The following is a letter to Kristen Linfante and Steve Feller, from school board president, Elaine Cappucci:
On Jun 11, 2014, at 4:34 PM, Elaine Cappucci <ECappucci@mtlsd.net> wrote:
So the school board wants to back out of the ESB. This move falls in line with the school board's desire to tear down Building C, built in 1972 and supports their future capital project of artificially turfing the Rock Pile.Kristen and Steve,As you know, there is currently one open position on the Environmental Sustainability Board, and the School Board is slated to select a candidate.In past years, there have been two open seats at a time, and the municipality has advertised the openings and accepted resumes and applications which were then sent on to us after the commission chose a candidate. Unlike the commission, the School Board does not operate any other volunteer boards like the ESB. We do not have any applications for the currently open seat.When the ESB was formed, its purpose was to gain local government approval of the Mt. Lebanon Climate Action Plan, which was prepared by a group of resident volunteers interested in reducing energy use in Mt. Lebanon. Both the commission and the School Board approved the plan and formation of the ESB. The goal of the Action Plan was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy consumption, a goal the School District continuously works on. Since that time the ESB has expanded their role, but the majority of their work has been on issues pertaining to the municipality, not the School District. Our role in the ESB is limited to projects within our buildings, while the commission’s responsibilities are more far-reaching.We would like to ask the commission to appoint a new ESB member to the open position this year and for the next two open School Board positions since you have the pool of candidates for volunteer board positions. At the end of that process, the ESB would be a board of the commission.Respectfully,Elaine
The commission president blindly honored Elaine Cappucci's request and never realized that it was a violation of the Municipality of Mt. Lebanon Administrative Code.
140.2 Membership and Term. The Environmental Sustainability Board shall consist of seven (7) members each appointed for a three (3) year term. The initial terms of board members shall be one (1), two (2) and three (3) years. No more than three (3) members’ terms shall expire in any one year. Three (3) board members shall be appointed by the municipality, three (3) shall be appointed by the Mt. Lebanon School District and one (1) shall be selected by the six (6) seated members.I asked if the ordinance needed to be amended, and the solicitor's response was, "Yes."
Additionally, I asked for the list of unassigned funds discussed at the Commission Discussion Session. Kristen was referring to items by letter, instead of explaining what each line item was for the public's benefit. That list has been posted on the municipal website. I could not find it on the website, so Steve Feller sent this to me this morning.
The link is: http://mtlebanon.org/DocumentCenter/View/10437
It was posted the next morning under finance dept.with a paragraph stating:
Finance Department
Documents
Thanks.
- The Commission had a public hearing on June 23, 2014 to consider projects for the unassigned fund balance and received comments at that hearing. Since then there have been a few additions. Here are the most recent items that are being considered, all of them under the general categories that previously were discussed. 2014 Capital worksheet
Steve
Kristen would not approve items O and P, feeling that there was a statement being made. She went on to say that it had something to do with those opposed to artificial turf. Unfortunately, there is no statement being made. I can vouch for the need in Rockwood Park. The black rubber sidewalks are a perfect palette for sidewalk chalk drawings during cool weather like we had yesterday, but the children cannot walk on the black rubber in hot weather, let alone sit on the walk while creating their masterpieces. Unfortunately $1,500 is money not well spent, in Kristen's mind.
Commissioners are bringing deer culling back up again. Turf and kill nice legacy for all.
ReplyDeleteOver $3 million for a pool renovation and now we have to pay over $41,000 for a path around the pool.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it have been a lot cheaper and less of a mess to do the path while they were doing all the renovation?
2:25- Half of the path was fixed during the renovation. the other half was untouched, which means still having to walk through the mud to get to the pool if you are one of us who walks over via vee lynn.
ReplyDeleteYes, it would have made sense and probably saved alot of $ to do the entire path last winter.
The mission of the ESB is "to advise and encourage the school board, commission and community on sustainable solutions, principles, practices that will improve our quality of life, promote prosperity by developing the local economy and protect the planet by conserving resources and minimizing pollutants."
ReplyDeleteEverything was hunky-dory with the ESB as far as Cappucci and the school board as long as it was on board with their progressives, liberal green aganda. Remember the ESB's support of the district's purchase of Michael Mann's flawed textbook on climate change?
But now that the ESB has advised against the sports cabal's artificial turf initiatives, Cappucci and pals want to take their ball and go home and the ESB can't play in the game.
Hope people are wising up to the games the current crop of directors and commissioners are playing.
"...artificial turf for the Rock Pile" ? Where is that coming from ?
ReplyDeleteAnd where is the executed district/muni maintenance agreement for the Wildcat turf ?
And why has the turf project not gotten underway - thought it was to start mid-July to August 1st. ?
It is listed as a school district capital project for 2016.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen it either.
As of last Monday, Steve Feller was hopeful that the permit would be issued soon. Construction can't start until they get the permit. They were supposed to get it by June 29.
Elaine
Coaches are telling the kids that the Rock Pile will be turfed no matter what but they are hoping for an indoor facility to be built there. Hell, money grows on trees right?
ReplyDeleteI read on Lebo Fields that a YSA rep looked into the permitting process in 2012 and it sounded like he didn't think it would be a problem.
ReplyDelete8:15 pm That sounds like a compacted capital improvement with all the flooding that goes on in that area of Mt Lebanon and that destruction of more green space. Maybe the rowing team won't have to go as far for practice....
ReplyDeleteMichael Mann and Al Gore both have books in the environmental classes. What a warped curriculum for brainwashing kids in the high school. Don't forget the two hour lectures in all the other schools to relieve them of the rain tax.
ReplyDeleteI think our kids are smart enough to figure out the board members talk out of both sides of their mouths.
Too bad we have to pay and pension teachers to teach lies.
An Al Gore textbook in the environment classes, that is pathetic.
ReplyDeleteWonder how many teachers know the facts on Mr. Gore's environmental "inconvenient" truth!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.forbes.com/sites/larrybell/2013/05/21/the-greening-of-gores-bank-account/
9:20 PM - is this possibly the result of excessive cut and pasting and plagiarism by the alleged professionals ?
ReplyDeleteVery interesting, 9:20 PM! Here is the link to Mt. Lebanon's Silver Certification.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the school district was backing out of the ESB over the ESB Chair and Kristen Linfante email exchange pertaining to setting me on fire. You know, the school district and I are so very close.
Never did get an apology over that email exchange. I wonder how that would affect the Silver Certification. No burning is permitted in Allegheny County.
Elaine
Maybe Kristen can get ask Gateway to get a burn permit from the county. They've done so well with getting permits for the turf...
ReplyDelete9:48 am - I think the broken links reflect broken programs from what I know of at least one of them. The broken program link(s) = fewer points = downgrade.
ReplyDeleteJohn Grogan announced to coaches that an indoor facility with artificial turf will be built on the Rock Pile, and will be completed by 2017. As soon as the high school is completed, the indoor facility will be built. That is why coaches are telling kids, 8:15 PM.
ReplyDeleteElaine