A letter was sent to David Donnellan on August 27, 2014 with a list of significant deficiencies concerning the Wildcat Turf Project application plan submission.
I do not understand the stormwater technicalities mentioned, but I do understand that the turf project may require more permits to be filed.
I am especially interested in the additional information requested in number 6. In my August 21, 2014 blog post Bendel on historic preservation, and my June 26, 2014 blog post Dear Mt. Lebanon Historic Preservation Board, I had divulged that these fields are specifically mentioned in Mt. Lebanon Historic Preservation Board's National Register of Historic Places application. According to the letter sent to David Donnellan, a Cultural Resource Notice must be sent to the PA Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC). Mt. Lebanon resident and member of the Mt. Lebanon Historic Preservation Board, Bill Callahan, represents the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s Bureau for Historic Preservation in the westernmost 26 counties of the Commonwealth. I don't understand how this was overlooked by the Mt. Lebanon Historic Preservation Board. As commission liaison to the Mt. Lebanon Historic Preservation Board, John Bendel, shame on you.
I am encouraged that there are still government agencies outside of Mt. Lebanon protecting our historical and environmental resources.
Update September 4, 2014 11:44 AM
This is an important notice from LeboALERT.
The Mt. Lebanon Sports Advisory Board meeting scheduled for September 4, 2014 is canceled. For the complete meeting schedule please view our website.Big surprise. If there is no turf project, there is nothing else to talk about.
Update September 6, 2014 4:20 PM Funny how Andrew McNitt never talked about this when he was pushing artificial turf for Mt. Lebanon's historic fields.
83 comments:
Elaine this is LEBOland.... Brumfield, Franklin and He-That-Won't-Be-Named rule with an iron fist. Who needs permits when there are lacrosse tournaments to host? Soccer, football, baseball and softball... Feel used? Sad? Stupid? One soccer coach is out telling parents that Brumfield fears the courts so they will blame not being able to get the permits as the reason the turf project went down in flames. But he does point out that Mt Lebanon commissioners have done a wonderful job of dividing citizens against each other. Even within soccer!
Something odd.
Donnellan receives the deficencies letter on August 27th, but Lebomag.com - that reputable information resource - writes on August 26th that the turfing project is moving forward.
Odd timing, is it not?
Seems the sports cabal tried to pull a fast one and got caught at it. They must have thought that the county and state regulatory agencies were rubber stamps.
Gateway (we taxpayers) apparently paid double the regular permit fee for an accelerated review and approval, and advised the manager and commission on May 29th. that the required permit would be issued by June 30th - yes, June 30th., over 60 days ago !
In spite of repeated questions by the public as to the status of the permit application and delayed start of the turf project, the muni manager, commission and PIO have been absolutely non committal or silent since June 30th. And these same people have pledged open and transparent governance.
Let's see what this does to the project cost. Our reputation is already shattered by this boondoggle.
Let's see a full disclosure article about this in the next issue of the lebomag. Otherwise, scrap the PIO department. We don't want managed, 1-sided news and information.
I'm sure someone from the media would be interested in reporting this new information to the public!
Doubtful 5:17. If it's not in the form of an easy to digest PR release from the PIO it won't be covered by the "reputable" media.
The PIO's motto should be 'All the news that we feel is fit for you to know!'
Yes, 4:38 PM, we can depend on the Public Information Office and those other reputable news sources to keep us informed. Even our beloved commission president swore that the article wasn't the least bit misleading. They lie. All of them!
Tomorrow evening is the next Sports Advisory Board meeting. I would love to hear what is on their agenda for tomorrow night.
Elaine
Thank you, DEP. At least someone is looking out for our neighbors!
Chuck Colbert: Thank you. You are my environmental hero.
5:26: Well, I'm sure the media would appreciate a heads--up!
9:31 - they got it here, thanks to an unreputiable media source.
Maybe they should start following Elaine's blog!
Elaine, many thanks to you for staying on top of this and filing the Right to Knows that the municipality doesn't want us to see.
I don't see this project moving forward this year which means we still have time to defeat it.
Thanks for the renewed hope.
Nick M.
So Gateway submitted this permit about storm water management and it was found to have numerous deficiencies that sound significant.
Yet, Gateway is promoting themselves as experts in storm water management by consulting with numerous municipalities statewide about how to develop separate storm water fees based on their success in Mt Lebanon.
News to Gateway: you can't have it both ways. Drop the storm water fee and move out.
An industrial waste permit? Just how toxic are these fields? You call this proven safe for our kids? No way my children are playing there.
Gateway and the 3 clown Commissioners are definitely asleep at the switch. And these 4 represent licensed State professionals in our community???? A sad, sorry, state of affairs! : (
That is to protect our waterways, 12:10 AM. All the toxins will be self contained in the indoor sport facility, soon to be built on the Rock Pile. The kids will be breathing it all in. I wonder how much more impervious surface will be created when that gets built and how much more flooding we will get at the bottom of Greenhurst. Good thing the school district backed out of the ESB. Nothing will get in their way to stop that toxic turf project.
Elaine
12:19 AM, four clown commissioners. Don't forget the staff. The planner just talked to us about FEMA and flooding. The PIO told us the project is moving forward. The recreation director lied to us at the June forum at Mellon. Timmy told us that they maintain those fields and will continue to do so with the new maintenance agreement. The manager is still hoping that the permit is coming soon. Gateway donates to the project and bills us for the project at the same time. He who shall not be named got in my face and said that no one messes with him. Corporate donors are in hiding. The Community Endowment is in the money laundering business. Kelly Fraasch is the only decent one there.
Elaine
Elaine IF Fraasch is "decent" then why isn't she demanding all the emails, letters, etc that you had to file for and Out them? Is it some kind of democrat thing? Now I hear that Mt Lebanon has one of those cell phone spoof things. Why? How much military equipment has the police picked up? Are they still planning on putting up Red Light Cameras up for revenue? Or is it to watch who comes and goes? There is so much more WRONG here than soccer/lacrosse fields. I'm glad my grandfather and father are no longer here to see what has happened to the community they built. Maybe they should have kept the land for farming!
I wonder if the pro-turfers will be be revising their absurd signs from "Let Our Kids Play - Even When It Rains" to "Let Our Kids Play - Even When We Don't Have The Proper Engineering And Permits?"
Wonder how much Gateway is going to tack onto to the project?
For those of us that work in private business... what would your superiors say if you sent a design to the widget manufacturing dept. and that dept sent back a report detailing all the deficencies in the engineering specs?
Or if you presented a report at the quarterly stockholders meeting on how the new "crown jewel" product launch was on track and ready for market in a few months?
What would your bosses say?
Ask yourself this question--
"Are you paying more for Mt. Lebanon Living And Enjoying It Less?"
If your answer is yes... you better start showing up at the voting booth! Elaine or Fraasch can't fix it for you on their own.
As I read the DEP's comments, it seems to me that Gateway did nothing to address stormwater management. With the additional 6,734 cubic feet per second coming down onto Cedar, there will be more intense flooding. And for people who don't work with metric a lot, thats 50,000+ Gallons per second additional flow of water..
No matter who is elected, we are stuck with these commissioners until January 2016. How about getting involved now? How many of you are going to send emails to the commissioners or attend Tuesday's meeting and demand change? Unvote the turf project and assign the funds to critical needs of the community. Get rid of the engineering firm. Replace the manager with someone who, uh, manages. Eliminate the Public Propaganda Office. That would be a good start.
Elaine
Thanks for your interpretation, 7:49 AM. If that is the case, then this plan violates the new bill that is being considered. The public hearing was at the last meeting. I believe I was the only resident who spoke at that hearing. See item number 4 on the agenda. Keith McGill, municipal planner, clarified a few things after I spoke.
Elaine
Elaine @ 7:51, I'd agree with except that contrary to the PIO's invitation to residents to communicate, we have a commission president that doesn't need to listen... she has the three votes.
We also have a school board that doesn't want to hear from an advisory board they helped create.
Change will come only by throwing these bums out.
There is no recall provision in the Home Rule Charter.
Yeah, you're right, 8:15 AM. I guess I should just stop going to commission meetings, stop filing RTKs, and shut down the blog until 2016. OK, thanks. I now have my life back.
Elaine
Not saying that, Elaine.
Of course residents need to show up, write their commission, school director but if we want real change it will only come from people getting involved in the election process from finding candidates to actually showing up at the polls.
Remember, Brumfield ran for reelection unopposed and they've used that to justify their continued nonsense.
Want to see a dramatic shift in municipal staffers and operations?
Let them see a groundswell of "throw the elected bums out" campaigns and candidates and they'll wake up and get efficient real fast!
Until then, they are safe until January 2016. Is that the message we all want to send? The school board, commission and the staff will do quite a bit of damage to Mt. Lebanon before the next election. Let's all sit back and contemplate our navels until then. Nothing gets me crankier than blaming this on elections. I am a super voter and have only missed one Primary - in May 2005, and I get to put up with these bums. Enough about local elections for now. Please? The crap is happening TODAY.
Thank goodness for the DEP. They are the only ones who have been able to get the attention of our staff and commission. Until now, MTL has not paid attention to or abided by anyone. With all the permits and documentation that needs to be produced for this project, I don't think it is going to be a slam dunk for Lebo. Commissioners, give it up and spend the money where it is needed, not on the "crown jewel."
Elaine
Elaine you write "Until now, MTL has not paid attention to or abided by anyone." You are precisely right which makes the case for not sitting around and contemplating our navels.
These people came to power thru organization... sports groups, PTA moms, democratic committees. To get them out it will take fighting fire with fire.
They found it quite humorous to suggest setting you on fire is an option to get rid of you in the public forum.
Why is it not a good strategy to plan to fire them - as in pink slips not torching?
The only means of doing that is through election cycles for now.
If they're smart they'll pay heed and change their wasteful ways.
If we want to reach the elected officials fast and before the election, send the municipality a request to stop mailing you the propaganda rag - MTL magazine.
Unless they are completely dead they'll get the message very quickly.
It's not look there aren't alternatives like The Almanac and InMTL to replace it for information and coupons.
know I harp on it but...why in the everlovin' hell does mtl magazine have ads for other neighborhoods??!!! I thought Sue Morgans was all about promoting Lebo?
1. Newbury in South Fayette
2. Springhill Suites ( which isnt open and doesnt note that in the ad)
3. The Pittsburgh Foundation (what does that have to do with Mt. Lebanon?)
Ok. I'm done.
Don't miss the update on this thread.
Elaine
"This is an important notice from LeboALERT.
The Mt. Lebanon Sports Advisory Board meeting scheduled for September 4, 2014 is canceled. For the complete meeting schedule please view our website."
---------------
No meetings that you know about Elaine. Safe bet their still meeting privately.
It is obvious why the SAB meeting has been cancelled.
Their myopic, tunnel vision has gotten them trapped in a dark financial place and now they're fumbling to find a lightswitch.
This should be interesting to watch.
If a municipal board meets in private without advertising, they are in violation of state law.
12:18 PM, you would think that is the case. But the Turf Project Task Force denied access to two residents. And they got away with it. We just make up rules as we go along here in Mt. Lebanon. Since they got away with it in the past, I am sure they are all meeting again. I think 11:58 AM is correct.
Elaine
Driving around ML today, I keep wondering WHY the public works are not trimming the many, many, trees lining our streets that are seriously drooping on electrical and cable lines. We don't need turf, we need maintenance in regards to that as well as our roads and storm drains. It does not make fiscal sense to ignore obvious maintenance issues. When the tree branches go down, I'm sure Duquesne Light will not be amused, let alone the cost if repairs, damage to roads, cars, houses and the Major inconvenience to to our community! The trees are an accident waiting to happen!
4:42, I've been wondering the same things, in addition to:
Why do we have so many weeds growing at the curb/sidewalk level of so many streets?
Why do we have ivy crossing the power lines across Washington Road?
Why do property owners who own vacant property get a free pass when it comes to overgrown grass/brush?
These are simple but core items that make a big difference.
Nick M.
4:42 PM - the blame for this can be assigned entirely to the Commission and Manager. It is a budget issue ! Public Works cannot perform work unless it is budgeted, and the Commission have decided that the serious problem you describe is not as important for funding as artificial turf, Taj Mahal pools, and a whole series of wants rather than legitimate community wide needs.
Duquesne Light sends a cadre of tree pruning, trimming, butchering and removal contractors from Rochester, NY to remove all tree and other growth thet determine is a threat to their lines and poles throughout Lebo on both public and private property every 4-5 years, most recently just this past Spring. If you see trees threatening electric lines, call Duquesne Light. For everything else, start attending Commission meetings, speak up and make your concerns known, and personally contact the Commissioner from your Ward !
Duquesne Light was out back of my property 2 summers ago. The neighbor behind me and adjacent on either side refuse to prune their trees. Their tres are on my electrical and cable lines in addition to falling in a direct line on my house! One tree in back of me has a huge beehive. When Duquesne Light came, they sprayed bee insecticide, but refused to trim the tree! Two houses down is a right of way and it is a HUGH mess! We have cut 17 trees down on our property and on either side. Only one neighbor on one side offered to split the difference on their side for one tree and she was elderly! I am sick of paying my money to take care of other neighbor's trees that fall on my property! After 5 trees, my tree guy gives me a big discount! I'm am disgusted! I will not cut down anyone else's trees anymore! If they're trees fall on my house, we plan on suing them in court! If they refuse to pay, then we will get a lien on their! Period!
Lien on their property. Sorry.
We're going off topic, Folks.
Elaine
10:03 Sorry Elaine! Not interested in the turf, but would rather see municipal money spent on maintenance!
7:49 AM or any other Lebo Citizens reader willing to take a guess at what it will cost to correct the deficiencies?
Elaine
Based on past Gateway estimates, about two to three times the initial estimate.
What is the status of the fields? Are they going to be turfed or what? I hear so many rumors about it I feel as if I'm back in High School.
It won't cost anything.
Gateway is experienced enough to realize how they messed up and they will obfuscate until they get approval.
Maybe a few extra billable hours but nothing else.
Jan, since there is no permit, the contract has not been signed with Vasco.
The commissioners have three options. Cut their losses and designate the funds toward something else. Comply with the DEP by correcting the deficiencies and do a full plan resubmission. Contact Dan Miller and Matt Smith and try to appeal it.
Jan, have you heard differently?
Elaine
The turfing directly won't cost more, but like the school district buying cafeteria tables, auditorium curtains and sound system, the fixes for the deficiencies will be approved as capital improvements.
Exactly what will Dan and Mattdo? Are you suggesting they would try to get involved with the DEP? Odd since they have refused so far to chime in on any local problems. They can't have it both ways.
Given their track record so far, Dan and Matt won't do anything.
Brummie is hopeful that his friends will save it.
Heaven help Dan and Matt if they do get involved.
To interject themselves in ramroding thIs contentious turf project thru the DEP won't help them at the polls, I would think.
Mt Lebanon has met its match with the DEP and they are not going to win through politics.
We are talking about the Clean Water Act people.
We are living in a town that pollutes and intentionally creates structures that results in flooding a known flood prone area.
This is absolutely disgusting.
There is nothing Smith and Miller can do to make the CWA go away and I cannot imagine why they would.
The only "done deal" here is the Clean Water Act!
The storm water letter referred to in item 3 in the ACCD letter, apparently supposed to be but not actually included originally by Lebo (Gateway), and now called for, will likely be a September version backdated to May, 2014. Everything must at least appear to be on the up & up, you know !
A Muni written notice to another county agency notifying them of the turf plan was supposed to be submitted by Gateway/Lebo according to the MPC. According to the Lebo NOI for the NPdes permit dated 5/29/2014, such a notice was attached to the NOI. However, as of July and August, the county agency had no record as to having received such a notice on the turf project from Mt. Lebanon ?
Donnellen should be terminated. He's out if we can get some decent Commissioners in office next November. Every one of the remaining natural grass fields has rampant weeds growing throughout the infields and has been completely neglected since the beginning of the summer. Further, the infield grooming tractor has been sitting next to a garbage can behind the batting cages at Wildcat, exposed to the elements for 34 days now. 34 DAYS! It's this type of wasteful behavior that plagues our local government. I bet the Rec Dept. will ask for a new one, since the old one was left out to pasture. Take care of what you have for as long as you have it. Quit consuming conspicuously to satiate your desiparate desires to be one with the "in-crowd" of USC and PT. Stop parading around as something you are not. People don't move here based on the field surface expectations and preferences of their 6 year old children. I certainly didn't. In fact, I moved here for just the opposite- I don't like endless rows of Ryan Homes, a lack of sidewalks and immature foliage. If those in positions of leadership here want to keep up with that crowd, then get the hell out. Until recently, MTL worked because of it's unique stone and brick homes, sidewalks connecting one neighborhood to the next, mature trees, and quaint green spaces. Trying to turn MTL into South Fayette is a fools errand and those leading the way in this regard will be punished at the polls accordingly. Spend my money like it were your own and turf, trophy cases and an aluminum siding-clad eyesore of a HS wouldn't even be on the radar.
JH
What person gets paid $100k to make sure baseball fields are mowed and soccer balls are put away... and FAILS!!!
JH well put except for the "get the hell out" part.
I don't want someone telling me to get out and I personally don't think its fair to tell someone else. We're suppose to be a community, but apparently we've become several myopic, agenda plaqued groups that just happen to live in the same boundary.
When and how that change came about, I don't know.
4:27 PM, I don't believe that is what JH said. He was referring to those leaders who need to get out of office.
Please read the comments carefully before going in attack mode.
Elaine
4:27- Do you let termites to enjoy their stay at your home? Do you let thorn bushes grow in the middle of your yard? Do you let pneumonia hang around in your body because it'd be rude to take antibiotics? I'd love to see a united community, but until the cancer is removed, that won't be possible.
JH
Apologies JH, "get the hell out" has been used so many times in comments that it makes my hair stand on end.
I did say I agreed with your opinion off the bat and no I don't enjoy termites, or pneumonia.
Thorn bushes, maybe, especially if they're rose bushes.
As far as our elected officials, IMO we need new ones.
4:42 (JH): Good news. I think in a few months, the Rec Director is going to want to leave as fast as possible. It's just a matter of time before all of his misdeeds are made public. In fact, if I were him, I'd look for a new job immediately.
come on 5:05. spill the beans on his misdeeds.
5:00- No worries, we're all on the same page.
4:42- Agreed. Donnellen, Morgans, Feller and McGill too. It's too bad, because they could've probably enjoyed steady, comfortable employment in their respective positions until they chose to retire. Instead, they chose to co-conspire to serve special interests and themselves. Soon, they will be required to answer for their misdeeds. By the way, WTF is the "Neighbors" supplement to MTL Mag.? This is what I'm talking about. We're paying for things like this with tax revenue (right?), borrowing money for quasi-capital improvements, but failing to address basic municipal responsibilities like roads, crosswalks, flooding, etc. Oh, and Gateway/Dieseroth should begin the search for a replacement trough from which to line their pockets after their contact is terminated, which should occur just as quickly as passing out pink slips to the aforementioned self-aggrandizing prodigal sons/daughters.
JH
5:05 PM, I was at the June 10, 2014 Commission Discussion Session where the architect for the swimming pool had concerns about opening the pool on Fathers Day. June 10, 2014 Commission Discussion Session
He felt that it was too soon, but David Donnellan insisted on getting it open on time. He even volunteered his lifeguards to do the final inspection of the grounds. Did we open too early? The filtration system wasn't working properly. the paint was peeling off. And the pool hadn't had a chance to heat up.
Is that considered one of his misdeeds? If not, please share, but if you can provide proof, that is preferred.
Elaine
The infield tarp has been laying next to the batting cages since May. What exactly does he do all day? Come get your damn tarp.
Too many municipal employees and Commissioners worried about the public persona of the appearance of our rec facilities and ball fields. We do not need to keep up with the Jones! We need to go back to the integrity of fiscal responsibility and taking care of of what we already have. The public from outside our community, who drive through ML are not fooled. Lack of maintenance on infrastructure, roads, and trees are obvious! Municipal staff and the 4 clown Commissioners need to put their money where their money is, and stop acting like fools!
6:03 Elaine: Isn't the rec director involved with the turf, for example?
6:03 PM There were last minute problems with the climbing wall and water slide - were those properly and safely fixed prior to his rush-to-opening ? Were there required county and/or state final inspection requirements for municipal pools that did not occur prior to opening ? How about our local inspection department - did they final inspect, approve and issue the required occupancy permit prior to opening ?
It is totally inappropriate if not illegal to use untrained lifeguards (and in fact employees) lacking certification to conduct a final inspection of a $4.2 million construction project the very essence of which speaks for the health, safety and welfare of the public !
Who approved the final punch list?
Work has begun to address all the "punch list" items from last June. It began the day after the pool closed. For residential pools, regulations require that chlorinated pool water remain in the pool for two weeks before it is discharged into the sewer systems. This is to allow some evaporation and dilution of the chlorine content.
Anyone know the regulations for Muni pools like ours that contain 600,000 gallons of water ?
10:26, here is Feller's response when asked about the inspection:
"The climbing wall was not included in the contract for the pool. The Municipality made the purchase directly from the manufacturer and Chester agreed to install the wall on a time and materials basis. With the opening day approaching, the Recreation Department started the installation with their personnel. The Municipality will not incur any costs from Chester for the installation. There is no requirement to have a contractor install the wall. The Director reviewed the installation with the manufacturer, and they had no issues with it being installed by Recreation Dept. personnel."
So the pool renovation was even more expensive than we thought if the climbing wall wasn't part of the budget! Correct?
Did the installation of the rock wall by untrained persons void its warranty? Is MTL's general liability insurance carrier aware of the installation?
I'm not an expert at running a township, but is it fiscally responsible to keep spending money that you don't have on recreational projects in which you know that you will never recoup the costs on? At some point all that spending will come back to bite you, won't it?
Nick M.
There is always a "punch list" at the end of a construction project which is the contractor"'s responsibility to complete. I have never heard of of someone giving approval to a contractor to complete the punch list. It's included in the contract with the contractor.
That update photo of the Penn State soccer fields is pretty telling.
Those fields are heavily used for youth soccer tournament and camps and they still look great.
Even Penn State doesn't follow McNitt's advice, but we will here in Leboland.
Someone please explain what a pool and a rock climbing wall have in common? How in the world do they go together? Only in LeboLand I guess... The land of wants over needs!
Yep 11:28, but they cut corners on installing enough tables in the snack bar area and expect people to walk on a muddy path to get to the pool.
Wonder who wanted a climbing wall and did it get a lot of use this summer?
David Donnellan wanted the climbing wall. I hear he is the one who installed it too.
I also found out why the walk to the pool was not completed. They cannot get equipment back there. The good news is that it is still in the original condition - prepool construction.
Elaine
12:55 Elaine - How can they "not get equipment back there" now, if they were able to get equipment back in there previously? The tree line hasn't changed.
If they installed zip lines from the pool down to the corner of Cedar & Greenhurst we'd have one helluva water park during those 100 year storms that seemm to occurring so frequently.
We could call it the Blue Devil Plunge.
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