When the cost of the project came back too high, our school board elected to cut corners by considering 197 potential project cost saving reductions. The list represented approximately $14 million in potential savings. How much of this has come back to haunt us? Back on August 8, 2011, I noticed that the school board agreed to eliminate the storm water detention tanks (#17). The rain garden was nixed as well. This had a direct impact on the stormwater situation on Cedar Blvd. After Cedar Blvd. flooded on August 3, 2014, and then again nine days later, I asked Gateway's Dan Deiseroth if the high school renovation was contributing to the flooding on Cedar. His answer was, "No." I asked Dan if he OK'ed the high school renovation plans. His answer was, "Yes." Gateway approved this cut! This is the same person who said that the fields don't flood; it is merely standing water.
Another item cut was #23 Eliminate need for pyrite remediation based on geotechnical report. We know how that ended up.
A third critical decision made by the school board was #40 Change glass rail at swimming pool to stainless steel airplane cable rail. As we know, that produced a change order. But look how it was handled.
Will we need another change order for the change order? Will we get the nuts and bolts in the next change order?
Lebo Citizens, please review the 197 potential project cost saving reductions and see if more questionable choices resulted in change orders.
Finally, readers have been wondering about the status of the Pursuant Ketchum fundraiser. We are still in the quiet phase, two years later. The September 14, 2014 Personnel Report shows that the full time director of the capital campaign will be on a leave of absence and an interim director has been hired at a daily rate of $300. The interim director's employment is late September 2014 through early January 2015. The present campaign director will be on leave starting October 8, 2014 through the beginning of January 2015. Is the overlap in employment and buying additional fundraising software really necessary? We invested in a Feasibility Study. Or will we be chalking this up to more contentious decisions made by our school board?
Get the railing fixed!!!! It was first reported November 19, 2013!
Update September 30, 2014 9:44 AM Read the snarky reply from Dr. Steinhauer concerning the pool railing.
From: TSteinhauer@mtlsd.net
To: David Huston
Subject: RE: Missing hardware on new pool balcony railing
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 12:17:21 +0000
Dear Mr. Huston,
Thank you for contacting the Board with your concerns. Installation of the revised pool railing is not complete. The lack of 2 bolts presents no structural or physical safety issue and will be installed when the project is completed. If this makes you uncomfortable, please stay away from this railing section until it is complete.
We are aware of no safety issues with construction.
Timothy J. Steinhauer, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Mt. Lebanon School District
412-344-2076
What did you do today to improve the life of a child?
$300 x approximately 34 days in just Oct & Nov is $10,000.
ReplyDeleteCall me crazy but that seems like a helluva lot of money for a short period of part time work.
Couldb't the PK fundraising experts handle the load during the leave of absence?
What the hell is the "work load" ? Sounds like another CYA boondoggle at the District. Will this be paid with our tax dollars or with those so very nebulous future donations ?
ReplyDeleteThe attitude, rudeness and apparent contempt that comes out from the Superintendent, School Board members and our Commissioners to parents and citizens in this community is disgusting. I'm considering moving (Wait for it as above mentioned officials warn me to not let the door hit me….) but we're going to have a shiny new ill-constructed high school, toxic turfed fields, and dead deer. I must be crazy.
ReplyDeletePS - And high test scores. I forgot high test scores. That alone should keep me here, right?
Personally, I forgot to add a certain Board chair and the Recreation Director to the list.
ReplyDeletePeople seem to be especially rude when you question safety issues.
Elaine
Steinhauer reply is inexcusable. Stay away from the railing if it makes you feel uncomfortable. It looks like a piece of shit, Steinhauer!
ReplyDeleteIt also looks like a young toddler could very easily slide thru - at least partially - the space between the wire and that bar with the missing bolts.
As for the campaign chairs leave. She makes over $80,000/year, we'll have a part-timer making $300/day and PK making 10%-15% of the gross funds raised.
Maybe, Steinhauer could cancel his pizza lunches and between his two assistant supers and the district PIO cover for the days the campaign chair is on leave.
In the first place her damn position isn't all that essential when you consider the taxes we're paying!
Compare our railing to the one in the pool spectator area at Bethel Park's new high school.
ReplyDeletehttp://massarocms.com/projects/bethel-park-school-district-high-school/
1:05
ReplyDeleteOh you mean the railing made of the glass that the MTL School Board engineered away to save a few bucks?
Bethel did their project right. They let the old debt expire, save the money from the payments they didn't have to make for a few years, and then went all new.
Oh, and when they voted for a budget, they didn't vote for a budget and tell a "Remely" about the costs coming in 20 million less than the school board approved budget.
Is Remely, in his new job, delivering the pizza to Steinhauer? Bet Steinhauer doesn't tip.
ReplyDeleteThe fund raising has become a cottage industry with increasing expenditures, and no measurable outcomes. There is a continuous increase in costs, and not a dime of fund raising has been reported to the taxpayers after two years.
ReplyDeleteThe Superintendent's response is idiotic. The pool is open, but structurally specified holes for bolts on the safety rail are empty. Would the Superintendent drive his car without lug nuts on the wheels? Would he drive across a bridge with rivets missing from the supports?
Yep, and what happened to that most likely under $100 million HS project Ed Kubit sent out the glossy mailer about?
ReplyDeleteHas anyone seen it?
Must be hidden in the silent phase of the PK $15 million Capital Campaign.
I agree, 1:48 PM. Timmy knows that anything he writes along those lines, is blog material. And don't tell me he doesn't read it, because he does. So do many other superintendents !
ReplyDeleteElaine
Tim clearly knows that this is an issue. Work should NEVER be left undone like that. He should be screaming and yelling at the contractor who left a hole in the job instead of suggesting there is nothing wrong with the picture.
ReplyDelete2:00 PM District "Campaign" (?) was originally announced with a $30 million goal to avoid a second bond issue to complete the high school. This goal was shortly thereafter revised downward to be around $30 million to be confirmed in a special Pursuing Ketchup study, which came back a year later saying a goal of only $6 million would be more appropriate.
ReplyDeleteThis whole affair is an absolute disgrace. Fire the idiots !
Elaine, you wrote earlier on your blog:
ReplyDelete"I thought this was a joke. It's not!
"The Assistant Manager of Capital Campaign will work closely with the Director of Capital Campaign to raise $6 million in capital and endowment support as the first step toward creating the Mt. Lebanon School District’s culture of philanthropy. The Assistant Manager of Capital Campaign will serve as staff support for a volunteer campaign committee in the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of individual donors. The Assistant Manager of Capital Campaign will also work with the Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education as needed."
The District keeps buying fundraising software and now the campaign director has an assistant manager for the $6 million capital campaign. I would love to know ( or do I?) what the pay will be for this full time position.
Elaine
September 12, 2014 at 10:35 PM"
Is the Asst. Manager of the Capital Campaign different from the $300/day stand-in for the Capital Campaign Mgr on medical leave?
How many people and companies does it take to run a fundraiser?
Since Steinhauer reads the blog, perhaps he'd like to explain why he sits deaf and dumb when board members proclaim Corbett has cut state money for MtL education?
ReplyDeleteAccording to the district's last CAFR report total state contributions to the district are at record levels.
KMAS!
Superindent's attitude towards construction is the sameone that allowed shims to go missing in the initial stages of the athletic wing that lead to expensive change orders to level the floor.
ReplyDeleteFor this terrific oversight we hand out bonuses in the administration!
Rather than thank a taxpayer for pointing out missing bolts the superintendent tells him to stay away from the railing.
Nice f_ _ _ _ _ _ attitude.
Herr Dr. Sgt Schultz Steinhauer - see no evil. hear no evil, speak no evil or truth's either!
ReplyDelete3:20 not to be argumentive but I believe the initial idea was to think about a $30 million campaign.
ReplyDeleteWhich after initial meetings with PK was settled on seeing if a $15 million campaign was feasible. After paying PK $40,000 to do a study it was recommended to shoot for $6 million over 5 years.
To date we've had no accounting on expenditures or donations to date.
The Campaign Manager should have been hired as an independent contractor.
ReplyDeleteFund raising isn't an obligation of a school district like teaching students.
Some of your readers might be interested in this. School superintendent's Code of Ethics. Anonymous.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=1390
3:23, if Steinhauer is truly interested in building a "Culture of Philanthropy" perhaps he should read the following.
ReplyDeletehttps://nonprofitquarterly.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2831:unraveling-development-philanthropys-moral-dilemma-part-3&Itemid=119
"How’s Your Organization’s Culture of Philanthropy?
Research shows that the culture inside an organization dramatically impacts its effectiveness. “Culture” means the attitudes, beliefs, customs, practices, and social behaviors that characterize a group of people. So your organizational culture means all that.
Organizational culture can be good or bad—or just mediocre. Probably, we’ve all worked in a toxic organization at one time or another. Or watched a toxic organizational culture from afar, as far away as possible!
I think a culture of philanthropy is a principal component of a positive corporate culture in a nonprofit organization. In my experience, professionals and organizations that nurture a culture of philanthropy are more likely to be effective and successful.
A culture of philanthropy is the perfect blend of philanthropy and fund development. A philanthropic culture embraces both donor-centrism and donor loyalty. This culture embodies the virtuous circle of relationships.
In a culture of philanthropy, giving is the highest of callings. People in the organization break the obsession with transactions and mechanics and cherish interests and motions. Each person in the organization serves as an ambassador, promoting the organization’s mission and promoting philanthropy.
So what’s our role in the culture of philanthropy? As an organizational leader, you help define and then consciously nurture this culture.
How do you start? At the beginning—by asking questions. How many times in this column have I said, ask strategic (and cage-rattling) questions? Use these questions with your staff colleagues—perhaps at a staff meeting or staff retreat. Use these questions with your board.
What kind of process would help your organization examine and evaluate its organizational culture, define any desired changes, and then make the change?
How do you all, together, describe your organization’s current culture, its personality? How does it feel to work here?
How does this culture affect your enthusiasm and commitment, your behaviors and interactions?
How would you describe an organizational culture that motivates its employees and volunteers, stimulating creativity and respect, generating enthusiasm and collegiality?
What would a culture of philanthropy look and feel like for your staff and volunteers?
How would you nurture this culture of philanthropy in your organization?
How is a culture of philanthropy different from a culture of greed?"
Then doing a little self-examination!
Steinhauer writes at the end of his correspondence "what did you do today to improve the life of a child?"
ReplyDeleteOne obvious answer is — earned enough money to pay the tax bills from the district from which he takes home a salary!
Good enough answer, Tim? Don't forget it!
Time to flood a school board meeting and DEMAND an outside audit. If the press was there in force I don't see them being able to back out. Has anyone projected what type of tax increases are coming? I asked Elaine's favorite commissioner about their thoughts on the State bill to eliminate property taxes and was told it would NEVER happen. Reason... Too many old people live here and they would get too much of a free ride.
ReplyDelete2:59 won't ever happen.
ReplyDeleteResidents packed the board meetings over Sablegate and the response was - 'answers, we don't need to give you no stinkin' answers!'
As far as property tax reform, as long as we stay away from the polls and vote in new people it'll never happen.
Not only are you going to see tax increases from the board and commission, listen to candidate Wolf for Governor. He's looking to tax anything and everything.
ReplyDeleteThe SB will cry fro more money from Harrisburg and he'll give it to them. Guess where he gets the money from!
I made this handy comment template for your readership. Just fill in the blank with an insulting nickname of a local public official, volunteer or otherwise, and we'll call it civil discourse:
ReplyDelete____________ should be ashamed of themselves! They're an embarrassment to our community. They must resign now! They're willfully and recklessly endangering children! They want to poison our children! Their kid did something embarrassing and I'm going to tell the world! Their house is for sale and I know why! And worst of all, they're being rude!
No need to thank me. Reading your blog is thanks enough.
Diversion tactics again, 11:33.
ReplyDeleteYeah sure people come up with insulting nicknames for our leaders, but if you knew your American History you'd know this is nothing new.
Look up how the Democratic Party got branded with the jackass as their symbol.
Don't try to cast Lebocitizens readers and bloggers as some sort of disrespectful, malcontents.
If these office holders want respect they have to earn our respect and trust.
First off, tell us where that under $100 million high school is? Then we'll respect the administrators and directors that promised it.
FYI 11:17 since you don't seem to consider history or facts. In the link below you'll find out how both parties got their respective symbols.
ReplyDeleteDig a little deeper and you'll find Andrew Jackson's wife was called a bigamist and adultress. Pretty heady insult.
We had Tricky Dickie in the 60s. Reagan was called senile. Truman a country bumpkin.
Cheney was publically haunted by his daughter's lesbianism.
How Sarah Palin and her family?
Somehow though you think none of this goes on in the bubble. How quickly you've forgotten those nasty emails sent out about school board candidates just a short while back.
Spare us your holier than thou attitude.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-the-parties-got-their-animal-symbols/
On the project drawings were there bolts specified to attach these kickplates, or just empty holes?
ReplyDeleteIt is surprising a building official would allow occupancy after seeing this in an inspection.
True, most likely this does not pose a danger but it is a outward sign of sloppy construction and should make one wonder what other unseen errors were made.
11:33 AM, I realize that you are mocking me, but thank you for following the many issues I have addressed here.
ReplyDeleteIs it appropriate for Super Timmy to be so sarcastic toward a parent who is concerned about safety? Timmy's tag line is "What did you do today to improve the life of a child? " David Huston tried to improve the life of a child. Timmy chose to use the same mocking tone that you subscribe to. Your template would not be useful in this case since asking for his resignation would fall on deaf ears. The school board wrote the book on mocking residents. The commission president must have learned this technique when she was a key communicator for Timmy.
Elaine
Correction for @ 12:42.
ReplyDeleteFYI [11::33], not 11:17.
Hey 11:33, how about keyboarding up a convenient template for our local officials.
ReplyDeleteSomething along the lines of --
"Corbett Sucks!" followed by he cut state funding for education or some other nonsense.
Don't mention of course that it isn't true that he did cut K-12 funding to Mt. Lebanon and it says so right in the district's very own CAFR report.
Yeah, nice people our leaders are, right 11:33?
Just ignore 11:33. They're just in a FOUL mood because no one is digging up any fields today.
ReplyDeleteIn ALL ABOUT ME MAGAZINE it's about Morgans' curly hair. http://lebomag.com/19680/curl-interrupted/
ReplyDelete