Castorgate

From: Nita M. Fandray
Sent: Thursday, December 31, 2015 2:23 PM
To: 'commission@mtlebanon.org' <commission@mtlebanon.org>; 'kmcgill@mtlebanon.org' <kmcgill@mtlebanon.org>; 'Weis, Philip' <philip.weis@bipc.com>; 'alauth@mtlebanon.org' <alauth@mtlebanon.org>
Subject: Castorgate

Ladies, Gentlemen and Chief Lauth:

I understand that deer killing via bows and arrows is up and running again in Mt. Lebanon. Yesterday, I drove to the end of Thornwood Drive to make certain that appropriate cautionary signage about bow hunting is in place at that entrance to the municipal golf course property. (According to the Mt. Lebanon web site maps, that area is clearly part of the golf course.) I found no signage.

At Amy Castor’s hearing (and I use that word “hearing” loosely) before the minor judiciary in Mt. Lebanon on December 3, 2015, I showed the Court copies of the relevant maps from the municipal web site. I also gave copies to Officer Culp and the court reporter. Nobody on the courtroom disputed that the area was owned by the municipality and is part of the golf course. After the hearing that Chief Lauth attended, he told me that he would alert Public Works to the absence of bow hunting signage at the end of Thornwood. If, indeed, the Chief spoke with Public Works, and I have no reason to doubt his word, something was lost in the translation.

Ms. Castor testified that no cautionary signage was in place on October 5, 2015, the day that the MLPD issued her a citation for defiant trespassing. I visited the site that evening and saw no signs. Others did as well. At the hearing, the Commonwealth did nothing to contradict Ms. Castor’s testimony about the lack of signage at the site.

As you know, Amy Castor has filed an appeal with the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. I am confident that my friend and fellow civil libertarian, Jon Pushinsky, now representing Ms. Castor, will handily persuade the Court that that all charges against Ms. Castor be dismissed.

In order to avoid another MLPD snafu and yet one more public relations disaster, I suggest that you immediately (today) place the appropriate bow-hunting cautionary signage at the end of Thornwood and at any other locations requiring that signage but have also been overlooked by the municipality.

Thank you and Happy New Year.

Nita Fandray

Photo by ETG.

Update January 5, 2016 8:52 PM Here is a photo of the new sign that went up yesterday or today. Keep in mind that the archery program ends on Friday, January 22, 2016 (seventeen days from today) on public properties such as the golf course. 

What a heart breaker

I lived through the entire construction project. The Class of '72 was the only class that attended Mt. Lebanon High School from the start to the end of the construction of Building C and the Little Theater. Many of us don't see it as "out with the old." Instead, it is out with the new.

The high school renovation project marks the beginning of the corruption that has overtaken Mt. Lebanon. 4,000 signatures couldn't stop it.

The Almanac

Out with the old: Building C on its way down at Mt. Lebanon High School

The Almanac

The countdown is on, until Building C at Mt. Lebanon High School is nothing more than a memory. Work continues on demolishing the structure, which ...

Update January 1, 2016 4:55 PM A high school senior took the following video during third period. "It was very loud."

Who will Susan Morgans permit to be outstanding volunteer?

ML Community Relations Board to honor outstanding volunteer

Mt. Lebanon Community Relations Board is looking for nominations for an outstanding volunteer. I know I have a bad attitude, but I think the fix is in. They must be prokill, spend our tax dollars, and approved by Susan Morgans. I never was appointed to any organizations. Crap, that leaves me out. Nominations will be accepted until March 11, 2016.

Frequently asked, rarely answered...UPDATED

A Mt. Lebanon resident had some questions about the sharpshooting program as it is presented in the FAQ on the municipal website. She had asked twice.

1. Can you clarify the shooting dates?
The FAQ says Feb 1 - March 31, but the Deer Mgmt. Update of Dec. 11 says Feb. 1 - March 1. 

2. Which days of the week will shooting will take place? What are the exact hours? Why is sharpshooting occurring at all in the daylight hours when, in the past, it has been done only at night? 

3. When will the locations for shooting be finalized? How many will there be, and will they be throughout the municipality concentrated in particular areas? 

4. Who is or will be involved in establishing the "safety" of these locations, and what considerations go into determining what constitutes a "safe" location to shoot in this community? 

5. Will the municipality require that neighbors of private properties where shooting will take place be notified of the activity occurring near their homes? 

6. What types of guns will be used? Are they automatic or semi-automatic rifles? What are the distances can projectiles from these guns travel? 

7. The RFP specifically asks for responses from contractors who have had experience sharpshooting deer in "densely populated suburban areas with limited open space". Can you please ask Dr. DeNicola whether he has ever done any safe, successful sharpshooting programs in an area as geographically small and as densely populated as Mt. Lebanon? If so, how many? I am looking for a detailed response that mentions specific locations and dates, and population densities. 

8. As of now, the only public information out there on the sharpshooting program is via the website. Not everyone has access to that. How will the public at large be made aware of the dates, times, and locations of sharpshooting so that they can make informed decisions for themselves and their children -- to avoid any areas they feel uncomfortable about given sharpshooting nearby? I am thinking specifically about the use of the parks and the golf course for sledding by kids after snowfall. 

9. Since it is a federal law, I assume the Municipality will guarantee that the Federal Gun Free Safety Zone Act provisions are met ,which probits discharge of firearms within 1000 feet of a school. Can you please explain to me as a parent of a school-aged walking child how this information will be communicated and enforced with sharpshooters (will there be special maps or documents created delineating these sites, etc.?)
10. Similarly, how will the municipality handle after-school and after-hours school-based activities, walking, etc to ensure student safety? Many older use the parks to walk through, and as a resident pointed out, many teens use the parks at night even though they shouldn't. Will there be a curfew?

The resident highlighted her comments in yellow  and also the questions she didn't see answered, most of which are directed to the Municipality, though a few are for Dr. DeNicola (on the gun type and projectile range). Tony DeNicola's responses are highlighted in green.

On Tue, Dec 29, 2015 at 8:09 AM, Keith Mcgill <kmcgill@mtlebanon.org> wrote: 

Good morning _____, 

I apologize for the delay in responding to your questions. I did forward them to Tony DeNicola and he did provide a response. Please see below. He also responded to the question of how audible the activity would be: 

Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year. 

Respectfully,
Keith McGill 

From: Tony DeNicola

Keith,

It will depend on how proximate a person is to the shooting area. In most locations we will use subsonic rimfire ammunition and the noise is about equal to a paintball gun.

Tony

Keith,

See below replies inserted:

I have several questions about the sharpshooting program as it is presented in the FAQ.  Could you please pass my questions on to incoming Commissioner McLean as well?  

I just want to state again that I'm strongly opposed to weapons like this in our densely populated community and I am very concerned about the safety of residents and children as a result of this program.  Concerns over safety often arise when deer sharpshooting programs are considered.  However, there has never been a public safety incident when using trained wildlife professionals working in concert with local law enforcement.  These programs are designed to be implemented while residents go about their daily lives.  We will work closely with the police department to make sure this program is no different.

Thank you for your time.

******************************************

1. Can you clarify the shooting dates? 

The FAQ says Feb 1 - March 31, but the Deer Mgmt. Update of Dec. 11 says Feb. 1 - March 1.  We plan to have the option to work from 1 February through 31 March 2016

2. Which days of the week will shooting will take place on public lands?  What are the exact hours?  Why is sharpshooting occurring at all in the daylight hours when, in the past, it has been done only at night?  We will work 7 days a week on private property.  Specifics on public land have yet to be determined.  It is in the program's best interest to work around the public's activities for safety, efficiency, and discretionary reasons.  We will work a few hours before dark in some areas and the remaining efforts will take place after dark.  No morning or mid-day shooting is planned.

I think the municipality has the responsibility to nail down the exact days and hours for public property and share those with the public as soon as possible. I also would like to be made aware of public property locations to be able to avoid those. I am disappointed that the Municipality won't share that information with residents.

3. When will the locations for shooting be finalized? How many will there be, and will they be throughout the municipality concentrated in particular areas?  We will try to have even access throughout the community for the best possible outcome in regard to evenly reducing deer densities.  Final points of access are still being processed.

 Again, the municipality should let people know as soon as possible where, specifically, shooting will take place in public areas. 

4. Who is or will be involved in establishing the "safety" of these locations, and what considerations go into determining what constitutes a "safe" location to shoot in this community?  We will have officials from the police department inspect every shooting location and we will provide the exact details on the operations at each for their consideration and feedback.

5. Will the municipality require that neighbors of private properties where shooting will take place be notified of the activity occurring near their homes?  All neighbors that can see the shooting areas will be noticed and we will get their support.

6. What types of guns will be used? Are they automatic or semi-automatic rifles?  What are the distances projectiles from these guns can travel? We will primarily use .22 caliber rimfire rifles, in bolt action, with subsonic ammunition.  This is the safest, quietest approach.  On properties with larger undeveloped areas proximate we may use bolt action .223 caliber rifles.  We will only shoot from very elevated positions so all projectiles will enter the ground within the designated safe shooting zone if a deer moves when engaged.  Otherwise, all projectiles remain in the deer's tissue and do not exit.

 I understand and would expect that Dr. DeNicola and his staff take care and precautions to ensure safety. However, I would still like to know these details about the guns that are being used in my community.

  

7. The RFP specifically asks for responses from contractors who have had experience sharpshooting deer in "densely populated suburban areas with limited open space".  Can you please ask Dr. DeNicola whether he has ever done any safe, successful sharpshooting programs in an area as geographically small and as densely populated as Mt. Lebanon?  If so, how many? I am looking for a detailed response that mentions specific locations and dates, and population densities.  Please refer to our website (www.whitebuffaloinc.org) for our Business Portfolio.  We have never had a safety incident in more than 20 years working around the country and the world.

I apologize if I missed this, but I could not find information about a community as densely populated as ours having had sharpshooting with White Buffalo. Can you please direct me to that information?  

8. As of now, the only public information out there on the sharpshooting program is via the website.  Not everyone has access to that.  How will the public at large be made aware of the dates, times, and locations of sharpshooting so that they can make informed decisions for themselves and their children --  to avoid any areas they feel uncomfortable about given sharpshooting nearby?  I am thinking specifically about the use of the parks and the golf course for sledding by kids after snowfall.  We will not know the exact days or times for any location until the morning of the removal efforts.  The weather and relative deer activity at each location dictates our planning.  We do not often get accurate enough weather information until the morning of operations.  We will not work near highly active locations and we will have determined those areas of concern in advance.

I understand what you're saying about the weather, daily activities, etc..; what I meant is when and how will  the Municipality share with the community those specific locations where sharpshooting MAY on any given day occur.

9. Since it is a federal law, I assume the Municipality will guarantee that the Federal Gun Free Safety Zone Act provisions are met ,which prohibits discharge of firearms within 1000 feet of a school.  Can you please explain to me as a parent of a school-aged walking child how this information will be communicated and enforced with sharpshooters (will there be special maps or documents created delineating these sites, etc.?) We will comply with this restriction.  

10. Similarly, how will the municipality handle after-school and after-hours school-based activities, walking, etc to ensure student safety?  Many older use the parks to walk through, and as a resident pointed out, many teens use the parks at night even though they shouldn't.   Will there be a curfew?  We always work around public activities and assume people will be in all areas that we are active.  We have very well defined zones of operation where we can see all that is proximate and could be affected by our actions.

Again, I am sure that Dr. DeNicola and his staff keep safety foremost in mind. However, even if a walking area can be considered "safe" because experienced shooters are there, that does not mean that students and/or parents are comfortable being in those areas when shooting is occurring. How does the Municipality plan to address that issue?  Will there be hours after school that are off limits to shooting, given student dismissal times?  Will there be a letter going out to schools and/or parents that gives them the specific parks, etc. where shooting will take place, so that they know?  People need to have this information.

Thank you again for your time and attention to my questions.

Update December 29, 2015 6:48 PM Our illustrious superintendent, Dr. Steinhauer had been copied on this correspondence. Here is his response. Clueless, as usual.

From: Dr. Timothy Steinhauer <TSteinhauer@mtlsd.net>
Date: Tue, Dec 29, 2015 at 5:45 PM
Subject: Re: Sharpshooting Q&A questions
To:
Cc: Keith Mcgill <kmcgill@mtlebanon.org>, Kelly Fraasch <kfraasch@mtlebanon.org>, Aaron Lauth <alauth@mtlebanon.org>

Dear Ms. _______,

Since this is a municipal matter, I'm a little confused why you have included me in this response. I am aware that the municipality is conducting deer culling and they have kept me fully aware of any impact on our students. This should have no impact on education and I know that our students' safety is at the forefront of their thinking. Please send questions regarding the deer cull directly to the municipality.

If you have other questions regarding our students I would be happy to answer.

Tim Steinhauer

Lebo[Citizens] ALERT UPDATED

I hope everyone is enjoying Christmas break. The bad news is that deer killing will resume tomorrow at Mt. Lebanon Golf Course, Robb Hollow Park, McNeilly Park, Conservation District, and Public Works. The extremely confidential private locations (shhhh - no one can know for fear of harassment or worse!) started their killing December 26, 2015.

I want to thank those who have contributed to my legal fees. Here is a little background. The ACLU has had Mt. Lebanon on their radar for quite some time now. The ACLU recommended Strassburger McKenna, the attorneys who are handling my case. The first thing SMGG did was change the caption from defendant to appellee. I am not the defendant!

Unfortunately, the madness has resumed. Hunters will be in full force, starting tomorrow. Instead of children playing outside, try indoor activities such as bowling, ice skating, or seeing the latest Star Wars movie. I hear it is awesome.

December 29, 2015 4:33 PM The following was sent to the commission, Keith McGill, and Phil Weis on Sunday, December 27, 2015. There was no response.

Commissioners, 

Do you think it might be appropriate to send out a LeboALERT announcing that deer killing will resume on the golf course starting tomorrow?

Elaine Gillen

Mt. Lebanon to name Keith McGill manager UPDATED

http://www.thealmanac.net/article/20151222/NEWS/151229990#.VnnhzeqvU7I.twitter


Mt. Lebanon Commission will appoint Keith McGill as the new municipal manager at its Jan. 4 reorganization meeting.

McGill, Mt. Lebanon’s chief planning officer since 2002, has been serving as interim manager since Steve Feller’s retirement in October. A lifelong Mt. Lebanon resident, McGill was selected following a national search.

“Keith possesses the skills necessary to be an outstanding manager and community leader,” said John Bendel, commission president. “His extensive background in planning and local government, coupled with his strong work ethic and knowledge of the community, make Keith an excellent choice.”

A University of Pittsburgh graduate, McGill began his career with Mt. Lebanon as code enforcement officer in 1997. Among his areas of expertise are municipal ordinances, budgeting, land use, construction management, geographic information systems, strategic planning, parking administration, storm-water maintenance and transit-oriented development.

McGill will report to the commission and supervise the municipal staff. He will be responsible for all municipal projects, revenues and expenditures, including the preparation of the annual manager’s recommended budget.

“The commission did an exhaustive search for the manager position and found the best candidate for the position,” said Kelly Fraasch, who will serve as commission president for 2016. “With Keith’s years of experience within the community and his drive to serve the residents of Mt Lebanon, we will continue to head in a positive direction as a municipality for years to come.”

"Thanks to our Commissioners for their hard work on the search..." Seriously? How much did that consultant charge us? Remember the dog and pony show...I mean...the Tell Us What Qualities You Would Like To See In Our Future Manager informational meeting? 

I can't find the proposal submitted by Gov HR USA of Northbrook, Illinois in the September 8, 2015 meeting minutes. How much did our hardworking commissioners spend to hire the interim manager?

Update December 24, 2015 11:05 AM OK, this is weird. Look what Gov HR USA just tweeted.

Latest Right To Know - shaking my head UPDATED 2x

The latest Right To Know involves communications between White Buffalo and MTL. What I thought I would do this time is put up the whole thing and reference page numbers as to what I noticed. Please feel free to comb the file and post the gems you found.

Page 1 archery not going well. Keith actually asked on October 7!
Page 5 deer task force with Susan Morgans? WTF?
Page 14 deer population survey We can use an aerial survey, ground count over several days which is cheaper or just wing it using Tony's beginning estimate minus the deer killed. Wow - so scientific! And sooooo accurate!
Page 21 costs will go up if only killing at night
Page 29-36 Black - Request a refund!!
Page 37 Have a private meeting with residents. No public meeting for a taxpayer funded program. Morgans said that the regulars have been making noise. Love the "transparent enough" comment.
Page 45 Anne German is volunteering her property for sharpshooting. So why was my RTK denied and I have to shell out thousands of dollars going to court? I knew it wasn't about the "safety" of the property owners. They are hiding something!
Page 54 60 residents offered their properties for archery. Sent emails to them asking about sharpshooting.

Update December 22, 2015 5:51 PM Jason Margolis sent the following email to the commissioners, Phil Weis, and Keith McGill at 4:30 PM today. It is reprinted below with his permission.

Dear Commissioners and Municipal Staff,

Recently, some emails regarding the archery and potential sharpshooting hunting were released through a RTK request.

In an email dated November 12, 2015, MTL Public Information Officer says the following:

"I am thinking that unless you need a public meeting to recruit properties, it is probably better not to have one. Things are quiet now--very little overt opposition except for the few regulars. I think if we just post the Q&A , that is probably "transparent" enough ..."

This email confirms my suspicion that the deer management decision-making process in MTL is highly suspect, and that particular individuals, funded through taxpayer dollars, are directly involved in hiding facts and truths from those very same taxpayers.

In this case, the Public Information Officer has violated the very nature of her position:

PUBLIC - Susan Morgans, rather than facilitating the distribution of facts, says she wants to keep things private and "quiet." This is to not have the public even think about the issue, as it might create additional "opposition" beyond the few "regulars."

INFORMATION - Rather than informing the public, Susan Morgans recommends that "we just post the Q&A." In so doing, she seeks to strategically limit the flow of information in a highly-controlled format. Her apparent goal is to ensure the public access as little information as possible.

OFFICER - Susan Morgans is an officer, an employee, of the people. But she shows arrogant disdain for those people who pay her salary by stating that what she proposes is "transparent enough."

Who is Susan Morgans to say how transparent government should be? How can you allow her to blatantly blind the people she is paid to serve?

If the question is, "How transparent should MTL government be?" The answer should be, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AND MORE SO EVERY DAY. However, your PUBLIC - INFORMATION - OFFICER - does not want to make things public, does not want to give the people necessary information so they can make their own determinations as to what is right, and has become an officer in obfuscation.

For her disregard for the public and true transparency, I ask that you hold Susan Morgans accountable for her dangerous comments. Minimally she should formally be written up and put on probation; more appropriately, she should be removed from office.

I will await to hear your response.

Dr. Jason Margolis

Update December 22, 2015 11:23 PM The response...
Note the additional people Keith McGill added to the email.

From: Keith Mcgill <kmcgill@mtlebanon.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2015 7:47 PM
To: Dr. Jason Margolis
Cc: commission@mtlebanon.org; philip.weiss@bipc.org; Susan Morgans; Anthony DeNicola
Subject: Re: Susan Morgans

Good evening Dr Margolis,

Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding the email you referenced. Let me also assure you that I have the utmost confidence in Susan Morgans abilities and commitment to serving the residents of the municipality in her position as Public Information Officer, as well as her professionalism and commitment to transparency.

I am not aware of any "facts or truths" that are being "hidden" from the taxpayers. All program details related to the managed archery program that was approved by the Commission have been disclosed and information regarding the program is readily available on the municipal website.

Phase I of the sharpshooting contract was approved by the Commission and that contract is also posted on the municipal website as well as a copy of the special permit issued by the Game Commission and a set of Frequently Asked Questions developed by the Public Information Office working in conjunction with the contractor, White Buffalo, public safety, public works, myself and the Commission.

Phase II related to Implementation will be discussed and voted on by the Commission in January. Prior to the vote, information related to the archery program and additional information regarding the sharpshooting program will be provided to the municipality and posted to the municipal website. Dr. DeNicola will attend the January 12th discussion session to provide any requested additional information on the program and respond to questions.

I would ask that you review the information related to deer management that is posted on the municipal website and if you still have questions related to the program please email me.

Respectfully,

Keith

Served! UPDATED

No drama. Just happened to look out my front door today and a very large envelope/package was sitting on my front porch, like when telephone books are delivered. No door bell rung. No sheriff. Nothing. I was hoping to give a pleasant Merry Christmas, but I was denied the opportunity.

Municipality of Mt. Lebanon vs Gillen

Mt. Lebanon served me when there are two - three day holidays in the twenty days that I have to respond. Nice people.

"The Force is Strong"

I am not the only filing Right To Knows demanding transparency from our municipality. Another Jedi Master filed Right To Knows requesting information concerning the White Buffalo Sharpshooting Program.

The contract in NOT available on the municipal website. So much for open and transparent government.

Game Commission Sharpshooting Application

Special Permit Resubmission Deer Management Plan

Special Permit Application Resubmission 11/9/15

White Buffalo Fully Executed Contract

Lebo student hit by a car

It was reported that a female student, believed to be a high school junior, was struck by a car driven by a substitute teacher in front of Mt. Lebanon High School this morning. I understand that the student is OK.

Fundraising...sigh UPDATED

I need advice on fundraising. If the Mt. Lebanon Commissioners do appeal the Office of Open Records Final Determination, it appears that I will need an attorney. For the first round in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, I need to raise $3500 to start. If there is an appeal after that, I will need additional funds for Commonwealth Court. Don't worry about me wasting taxpayers' money since the municipality has an annual contract with Buchanan Ingersoll. The appeals will come out of my pocket.

I have been looking into gofund me. They take 8%. It looks like fundrazr charges the same amount. I'm thinking of starting a paypal account instead. Anybody out there who could give me some friendly advice either here or privately at EGillen476@aol.com?

Update December 16, 2015 6:49 AM As of now, I have not been served. Mt. Lebanon has until December 24 to appeal to the Court of Common Pleas. I have decided to go with gofundme for the reasons that were mentioned in the comments. I do have a Paypal account, but I don't think is what I need in this situation. I don't want to go live until I am served, but we need help from someone who has some experience with gofundme and who can provide us some guidance with the nuts and bolts of gofundme.

Was your NIMY sign stolen? Read on

Dave Brumfield once said that the police don't care if a $3.00 yard sign is stolen. Not so fast, Dave.


-----Original Message-----
From: Aaron Lauth <alauth@mtlebanon.org>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc: Commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>; stephen mclean ; Keith McGill <kmcgill@mtlebanon.org>
Sent: Mon, Dec 14, 2015 6:14 pm
Subject: Re: my yard sign was stolen :(

Ms. Gillen,

MLPD encourages anyone who is a victim of theft to call 9-1-1 to have an officer dispatched to investigate the circumstances.

Thanks,

Aaron V. Lauth

Chief of Police

Mt Lebanon Police Department

555 Washington Road

Pittsburgh, PA  15228

(412)343-4015

alauth@mtlebanon.org

www.mtlebanonpd.org

On Sun, Dec 13, 2015 at 5:17 PM, egillen476@aol.com <egillen476@aol.com> wrote:

I am getting pretty tired of receiving these types of emails. It has been constant. Deer are being slaughtered and it is still not good enough for the prokill folks. They have to steal our signs to rub it in. But we're the ones doing the "harassing." To the best of my knowledge, not one "Eat More Venison" sign was ever stolen. The same thing happened with our antiturf signs. They were stolen, but the proturf signs remained untouched. Why are there such double standards in this community? Why are our constitutional rights being challenged constantly in Mt. Lebanon?

I was told by one of the commissioners that the police don't want to hear about $3 yard signs being stolen, so don't bother reporting it to the police.

Elaine Gillen

-----Original Message-----
From:
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Sent: Sun, Dec 13, 2015 4:51 pm
Subject: my yard sign was stolen :(

Hi Elaine ~

I hope you are well.

Last night, someone stole the "Not in My Yard" sign from my lawn, as well as the sign in the yard of my next door neighbor and the one in the neighbor's yard across the street. I'm out of town a few days this coming week; but I'll call you to make arrangements to pick up new ones as soon as I can. I'm not sure why it happened now, after they've been in my yard and the neighbor's yard across the street, without any problems, since you gave them to me months ago. This week I gave my next door neighbor an extra one I had from the batch you had given me and she had just put it up a few days ago.

Talk to you soon,

The Cold War in Mt. Lebanon

It was 1962. I was in second grade at Jefferson Elementary. It was common practice to have air raid drills. I will always remember lining up on the bottom floor of Jefferson much like what is in this photo.

One day, we were told to walk home as quickly as we could, as part of the air raid drills. With a pain in my side and completely out of breath, this little second grader ran along Bower Hill Road, not knowing what was going on. I will never forget that. In fact, I still have the dog tag that we all received in elementary school.

All these memories came back to me today when I read a comment about having a curfew during the month of February.This was a suggestion as a response to The PA Game Commission permit  published on the Mt. Lebanon website, along with some answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

Being a deer cull survivor, I have seen several PA Game Commission permits in my day. The latest one is unique. There are no locations listed - public or private. The method of killing is not listed. The names of the killers are not listed. Compare this permit to the one from February 2015. The Mt. Lebanon website doesn't appear to have a copy of the contract. All I see are the Request for Proposals and White Buffalo's Response.

The FAQs are very confusing to me. The sharpshooting phase, according to the FAQ, is from February 1, 2016 - March 31, 2016. Yet, the Deer Management Update shows During Phase Two, scheduled to run from February 1, 2016, to March 1, 2016, White Buffalo Inc. will conduct a deer cull using trained sharpshooters on designated public land and on donated private properties. Do we really know how long people will be shooting rifles in Mt. Lebanon?

The hours are baffling. Shooting will take place in late afternoon and after dark. What does that mean? 4:00 PM to 6:00 AM? Wouldn't it be easier to say that there is no killing taking place between the hours of 6:00 AM and 4:00 PM? Fourteen hours of shooting?

The locations are not provided. I don't suggest asking for that information. You will end up going to the Court of Common Pleas, if you do. The FAQ tell us that Various parties will be notified by letter, email or phone call, as was the case with the archery hunt. What does that mean? What about visitors from out of town? Should Hotel Tyvek inform guests not to explore the area, for fear they stumble upon a deer being killed? Perhaps they should include a map to Blaise Larotonda's court room on every night stand.

Which brings us back to the Cold War in 1962. We will have to tell our kids to come home right after school. We will not be able to tell them the areas to avoid. We won't know which public properties will be used for killing. We certainly won't know which private properties will be [ahem] "donated."

Does Mt. Lebanon need to institute a curfew? They will not tell us anything. Should we have a curfew from February 1-March 1 or February 1-March 31? Nobody on the streets or in our parks for 14 hours a day?

Welcome to the Cold War in Mt. Lebanon.

The old switcheroo UPDATED

Mt. Lebanon is at it again. The commissioners decided to vote for the final vote for sharpshooting at the January 25, 2016, after they got the final numbers from Tony DeNicola with archery season ending on January 23, 2016. Keith McGill has Tony DeNicola on the agenda for January 12, 2016 and the vote scheduled for the same night. The old switcheroo or I should say, "Bait and switch."

Keep in mind that it is illegal to hunt over bait in PA. The archery season ends on January 23, but Manager Keith wants to get a jump on things and start baiting January 13, 2016.

Please read the email chain from the bottom and work your way up.


From: Kelly Fraasch <kfraasch@mtlebanon.org>
Date: Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 1:38 PM
Subject: Re: Sharpshooting vote date
To: Anthony DeNicola <tony.denicola@whitebuffaloinc.org>
Cc: Keith Mcgill <kmcgill@mtlebanon.org>, Commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>, Stephen McLean

Hi Tony and Commission,

If we vote on the 23rd, they will have three weeks to know about it and be notified of the option and intent of the program as well.

There is no difference in time, except for the adequate notice to the public before committing them to a never ending program of killing deer in the municipality and that we committed to voting on the 23rd.

We should stick to our initial intent of the vote being 2 weeks after we are given publicly Tony's feedback and information. If we make this vote on the 12th, we will cause unnecessary push back from many, not just those against the program but it will add to the dialogue from many (for and against) about our "shady process" with this program.

I say stick to what we said rather than pushing this through for no gain on anyone's behalf, mostly Tony and White Buffalo.

On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 11:59 AM, Anthony DeNicola <tony.denicola@whitebuffaloinc.org> wrote:

All,

If you vote on the 12th the public will have nearly 3 weeks notice before operations begin. If we cannot start until mid-February you risk a diminished outcome. It is still clearly the choice of the Commission.

Respectfully,

Tony

On Wednesday, December 9, 2015, Keith Mcgill <kmcgill@mtlebanon.org> wrote:

Good morning Kelly,

I understand your concerns and would offer that we will be posting the FAQ's that were developed by Friday of this week that will provide information related to the program to the public.

As to the timing of the approval that is more related to information contained in the response by White Buffalo to the RFP indicating that "Bait should be placed out 3 weeks in advance of anticipated removal efforts." If the decision is made at the January 25th meeting this would mean that the program may not be able to start until February 15th instead of February 1st.

I am copying Tony DeNicola on my response for his input related to a possible approval date. As always, the final determination as to the timing of agenda items is a Commission decision.

Keith

On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 10:28 AM, Kelly Fraasch <kfraasch@mtlebanon.org> wrote:

Keith,

I feel strongly that this vote should not take place till the 23rd.

We are just receiving the information from Dr. DeNicola and providing the information to the public on the 12th. Therefore we should give the public time to receive the information as well before a final vote.

If we move ahead on the 12th, we cause more concerns about transparency. We can wait till the 23rd and should. Commissioner Brumfield and I shared our concerns about doing this in previous conversations when it comes to not giving the public notice at a minimum of two weeks. It causes unnecessary distrust with the public especially on this topic.

Kelly

On Wed, Dec 9, 2015 at 10:12 AM, Keith Mcgill <kmcgill@mtlebanon.org> wrote:

Good morning_____,

The vote related to approval of Phase II of the sharpshooting contract (implementation) is tentatively scheduled for January 12, 2016. The municipality will receive information regarding the number of deer removed through the municipal archery program immediately prior to the meeting and before a vote is taken regarding Phase II.

Dr. DeNicola will be attending the discussion session to review the sharpshooting program and respond to any related questions regarding either the archery program or the sharpshooting program.

Keith

Update December 11, 2015 4:34 PM With a heavy heart, I regret to inform Lebo Citizens readers about the December 11, 2015  deer management update on the municipal website. It is also available here.

Mt. Lebanon has received its deer control/political subdivision permit from the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The permit will allow the municipality to proceed with Phase Two of the 2015-2016 deer management program pending final approval by the Commission in January. During Phase Two, scheduled to run from February 1, 2016, to March 1, 2016, White Buffalo Inc. will conduct a deer cull using trained sharpshooters on designated public land and on donated private properties.

The Game Commission permit along with answers to Frequently Asked Questions appear here. The FAQ will be updated as plans move forward, if appropriate. View a copy of the permit.

I see they are still sticking with the BS about the properties being donated. The State has ruled that no property has been donated. Please note that sharpshooting hours will be late afternoon and after dark.

Efforts to obtain emails about Mt. Lebanon deer hunt raise legal questions

Efforts to obtain emails about Mt. Lebanon deer hunt raise legal questions

Who is Mary McFarland and why...

The 9:20 PM comment under "Parting gifts and the budget: "Who is Mary McFarland and why is she perpetuating the same jibberish of too many Mt. Lebanon residents who are too stupid to grasp the dangers of bow hunting in our highly dense community. They've all been drugged." This is in response to the latest letter in The Almanac, Right to Know information not vital

In response to the article, “Mt. Lebanon resident granted right to know request, ” (The Almanac, Dec. 2-8) I have a question: Why is this information so relevant and important enough to be publicly disclosed? Just because a Mt. Lebanon resident (as a private citizen) sent an email to their commissioner (as private communication) offering to use their yard as part of the deer hunt doesn’t necessarily mean that that particular yard was actually used for the purpose of hunting. The White Buffalo representatives sent emails, made phone calls and visited homes to determine the safest and most effective places for them to use. Only then did they set up their base of operation. The deer population touches almost every yard in Mt. Lebanon, yet not every yard is a proper or safe hunting site. 

If Ms. Gillen is sincerely worried about where the actual hunting is taking place, then she should request that information from White Buffalo, not Mt. Lebanon. Having access to email and home addresses of people who contacted their commissioners in the context of private communication is none of her business. The actual deer cull has been going on for several weeks and so far there haven’t been any safety issues yet. Ms. Gillen insists that she needs this information for safety purposes and continues to ask for more correspondence from Mt. Lebanon. By the time she gets this (if she does), the cull will be over. Again, what good will this do? 

There are visible signs all over Mt. Lebanon with regard to hunting/ no hunting in the area. Anecdotal evidence so far shows that the cull is successful. I see fewer deer and I have not heard of any accidental human injuries. It would be interesting as well to see if there have been fewer traffic incidents. 

Mt. Lebanon is not the only community that has to cull it’s deer population. This activity goes on all over Allegheny County, as well as the entire state of Pennsylvania. Why has this become such an issue in Mt. Lebanon? 

Mary McFarland

Mt. Lebanon

The good news is that Mary McFarland doesn't think we need sharpshooting since she thinks the cull is successful and that she has seen fewer deer. The bad news is that Mary McFarland doesn't understand that communication to commissioners is public information. Agencies, such as Mt. Lebanon Municipality and School District are permitted to redact certain information such as Social Security numbers, health records, information about minors under 17, phone numbers, personal email addresses, trade secrets, autopsies, academic transcripts, executive session discussions, etc. There are 30 exceptions. Well, that's a lie. There are 31. The 31st is Susan Morgans is permitted to leak out executive session discussions if it suits her. Especially if it is about the commission appealing a state decision made in my favor.

Parting gifts and the budget

Tuesday is Coleen Vuono's last meeting - her last meeting to stick it to us. There will be a public hearing concerning the budget, and then the final vote. A neighbor of mine called Coleen on the phone to bring up the Rockwood Park improvement, which was bumped up (above the line) in the budget. Coleen had no idea what he was talking about. The abandoned parking lot is used for illegal activities and has been neglected for over thirty years. The plan is to cover up the parking lot with grass and fix the pathway. Coleen told her constituent that since there are two paths, we should only use the better one. Here is the link to the Manager's 2016 Recommended Budget. The amendments to the Recommended Budget can be found on the Commission Agenda.

Additionally, a gift will be presented to Coleen, outgoing commissioner. I should say gifts. I understand that the commissioners pitched in and bought her another "L" for her name. Additional parting gifts include a case of Prestone Antifreeze for her veins and a year's supply of Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco treat.

Seriously, Tuesday's meeting is very important. Not only will the commissioners be passing the budget, they will be adopting the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) as well as the 2016 Comprehensive Fee Schedule. I don't know if they will be voting publicly to take my RTK appeal to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, or if that will be done in Executive Session.

Oh, and they are going to consent to the Ninth Amendment to an Agreement of Sale and Purchase with Michael G. Zamagias Interests, LTD. What bullshit.

That is just what is going on in the Commission meeting. In the earlier Commission Discussion Session, Magistrate Blaise Larotonda and Lisa Borelli Dorn will be providing an overview to a proposed mediation program involving the District Magistrate and the Community Relations Board. Just a heads up, Susan Morgans is the CRB municipal liaison. I don't think any of the above mentioned should be involved in any mediation program.

I thought that deer sterilization was going to be discussed at this meeting. What happened to that?

Castor fined $1100

The Trib reported 

 "We don't want to offend anybody and we don't want any surprises, so we do the best we can to inform people," Maddock said.

Like telling Mt. Lebanon officials how many deer you have killed? Uh...protecting the identities of property owners who "donated" use of their properties? I love how a related link to my Right To Know appeal appeared following the quote. They do their best to inform people, but don't share any emails that might eliminate the element of surprise.

Massachusetts woman convicted of trespass, interfering with Mt. Lebanon deer cull

WTAE showed a reporter walking the same path that Amy Castor walked and shot the same footage that Amy Castor photographed, yet Blaise will reduce her $1100 fine to $200, if she removed her photos from social media. Hmm.

Caster's attorney, Nita Fandray, said the Commonwealth didn't present a strong enough case. Fandray went as far as saying that the judge made up his mind before her arguments were heard.

"I think this was decided long before we went into the courtroom, and this is what we expected would be the outcome," Fandray said.

Woman fined $1,100 after incident stemming from Mt. Lebanon deer culling program Judge says Amy Castor can get fine reduced if she removes pictures from social media pages

Meanwhile, across the street...

Off to Court UPDATED 3X

Mt. Lebanon has decided to appeal the Office of Open Records Final Determination. I just read about it in the Post Gazette. Mt. Lebanon to appeal open records decision regarding landowners' addresses, deer management program

I sent an email with the link to this article to the Office of Open Records and copied Phil Weis. I was not notified of this decision. I asked the attorney who made the final determination if she had been notified, as required. I'll let you know what I hear.

Update December 2, 2015 4:21 PM Boy, Susan Morgans must be in her glory. She even contacted the Trib with the news. Mt. Lebanon to appeal order to release deer cull records She never tells Rick Wills anything.

Update December 2, 2015 7:38 PM The hunters are all over this. I had this email exchange yesterday.

From: dewrite <dewrite@comcast.net>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Sent: Tue, Dec 1, 2015 3:22 pm
Subject: Re: interview

Hi, Elaine - No relation to the Weisbergs you mentioned. I found you through coverage of the open records matter. As I understand it, Mt. Lebo refused to provide names of property owners you sought, so you successfully appealed to state open records to force Mt. Lebo to provide you with copies of emails that might contain those names?

---

From: egillen476@aol.com

To: "dewrite" <dewrite@comcast.net>

Sent: Tuesday, December 1, 2015 2:24:32 PM

Subject: Re: interview

A day? 

I grew up with ....................... Weisberg in Mt. Lebanon. Any relation?

How did you find me?

Elaine

-----Original Message-----

From: dewrite <dewrite@comcast.net>

To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>

Sent: Tue, Dec 1, 2015 2:18 pm

Subject: Re: interview

Elaine - sorry to hear you are ill. I'd prefer a phone interview over an email interview. But if no one responds, that may be our only option. How much time should I give awaiting a response>?

---

From: egillen476@aol.com

To: "dewrite" <dewrite@comcast.net>

Sent: Tuesday, December 1, 2015 1:26:41 PM

Subject: Re: interview

Hi Deborah,

Thank you for contacting me. Unfortunately, I have a bad case of bronchitis and have no voice. Can you email me? Or if you want to do a phone interview, I have blind copied some people and they can respond if they want to do a phone interview with you.

Thanks.

Elaine Gillen

-----Original Message-----

From: dewrite <dewrite@comcast.net>

To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>

Sent: Tue, Dec 1, 2015 1:17 pm

Subject: interview

Hi, Ellen - I'd like to interview you about the deer cull for Pennsylvania Outdoor News. Are you available for a phone interview? Thanks. Deborah Weisberg

*****

While I'm on the subject of Right To Knows, here is more crap from Mt. Lebanon.
I filed a Right To Know the other day for all the emails that Coleen Vuono emailed to me while she was in office, from both her personal email account and her mtlebanon.org account. Here is the response I got today.

So then I sent this:

From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: bcross <bcross@mtlebanon.org>
Cc: philip.weis <philip.weis@bipc.com>; kmcgill <kmcgill@mtlebanon.org>; repmiller <repmiller@pahouse.net>
Sent: Wed, Dec 2, 2015 5:35 pm

Subject: Legal review

Bonnie,

Let me get this straight. You need a legal review to see if the emails that Coleen Vuono SENT TO ME are public information. I just want duplicate copies to what Coleen has already sent to me, to make certain that I have not inadvertently deleted any of them. Do you seriously need to do a legal review?

Elaine Gillen

Update December 3, 2015 12:22 PM When did this place get so ugly? I heard back from Bonnie Cross.

From: Bonnie Cross <bcross@mtlebanon.org>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc: Weis, Philip <philip.weis@bipc.com>; Keith Mcgill <kmcgill@mtlebanon.org>; repmiller <repmiller@pahouse.net>
Sent: Thu, Dec 3, 2015 9:46 am
Subject: Re: Legal review

Ms. Gillen,

Yes. We believe at least some of the records you requested are not public records, will fit within an exception, or will require redaction.

Regards,

Bonnie Cross

On Wed, Dec 2, 2015 at 5:35 PM, egillen476@aol.com <egillen476@aol.com> wrote:

Bonnie,

Let me get this straight. You need a legal review to see if the emails that Coleen Vuono SENT TO ME are public information. I just want duplicate copies to what Coleen has already sent to me, to make certain that I have not inadvertently deleted any of them. Do you seriously need to do a legal review?

Elaine Gillen

--

Bonnie Cross

Assistant to the Manager

Mt. Lebanon, PA

We're in good hands

A resident called me today to let me know what happened at the Parks Advisory Board meeting last night. A different resident, Kimberly Schevtchuk spoke during Citizen Comments last night expressing her concern for day and night sharpshooting which will take place in some of our parks starting in February.

Steve Silverman, commission liaison to the PAB, assured Kimberly that all is well. There will be no problems. There is an oversight committee forming, consisting of Public Works Rudy Sukal, Interim Manager Keith McGill, Chief Aaron Lauth, PIO Susan Morgans, and a couple of commissioners (not sure of who or how many.) Not that it matters, but Rudy Sukal was talking about going east to hunt with his son before the meeting started.

So the oversight committee will be overseeing themselves. Perfect.