Don't miss the never-before-seen Bird Park runoff area with some serious raging rapids and a collapsing hillside.
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Here are photos of flooding on Wildcat Field today.
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Update May29, 2014 10:12 AM Please be aware that the official Pittsburgh rainfall for Tuesday 5/27/14 (I believe from 12:01 AM - 12:00 Midnight) was only 0.02 inches, and for Wednesday, 5/28/2014 it was only 1.38 inches, or a total of only 1.40 inches according to AccuWeather.com and the Tribune-Review. This is even below the 2-Year Storm Frequency standard of 2.3 inches of rainfall in a 24 hour period.
Mt. Lebanon's SALDO Section 809.4.6 requires that Municipal stormwater sewer systems be designed to handle the peak runoff from a 25-Year storm, or 4.4 inches of rainfall over a 24-hour period. Please read and become familiar with SALDO Part 8 Design Standards, Section 809 Stormwater Conveyance and Management, and Section 810 Storm Sewers and Drainage Facilities and all sub-sections. We're obviously failing to comply with our own Ordinances.
SALDO is Chapter XVI of the Mt. Lebanon Code, and has a direct link on the Public Documents page of the Municipal website. Or click
here and start on page 75 of the pdf.
Update June 1, 2014 9:10 AM This was in the Trib last summer.
Southmoreland tackles flood-damaged turf
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Sean Stipp | Tribune-Review
Roughly one-third of the artificial turf at Russ Grimm Field at Southmoreland Senior High School was pushed into ripples by the force of flood waters. |
63 comments:
Photographers and writers: thank you.
Elaine I drove past the fields around 5pm and they looked fine. In the little field it looked like a Dad was getting the field lined for a later game. There was a cop sitting in the parking lot waiting for a speeder and kids warming up at the big field. Loved all the anti-turf signs!
9:41: makes you wonder how the fields could deteriorate so quickly after 30 minutes or so of rain, but nah, we don't need irrigation. All of the areas shown with standing or running water will lose infill or sustain movement of the infill. I hope my kids don't fall on an area with washed out or no infill! Also, I wonder what kind of damage to the surrounding hillsides will be incurred when those rapids contain millions of tiny rubber BB's...
All of that Bird Park storm water is culverted into the overloaded Cedar Blvd. storm water /stream flood plain waterway system down to Painters Run and then into the endangered Chartier's Creek. Make's the turf nuts proud to know the artificial turf system will collect field rainwater and direct it into the already Cedar Blvd. nightmare. Natural grass fields are fully pervious where rain water soaks into the subsoil and 30% naturally evaporates in to the air. They do not add to the Cedar Blvd. nightmare.
Didn't Gateway Engineering say that they had no knowledge of flooding at the fields? Am I imagining that?
In today's Post Gazette:
"Cranberry debuts fitness centers that encourage health and socializing"
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/north/2014/05/29/Cranberry-debuts-outdoor-fitness-centers-that-encourage-health-and-socializing/stories/201405290046#ixzz336u2ylpG
"Visitors to Cranberry’s Graham and North Boundary parks soon will have some healthy options for exercise beyond the typical hiking and ball-playing activities.
Four outdoor fitness centers — the first of a kind for the region — will open June 4. They are gifts of the Cranberry Township Community Chest, a nonprofit group that raises funds for community improvement. The project costs about $200,000, according to Cranberry Parks and Recreation Director Pete Geis."
Here in Lebo on the other hand - a community with an older population, we give municipal field sign revenue to a Community Endowment group which then gives it back to the municipality to be used to turf sports fields primarily for kids.
I believe Fraasch was attempting to build a recreation/social center at Robb Hollow, but seems to have abandoned that effort.
More Photoshopping? Elaine how can you do this! Perhaps it was our brigade of dixie-cup volunteers who filled the field? Why do you insist on facts and logic being applied to the situation? You are clearly a very unreasonable person!
LOL! I'm THAT good, 9:54 AM. You know, there was a time when Dave Brumfield accused me of doctoring the podcasts. I don't know how to use my DVR and have never sent a text message in my life. But I am a whiz at creating images that look like flooding is present on and around Cedar Blvd. and the fields.
Facts and logic will be the death of me. There is no room for that here in Mt. Lebanon. And as the trolls like to say, I have no credibility. Ha!
Elaine
9:54 Next time pictures are taken of flooding at Wildcat/Middle, what would you like to see as evidence of authenticity? Do you want live footage?
If you can't believe a photo of a flooded field in Mt Lebanon, then the entire argument in favor of turf due to poor drainage and field conditions should be viewed with even more skepticism.
I would love to see 5/28 photos of the visible, non-culverted portions of the stream along the western side of Cedar, all along the flood plain area that empties into Painters Run. And the discharge from the large storm sewer pipe system also all along Cedar to Painters Run, mostly culverted underground.
How much water must appear on MWC before Gateway Engineering admits it floods?
6 inches, a foot or must we have a lacrosse player standing waste high in muddy water.
Right now the question must be asked if we have turf and the games go on, will the moms (and dads) step out of their cozy, dry SUVs and into the flooded parking lot to watch the kids game?
What's that old expression? Ah, yes...a picture is worth a thousand words. Thanks for posting these, Elaine.
Did someone say "flood plain?" Isn't that a government designation of which both the municipality and Gateway are aware? How low can they go?
Sidebar: TODAY THE WHITE HOUSE HIS HOSTING A YOUTH SPORTS SAFETY SYMPOSIUM ALL DAY LONG. CONCUSSIONS ARE THE MAJOR TOPIC. SEE THE NEWS/TWITTER/ETC.
Sidebar 2: Here is a live stream from PBS. Currently, I believe they are waiting for Obama to speak again.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/obama-voices-concern-youth-sports-concussions/
Of note: There are no studies of synthetic turf and PEDIATRIC concussions. The studies measure the impact of MISSILES hitting the turf and these missiles are not heads of children. The missiles emulate adults' heads.
I don't know about Gateway's definition of flooding but here is apparently the National Flood Insurance Program's.
http://www.floodsmart.com/flooding-and-flood-risks/legal-definition-of-flood/
"Flood – “The Legal Definition”
What is a Flood?
OK at first this may seem like one of those “Duh?” questions, however the National Flood Insurance Program has established a legal definition for a flood as follows:
A flood is a general and temporary condition where two or more acres of normally dry land or two or more properties are inundated by water or mudflow.
Anywhere it rains it can flood.
Many conditions can result in a flood: hurricanes, broken levees, outdated or clogged drainage systems and rapid accumulation of rainfall.
Just because you haven’t experienced a flood in the past, doesn’t mean you won’t in the future. Flood risk isn’t just based on history, it’s also based on a number of factors: such as rainfall, river-flow and tidal-surge data, topography, flood-control measures, and changes due to building and development. New development miles upstream can create flooding in your area.
Flood-hazard maps have been created to show different degrees of risk for your community, which help determine the cost of flood insurance. The lower the degree of risk, the lower the flood insurance premium."
I'm pretty indifferent about the turf, but what you've show is not flooding. Rather, it's standing water. Photo 19 clearly shows that the drain is not overwhelmed. The standing water shown in the other photos is due to improper grading. If the field was properly graded, as I presume the proposed project would include, standing water would not appear, as it would be properly routed to existing (and apparently sufficient) drains.
Oh, thank you for that clarification, 1:40 PM. The FEMA Flood Plain Map, clearly shows areas of "standing water." The photo of the car going through the intersection of Greenhurst, Morgan and Cedar posted on May 27, is obviously "not flooding, rather it's standing water." And the photos of the fields from 2013 on the May 23 post and in previous posts is not flooding. I stand corrected. What was I thinking? Just like John Bendel and Dave Brumfield, show them documentation, and it is biased. You see, since I am against the turf, I have made arrangements with the weather "person" to have periodic standing water events so that my blog photographers can grab those "Kodak moments." If it didn't involve taxpayer money, I would be laughing at your desperation to get your precious turf.
Elaine
If it didn't involve taxpayer money, I would be laughing at your desperation to get your precious turf.
Why on earth are you being rude to me? Seriously. I've done nothing to you.
The photos clearly shows puddles of standing water orphaned from the drain. Turf or no turf, if grading was done properly, the standing water depicted in the photos would not exist.
Sheesh. I'm not your enemy.
Whoa Elaine, lets slow down a little, please.
Lets see where we agree with 1:40 rather than starting off on a tangent.
1:40 makes this point... "The standing water shown is due to improper grading." Bingo!!!!
1:40 and at least I for one agree on something concerning our fields, especially the fields at MWC.
1:40 presumes that the proposed project... would be properly graded so as to eliminate standing water. I won't argue HIS point.
My contention along has been that the current grass fields at MWC have been improperly graded or maintained and that is our biggest problem with them.
I also contend that we could PROPERLY grade and then resod MWC for probably around $100,000.
We could do this every year for ten years and still be under the cost of turf and have less concerns about the pollution from crumb rubber and plastic.
We could do this every other year and have money left over for say- fancy scoreboards, energy efficient stadium lights and confortable fan seating.
Plus we'd have drier fields as 1:40 points out! Everybody is happy except for the few individuals that absolutely must have plastic grass.
3:04 PM, you know that this is an unacceptable solution. There is no compromise with Bendel, Brumfield, Linfante, Silverman, Gateway, Franklin, Chip, White, Grogan, Donnellan, and the rest of the SAB. Please don't tell me "Whoa." You have the emails that support what I am saying.
And 2:40 PM, I am supposed to know that you're not my "enemy", how? You dissed the photos and the FEMA map and conclude that there are no flooding issues there. How else am I to interpret that?
Elaine
I have to agree with 3:04PM. I think the best bet is to just regrade the field as it is now and re-sod. That is if the municipality had no choice in the matter. My ideal situation would be that the sports teams would pay for it all by themselves.
3:04, if it would really only cost $100,000 for regrading and resodding, and if we could get some assurance that, absent extraordinary rains, we could avoid pooling, I see little reason for turf. I would however like to make sure that we use more organic treatments for fertilizing the field. The water that we agree should more efficiently run towards the drain is obviously not treated. Anything not absorbed into the field will end up in that creek.
And Elaine, honey works better than vinegar.
2:40, if you aren't Elaine's enemy and at least the three of us agree that the current field(s) are improperly graded and maintained why don't we team up?
Do you find my 3:04 proposal acceptable 2:40? Can you compromise or are you a wolf in sheeps clothing as Elaine seems to fear?
I'll go even one step further in my 3:04 proposal. Let's add a youth sized field at Robb Hollow and maybe properly grade and sod Brafferton.
Between the three of us perhaps we can satisfy everyone... More fields, improved fields, no toxic crumb rubber and we save a whole pile of money!
What do you say 2:40? I'll bet Elaine will join in?
3:04 makes sense, at least as a starting point. I hope he is right.
As to 2:40, no one is being "rude" to you, it is just that you started with a very condescending comment and then became suddenly hypersensitive when your arguable point was challenged. Keep the conversation civil and stop playing word games.
If there is "standing water" on a regular basis that comes from heavy rains, that for all practical purposes produces "flooding" so far as the user of the street, or the field in question, is concerned. Let's keep this practical.
3:25 and 3:04: One might well ask why the commission and Gateway have not discussed this approach with the concerned citizens. Another example of our Imperial Commission wearing no clothes.
2:40/3:25, the only way to find out is to invite a grass expert in to evaluate what needs to be done.
They won't show if they think they are be used as a pawn to battle plastic turf.
Now, do I know for sure its under $100,000, no I don't. I've be given ball park figures that it is possible. Plus a recent ESPN article on the Heinz Field grass states it only cost around $28,000 to re-sod an NFL field. Cranberry's Turf Management Guidelines show that with proper maintenance pooling can be dealt with.
I think we may be onto something though even if it goes for $200,000. We have a fourth that could be on board.
Wonder if any of the commissioners are game?
2:40/3:25, I'm by no means a field expert, but I did find this web page.
The field shown in their photo looks worse than Mellon. Here's what they claim it would cost to re-grade and re-sod it.
In fact they low ball my numbers by $50,000, essentially if they are accurate we could re-grade and re-sod every year for the next 20 years and still be less expensive than turf.
With turf we'd have to do 3 costly replacements and send tons of plastic and rubber crumbs to a landfill.
Here's the link: http://landscapeonline.com/research/article/6324
"Many cool season fields are seeded every spring in hopes they will be ready for competition in late August. Warm season fields are aerated and fertilized with the same hopes. But if the middle is bare at the end of the season, like the field in Figure 1, there is not enough time for the turf to mature before competition begins. If more than 35 annual events are to be played on the field, the center may show signs of thinning by mid-season.
The Solution
Sod it and the season will begin with a full, thick, stand of grass. At first reaction, this may seem a little extreme and maybe even too costly. But if no other work needs to be done, like under drains, irrigation, or importing topsoil, the total cost should be under $50,000. What’s more, the project can be broken into two separate contracts: one for grading and one for sodding, with both contracts being under $25,000. The purpose of this article is to provide step-by-step instructions to get the best job at the lowest price.
Step 1. Survey and Grade Plan
To make sure you’re not wasting your money, a little planning is necessary. The first step is to perform a topographic survey. In surveying a football field, shoot elevations every 10 yards down the center of the field and 40-foot increments toward the sidelines. Include at least 20 feet outside the field to make sure the grade will carry water off the playing area. In my experience, a crowned field needs the addition of 4 inches of soil (approximately 200 tons) from the center of the field to the hash marks to reestablish the crown."
I will also say that 1:40 brings up a good point,
"If the field was properly graded" .
it seems we are turfing the fields to solve a drainage problem, not a problem with the fields being natural grass. the consequences of the fields not being properly graded, and having a sub-base of impervious hard clay are that after a rain event any standing water creates soft areas in the field which end up being the first areas to be torn up by the users. then at the other extreme when it is hot and dry the grass is easily torn out of the hard clay.
in the discussion session on April 8th the engineers from gateway presented their findings from their site investigation of the fields, among their conclusions from sampling the soils on site was that it consisted of an 'impervious existing subgrade made up of urban fill' which is 'very hard'.
In my judgement by making that statement they had (inadvertently perhaps) solved the entire problem.
we have fields placed on urban fill consisting of hard impervious clay, and we are asking them to provide use from early march through october, and when they cannot withstand the use we say that the grass is the problem!
when was it considered to properly grade the site, increase the permeability of the field by installing a well drained sub-base (silt, sand, gravel etc) and then retain natural grass fields?
mt lebanon has a limited supply of green space, our commissioners should make it a priority to find an alternative to dumping 27000 used tires at the heart of the park system.
3:39, lets see if we can keep this on a civil course.
My gut feeling is that they will come back and say they investigated it and ruled it out as an option.
The previous find on the cost of re-grading and re-sodding suggest otherwise.
If you want to crawl back into the mudslinging rut we've been on, you've lost me for now.
Can you compromise or are you a wolf in sheeps clothing as Elaine seems to fear?
3:33, "Wolf in sheep's clothing?" This is about a municipal playing field, not international espionage. And my 3:25 comment hopefully show that I'm don't even need to compromise. As I said in my original earnest comment, I'm indifferent.
you started with a very condescending comment
Please 3:39 (or Elaine for that matter), tell me how my 1:40 comment was in the least bit "condescending." As I wrote in a comment that Elaine has thus far chosen not to publish, "I wasn't patronizing, nor insulting, nor confrontational, nor did I use ad hominem attacks. I made a discrete point."
If there is "standing water" on a regular basis that comes from heavy rains, that for all practical purposes produces "flooding"
I disagree. Flooding would cover the entire field, while standing water is isolated to pools that are orphaned from the drain. I think that's a critical distinction. There exists sufficient drain capacity such that all rain can run off the field.
This entire discussion demonstrates that the commission does not know how to collect unbiased information and then how to process it for a reasonable solution. The matters raised here should have been the subject of commission proceedings.
This raises another interesting point, where is our municipal manager in all of this? Where is his "expertise" in collecting pertinent expert opinion and developing analysis of it for the commission and the public -- more nonfeasance to add to the malfeasance for which he will be remembered.
How does the commission make decisions if it doesn't get all the information available on both sides? Would you allow these people to steward a trust for your children? (Oh, I guess we have done that, haven't we?)
4:11 -- You are probably right, given the record of how they handle criticism. I have only one question if that is their retort: If you considered all of this why have you never disclosed that fact while the public has been demanding a Green solution? I find it less than credible, whatever they say, that they actually have developed any information on a grading and grass solution......they are playing politics not only with our money, but with the welfare and futures of our children.
If you want to use a field to play or practice, is there any difference between "standing water" and a "flood"? I think not.
The most money it would take to resod and regrade that area would be a max of $500K.
4:21 it has been brought up under numerous other post on this blog. If needed I can do a search on them.
3:33 the wolf in sheep's clothing was meant to address what you wrote in your first post at 1:40, if you are indeed 1;40. If not I apologize.
Here's what was written by 1:40.
"I'm pretty indifferent about the turf, but what you've show is not flooding...
...If the field was properly graded, as I presume the proposed project would include, standing water would not appear, as it would be properly routed to existing (and apparently sufficient) drains."
Now again, I asked about being a wolf since you jumped right onto what is apparently a case for the turf project.
You didn't write... if the field was properly graded we wouldn't have standing water.
If you pay close attention to the 3:04 comment I asked Elaine to back off a bit and see if we can arrive at a meeting point.
In Elaine's defensive, she's taken a helluva lot of abuse.
I agree with you on the differences between flooding and standing water to a point.
Damion the link posted at 4:05 says-- "The Solution
Sod it and the season will begin with a full, thick, stand of grass. At first reaction, this may seem a little extreme and maybe even too costly. But if no other work needs to be done, like under drains, irrigation, or importing topsoil, the total cost should be under $50,000. What’s more, the project can be broken into two separate contracts: one for grading and one for sodding, with both contracts being under $25,000. The purpose of this article is to provide step-by-step instructions to get the best job at the lowest price."
That is quite a range. $50k and $500k. Both though are considerably less than $1 million.
Sorry 4:21 I misunderstood your comment. I thought you were asking 4:11 why they never disclosed regrading and resodding-- sorry. My bad!
I use to attend meetings and I will say you are all years behind one commissioner that had the same plans and asked for the effort to make all the fields better. much before Robb Hollow was ever discussed.
I sat at a meetingwhen Kelley Fraasch requested several items no more field grading by parents unless they were trained. Traning for everyone that dressed fields. Closing fields down was the other schedule she wanted to start. No one listened to her and I was 1 of 5 in the audience. Matt Kluck backed Kelley Fraasch on finding ways to better the fields and Bird Park was done. I beleive better than ever. Brafferton was next and that's the last I know. Kelley one time asked me and others to help her with funding a grass expert to come out to look at the fields because she wasn't getting any support especially from staff. She found that it wasn't worth anyone's money once the push back got so bad. This was 2012 and the battle still goes on.
Yes 4;08, yes, yes, yes, yes!!!!
Let's recap all the reasons given to turf Middle and Wildcat.
1. It is highly visible and makes it easier to generate sign revenue.
2. It will attract real estate agents so that they will feature our crown jewel.
3. We need more playing slots.
4. We need rectangular fields or multipurpose fields.
5. We need artificial turf to extend the playing seasons.
6. We can have multiple sports using the fields simultaneously.
7. The balls roll better for soccer.
8. If we had turf, there would be no rainouts.
9. Turf would give other fields a rest.
10. Robb Hollow would be too small, even though the fields will be smaller than Robb Hollow.
11. Brafferton was too expensive to fix, even though this project is a million dollars.
12. How do you say no to a five year old that there is no space to play soccer?
13. There is no Rock Pile and will not be replaced.
14. Lacrosse had no place to play.
15. The fields are in bad shape. See #16 and #17.
16. The municipality cannot maintain fields.
17. The school district cannot maintain fields.
18. There are less injuries with artificial turf.
19. Artificial turf lasts 8 year or more. (Look at the stadium at less than 4 years of use.)
20. Artificial turf is safer than natural grass.
21. The fields never flood.
22. The SAB took a head count at their meeting and Middle and Wildcat were the winners.
23. There is overwhelming support for this plan.
You get the idea. I am sure my critics will pick at this list du jour, but over the years, this is what I have heard for reasons to rip out the grass.
Elaine
5:00 you are correct, I believe.
Residents: Write some emails to professionals to find out answers to these questions, present your findings to the blog and the commission. You will receive more responses than you expect. There are people who are absolutely both passionate and educated about developing and maintaining grass fields. Ask Jerad Minnick!
https://twitter.com/JeradRMinnick
Cultivate optimism.
(The turfing commissioners HATE optimism)
Great! So who is going to present this to the commission? Hmm? Let's see, how many people spoke against the turf project earlier in the week? Two? One, really, since my opinion doesn't count anymore. I am now a nonentity.
You know, I have five minutes to speak, like everyone else. I get no responses to my emails or if I do, I am told they will be answered in their reports, which never happen. So I have to ask again during my five minutes for information that is supposed to be covered during the meetings. Plus the five minute rule appeared to be enforced for me and the other person who spoke against the turf. The president loves to interrupt me and has for quite a while, even at the beginning of her term.
Oh, and 3:25 PM, you get stung when you use honey.
While all this is going on, this was posted on my blog in an earlier thread.
"The $73,828 Trophy Case is out to bid:
http://classifieds.triblive.com/viewlisting.php?view=856096
Description:
Invitation to Bid Mt. Lebanon School District Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC COMPLEX TROPHY CASE Sealed bids will be received by the Mt. Lebanon School District, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, until the 4th day of June 2014, at 9:30 a.m., local time. Contract work involves design/build of a 74 ft. long trophy case in the hall of champions located in the new high school athletic complex. The Display case shall be as described in the scope of services. Bids should be addressed to Mt. Lebanon School District, 7 Horsman Drive, Pittsburgh PA 15228. The bid envelope should be clearly marked "Sealed Bids for "High School Athletic Complex Trophy Case"-DO NOT OPEN UNTIL 9:30 AM, JUNE 4, 2014. Bidders wishing to view the project area should schedule a meeting with the Project Manager, Rick Marciniak, 412-344-2092. The school is located at 7 Horsman Drive, Pittsburgh PA 15228. cashier's check or a bid bond in an amount equal to ten (10) percent of the bid payable to Mt. Lebanon School Board, Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, shall be submitted with the bid to guarantee the bidder's entrance into a contract if given the award. No bid may be waived or returned because the bidder has failed to, or cannot comply with any requirements as set forth herein. No bid may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days after the time of opening the bids as provided by the Act of December 12, 1994 (P.L. 1042, No. 142). Bidders must comply with all State anti-bid rigging regulations pertaining to work and will be required to submit an executed non-collusion affidavit with the bid. Project manual and scope of services may be obtained from the facilitie4s department, Mt. Lebanon School District, 7 Horsman Drive, Mt. Lebanon, PA 15228, 412-344-2191 at no cost or deposit. As this is a design-build project, no plans or specifications are available. Cecile D. Bowman, Secretary, Board of School Directors 5837635(5-15,22,29-14)"
More tax dollars being dedicated to sports. Thank you to the person who found this.
Elaine
This was posted anonymously on an earlier thread, but is definitely worth repeating here.
THIS IS FROM May 21 newspapers Classifieds (Bids and Proposals).
ANYONE CAN BUY A COPY AND SHARE FOR BLOG POSTING ON LEBOCITIZENS.
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
MUNICIPALITY OF MT. LEBANON OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Sealed Proposals will be received by the Municipality of Mt. Lebanon, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania for:
WILDCAT FIELD TURF INSTALLATION
This project base bid includes the installation of a synthetic turf surface on an existing grass and earthen field including demolition and removal of existing facilities, erosion and sedimentation controls, grading, preparation of the sub-grade, drainage installation, curb construction, turf material and rubber infill installation, and any restoration necessary.
Alternate bids are requested for installation of organic infill material as a substitute to rubber infill including the installation of an irrigation system and for a substitution of alternate turf material.
Add Alternate bids are requested for fencing along Cedar Boulevard, backstop installation, chain link fence fabric for backstop, plaza area including donor sign, water fountain, remove and replace existing fencing, storm filtration system, landscaping, and turf lettering.
A deduct bid is requested for a reduction in the turf area.
Qualified bidders must demonstrate having the minimum of five synthetic turf installations and field drainage base installations over the past five years.
Bidders must have third party warranty provisions for turf material and installation as well as being licensed and insured in Pennsylvania.
All Proposals must be in the hands of David Donnellan, Director of Recreation, Municipal Building, 710 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15228 before 11:00 a.m. prevailing time, June 17, 2014 and the same will be publicly opened and read at that time at the Municipal Building Commission Chambers located at 710 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15228. A mandatory pre-bid meeting is scheduled for June 6, 2014 at 10:00 AM, on the second floor of the Recreation Center located at 900 Cedar Boulevard, Pittsburgh PA 15228.
Proposals shall be delivered in a sealed envelope and clearly marked on the outside with the words "Wildcat Field Turf Installation".
Copies of Drawings, Specifications, Instructions to Bidders, General Conditions, Forms of Proposals and Agreements are on file and open to public inspection at the office of The Gateway Engineers, Inc., 400 Holiday Drive, Suite 300 Pittsburgh, PA 15220 where sets of said documents may be obtained on Tuesday, May 27, 2014, upon payment of $75.00 for the contract. A $25.00 fee is applied if specifications are to be mailed. No refunds will be made to documents purchased.
Prevailing wage rates will be required to be paid on this contract.
Performance and Labor and Material Payment Bonds, along with Public Liability and Property Damage Certificates of Insurance in the amounts specified, as well as Certificates of Workman's Compensation must be filed with the executed Agreement.
All bidders must submit the non-collusion affidavit with their bid or the bid will be considered void.
Proposals to receive consideration must be accompanied by a Certified Check or Bidder's Bond from a Surety Company authorized to do business in Pennsylvania, made to the order of the Municipality of Mt. Lebanon in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the total amount of the Proposal as a guarantee that, if the Proposal is accepted, the successful Bidder will enter into an Agreement within 15 days after Notice of the Award of the Contract.
The Proposals must be made to the Municipality of Mt. Lebanon and shall remain firm for a period of sixty (60) days. No Bidder may withdraw his Proposal during the sixty (60) day period without forfeiting his Bid guarantee.
The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals, or any part thereof, for any reason, and also reserves the right to waive any informality therein.
Stephen M. Feller
Municipal Manager
In those bid documents there is no mention of pitcher's mounds permanent or temporary. Are these out?
What is this deduct bid for reduction of turf area? Might we not build a full size field?
And those pesky Add alternate bids for fencing, plaza area, etc. If the bids come in too high will these wants be put in as Capital Improvements as some were in the high school project?
Why would they have a big Public $11,000 turf update with the Penn State expert on June 11th when the bids are due and to be opened on June 17th?
Why would you not bring in the expert prior to soliciting bids so that changes could be made to the drawings if he highlights an issue?
My speculation is that the commissioners already know the bids will be much higher than we were told and that McNitt is coming to sell the project through. Lots of pretty pictures, views of turfed stadiums, brightly colored logos. He's the closer brought in to cinch the deal.
Purely speculations on my part.
Though they did this on the high school project too.
Beautiful color illustrations, fabric swatches, color palettes, pitches about how 21st century the new school will be-- c'mon you know you want it, you'll be the envy of every community, c'mon baby you know you gotta have it!
Hey baseball Dad's! Did you FINALLY realize that these fields are really for lacrosse and soccer? You pay to look like the rest of us.
4:54 PM,
The square footage of a NFL field is roughly 58,000. The square footage of the Mt Lebo fields is around 100,000. Also, they don't have to grade the NFL fields, they just lay down the sod.
Boy, is it quiet out there. Nobody want to talk to the commissioners and present this terrific plan? Do you really think the commissioners are going to listen? And you want ME to back off a bit and see if we can arrive at a meeting point? It has gone out to bid. There is no way to stop it unless legal action is taken. Oh great, now I sound like Brumfield. And you think we can arrive at a meeting point. Too late for that, guys.
People have tried to warn sports dads that is all for lacrosse. They weren't even in the YSA, but now since my buddy Brumfield is a lacrosse coach, Chip, looks like you are SOL. You don't even get a pitchers' mound. Maybe you should have given Brumfield that warning, instead of to me, the spineless blogger.
Elaine
What's more important Mt Lebanon Commissioners: humanity or ideology?
Humanity = the community
Ideology = turf
"When people fight each other for petty ends, losing sight of the basic humanity that binds us all together as a single human family. We must remember that the different religions, ideologies, and political systems of the world are meant for human beings to achieve happiness. We must not lose sight of this fundamental goal and at no time should we place means above ends; the supremacy of humanity over matter and ideology must always be maintained".
-Dalai Lama
And when the commissioners announce that taxes have to be raised because X needs to be addressed then what? Will people then question 2 MILLION $$$ or more being spent to provide Brumfield's kid a turf field to play lacrosse on? Baseball supporters you better remove your "donation"! Your kids are NOT included on the schedule. It's 70% lacrosse and 30% soccer. The joke is on YOU!!!
Elaine way back in the late 70's when I was a student at the High School I was caught in a FLASH FLOOD leaving the park at the bottom of Greenhurst. I was on my way to W/C for a baseball game. They too were underwater. I'll have to see if my parents kept the pictures the police and fire dept took. The insurance company fought the claim using it was a known flood area and I should have known that it would flood. Brumfield is full of sh*t if he claims that area doesn't flood. The water was over my windows and that is NOT standing water!
5:49 AM, I would love to see those pictures, if they are available.
Here is what is really scary, in my opinion. It is Gateway Engineering's Dan Deiseroth, who said that it never floods. I was at the meeting when he said that. I was also at the meeting when a Cedar Blvd. resident said that she had photos of the fields flooding. I immediately looked at Municipal Engineer Deiseroth, and the expression on his face was one of those "oh sh*t" kind of looks. That is what happens when you don't exercise due diligence and rely on the Recreation Director for information.
Elaine
In one of the pictures of Wildcat Field, you can see the tip of the blue tarp that Chip provided to protect the infield. The reason why I know that Chip did it, is because it was discussed during a SAB meeting. What has happened, due to his generosity, is that it has caused "standing water" on the rest of the field. It has created an impervious surface. Not cool.
Since Gateway is on record as saying that the fields never flood, I assume Gateway can be either fired or responsible for the replacement of the ruined turf, or both WHEN it floods again.
Elaine
Does anyone remember the mother and children that drown after their minivan became submerged in a downpour after visiting the zoo a few summers ago? That was my friend's family...
So listen carefully Commissioners, Gateway, Feller & Weis: one wrong move on this project and we are going directly after you on how you created this mess even though countless people implored you to reconsider. Yes, in previous lawsuits builders have been to blame but in this case, we will point DIRECTLY to you as conspiring to avoid fault when this was ALL YOUR DOING.
When will decision making be sent back to the citizens through referenda? After all, it is their money. Neither the Commission nor the School Board are anchored in the will of a plurality of the community. Artificial turf is first and foremost a health and safety issue. Furthermore, it is a waste of taxpayer dollars, as are the 74 K $ trophy case and the high school renovation project configured for a 113 M $ cost. There are many seniors in Mt. Lebo on fixed incomes who cannot afford these icing on the cake projects.
2:21 PM, I forwarded your comment to the commissioners, Weis, Feller, and Deiseroth. Here are their email addresses:
philip.weis@bipc.com
sfeller@mtlebanon.org
ddeiseroth@gatewayengineers.com
commission@mtlebanon.org
Elaine
Why didn't Field Turf pay $11,000 for their paid expert to smooze Mount Lebanon?
Good question, 5:44 PM. It IS an $11,000 infomercial.
I have been reading about what happens to artificial turf if there is flood damage. Damage to artificial turf is typically covered by insurance and secured with an insured warranty. My question is what insurance company in their right mind would underwrite a flood zone? The question becomes, "Will you cover this WHEN it floods, not IF it floods."
Elaine
The comment below is from a storm on September 17, 2004:
4:20 p.m. Port Authority spokeswoman Judi McNeil reports that several bus routes have been stopped or delayed. Buses can't get near flooded portions of Babcock Blvd., Becks Run Rd., Idlewood Rd., Toms Run Rd., McLaughlin Rd., Cedar Blvd., Route 51, Route 60, Saltsburg Rd., Frankstown Rd. and McKnight Rd. Buses can't service East Ohio Street in Millvale, Butler Street in Etna, Main Street in Sharpsburg, Beechwood Blvd and Forward Avenue in Squirrel Hill. The Library trolley line is shut down between Washington Junction and Library.
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