The following photos were taken of the financial book that is left on the table at School Board meetings. This book is never to leave the library. Is this where we get the expression, "Getting everything out on the table?" The point to this post is that the numbers are available, just not shared openly.
I don't really understand budgets since I am not a numbers person, so these are the two take aways for me.
Contrary to Elaine Cappucci's response to Dan Remely, there is an itemized list of change orders. Why it isn't on the District website is beyond me. The community must rely on "the blogs" for this information.
Another little bit of information that I found interesting is that Terrance Kushner, the Owner's Liaison, earned $3185. I wonder what happened to him. High School Renovation Summary
The following Google Docs are for the "pundits whose analysis of anything is so tedious that eyes glaze over." God bless the pundits who explain everything to the school board directors.
Capital Projects Accounts
High School Renovation Project Costs
High School Renovation Summary
Estimated Fund Balance, Revenues, and Other Financing Sources Available for Appropriation
2013-2014 Preliminary General Fund Budget (Proposed Version)
9 comments:
Yes Elaine, it's all there to see, but only if you attend the board meetings. And no way to adequately evaluate it while a separate meeting is taking place. I believe there are only two copies made available on the desk for an accommodation of 10, 20, 30 citizens at any given meeting. This is a classic example of what they really mean and promised us as "complete transparency" !
No reason to comment on what the documents indicate because the board obviously receive this information, but some of them are apparently not even aware of it. And some of your viewers find some my comments too tedious.
Many thanks to whomever photographed these documents, and to you Elaine for posting it. If you, Elaine, would like my read on the material, give me a call.
According to the district website the owners rep duties include:
Functionality
·Attend all construction meetings to ensure the owner’s agenda is being satisfied.
·Assist with the relocation of students and classrooms throughout the project
·Assist with scheduling deliveries
·Monitor Inventory/Disposal/Storage/Surplus of FF&E
Quality Control
·Assist in the inspection of school grounds for functionality and safety
Monitoring Costs
·Advise Superintendent regarding change order requests
·Assist in scheduling Board action when dictated by policy
http://www.mtlsd.org/district/HeadlineArticle.asp?HLP_ID=1342&HL_ID=866
Now then, I've attended or watched many board meetings where one or another board member has asked if delaying a vote on a change order would cause problems. Shouldn't the owners liaison be present to "assist in scheduling Board action?"
Elaine:
Thanks very much for posting this information. Did the person who took the pictures catch any grief from anyone on the Board or Administration?
What about people who are physically disabled and unable to visit in person? Are those people prohibited from viewing this public information because they can not make it to the display location?
What about ADA? Are people with a physical disability subject to a different standard of treatment by the Mt Lebanon School District?
Once jan Klein finds out who took these photos and tells the board this person will be charged with something. There's a book at board meetings that lists every check paid out as well as deposits made.
Relating to the public school system, including certain provisions applicable as well to private and parochial schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the laws relating thereto.
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/US/HTM/1949/0/0014..HTM
The book is provided to the public for review during a public meeting. The book was never removed from the meeting room. The District knows it will have a huge fight on its hands if it attempts to do anything about the photos of book pages here.
Now about the check book, the public actually has a right to request check photos of everything the District has paid for with taxpayer money.
Elaine
It would be a little hard for a board that proclaims they are transparent and have nothing to hide going after anyone.
That would be the ultimate kick in the teeth.
Should they try it, I'm envisioning a scene right out of one of those old Frankenstein movies where the villagers storm the castle with torches and pitchforks.
Anyone with some PR experience would understand that isn't a scene that would play well in the press and the last thing PK needs to overcome in their fund raising campaign.
Oh by the way... That's just some humorous imagery. No one's suggesting burning or puncturing anyone literally.
The district has discontinued publications when the public began to ask questions about he content. The recent non publication of the standard format of the fake budget is an example of this practice.
John
Agreed John.
The district previously had published a one-page summary document showing the current year budget and comparing that to the proposed or next-year budget.
If you were lucky, you might get a 2-5 year look ahead "fake" budget if you remember that.
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