Pursuant Ketchum invoices from a RTK
Retained Counsel Fees Schedule according to PK Consulting Services Agreement totaling $184,000. (Travel and Strategic Creative Services not included.)
Missing receipts totaling $54,931. Were they paid from other funds? Was the contract terminated? Is this another example of award winning Jan Klein's creative financing?
I am not an accountant. In fact, I am terrible at numbers. So how was this approved by Maher Duessel, the outside auditing firm that MTLSD has employed for over twenty five years?
Lebo Citizens Readers, I still have time for a Flashback Friday. Please read Dear Mt. Lebanon Neighbor:
Update October 1, 2017 6:30 PM Unless there are missing receipts, the invoices for travel total $17,560.05. The cap was $21,000.
Also, unanswered emails to the school board.
From: egillen476@aol.com [mailto:egillen476@aol.com]
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2017 7:20 PM
To: schoolboard@mtlsd.net
Subject: Second Request
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2017 7:20 PM
To: schoolboard@mtlsd.net
Subject: Second Request
Dr. Strotmeyer,
OK, I lied. This is my first request. I was just saving myself the time to send the usual second request email.
I want to thank you, Dr. Strotmeyer, for being so prompt with your last response. Since you seem to be the only responsive school board director, i am addressing this to you.
From my blog:
Pursuant Ketchum Consulting Services Agreement
Pursuant Ketchum invoices from a RTK
Retained Counsel Fees Schedule according to PK Consulting Services Agreement totaling $184,000. (Travel and Strategic Creative Services not included.)
Missing receipts totaling $54,931. Were they paid from other funds? Was the contract terminated? Is this another example of award winning Jan Klein's creative financing? Would you be able to answer my questions?
Pursuant Ketchum invoices from a RTK
Retained Counsel Fees Schedule according to PK Consulting Services Agreement totaling $184,000. (Travel and Strategic Creative Services not included.)
Missing receipts totaling $54,931. Were they paid from other funds? Was the contract terminated? Is this another example of award winning Jan Klein's creative financing? Would you be able to answer my questions?
Thanks in advance.
Elaine Gillen
***************
From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: TSteinhauer <TSteinhauer@mtlsd.net>; egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Sun, Oct 1, 2017 3:39 pm
Subject: Re: CC web page update or lack of
To: TSteinhauer <TSteinhauer@mtlsd.net>; egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Sun, Oct 1, 2017 3:39 pm
Subject: Re: CC web page update or lack of
Tim,
When?
Elaine Gillen
-----Original Message-----
From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: TSteinhauer <TSteinhauer@mtlsd.net>
Cc: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Sun, Oct 1, 2017 12:39 pm
Subject: CC web page update or lack of
From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: TSteinhauer <TSteinhauer@mtlsd.net>
Cc: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Sun, Oct 1, 2017 12:39 pm
Subject: CC web page update or lack of
Where is the 2 page report that I have requested? Capital Campaign Financial Report through August 31, 2017 (2 pages) It is not on the Capital Campaign web page.
Where is the list that you offered to post FOUR TIMES to Paula Bongiorno? Watch this exercise in futility. Unfortunately, the clip has been removed. Did you have something to do with that?
Elaine Gillen
20 comments:
The problem is that we have been and still are preaching to the choir here at this blog.
There are still a number of people that won’t ever see Mr. Matthews excellent analysis or read the facts presented in the numerous RTKs.
They’ve labeled Elaine a dissident and it’s going to take something more to get them to open their eyes.
Unfortunately, the information just isn’t reaching the BCCR lawn sign people.
That 2014 meeting was when President Cappucci was more interested in watching the time during Bill Matthews' comments and was quite rude to Bill. It was quite evident that Elaine was very unhappy with Bill.
Elaine
Exactly Elaine.
Matthews alert us in 2014, Auditor General DePasquale has been alerting our elected representatives/senators in Harrisburg that districts are hoarding far more money than they need too while they manipulate facility construction spending to avoid referendums and raise millage rates year after year.
People aren’t seeing the AG’s reports either.
The papers don’t cover it and the reps and senators won’t mention the AG reports in their mailings either.
The Almanac only reports Mt. Lebanon fluff. Our PIO got to them too. Not only does she spin municipal news, she now controls what comes out of the school district. Just look at what is reported on mtl Magazine's FB feed. Why we are paying Cissy Bowman is beyond me. She is just the middle man who feeds the crap to Susan Morgans.
Our reps and senators read this blog. Bring up any issue to them and they will say that they don't get into local politics. It is the perfect alibi.
November 30, 2017 marks the beginning of my eighth year of this blog. I hope it is starting to make a difference. Just keep spreading the word.
Elaine
If our state legislators aren’t involved in local politics then they shouldn’t be involved in raising state taxes that they take from us and then run around and send it back to the school districts.
You’d think with a senior editor with an extensive background covering local government and school districts we wouldn’t have to rely on a free blog to ferret out details and financial reports!
“Senior Editor/Online Editor Laura Pace Lilley came to mtl in 2007 after nine years with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, seven years at CBS radio and two years with a Knight-Ridder newspaper. She has extensive experience covering local government, school districts and economic development”
No we get foo-foo articles and individuals “ what I did on my summer vacation reports.”
There is the real public information, senior editor?
Mt. Lebanon Magazine is NOT a serious news magazine, and given Ms. Lilley's credentials she's obviously there to take a sinecure and not a serious journalist's position. Mt. Lebanon Magazine is, simply and accurately, a propaganda rag. The reason why the magazine does not cover serious events in our little town is that it was never designed from the get-go, with apologies to Giant Eagle's gas stations, to cover news. The magazine's charter is to publish "uplifting and positive" articles designed to put Lebo in a good light, and attract the special kind of people the local rulers desire; e.g., certain upper-middle class progressives who pay their taxes and ask no embarrassing questions about where the money is going. Personally, I'm not distressed over Mt. Lebanon Magazine; I understand it well. Besides, when used with Windex it makes a great glass cleaner.
What gets me steamed is the "legitimate" local media and the so-called "journalists" that work for them. Now it's true that news organizations are reluctant to assign reporters to cover sensitive stories in their own communities because of the "blow-back" theory - that local towns and school districts can make life tough on a resident reporter (or a reporter's kids) if they get too nosy. However, it used to be that news organizations would assign reporters that did not live in the community in question to cover and investigate those kinds of stories. And as I mentioned in a previous post, local governments used to have a healthy respect for the media. But that was then, and this is now; few and shrinking news departments lack the resources - or the will - to do serious journalism at the local level, and local governments can tell them to "GFY" without worrying about any negative consequences.
So forget Ms. Morgans, et. al., and direct your ire at the local newspapers, TV, and radio stations (if any of the latter still have news departments!). Tell them you'd appreciate it if their reporters would show some spine when they cover local government meetings and not simply accept a hand-out, jot down a few notes, and call it a day.
---------------
This is probably not the place for it, but I'm appalled over how bad local TV news is today. We have anchors who have trouble pronouncing words (and can't seem to hide their personal opinions of the stories they are presenting), reporters who can't ad lib when necessary, and a general vacuousness in presentation. Some of these people should retire; some need to find another line of work.
Mr. Gideon, I agree with your view of what MTL magazine IS, but here’s the magazine’s opinion of what it should be.
“
Overview
mtl Mt. Lebanon magazine
Trusted by the public and frequently honored by the journalism community, mtl, our not-for-profit magazine is published at no cost to taxpayers.
mtl-Mt. Lebanon Magazine is published by the Mt. Lebanon Public Information Office as a non-profit source of information. Our goal is to increase the transparency of municipal government, to give you the information you need to have input into the decision-making process and to promote pride in our community, including our schools, neighborhoods, housing stock, municipal services, recreation programs and unique professional services and businesses. Because regional coverage of suburban municipalities is dwindling, a trusted source of local information such as mtl-Mt. Lebanon Magazine is becoming ever more important. Our community partners know that when they request coverage or submit story ideas, we do our best to comply.”
First, notice they claim it is published at no cost to taxpayers. That is the first lie.
The second lie, “our goal is to increase transparency of municipal government, to give you the information you need to have input into the decision making process... “
See any coverage of the district fundraiser, any bio’s or interviews with the the various candidates for commissioners? How about the cost and maintenance of the crown jewel turf?
The third lie! They call themselves a trusted source... ha, ha , ha, ha... that’s a hoot!
They think the district fundraiser started in 2015. Clearly it was up and running according to its financial statements in 2013.
So yep, Mr. Gideon, it is a foo-foo rag, but it is not what it claims to be and what it should be.
It’s fun and education to look back at the Lebocitizens archives to see what was being presented by the district and what Elaine was posting.
Clicking on her Maher Duessel link in this post the first archived post that comes up is one where Amy Lewis from Maher Duessel presents a change in the accounting rules.
What is funny (or sad depending on how you look at it) is that during that period the Board was attacking that mean old republican grinch Gov. Tom Corbett for the district’s financial woes. Not true by the way.
Now that Gov. Wolf (D) has been in charge, hahaha, the Board is still whining that if they don’t get more money through a disastrous fundraiser and from Harrisburg, hard decisions will have to be made if MTLSD is going to excel in providing a stellar education.
Yeah, I know it’s that damn cheap republican dominated state house’s fault now that there isn’t enough money for Steinhauer’s 6%+ raises and generous pension fund.
The strain on the budget has nothing to do with overpaying fund raising mangers exorbitant salaries to run a pathetic fundraiser.
Or the fact that the board is looking to artificially turf, not one but three athletic fields for around 3/4s of a million dollars each!
Here’s a novel suggestion for the board and our state rep and senator... quit trying to spend money you don’t have!
11:15 AM, change that to four fields; three new ones and one replacement. Rock Pile, Mellon, Jefferson, and the turf at the high school is at the end of its life.
Elaine
It’s funny, but I can’t remember the district ever residing the Rock Pile practice field in the 40-some years that we’ve lived here.
It was used for everything from youth soccer and sports activities to the rocketry club launches and launching of the community fireworks.
It was truly multi-purpose and seemed to be always green and ready for play.
I’d bet that the maintenance of the natural grass comes nowhere near the cost of installing, maintaining and replacing turf every 8-10 years.
I don't know why you're all complaining. Wealthy alumni are pouring money into the capital campaign, the wannabe jock daddies are donating generously to the turf projects we were told weren't going to happen, the school board is spending wisely and the district is rocketing back to its pre-1988 number one slot.
Mellon School is now doing a fundraiser for the school, using students going door to door, selling cookies, muffins, etc.
April Fool’s Day isn’t in October, 4:17.
https://www.expertise.com/pa/pittsburgh/public-relations-firms
There are 88 PR firms in Pittsburgh, many of which are very competent in managing fundraising campaigns.
Why didn’t the board select a local firm and save the travel reimbursement?
Plus, was there any attempt to get bids for the most cost-effective firm or did they go straight to Pursuant Ketchum?
Yes, 8:55 AM. There were proposals submitted from other firms, but I have not had the time to post them. I just can't keep up.
Elaine
This was from a comment from my blog post, Something is up
So I looked into Fen's group, the Civic Action thing. It's about what you'd expect from some hippie. But looking further, one of the team mebers, Elzabeth Raley, has listed under her projects The American Friends Service Committee, which touts itself as "Quaker values in action". Now, gee, golly, who is in Lebo, elected office and a Quaker convert (used to be a Presby)? Wait for it...Wait for it...ta-da! Why, none other than Jo Po. You might also recall the consultant she retained for the much bally-hooed "capital campaign" for the school we can' afford had also done work for the Quakers...and Jo Po's old sisterhood, Chi Omega. My my my, how the universe keeps shrinking.
And 434, we're sticking our "big noses" into the commission proceedings because we're supposed to, you dolt. They work for us. We should be dictating how the meetings go, not them. When you have a minute, google "democracy".
January 7, 2013 at 9:22 AM
****
Isn't it amazing that I can find this stuff when we have the school district administration sitting in front of their computers and cannot locate a simple answer for a resident?
Elaine
Jo Po has visions of grandeur.
She was, I believe, board president when the first bids went out on the HS renovation and came back far above the $113 million cap. The board then had to regroup and cut items to get the project under it so that a referendum wasn’t triggered.
Now she wants another do over. Perhaps she shouldn’t be taking a leadership role on this stuff any more.
Perhaps she and her buddies who were covering up necessary repairs to justify a new school should be devising an exit strategy. The capital campaign is a failure, it isn't working. Shifting money around and playing three-card Monte is no longer the best kept secret on Horsman Drive. New people are moving in only to discover they have been sold a sham, a flood car, if you will. Harrisburg can't control its spending addiction and now the bill is due. "Sorry, Lebo, no Chuck E Cheese for your birthday this year. Mom and Dad Legislature just don't have the money. The cruise, new cars, gameroom addition to the house, your mom's new clothes and my membership to the country club jusy cut too deep. Maybe next year. And you have money in your savings account so why are you pretending you don't?" The usual suspects are vying for "power" on the school board in the hamlet yet up against change agents who are clearly not threatened by the same tired smears. The commissioners are increasingly cartoonish and incompetent, and a guy arreated for being hammered refuses to drop from that race. Apparently, Gorilla holds public service in such low regard that he doesn't care that he put other people at risk with his behavior. Cool. As usual, the local R committee is doing virtually nothing lest they make the big bad Dems mad and stuff. You don't have to be a professional political consultant to see that this, right now, would be the time for Rs to step on the gas and start draining the little swamp. This is the perfect storm. But it won't happen.
Now, where are the reporters? This would be easy for Marty Griffin, a 5 minute drive to uncover corruption in the 'burbs. Where is his buddy Sheehan? Anyone from the Trib care to have some integrity and do their job? I would ask about the PG but that rag is far beyond anything resembling a real news outlet. Oh! Maybe the Almanac will look into the escapades. They have such hard-hitting reporters who might be able to squeeze a story of fraud and corruption between garden tours and restaurant reviews. Sadly, the only outlet that might dive in is City Paper, and they don't care.
And where is the state auditor? Jeep's grandson can't be that busy, right?
I just hope voters turn out in high enough numbers to finally change direction. Things can't continue down the same path. They probably will, though.
“Opinion often consists of a kind of criticism. But criticism can come out of love.”
Robert Frank, photographer and filmmaker
I’d say a lot of Lebocitizens love Mt.Lebanon, especially Elaine because she certainly isn’t airing her opinions for the money.
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