According to the Commission Agenda for tomorrow, April 28, 2014, we should have a packed room again. Kristen, you luck out again. John Bendel, it is going to be quite a meeting, I predict.
The Brookline people are not happy and will be showing up for the Castlegate vote. Vee Lynn, Mayfair, Cedar, and Parkridge people, listen to what the Brookline people went through concerning Castlegate. It is the same scenario. No one was notified. The municipality put a notice on the property and one would have to trespass to read it. Cute, huh? The neighbors were upset because they missed the public hearing. Neighbors of Middle and Wildcat Fields, you never even got the right to a public hearing. The commissioners tabled the Castlegate vote. There was a meeting with the locals, and the vote is back on the agenda for tomorrow night. Mt. Lebanon residents get treated a little differently. According to Brumfield, LeboALERTS are sent out announcing that the agendas are available for viewing on the municipal website. For recreation improvements, there are never LeboALERTS sent out. They only like to announce the movie that will be playing at the swimming pool.
We still have the unhappy Newcomers, Kristen. Aren't you sad that you can't threaten to shut down the meeting again? I would hope that John does a better job presiding over the meeting than you did.
Kristen, you are also going to miss all your friends who rallied for LEED Certification over the high school project. What's that? They aren't coming to defend the beautiful green fields at Wildcat and Middle? Why aren't they protesting the toxic turf? Because you said that the ESB is not against artificial turf?
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| Wildcat Field |
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| Middle Field |
Conveniently, Kristen, you will be missing some pretty heavy discussion topics during your Discussion Session tomorrow. The Discussion Session Agenda for April 28, 2014 include topics such as
- Making the Home Rule Charter gender neutral - a very important issue to you
- Turf fundraising which you so kindly donated to
- Turf infill options - toxic synthetic or toxic organic
- Other turf design and bidding issues
- Closing public, municipal athletic fields during inclement weather
- Board and authority recording, another issue near and dear to your heart
Yes, Kristen, you luck out again. I hope you are giving some thought to the idea of resigning. We sure are.
Mt. Lebanon, PA Residents Against Artificial Turf at Wildcat and Middle Fields Petition here.
34 comments:
I noticed that quite a few readers read this post before I added the Discussion Session Agenda topics listed under the photos. The Discussion Session is the time when we listen to decisions in the making and the public is not permitted to speak.
Elaine
Elaine the Fields are beautiful! So green! So lush!
I took those pictures while I was waiting for the "not for the general public" meeting to begin. It had been many years since I was on those fields and I never expected them to be so gorgeous.
Mr. Brumfield, Ms. Linfante, Mr. Bendel, Mr. Franklin, Mr. He Who Shall Not Be Named, and Mr. Donnellan want to spend a million dollars to rip it all up and put down plastic that has to be replaced every eight years in perpetuity.
Elaine
Obviously the fields just need some tender loving care.
Don't forget Silverman. He's part of this entire mess, too.
Just think in eight years and after the commissioners (bless their green weenie hearts) have passed their PAYT plan, they'll be on the hook for sending tons and tons of old tires and plastic to a landfill. Explain that one to your son, Ms. Linfante.
Oh wait, the commissioners won't be on the hook- I forgot- the taxpayers (the people Linfante and Brumfield say they need not listen too) will foot the bill.
Why won't Commissioner Linfante be at the meeting? If she wanted the position so much she has an obligation to attend, especially with these important agenda items!
Can't she at least pone in? She should resign and let us have representation that commits to serving the people!
You got it right! She "poned" in. She "poned" the residents.
When she missed part of the summer meetings last year, she was on tour. She tried to Skype and that was a disaster. I believe it is another work commitment.
When I ran for commissioner, I promised to be a full time commissioner. I think I have demonstrated my commitment to this community with this blog and website. Too bad Ward 3. You really screwed up.
Elaine
Once again I'll ask, will we miss her if she's absent?
For anyone that believes we will, can you explain why you believed that? Convince me?
2:47 She should have to sit in the hot seat just like the rest of them will tomorrow because the residents aren't happy with them. Why should she be able to miss the meeting?
My child is singing the following song for the school spring chorus concert (from Disney's Pocohontas: Colors of the Wind):
You think I'm an ignorant savage
And you've been so many places
I guess it must be so
But still I cannot see
If the savage one is me
How can there be so much that you don't know?
You don't know ...
You think you own whatever land you land on
The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name
You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew
Elaine: What makes you think Linfante will "miss" anything? She never listens to anything that doesn't agree with her own position anyway!
Elaine Gillen for Commissioner!
wait! if Linfante donated to the turf project from her own pocket, should'n't she recuse herself from any further participation in the matter as a member of the Commission because of her conflict of interest? It doesn't seem fair or civil for her to not to stand aside on this issue now.
Tell me this is someone idea of an April Fools Day Joke at the PIO office.
http://mtlebanon.org/index.aspx?NID=325
"Help Lighten the Burden of Trash On Our Planet
Celebrate Earth Day by lightening the burden of trash on the planet. Mt. Lebanon Public Works is inviting residents to take place in a "Clean and Green" trash pickup, in late April."
In 8 years when the "Crown Jewel" artificial turf has worn out will they be asking residents to celebrate Earth Day by gathering at Wildcat/Middle fields to pick up the tons of old rubber tire crumbs and plastic grass they deposited there.
If this weren't so real, I'd almost believe I was watching some Monty Python or better yet... Second City Comedy Club skit. Second City, that's another democratic stronghold, right.
4:04 PM, thanks, but I think there are too many residents, commissioners and staffers who would never let that happen.
Elaine
When the former high school turf only lasted 6 of the expected 8-10 years about 3 years ago, the District believed that only the turf grass and turf carpet had to be removed, and nothing below that, known as the "E layer" which acted as a backup & cushion. The expected cost of the carpet removal and replacement was to be just under $500,000.
When the contract was let and the contractor tried to peel off and remove the turf carpet, it would not release from the 3" rubberized E layer. They had to bring in a number of gigantic mechanized field saws and saw 6' x 6' sections out, each weighing 800 lbs. according to what the District maintenance supervisor told me as I observed the process. The entire turfed area must have been 125,000 s.f., so there must have been some 3,450 squares of turf material, each 800 lbs., or a total of 2,760,000 lbs. or 1,380 tons of non-recyclable waste hauled to area landfills in 40' dumpsters that were used.
The actual cost of the removal, hauling and landfill tipping fees of the removed turf plus the cost of new turf installation were never revealed by the District.
This rather new District turf is being misused and abused and the warranty is in question because graduation exercises continue to be allowed on the turf (hundreds of people sitting on metal chairs, podiums, platforms, tents, people marching, many in high heels, chewing gum, eating snacks, trash, etc.); and, the turf continues being used as a depository for snow from District roadway and sidewalk removal during winter months. Both are misuses that invalidate warranties and shorten the useful life of artificial turf. Should we expect anything really different from the Muni turf use, particularly when the District will be in charge of maintaining it ? Are lessons never learned by these people ?
"Turf is chemicals dressed up to look like green grass".
-Lebo Kid
Lebo Kid at 6:30 PM, a great definition and characterization !
Some might also add metallurgy because of Pb, Zn and other content.
So... it would take a RTK to find out the actual cost of the removal, hauling and landfill tipping fees of the removed turf plus the cost of new turf installation were never revealed by the District? How long would that take?
10:55 PM, ask it tomorrow night. If they don't give you an answer, then file a RTK. Under the law, they have five business days from the time they receive it to answer. Feller could come back with needing thirty days for a legal review. It all depends on how complex your request is. I always email my RTKs. Snail mail takes too long and driving it up to the municipal building or high school, depending on the agency, is a pain in the butt.
Elaine
11:04 PM & 10:55 PM - the 5:25 PM comment was about the School District stadium field, not Muni fields ! The Commission and Feller will all act like Sgt. Schultz's to any questions about the School District.
and what happened to the promise to produce the junkyard lawyers the commission has set loose on our neighbors? they are not on the agenda! more "put them off at any cost and then forget about them" tactics from our Democratic (but not democratic) commission!
KRISTEN IS HERE TONIGHT!
Elaine
3:19 PM, One of those "junkyard lawyers" you reference is you neighbor.
What's happening?
Jim Cannon asked for Kristen's resignation over that horrible email she sent to the commission after Jim spoke against the artificial turf.
I asked for Kristen's, John's, and Dave's resignation.
The room is packed with angry Brookline residents and angry Lebo residents over the turf project.
Elaine
Steve Diaz for President. He nailed it. The commissioners don't listen. And they don't care. Guess they're happy about the division in the community. But guess what--people are going to show up in larger and larger numbers. Good move.
Democrats acting like democrats whether it is National or Local. In their failed little lives forcing their wants and views trumps all.
Your partisan comments aren't helping the situation. I'm a Democrat and I can assure you my life is neither little nor failed. Save comments like yours for The Trib.
The Commission was presented with 110 signatures from the petition that was just started on Thursday afternoon. Dave Brumfield doesn't believe in petition signatures. I would like to remind Dave Brumfield of a new service he started in August 2012.
There is a new service available at commission meetings!
Elaine
I think 10:37 was commenting on the commissioners mainly Brummie. He's a failed lawyer looking for a new career as a Judge (God help us!) or State Rep. Many from Sunset Hills are quite upset with him. And now the rumor is that his wife will be running for School Board.
Does anyone know the name/email address of the speaker representing Mt Lebanon against the R-4 from around 1:55 on the podcast?
I cannot believe Brumfield. He has got to go and I am a democrat.
-Disgusted in Mt Lebanon
PS It turns out disgust is a lasting emotion and it's hard to shake.
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