How low can we go?

I found the 2010 lean and clean and smart annual report produced by the Public Information Office on the municipal website. So many changes since 2010!

Concerning the cover of the report, the PIO writes: "What better symbol of Mt. Lebanon’s clean, transparent government than water splashing from the fountain at Clearview Common, a popular Uptown gathering space." I don't think I had submitted any Right To Knows for the municipal side of our government at that point. Former commissioner Dan Miller took pride in sharing documents with residents.

In 2010, our municipal government was tightening its belt. Manager Steve Feller writes: "Kept the undesignated fund balance at above 10 percent, the amount recommended by rating agencies." This year, as a result of our greedy Commission, Moody downgraded our ratings. Moody's reports challenges to be:

CHALLENGES:
Below average fund balance
Large overlapping debt with local school district

The spending of $800,000 on artificial turf violates the terms of the ordinance established by the commission.  The ordinance states that unassigned funds Cannot be used for regularly scheduled and reoccurring operational expenditures. The artificial turf is to be replaced every eight years.

Recycling is up, "increased participation over two years by 89 percent." Now we are faced with another hidden tax a.k.a. "Pay as You Throw" next month, to encourage more residents to recycle. 

Look at the partnerships:

"Share services, form partnerships; right-size and reduce redundancies
This is just good common sense. Here are a few examples:
• Signed a new two-year agreement with the school district
and the Youth Soccer Association for continued maintenance
of school athletic fields.
• Implemented the “Go Zone” uniform signage program with
the school district.
• Decided to consolidate parking authority operations into
municipal government by December 31, 2011.
• Developed a retail management and promotions strategy for
Uptown in partnership with Duquesne University."

The two year agreement with the school district and the YSA (Youth Sports Alliance, NOT the Youth Soccer Association) was a disaster. Now, the commission has chosen to enter into another maintenance agreement with the school district for Middle and Wildcat Fields.

The "Go Zone" is a disaster and has been discussed here on Lebo Citizens.

The Parking Authority was consolidated, but I'm not clear on how the funds are being spent in regard to the latest bond issue.

Retail management and promotions strategy: We couldn't have a finer manager of the Commercial Districts Office, but the TOD is going nowhere, thanks to our commission.

"Coffee with the Manager, a community relations board program that invites residents to discuss issues with the staff informally at a coffee house." and "People don’t always have time to attend public meetings, so they appreciated Coffee with the Manager, a community relations board program that promotes transparent government by inviting residents to meet informally with Manager Steve Feller and other staff members at a local coffee house." Coffee with the Manager is history. Susan Morgans said that it was not well attended. I believe the last coffee was concurrent with the Candidates Forum. 

Changes include the power structure of our municipal government. For instance, the organizational chart shows the Boards are higher on the organizational chart than staff. Now, the staff tells the Boards "how it is." 

An interesting read on undesignated funds:

The total fund balance is the difference between assets and liabilities in a specific fund of the municipality. The undesignated portion of the fund balance represents expendable available resources that can be spent for emergencies and future uncertainties. In the General Fund, the municipality’s primary operating fund, the undesignated fund balance decreased by $487,434 from 2009 to 2010. This decrease was caused by use of fund balance in the 2011 budget and a designation for 2012 to help with pension contributions. The municipality has worked to increase the General Fund’s undesignated fund balance from a low of 4.1 percent of operating revenues in 2004. Rating agency and industry standards recommend an undesignated fund balance in the General Fund to be 5 to 15 percent of operating revenues. At year-end 2010, the General Fund undesignated fund balance was 11 percent.

Newcomers should read about real estate trends.

While the real estate market has significantly declined in other areas of the country, the values in Mt. Lebanon have not been as vulnerable. After a dip in average sales price in 2008, the prices in Mt. Lebanon showed recovery in 2009 and remained steady in 2010. The average sales price increased a mere 0.1 percent from 2009 to 2010. The number of properties sold has been constant in the past, but in the last few years has been far more market sensitive.

We are moving in the wrong direction. There is less transparency, more debt and wreckless spending, lower fund balance, poorer ratings, and the staff is out of control. Have I missed anything?