 |
| School Board Directors sans Scott |
January is School Board Recognition month, giving us an opportunity to thank our Board members Elaine Cappucci-President, Lawrence Lebowitz- Vice-President, Mary Birks, William Cooper, Scott Goldman, Edward Kubit, William Moorhead, Daniel Remely, and Michael Riemer, who volunteer so much of their time to provide strong public schools for our community. For more than 175 years, communities in Pennsylvania have had a voice in the operation of their schools through a locally elected board of school directors consisting of individuals from their community. These people are our neighbors, friends, community leaders, and parents– all with one common goal – making sure students are properly educated in preparation for life.
Our School Board enables us to have local control of our public schools, meaning that decisions on school programs are made by local, elected representatives who understand the community’s unique challenges, values, culture and circumstances. With the advice and counsel of the educational professionals they hire, our school board has a bearing on virtually every aspect of our schools. It’s a huge responsibility and we are thankful to our board members for their dedication, hard work, and commitment to providing the best education possible for our students and a strong school system that benefits our community.
This is the group that will be approving a $74,000 trophy case tonight, a number that is listed as the low responsible bid. What it really represents is the ONLY responsible bid. I missed a golden opportunity. I should have subcontracted a cabinet maker and submitted a bid for $70,000 and make a tidy profit. Boy, did I screw up.
We are thankful for this group of dedicated volunteers who brought us TERC Investigations, Go Zones, $2.6+ million in change orders, student parking fees, activity fees, lucrative salary deals for administrators, and for hitting a new low in rudeness to stakeholders and parents.
Yes, we are thankful. Happy School Board Recognition Month!
41 comments:
Not that it will do any good, but I sent an email to the school board and Timmy. Timmy's NUMBER ONE goal is:
"Goal 1: The Superintendent will operate the District in a fiscally responsible manner."
Elaine
Will they be giving a progress report on the Pursuing Ketchup/MLFE/ Deluca $6.0 million fundraising campaign for the high school boondoggle ? It's been months since we've heard rave reviews and promises of great success. What's the mission statement ? How much have the school board members collectively donated ? How about Timmy ? Hello, hello, the silence is deafening.
For update to date information, 9:16 AM, visit the MLFE blog.
Elaine
They should have posed for the picture at the front edge of the pool spectator balcony.
To get them all to fit in the picture, the photographer would ask them to back up. After all, it does meet code.
To read about the PK/MLFE/Deluca fundraising campaign, go to the MLFE home page, Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education.
Elaine
Ain't nuttin' on de blog or website at all! How cum ? Wher de money ?
Mrs. Cappucci is making Mr. Goldman kneel in the back row.
Maybe Remely will get his new partner Duke to spring some pizza and beer for the campaign?
Is that what that space is behind Elaine's left shoulder? 10:00 AM and 9:44 AM, I laughed out loud.
9:59 AM, this is "The Quiet Phase." Too quiet.
Elaine
You know, 10:05 AM, you have to give Dan Remely some credit. He saw a business opportunity with all of Timmy's pizza lunches. Fellow school board director Cooper set the prices on the menu.
Elaine
From the people who brought you this ridiculousness:
Also on Monday, the board will consider awarding a $73,328 contract for design and construction of a trophy display case in the new high school athletic building.
Viking Woodworking LLC of Pittsburgh’s South Side was the only bidder for the project, which will encompass the athletic building’s front hallway.
“This was a design-build project. Some of these woodworking companies don’t have design staff,” explained Rick Marciniak, district project manager. “This is a pretty fair price for the amount of work they’re going to do.”
Board member Dan Remely disagreed, calling the bid “a huge amount of money.” He questioned whether the project could be done in-house through the high school’s woodshop program.
Superintendent Timothy Steinhauer said the hope is that alumni eventually would cover the cost, perhaps through the district’s recently launched capital campaign.
A high school shop class to make the trophy case? Where was Dan when we actually wanted to save MILLIONS!? Now he wants a free trophy case made by shop class?
Did Tim really think the Pursuing Ketchup goal was to fund a trophy case? Really? Please tell me he is not that dumb?
The question everyone should be asking is why this part of the high school project was not in the bid. Did they not realize the trophies would need to be relocated? Or were they going to start the trophy collection over from scratch.
To be honest, I do think the bid from Viking is reasonable for how large a case this will need to be. My gripe is that it should have been put in as part of the HS project, not part of a capital project.
This is what the Norwin School District is doing with their capital campaign. They are fundraising for their STEM Innovation Center for Teaching and Learning. No mention of trophy cases in the article.
Norwin School District embarks on capital campaign to fund STEM center
Elaine
I thought this was an interesting perspective...
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/19/a-balanced-school-needs-a-balance-of-volunteers/?ref=fashion
Seems like some parents feel that their children need the *best* athletic fields, uniforms and trophy cases. Even if it means that middle-class families get taxed out of Mt. Lebanon. I want my children to have the *best* STEM education, but I'm not sure anyone will care about that opinion....
Here's an idea: Jan Kline could go to the District's bank and withdraw $73,282 in one-dollar bills. Then the high school could hold an outdoor assembly where the kids would take the money, put it in a big pile, and burn it!
11:23 AM, that sounds just like Mt. Lebanon!
When I was running for commissioner, many people told me that they felt as though they didn't belong here. They felt as though they were the minority. But in truth, we are the majority, just too busy working, trying to survive.
Now we have the SAB raising money for artificial turf, taking away from the PK campaign fundraising effort which will be used to fund a trophy case in the athletic building.
We are really messed up here.
Elaine
Think about what you would expect to get in a remodeling project with a budget of 73k. I'm pretty familiar with remodeling projects and i can assure you i would expect one hell of a display case for that. Gold lined, Silk for the trophies, an interactive tour guide to explain the glorious story behind each trophy. Bullet proof glass. And lastly Hall of Fame like bust of each board member to commemorate this great achievement in improving our children's educational experience. God bless them and their goodhearted intentions.
The original bid specifications for the high school renovation called for new, custom designed music instrument storage cases. A local contractor bid $2,500 per case and privately indicated to friends it was outrageous and unnecessary for such a design and specification. Because the original total project bids for the project were some $22 million over the allowable construction budget, "delete alternate" decisions resulted in the the over designed, custom music storage cases portion becoming standard cases priced at $1,000 each.
Timmy has no concept of what fiscal responsibility means to taxpayers. To him, it means what the market will bear - the hell with taxpayers !
Looks like every month is sweater-vest recognition month.
Responsible bid? Responsible compared to what? Isn't a trophy case inside the school redundant? I thought the new school (because it is a new school, not a renovated one despite the spin by Pooch and Posti) IS a trophy. The crooks won. They can drive by their ridiculous boondoggle and high-five themselves for "winning".
Someone asked me if the school district records meetings like the municipality does. Yes and no. Yes, they televise the school board meetings on Comcast and Verizon. They are available at certain times, not 24/7. They also edit them. You can buy a DVD of any meeting from the district. Also, policy committee meetings are available 24/7 here.
Policy Committee audio recordings
You can listen to any school board meeting uncut 24/7 on my website here. Meeting podcasts.
Archived meetings are available here. They go back to 2010. David Huston has recorded almost all of them for me. Thanks, David!
Elaine
I just happened to notice that the school board revised their agenda today. Revised agenda
I do not see a vote for the trophy case. Way to go, Lebo Citizens!
Elaine
The podcast has been uploaded. I understand there was no mention of the trophy case or why it was removed from the agenda.
Elaine
I lied. I listened to Bill Matthews' comments about the action items on the agenda (4 minutes at the beginning of the meeting) and he brought up the trophy case. Elaine Cappucci said that it had been taken off the agenda tonight and it has not been determined how it will be funded.
Elaine
Well lets take stock shall we, so we can truly recognize our board.
How much of a donation did it take to fill that empty sports training room again?
Guess in the original building specs they figured the athletes would be bringing their own barbells and benches to school for weight training.
Of course, there is the $78,000 trophy case. Prior to someone getting the bright idea to buy some exquisite cabinetry, I think I heard someone say the plan was to set up a couple of card tables and TV trays to display the trophies. I might have misheard that though.
We still don't know about the rifle range and I'm pretty sure the onsite tennis courts are up in the air.
Man a $113.2 million just doesn't buy much of a Taj Mahal any more.
I have been watching the school board meeting from last night. It seems as though David Huston's recording of the January 13, 2014 meeting is the only copy available. The January 13 meeting was never aired. A resident revealed that the school district is not following policy concerning airing of the meetings and agendas advertised.
Elaine
I am a big believer of body language. I noticed something about our school board president, which is lost when listening to podcasts, but it is fun watching how Elaine "eye blocks" when she doesn't like what is being said during citizens comments.
Elaine
Maybe they need to think outside the case for these trophies. U Cinci has a very cool glass one in their atrium:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/n-j-t/4980454763/
Does Mt. Lebanon still have a high school woodshop?
9:55, rumor has it there is a woodshop classroom, but through an oversight no one thought to include workbenches, tablesaws, vises, and drill presses.
Additional rumors suggest a campaign to find a donor to complete the wordshop will commence immediately. Well almost immediately... as soon as the bonus amount isestablished for the administrators overseeing the renovation.
Good one, 11:49 AM! Yes, 9:55 AM, there is a well equipped wood shop at the high school. I took a woodworking class there several years ago, prerenovation days. But as 11:49 AM pointed out, it could just be an empty room in the new high school.
Elaine
Does anyone know when Taxpayer Appreciation Month starts?
Or are we just taken for granted by the politicians, administrators and teachers union.
I believe it is currently part of building A which is scheduled to be demolished at some point. That equipment has got to be old. You can see into the woodshop room from the top of Lebanon Ave.
Don't get me wrong, I think a trophy case is a must, I just think one that cost that much is over the top. I'm sure someone local would be more than happy to tackle the job, at a much more reasonable cost. Design is a word Govt. seems to use to convince us only certain firms can handle certain jobs. Maybe Gateway could chime in on this given their huge success designing the pool and Brafferton.
It's a case. A good cabinet maker will design it for you in 10 minutes, no charge. If need be, I can give a referral.
12:50 PM, I cannot comment on the age of the equipment, but it was surprising to me the number of expert woodworkers who signed up for the classes. They told me that they could never afford such great tools and machinery in their own homes.
Elaine
11:23 That totally sounds like when my kids were in Markham! The only difference was that if they did something when the mommies were in Markham a generation ago they still had to do it (at the mommies' insistence). Always about the mean girl mommies and never about the kids.
Interesting that Mr. Goldman isn't in that photo of the board.
Wouldn't you think the highly paid district pr/pio would have a stock photo of the complete board on hand for publicity stunts like this. If you're paid like an expensive you should work like an expensive pro.
I don't know about the trophy case, but what about the staircase at the pool that didn't reach the floor as originally designed and built, so another block of concrete had to be added to allow the stairs to reach the floor----or the fact that there is less spectator space in the new pool than there was in the old one?? Perhaps someone should inquire into the ongoing issue of whether the plans were well conceived in the first place. While we are at it, we might also want to learn why so many flaws have popped up from what seems to be a seriously deficient design---is there any kind of a penalty clause in the architect's contract to reimburse us all out of the $7 mil he got for any part of the $3 million and building, cost overruns? We are certainly building a monument to incompetence and excess though we may not be building a high school of 21st century merit......
Just reviewing the last list of change orders and these seem odd.
$22,800 to maintain power in Bldg. B during phasing. The plan to renovate B was from the getgo planned to be done in phases. Shouldn't maintaining power have been considered in the original bid?
Then there's $29,500 for data and power ports in the flooring of the writing labs.
I suppose quills and inkwell were specified in the original bid documents, but then some rocket scientist administrator discovered they're suppose to be building a 21st century education facility and extension cords wouldn't work.
Rather than playing this "we're managing the budget" charade why didn't the board just tell PJDick, "build us this school and send us your bill when you're done."
Interesting that Viking Woodworking is owned by a Mt Lebanon resident.
Well, well, well. You are right!
Elaine
And owned by the father of the author of the Devil's Advocate article entitled "You and I are not equal"
Well, well, well.
Elaine
Post a Comment