contractors carry insurance as a condition of being employed.
See, its all about insuring against a loss. You have it because I suspect you are a bright and brilliant homeowner.
1:11 did you read accepted #23 in the delete items lists.
"Delete pyrite remediation due to Geotechnical reports."
Why would the contractor or their insurance provider be responsible for something the board didn't contract with them to do?
The board deleted pyrite remediation. They did that to get the bid in under the cap. If it was in their the contractor knowing the possible impact on the project and it's cost would've have charged way more.
Your looking for freebies and to absolved the board of making idiotic decisions.
10:24, If education is "free" in Mount Lebanon why do we have $718,000 in change orders and a 6.9% raise for Jan Kline?
If you find a school district with "free" education, please let us know so we can move there.
I'm glad you accept responsibility for changing topics.
I never argued that accidents wouldn't be covered. That they fully reimburse the district for the cost of the accident and may affect the cost of future insurance is a subject we haven't broached yet.
Now if Celli and company misled the district on the results of soil testing causing the district to delete pyrite remidiation that is a separate issue from accidents. Mostly likely, for the district to receive any compensation from Celli's and company business liability insurance there will have to be a lawsuit and the district will need to prove fraud or incompetence.
If Celli say told the board something like: "there is a less than 20% chance we might hit pyrite and the board rolled the dice and deleted pyrite remediation, then we lose.
See here is the problem with you 2:04. You keep running around telling us not to talk about things we know nothing about.
I was commenting on what you wrote. I knew what I was talking about... You didn't by your own admission.
"You are misreading what I wrote, and I will take responsibility for changing topics in mid-comment. I did not mean to insinuate that the pyrite would be covered by the insurance. It clearly wont be. But the electrical problem will be."
I didn't change topics, you did. I was discussing whether pyrite would be covered and now... You managed after a needless debate - agree that I did know what I was talking about.
Gee, you got me there.
Unfortunately, the liberal Huffpost seems to be living under the same delusion as they posted this:
Why All Public Higher Education Should Be Free
Bob Samuels | Nov 18, 2011 10:36 AM EST
"While the US has a free K-12 public education, its failure to fund higher education means that America's economy is unable to compete with other developed nations that have free universities. Furthermore, by removing the need for students to go into debt, the government would allow graduates to be more productive, and they would have more money to spend, which in turn would act as a stimulus for the economy."
Bob Samuels is President of the University Council - AFT and a lecturer at UCLA. He is also the author of the popular blog, Changing Universities and the book New Media, Cultural Studies, and Critical Theory after Postmodernity.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/bob-samuels/why-all-public-higher-edu_b_1099437.html
Nice try 2:28, you'll embarrass me yet.
Once again 2:28 change topics when things get too hot. I'll play though.
"Two concepts affecting students' rights to an education
School age
The entitlement to an education, which establishes the property right for students in Pennsylvania, is established by the General Assembly in Section 13-1301 of the Public School Code and reinforced by the regulations of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education in Section 12.1(a) in volume 22 of the Pennsylvania Code. All students in Pennsylvania between the ages of 6 and 21 years who are residents of any school district are of "school age" and entitled to a public education."
There is no mention of required payments. We may not have a "free" education in MTL, every school age child in PA is entitled to an education whether they or their parents have two nickles to rub together.
2:28 I know you think you are the only person on this blog that "knows what they're talking about" but isn't Jan Klein's name spelled K-l-e-I-n?
Not Kline!
It appears you're typing challenged "too!"
The issues related to 'finding' things buried that shouldn't be raises another interesting point that has been touched on in other discussions. At some point in the past, things like sewer and electrical lines were buried. At the time these were moved or placed, the site drawings should have been updated to reflect the change. I think these issues are the same underlying the lack of maintenance being done. I haven't heard much trashing of our District facilities group, but in my mind, this is the group that has been asleep at the wheel. They too need to be held accountable for proper oversight of projects as well as for executing sound preventive maintenance routines on OUR facilities. Same goes for the Municipality. The respective boards need to spend some more time overseeing these groups and demand their performance. Note the water stained wall in the commission chambers.
2:35, OK, I didn't spell Jan's name right. But you keep saying education is "free" and parking should be too. So let's look at the facts. You quoted the School Code saying, "All students in Pennsylvania between the ages of 6 and 21 years who are residents of any school district are of "school age" and entitled to a public education."
The quote doesn't say a "free" public education. It is expensive to move here and live here. Look at the asking prices on the Howard Hanna website and look at your property tax bill. That is not "free." ML is expensive and always has been.
Secondly, your child's right to a public education has nothing to do with walking or driving to school. So much higher parking charges are in order for everyone - teachers and administrators too.
Think about it this way: if you park at MLHS it costs about 50 cents per day. If you park at Carnegie Mellon the 50 cents buys you 16 minutes on a meter to park or about $2,00 per hour. So dig out the $16,00 to park for eight hours or find me that school district where education is "free" so I can move there.
Or, stop complaining about 50 cents to park your kid's car. After all, you child can park on a side street and get a parking ticket he never has to pay. :)
PA One Call
All excavators must contact PA One Call at least 3 business days prior to excavation, as required by law.
Pennsylvania One Call System is a non-profit Pennsylvania corporation created to protect the underground facilities before anyone begins to disturb the earth. PA One Call receives requests from excavators, contractors, plumbers, builders, designers, and the general public to find out where underground lines are located. Pennsylvania One Call notifies member underground facility owners of the intent to excavate. The member underground facility owner then marks where their lines are located.
The PUC representative on the Board of Directors of Pennsylvania One Call is the supervisor of the Gas Safety Section.
Know What's Below. Call Before You Dig - A PUC brochure that explains 811 and PA One Call.
811 Public Service Announcement: 30 seconds - A 30 second ad for the 811 Call Before You Dig campaign.
811 Public Service Announcement: 60 seconds - One minute ad for the 811 Call Before You Dig campaign.
Video from 811 Event - Link to video from the 811 Call Before Your Dig event, held on Thursday, June 14, 2007. Time - 4:56.
PA One Call Website
The website for Pennsylvania One Call System is designed for the public, excavators, designers and facility owners. Please visit www.paonecall.org for more information.
Well someone didn't know about paonecall apparently.
4:48 totally agree. Maintenance and cleaning was a big issue with Marge Sable when she first arrived. I personally think her criticism of the lack of both played a huge role in her dismissal.
On the municipal side it appears to be just as bad. There is absolutely no reason for the pool and locker rooms to be in the shape they are.
5:27 - so I and Bob Samuels, University Council President - American Federation of Teachers and UCLA lecturer are BOTH wrong, and you're right.
Now onto the parking issue. I never insisted that student parking should be free. I argued that if you charged students, then everyone should be charged too. Why should Steinhauer and staff park for free?
Let's look ahead. When the new pool opens and they make public use open to residents and seniors during the day (remember day time access by the general public was a selling point for the Horsman bridge) will those school visitors need to buy a parking pass????
If not, why not?
Wonder what the owners rep. that we hired has been doing?
Ok, let's try to stay on topic considering the construction update is Monday evening at 7 PM and the discussion for the change orders is at 7:30.
I filed two RTKs today, and unfortunately, that doesn't help for Monday's meetings. I asked for the final version of the "Potential Projected Cost Savings Worksheet" and the geotechnical report that was referenced in the "Potential Project Cost Savings Worksheet."
As far as the owner's liaison, I have been asking about that several times. http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/a-newsmaker-you-should-know-educator-will-manage-logistics-of-high-school-project-292399/?p=0
Or Google Terrence Kushner. He was Timmy's buddy from USC.
Elaine
6:06, It is fine to put meters on the visitor's parking spaces. Those meters can charge 25 cents for 8 minutes too. After all we have to pay of the union's pension expense anyway.
Someone on this blog argued that parking was part of a "free" public education. However, $40,000,000 for a teacher's contract plus pension expenses argues against a "free" education and demands relief so I told you in my last post that teachers and administrators should pay for parking. I stand by that statement.
Also, we are living in a country that added 96,000 jobs and added 173,000 people to the food stamp roles last month and you are complaining about 50 cents per day for parking. Give us all a break and be grateful you can afford to live in ML and buy your kid a car. It would also be nice if you would stay on topic instead of distracting us over 50 cents a day.
This will be my last post on the subject and I hope yours too.
Great my last post on the subject - think we can get the teachers and administrators to pay up?
Now back onto the subject of the eapidly escalating cost of the renovation.
Has anybody thought of reviewing the massive scope of this project and see if maybe there are items/work that could be cut?
It may not be popular, but it sure could be practical. Raising taxes year after year isn't going to do it.
Leaving Building C demolition for last could be Plan B. If it goes over budget, they end up with a perfectly good building still standing. Anyone think of that?
Ask Dr. Steinhauer, 9:51.
Right now apparently his only solution for making today better than yesterday is to acquire bigger salaries for himself and his administration.
Though I don't think that solution will have the affect on our taxes that you seek.
10:15 that was argued by many people including the CAC. Unfortunately Cappucci would not entertain any plan that included keeping building C.
To keep it now creates a huge pile of problems. How do they connect the athletic wing to the main building? Without the bridge they violate zoning codes.
Retaining C also doubles the amount of space in the high school. I believe there is something in the area of 220,000 sq. ft. In C. The renovation was suppose to reduce the amount of space to 482,000 sq. ft in the name of efficiency.
If you keep C then the building goes from the original 525,000 sq ft to around 700,000 sq ft. That will increase energy cost, maintenance and probably play havoc with the state's reimbursement. The extra sq ft would probably also increase the required number of parking places.
Unfortunately, we're now stuck between the pyrite and the hard place!
7:37 are you kidding? Be grateful we can afford to live here? Gosh, thanks for summing up the entire issue most of us have with the school board. We live here so WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY TO PARK!! Given the ridiculous amount of taxes we all pay, why on earth should we "be grateful" when our fiscally illiterate school directors want studens, and ONLY students, to pay to park their cars. This is unacceptable.
12:02 - 7:37 is right. $50 for student parking is nothing to get worked up about. It's insignificant, a drop in a bucket.
Apparently though it is to the administrators and teachers union too. You see they whine incessantly about their need for money. Hell, they need money so damn bad - they are now paying people good money to go out and find them new money! They cry that Harrisburg isn't giving them enough, oblivious to the fact that Harrisburg's money comes from the same pockets the districts picking right here.
Just remember what they did with those insignificant student parking fees. Did they buy books, computers, sheet music or art supplies with it? No they immediately turned around and stuffed their faces with it in raises and vacation time. Adding to the pension tsunami coming down the road.
$50 student parking isn't a big deal and neither will be - student locker rentals, pay as you go wifi access, lab fees, art material fees - etc., etc. We've just got to keep the hungry beast fed.
Hey it's all for the children - doncha know!
Elaine, truly the "money" shot would be the add/drop/change list for the project plus their associated costs. For instance, we saw that the pyrite remediation was left off and rejected. How much did that actually reduce bids by? Also, having a copy of BOTH reports about the pyrite would be an interesting exercise. I know, too much. If the Board wanted to stay ahead of this, they would release it without anyone asking....but they never do the right thing.
11:04 one thing is certain. The deduct alternates reduced the scope of just enough to get it under the referendum threshold.
You see the casework for the library and science labs were deleted from the project. I suspect you will find that the upcoming policy review of under the table purchase limits was preplanned.
Steinhauer and crew will now be given green lights to buy deleted casework off project in excess of $10,000.
This is one of those sneaky exclusions to skirt a referendum once again.
8::14 oh crap, you've done it now.
I think I saw a group of administrators looking enviously at those coin operated lockers at the skating rink.
One had a tape measure and the other was taking notes. LOL
That some change orders will be necessary on a project of this scale seems likely. But each of these orders will undoubtedly be called into question by those folks who opposed the original scope of this project and its subsequent "cheapening"; cheapening that was done in order to stay under the referendum limit. The Board will likely remind everyone that, in the end, this entire project - indeed, any and all actions taken by the Mt. Lebanon School Board - is "for the sake (or benefit) of the children."
But our paternalist Board might want to limit its use of that phrase, in light of its recommend use by the following world leader: "The State must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation." — Adolf Hitler, “Mein Kampf”
Would someone please tell me when all of you, and the community as a whole, are going to march into the School Board meetings and really start raising hell about this horrific waste of our community's hard earned money ?
Folks, you need to be fist pounders on the table! Shout the SB down and make it clear in a continuous, loud and unified voice that the community has had enough! Enough with Timmy's self-help! Enough with the lavish pay increases! Enough with unaccountable teachers who don't know what they are doing!
ENOUGH FROM THE DEADBEAT ATHLETIC SUPPORTERS!
You people need to fight to preserve your freedom!
Amen, Richard!
11:30 you can be sure the dumb cluck's over at Hoover won't be showing up.
They're to busy rejecting money from Chick-Fil-A. A well-managed restaurant chain, that is clean, provides and trains many youth well in customer service and work ethic, while a disorganized, opaque and deceptive school district operates right under their noses.
Serious question and I would be interested in hearing thoughts: Who really controls things on the school board? Is it Posti? Or the Super? Is it the old cabal of Kubit and Remely? Who manipulates who?
Richard, if you attended Celli's presentation of the design elements and colors for the HS interior, one if the design suggestions was to display a famous quote on the wall next to the grand staircase at the Horsman entrance.
I vote for the Hitler quote to be place there. It pretty much says it all.
Sorry 12:20 PM, I think that was listed as an accepted Bid Alternate. See item #191 here.
Potential Cost Savings Worksheet
On that same worksheet, check out item #4. "District to remove material under 'C' building." Would that happen to be pyrite??? Is that the reason for the Building C demolition and never to be revisited?
Elaine
We won't know until we get under building C. Expect another big change order.
12:19, my impression is its a quid pro quo.
Steinhauer und crew will do whatever the board demands and in return the board will return the favor.
Sable wouldn't play the game and that's why she was run out of town. Allison saw where it was heading so lit out for Kansas.
Whine whine whine, complain complain complain.everyone keep standing on the sidelines and moaning. Things will change that way for sure. Whatever you do, don't get involved. Don't show up for meetings. Don't run for office. Don't volunteer for someone who is. Nah, just keep chiming in on a blog and feeling smug with your pithy commentary. All the good ideas in the world are meaningless unless you act on them.
It sure would be nice to see more than two people attending tomorrow's school board meeting. For those who have work conflicts as I do, can be involved in other ways.
It doesn't take much to get the board excited. Look at the reaction to a photo of a damn post it note.
Elaine
Been there, done that - 5:57.
Tell me how you're going to motivate people to get involved when 69% of them them won't even turn out to vote.
Go to a democrat or republican committee meeting, lucky if you'll find 25 people in attendance.
And then tell me if you do get people involved how do you get officials to listen?
Elaine and Charlotte Stevenson did an incredible job recruiting people to go door to door on the high school petition. Money, hours and shoe lesther invested in trying to get the district to listen.
What did President Kubit do, laughed in their faces. Cappucci replied that she had no intention of hearing them out.
So yes, you can criticize bloggers here and yes it's painfully right.
Tell me how we get more than the choir to show up?
“Shouldn't we also ask ourselves what the consequences are of scrambling to provide the "most" of everything to our children in a world of fast dwindling resources? ”
― John Taylor Gatto
“If you need me to motivate you, I probably don’t want to hire you.” – Daniel Pink [Page 30 - Drive]
Dr. Tim ought to post this next to his other Pink notes.
Then it would be his Pink slip.
There is nobody on the Board that wanted to listen except for one person. Remember the motion made to actually tally the results of all the Act 93 correspondence? That motion wasn't even seconded.
Why do you think that was? Because they KNEW the tally would come out as showing the community was largely against the project despite the assurances of Kubit/Remely/Cappucci/Rose/Posti/Ostergaard(don't leave him out)/Stipanovich/Birks to the contrary. Dale and Dan both ran on the "We wont spend more than $95 million" platform. But when it came to vote on the total cost of the project only months after the election, Dan went ahead with his vote to cap the price at $113. Dale at least voted against it but he hasn't raised his head out his hole since.
On another note, thanks Elaine for keeping a tally of the change orders. You know the district would require a right to know request if any resident asked for it and even then they would ask for an extension.
9:25, I think you meant Act 34 "Taj Mahal Act" of 1973, right?
9:25 AM, funny you should mention the change order tally. Just this morning, I was wondering if I would run out of room on the sidebar.
Elaine
9:25 AM, I had forgotten about the Act 34 tally. It would have been easier than you think for the District to provide a tally. This is what Charlotte and I turned in on that last day for Act 34 correspondence. Receipt of Signatures
You can find this on my website on the "Keeping a Tally" page:
On April 5, 2010, 3,333 petition signatures asking for the High School Renovation to be capped at $75 million, were submitted to the Mt. Lebanon School District Board Secretary to be included as part of the submission to the PA Department of Education under Act 34.
We also included a very detailed count as to how many were from the Almanac, from postcards, and door to door signatures.
I also have the Act 34 Hearing transcript on lebocitizens.com where the comments are recorded.
Elaine
Act 34, yes you are right.
Act 93 is that group of people that just got nice raises when there is a budget deficit.
Act 1 is another thing altogether that the districts hope it can avoid so they don't have to go to referendum.
Sister Act was that terrible movie with Whoopie Goldberg.
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