I see that Susan Morgans has written a piece on the fundraising efforts for turfing Middle and Wildcat Fields. field fundraising under way appears under the article about celebrating Earth on lebomag.com
Thank you, Susan, for mentioning those few words about environmental concerns, specifically
The proposal was controversial, with some residents opposed because of the approximately $1 million price tag and others citing health or environmental concerns.For those readers who would like to hear a little more about health or environmental concerns, please read my January 13, 2014 post, "Whoa," says the EPA. UPDATED
It is wonderful how Commissioner Franklin is asking for help with fundraising efforts through our municipal magazine. Fundraising efforts will go toward the non-municipal share of this project. Nice.
Update February 26, 2014 3:13 PM Just got my mtl Magazine delivered. This article is on pages 23-24.
Update February 27 7:29 AM Don't miss the article, magazine changes on page 19 of mtl Magazine.
42 comments:
Morgans (Municipal Employee) and Franklin (Municipal Official serving on several boards) shall comply with applicable provisions of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Law, Act 9 of 1989, 65 P.S. §401 et. seq
Any ethics violations Elaine????
Just an FYI for all those MTL/leboblog residents.
If you pay any type of tax to Mt. Lebanon you'll be funding this turf project whether you want it or not...
If you have a child playing a field sport you'll be contributing twice through higher participation fees...
If you donate to the turf fund-raiser you have contributed three times...
And if you patronize any business that advertisers or buys naming rights you'll most likely be contributing four times.
Can't wait for the little sports cuties runnining door-to-door in their little team shirts begging for turf dollars. That'll be five.
Just consider yourself the resident that keeps on giving!
Oh jeeze. I don't know. I am not an attorney. However, both seem to know about the law. It would be pretty stupid on their parts, wouldn't it?
Elaine
Ooops, forgot, if you make a contribution to the school district Capital Campaign that'll be six times you'll be contributing to the artificial turf since they're apparently signing on to maintain it.
Don't you love how the community rag spins a story?
Did you catch this line—
"Mt. Lebanon’s year-old sports advisory board is a testimony to just how important sports are to residents of all ages. "
Anyone agree that the SAB is a testimony on anything except the inflated egos of a few individuals.
Want some real testimony... put the artificial turf initiative up for referendum!
We'll see who's testimony is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Put it to a vote! Let's settle this BS once and for all! Come on Dave(s)--man up. Try doing things honestly and let's see what kind of support you actually have. Or are you guys content to slink around and do things like a couple of sissies? Great example for the kids. "Hey, if you can't win by the rules, well, just ignore the rules. No problem".
Come on, boys. Fair fight. Put this issue to a vote. You can advertise and advocate as much as you like. Well, not you, Dave 1 since you're a commissioner, unless you're going to recuse. Personally, based on what I've seen, neither of you has the guts or the will to step into the public light and tell people what's going on. But you have a chance. Try it.
The Lebomag article is being edited quickly so be sure to read it ASAP.
Here is one quote I like: "General community fund-raising will target parents of children who will use the fields, he says, noting that none of the committee members has children who will benefit from field improvements".
But Mr. & Mrs. Franklin can be seen on tape from a commission meeting in the summer complaining about how difficult it is to tell their children their game has been cancelled due to rain. Likewise, one of the young Franklins posted a story on the internet about the forthcoming Wildcat field stating that it isn't right for kids to practice at elementary schools and that with lighting over 1st base, the newly turfed field would be perfect.
I do hope readers understand that I am being snarky when calling him "Commissioner Franklin." Dave Franklin is not a commissioner, however, he thinks he is by calling all the shots and being on all the necessary boards and applying to the Mt. Lebanon Community Endowment for all the control possible concerning turf.
Elaine
These are killing fields for the deer. Once the deer start eating tire crumbs, we won't need a cull. Good thinking, Kristen.
Here are the toxins cited by the EPA as found in artificial turf:
ESB BEWARE!
acetone
aniline
arsenic
barium
benzene
benzothiazole
cadmium
chloroethane
chromium
cobalt
copper
halogenated flame retardants
isoprene
latex
lead
manganese
mercury
methyl ethyl ketone
methyl isobutyl ketone
naphthalene
nickel
nylon
phenol
pigments
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
polyester
rayon
styrene - butadiene
toluene
trichloroethylene
One of the members of the ESB has been against asbestos exposure for many years. I find it hard to believe Pam would let a list of poisons like this pass the ESB.
Pam all of these exposures could subject the municipality to a very expensive lawsuit. Just the legal fees could run into really big bucks.
9:18 PM, deer was mentioned last night. Too bad for you and Kristen, deer don't like to eat tire crumbs.
I guess they are smarter than some people on the SAB.
Elaine
Did you know that Pittsburgh is the asthma capital? Ask your pediatrician about it, they'll tell you. What do the sports junkies know about that?
Elaine, I was just kidding about the deer.
This whole thing is disgusting.
J.T. Sauer said that player safety is the most important thing. Since organic infill breaks down, that leads to more concussions, he claimed.
The discussion session video is available here.
Who cares about asthma, 10:09 PM?
Who cares about toxins, 9:56 PM?
Elaine
Please watch this interview (link below) with one of our nation's foremost experts on synthetic turf, David S Brown, Sc.D. He is a public health toxicologist. Dr. Brown has an interest in southwestern PA and may be willing to conduct another interview which examines how our region's high particulate matter levels, combined with the off-gassing from synthetic turf, and our already damaged watershed, will combine to be a health and eco-system disaster.
Without longitudinal, prospective studies that examine child health in relation to exposure to synthetic turf, we do not know the actual safety of exposing *children* to the chemical soup within synthetic turf over the long-term.
http://vimeo.com/49518944
Here is the link from 10:59 PM. Artificial Turf Fields: A Troubling Perspective OMG. It is quite troubling! I fear the people who should watch this (3 Daves, 2 Johns, and a Kristen) never will. To hear about how the residents near fields, as well as the schools that are near these toxic fields are at risk. The spectators are at risk. And the more use or traffic, the higher the off gasses. The endocrine disruptors! WTF are you thinking, Daves and Co.????
Elaine
Our school board members should be adding turf removal on their list.
Elaine-
Elaine Capucci served on the ESB a couple of years ago.
Turf isn't going to stop rain-outs! Playing on turf when it is raining is just inviting injuries. Wet turf is like ice. Guess UPMC better open a Head Injury office in Mt Lebanon. But look at what Dave B And Dave F are saying. They are hinting at an indoor field! "Year round play"... "Rain Outs"... Now that the High School's practice field is being turfed out-of-the-blue just wait and that will be the field that is covered! Right Michelle Brumfield?
11:42 PM, yes, I just found that out. Elaine Cappucci was the school district liaison prior to Scott Goldman. Since the capital projects list had not been requested in a RTK in the past, it is hard to say when the turfing of the Rock Pile was listed. I know there have been many discussions about the Rock Pile, so Elaine should have said something to the ESB about the Rock Pile being on their radar. Even so, with Elaine's husband on the lacrosse board, she should have brought it to Scott Goldman's attention.
Elaine
6:02 AM, Dan Dieseroth stated that the fields on Cedar were never flooded. I don't believe that is true. Even so, when Cedar is closed due to flooding, will the Fire Dept. offer a shuttle service getting to and from the fields? Or would this be a business opportunity for the valet service company on Washington Road?
Elaine
Elaine Cappucci instigated the founding of the ESB at a school board meeting. She had her buddies show up at the meeting and lobby for the creation of ESB.
The board voted it through. The vote should be in the minutes and therefore subject to RTK. Hart was president when ESB was created
Just a reminder. The commission gave Gateway Engineering the green light to proceed on Monday night. This project is officially costing us money.
Elaine
Oh yea, wonder if their guesstimate will be any more accurate than the one for Brafferton or the municipal pool.
Can't we stop this ?
I haven't been able to find a way. Kristen Linfante did say that 3 commissioners voted this in. The commission president has spoken.
With the millions of attorneys in Mt. Lebanon who aren't on the SAB, maybe someone can weigh in. How about an injunction from the residents living in close proximity to the fields?
Elaine
Please visit this site--
http://www.cranberrytownship.org/index.aspx?NID=419
Now, I believe anyone with vision can easily understand that Kelly Fraasch's Robb Hollow plan is the only one that seeds a recreational "Crown Jewel" that will rival, maybe even surpass Cranberrys.
Her plan with the right stewardship could eventually turn the WHOLE LENGTH of Cedar into a recreational area that serves residents of ALL ages.
Walking/biking paths, a stream or pond, dog run, Miracle Field, etc.
Can we afford it over night, probably not! But over time if we plan correctly, this community can do almost anything, or at one time- it could.
The elders long ago got the ball rolling with the Main Park pool, rink, pavillions, tennis facility, fields, but then everything ground to a halt. They can barely keep the grass cut around the pavillions and the pool pretty much turned into a cesspool.
I see at some time down the road well-maintained walks that would eventually connect the business area at Cedar and Cochran with the Galleria at the other end. Therefore attracting or supporting hi-end restaurants and shops which would attract homebuyers anfd increase tax revenue.
Call me crazy, call it pie-in-the-sky perhaps, but a turfed field is nothing more than a turfed field in my opinion.
— Giffen Good
It could be stopped, but it isn't going to happen depending on Elaine, a few wing nuts and some ESB ladies.
The planning board, zoning board, park board and just regular citizens need to pack commission meetings get involved, run for office.
Has anyone asked for equal time to publish an alternative perspective on turf?
What (if any) response did you get from the PIO?
MtL is a community publication, right?
Can there be a referendum is a petition of a certain % of registered voters signs it? Thought this was part of the home rule charter.
1:22 according to the HR Charter two voters can apply to start a petition to force a referendum vote if they get something like 10% of the numbers of voters in the last election.
It would appear the ESB could hardly be denied the right (wouldn't that be bad PR for Bendle, Linfante and Brumfield) to circulate the refendum petition and could probably garner the required number of signatures.
If 15% of the population signs a petition against an ordinance it is void and must go to referendum according to the Home Rule Charter. There is a time limit within which the petition must be presented. This was first tried when the Bird Park soccer field was considered and not enough signatures were obtained.
It is 15% of the registered voters at the last election, right? What is that number? Forget about the time frame, this commission is in a dire place.
I'm sorry, I don't have a Home Rule Charter to quote.
Here you go 10:10 its in pdf format.
http://mtlebanon.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/3860
See Article XII, Sections 1201, 1202 & 1203.
You're welcome.
From the Home Rule Charter:
Section 1203. Petitions Initiative and referendum petitions must be signed by qualified voters of the Municipality equal in number to at least fifteen percent (15%) of the total number of qualified voters registered to vote at the last primary, municipal or general election.
There were 25,472 registered voters in the last General Election in November, 2013. Fifteen percent of that number is 3,820.8 (3,821).
HOWEVER: there is this:
The qualified voters of the Municipality shall have the power to require reconsideration by the Commission of any adopted ordinance and, if the Commission fails to repeal an ordinance so reconsidered, to approve or reject it at a primary, municipal or general election, provided that
such power shall not extend to the budget or capital program or any emergency ordinance or ordinance relating to appropriation of money or levy of taxes.
I suspect the Commission would argue against an anti-turf petition on these grounds. I'm not a lawyer, but it would be interesting to hear from one.
I read that article and it says that they are going to turf 110,000 sf of field. You aren't getting that much turfed with all the extras for $1 million. Not even close.
Damion, should we say— 'you hit it right on the money.
Here are some ideas on the cost of turfing an athletic field from the horses own mouth... FieldTurf.
They break it down into 2 parts.
Their advice:
$4/sq. ft. should be budgeted for drainage.
$4.75/sq. ft. should be budgeted for turf.
Drainage: 110,000 sq. ft. x $4/sq. ft. = $440,000
Turf: 110,000 sq. ft. x $4.75 = $522,500
Total: $962,500.
FieldTurf say these are conservative estimates.
At $962,500, this doesn't leave much wiggle room for the other improvements that will go along with this project... parking lot, bleachers, fencing, lighting, turf maintenance equipment. Or the soft cost from Gateway and the field designer/architect.
Bet organic infill instead of crumb rubber raises the price of turf substantially as well.
http://www.fieldturf.com/en/artificial-turf/faq
Richard, you hit upon the one of the real major revision that should be made to the Home Rule Charter that is being looked at currently.
Another is there is no Enforcement of ethics violations by our commissioners. If one lies, they do so with inpunity or means to have the lie retracted.
But that is another topic separate from turf.
Didn't fixing up Brafferton come in over $350,000?
Its a lot smaller than Wildcat/Middle and didn't even include turf.
It is highly unlikely that if they turf WC/M they'll leave the old backstops, fences and bleachers in place when they do it.
Guess we'll immediately have the commissioners authorizing some Capital Improvements to the "Crown Jewel" to "fix up" the new "Crown Jewel."
Of course these improvements won't impact the SABs non-municipal share of the project.
4:01 Ethics lies are not separate from turf. Wait until Elaine is granted her RTK. You will see some real ethical problems related to turf in black and white.
Agreed.
Constance Spicuous Consumption
Constance, I finally looked up your name. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspicuous_consumption
Wiki should add turfing Middle and Wildcat Fields in its definition!
Elaine
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