What happened to the school district doing the maintenance? Are they going to pay fees now? Or are they going to lose slots as Dave Brumfield told us would happen?
Who hired Mr. DeLorenzo? Isn't it a little early for this?
Update May 21, 2014 8:52 PM Thanks to another Lebo Citizens reader, here is the original job posting. Grounds Maintenance Person
Update May 23, 2014 4:10 PM Kristen Linfante shared this email with me a few minutes ago. Thank you, Kristen. I removed the name of the former employee.
From: Tom Kelley <tkelley@mtlebanon.org>
Date: May 23, 2014, 3:37:18 PM EDT
To: Kristen Linfante <klinfante@mtlebanon.org>, Commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>
Cc: Stephen Feller <sfeller@mtlebanon.org>
Subject: Re: new hire?Kristen and Commission,Ty was hired to fill an entry level position in the public works department that was vacated by the medical retirement of XXXXXXXXX. This is an entry level position that pays less than the laborer positions, and although the job title is field maintenance person, it is a distributed hours position meaning that field maintenance is only one of his many job duties which will also include: assisting the forestry crew; winter maintenance; assisting labor crews with serer maintenance; assisting trades with building maintenance and other work as directed. We received over 60 applications for the position and Ty was the top ranked candidate.
34 comments:
If it walks like a duck....
The Commissioners are obviously putting the cart before the horse because they think they have all of the power. The problem is, the people actually have the power and the cost of this irresponsible decision will be greater to them and to the Democrat Committee then any of them ever imagined.
Go Brumfield, Linfante, Silverman and Bendel! Tear out our beautiful green spaces for your own edification. It will be a nail in your political coffin as well as that for other related candidates.
Would you want the school district to take care of the "Crown Jewel" when they have proven they can't even take care of their own field? Remember the photos of the blades of turf lying flat and matted?
Nick M.
The 2014 Budget states:
"Improved Parks Maintenance. Adds full-time employee hired to help maintain the municipal parks. Additional tasks include limited vegetation management and facilities inspection and repair".
So are the PARKS being neglected again? Since caring for athletic field turf IS NOT part of the parks... remember Dave? According to the recent changes in Mt Lebanon that have been jammed down our throats, fields for SPORTS are not PARKS.
So Mt Lebanon, now you see why the TURF TASK FORCE MEETINGS are SECRET.
Keep this mind when the commission ask for your vote on the top three Home Rule Charter revisions.
#1. that the charter wording is gender neutral!
#2. that the super vote required to levy new taxes goes down from 4 to three
#3. that the treasurer gets appointed instead of elected
Yep, top three issues with putting control of our local government into the hands of the people.
But hey, I'm being silly and diverting attention from the topic here-- the HR Charter has nothing to do with a kid from Penn State being hired to take care of Field Turf we don't have yet.
I am at the point where anything this commission wants, I will vote against.
Understand that when the word "turf" is used in this context, it often means natural grass.
He could be working on the golf course, for example.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turf_management
It is just another display of arrogance and the failure of local government to be responsive to its concerned citizens. Kristen says that more people support her than oppose the Linfante (Newcomers) Tax simply because half the population has not attended any commission meeting to oppose it. The bubble is alive and well.
Our small contribution to job shortage. This young man should be put to work on other more pressing needs we have at DPW. How are the commissioner's going to pay for this, however? What corresponding cut did they make in the budget to fund this position?
8:22 You bring up a good point. Instead of immediately going into total freak-out mode, it's better to get the facts.
9:21 AM, I let your comment slide. This time. I emailed the commissioners, trying to "get the facts." I only heard back from Kelly Fraasch who passed it on to Tom Kelley. She was unaware of this, as well. But then again, Kelly has been kept out of the loop most of the time concerning the turf project. Hmm, I wonder if Kelly would have been permitted to sit in on the super secret Turf Project Task Force meeting.
If this man was hired to care for the artificial turf, I hope we give him a top notch health care package and pay him well. This article was sent to me this morning. Soccer coach: Could artificial turf be causing cancer?
Elaine
Has anyone considered using crowd-funding to hire attorneys?
Why wait for more evidence of the deception, loss of public trust, ethics violations, conflicts of interest, violation of PA Constitution?
8:22, you possibly could be right, but evidence suggest otherwise.
First off, no one refers to golf course fairways and greens as "field turf."
Second, why in the world would anyone hire a new employee-- unless they had a damn good idea what they'd be working on?
Plus we have the association between Field Turf and Penn State's McNitt. Coincidence, I think not!
No new hires at the golf course.
Still hearing crickets from the commission.
Elaine
This new hire isn't a graduate of Penn State's turf (grass) management program. Those are the folks who know grass turf management.
How was such a status update on Facebook found??? It appears he works for Public Works.
Like so many other things here, a reader brought it to my attention.
God Bless The Spineless Bloggers, right, Chip?
Elaine
I read it the same way as 9:22. The Penn State program is is a "Turf Management" Program where it is both artificial and regular grass.
We've needed a "turf" expert for our fields for awhile.
This guy didn't go to Penn State. Still nothing from the Commission or Tom Kelley.
Elaine
Gotta love those SPINELESS bloggers
Elaine
8:22, the kid wrote, and I quote: "Happy to announce I accepted a job in Mt. Lebanon taking care of athletic field turf in the Public Works Department."
Last I heard and saw there aren't any athletic "fields" in the middle of our golf course fairways.
You argue also (I assume it's you @ 1:48pm) "we've needed a "turf" expert for a long time."
I won't argue that, had we had an expert long ago we might not be fighting over artificial turf now.
But here's the question-- what are this person's credentials, experience????
Then are we getting rid of the incompetents in PW that couldn't keep our fields in good condition?
Will this incoming "expert" be in charge of the people that have senority or will he work under them?
So apparently, not only are we increasing the cost of the MWC field(s), we've added another yet another person to the payroll.
Kind of like the frugal school board. They cut the fat to the bone, cut supplies, cut technology and added not a well qualified teacher for $85,000+.
they added a fund raiser with limited experience.
Yep, it's all for the kids. Somebody's kids, but not the local taxpayers.
What I am not clear on in the comments on this blog is the partisanship... seems pretty anti-democrat to me. But to me, Elaine is not doing partisan work: investigative journalism can call out all corrupt officials, which most certainly crosses all isles.
So, what's up with all this anti-democrat rhetoric? Who cares what someone's party-affiliation is? That really couldn't matter less these days...
2:51
We aren't getting a "turf expert". We are getting a maintenance worker for synthetic turf.
Penn State does not offer classes in taking care of plastic make-believe grass. The connection at PSU with Field Turf is not to generate graduates who take care of synthetic turf.
If you live in Centre County throughout your childhood, you basically feel like you have grown up with Penn State.
From:
PSU alum
Politics doesn't matter these days, hun?
Someone wrote: "Interesting, Brumfield is quoted before 00:15:32 "Corbett sucks"."
First, try saying: 'Obama or Hillary Sucks" in a public meeting and see what reaction you get!
Second, is Brumfield representative of Democratic thinking? If not, then dems might want to consider the old adage "you're judged by the company you keep."
2:51PM, Since the Democrats carry an overwhelming majority, It is hard not to blame them.
I am a registered Democrat and I'm ashamed to admit that right now.
I guess 1:48 that wrote: "We've needed a "turf" expert for our fields for awhile." is in for a shock when they find out we still don't have one. That is if what 3:30 writes is true.
That's why we need to see this guy's resume and our job desription.
8:22 here.
Apparently I was correct. He was hired for grass. (As for those who said I said "golf course", I said "golf course, FOR EXAMPLE."
11:56 Were you at the interview?
11:56 yes you did say golf course for example.
The new hire, said he was hired for "field turf" so its curious why you suggest golf course.
Irregardless, let's figure this out.
Now we're spending $1,000,000 - and - hiring another municipal employee. So on top of spending our undesignated tax dollars on sports turf we're increasing the municipal annual expenditures by this kids salary, benies and employer tax obligations. So we've added what, at least another $40k annually to the bottom line?
Follow up on 2:41 comment.
I have no idea what Lebo's going compensation rate is for a "turf expert", but whatever it is- it is more than we were spending before.
Thias much is for certain, that salary money won't stop basements from flooding, fix potholes, sidewalks, leaky building roofs, buy police safety equipment or pay the electric and water bills.
Annndddd people say we don't do anything for youth sports... seems to me youth sports and the fields they play on are a priority over infrastructure.
Glad Brumfield isn't our governor.
I just sent this email to the commission.
Commissioners Linfante and Brumfield,
I asked about the new hire in Public Works. I heard back from Commissioner Fraasch, who forwarded my email to Tom Kelley and copied the rest of the commission. I have heard nothing since then.
It is a shame that I have to use up my five minutes during Citizen Comments asking questions and getting minutes docked waiting for answers from you.
Elaine Gillen
Thank you for your prompt response, Kristen.
"Dear Ms. Gillen,
I am not at all familiar with this person or any arrangement with Public Works. I am hoping that Mr. Kelley can provide some info. I have spoken with Mr Beumfield about this as well, and he knows nothing about it either.
Regards,
Kristen Linfante
Commissioner, Ward 3
Sent from my iPhone
Please forgive any texting typos"
So, employees are hired and the municipal expenditures go up and no one knows it happened?
Wonder how many people are on the Lebomag payroll that we don't know about?
But, the commissioners know everything there is to know about artificial turf to the miniscule detail. They know so much about turf that they need not listen to any recommendations from the ESB or PAB.
What a circus!
Elaine,
Maybe the questions to the Commissioners need to be much more specific, like:
"Did you know that Public Works was hiring over the past couple of months?"
Yes or No
"If no, why didn't you since it was included in the 2014 budget and advertised?"
"If yes, then why haven't you been updated that a new employee has been selected, hired, and moved to Pittsburgh? Why don't you know his/her job description?"
--
"Are you keenly aware of entire budget?"
Yes or No
"If no, then how can we trust to manage our budget, make capital improvements, and save for important infrastructure needs?"
These are just thoughts because as you know, Elaine, sometimes if the exactly right question isn't asked, then the information dispensed by certain Commissions can be quite confusing.
This new person has been on the job for 3 weeks now and nobody knows anything about him.
I guess we'll have to file a Right to Know to find out.
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