I was going through my files and found Kristen Linfante's first newsletter dated April 8, 2011, one month before the Primary. Yes, the Primary in which I lost to Joe DeIuliis. Kristen writes:
Public Spaces and our Environment—I will work to protect andKristen's campaign website Adding to our quality of life in Mt. Lebanon are vital and plentiful green spaces...
improve our parks and green spaces while seeking out grants and new technologies that will make Mt. Lebanon even more energy-efficient AND cost-efficient.
I guess I need to clarify something, Kristen. When you say "green spaces, " are you referring to the color green or are you speaking of natural grass? I still don't understand your position on this.
Looking through the stack of emails from my "Mother of All RTKs," I found some disturbing emails of statements that you made concerning the whole ESB commission liaison issue.
- 11/26/13 Day after the vote to turf Middle and Wildcat, Kristen emails John Bendel and Dave Brumfield at 8:02 AM with "I guess my recollection was wrong - but still not convinced - please read full thread
- This was after Kristen emailed Kathy Hrabovsky, head of the ESB, at 7:09 AM to let her know that they passed the proposal for turfing Middle and Wildcat.
- 7:41 AM, Kathy wishes she had stayed. She didn't realize that artificial turf was on the agenda.
- Here is what is really disturbing. Kristen "takes much stock in what Gillen has to say." (Just throwing in some humor.)
- From there, it starts to get ugly. Kelly calls Kristen on her lie. As one reader wrote in an earlier comment something to the effect of We watched it. We heard it. We read it.
- Kristen said a few times that she would apologize. Anyone hear it, read it or watch it?
- Finally, Kristen mailed the turf proposal to Kathy Hrabovsky on January 16, 2014.
11 comments:
Several things are of interest here.
Was there ever a serious effort to improve the conditions of our natural grass fields?
As was evidence in the Quaker Valley School District's turf article, cost wise, grass beats turf over the long term.
I'm sure that the "sports nutz" will argue that turf will take the pressure off the other fields therefore allowing them to rest. That argument is debate, besides slowly developing Fraasch's Robb Hollow plan would do the same thing or more.
Another point is that turfing the Cedar Fields doesn't improve Bird, Brafferton or any other park or field.
When it comes time to bid out the turf with "organic" infill, lets hope Linfante sticks to her word that she supports "green" public spaces and will protect the environment.
Lets also hope that she insist that the "private" contributors deliver their percentages of the funding for it.
Hate to think the Commissioner lied to us or to Commissioner Fraasch.
She's just an example of someone who thinks her words and deeds have no consequences.
When the bids come in for organic, she will forget about the environment and decide to pay for the toxic tire infill.
This is all nuts. These people are going to argue night and day that organic doesn't make sense at Wildcat/Middle because it is in a flood plain and the infill might float away.
So, you know what is not in a flood plain that could use organic turf and where there is already space for turf? Top of Robb Hollow! You know, where Kelly originally suggested ADDING field space?
Yes, I know Dave, Dave, Dave, and the other Dave, there are some access issues.
Fix 'em and get yourself more field space WITH turf. It ain't too late.
The residents voted garbage in and the 3rd ward commissioner voted garbage out on our fields. Speaking of garbage, where will the commission dump the tire crum from the new turf field? Residents can no longer put tires in a landfill, can the Commission and the District do that?
The ESB is a big political joke.
Is former executive committee member and present State House Rep. Daniel Miller cognizant of Mrs. Linfante's behavior ?
11:07 AM If he reads this blog, and I believe all elected officials in Mt. Lebanon do, he sure does - as do almost all Democratic Committee members!
11:07 & 11:19:
If that is indeed true, the photograph of Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald with Kristin on Vote Linfante / Value Mt. Lebanon must be causing angst among the Committee members.
George Santayana advised—
"Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it."
Why is this pertinent to the conversation you ask. Pick up a book titled “And the Band Stopped Playing: The Rise and Fall of the San Jose Symphony” by Thomas Wolf and Nancy Glaze.
A review offers the following: "This 2005 book contains many pertinent questions and conclusions about the history and eventual demise of the San Jose Symphony (SJS). It provides an interesting introduction, detailing the formation of the SJS and comparing it with the start of orchestras in other cities around the country. There are curious statistics, such as those describing a population with a higher than average education and a higher than average interest in classical music – that prefers to listen to music in their cars! And of course, the book chronicles the many leadership failures, both administrative and artistic, the inappropriate programs and poor concert halls, and a musicians’ union contract that was out of touch with the underlying revenues and deficits of the organization. All of these points have merit and surely led in some degree to the bankruptcy of the San Jose Symphony."
http://www.polyphonic.org/article/book-review-and-the-band-stopped-playing-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-san-jose-symphony-by-thomas-wolf-and-nancy-glaze/
No one is suggesting that one of our illustrious commissioners was at fault in SJS, but they certainly would've been aware of it and learned lessons from it, wouldn't you think.
12:02pm - Kristen Linfante is, by her own public admission, a California liberal and quite proud of it. As to whether she has "learned lessons from it," that should tell you all you need to know.
we need to put the "representative" back into "representative government" -- without trust (call it the consent of the governed), the system collapses...it is time for our elected "leaders" to open their minds to the fact that really smart and effective people don't simply ignore what other smart and effective people think -- you don't have to let your opinions blow in the wind, but you cannot ignore it, either.....if you care, you must listen--if you don't listen you are no community "representative".....i hear KL is retiring from the commission anyway (is that correct?)
3:28 our "representatives" believe they ARE listening to the really smart people already.
If you don't agree with them or want to offer a plan that is different from theirs' you are branded as an idiot, a trouble-maker or a troglodite.
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