Another ethics violation? Watch the Solicitor's reactions while Mary Birks talks about her soccer ref husband. Solicitor Peterson is sitting to the right of Mary Birks.
But the crown jewel remains empty most evenings... Should we build a second ice rink because sports daddies don't like off-hour ice-time? This is getting a bit ridiculous. Make do with what you have.
3:18, that claim is demonstrably false. If you had driven by the "crown jewel" on any Monday-Thursday evening in the past two months you would see that there is football and soccer from 5:30 to well past dark, every night (maybe on Fridays too, I don't know). On the weekends there is, at a minimum, soccer played there. From 6:15 until about 6:40, the fields are packed as soccer tries to wrap up and football slowly creeps onto the field. But sure, you went by one Sunday night and it was empty. Cool story.
Suggesting that is an ethics issue or a conflict of interest is like suggesting that no parent should ever run for school board because he/she will make decisions that benefit their own child. Keep throwing out the red herrings. The logic is comical.
Bull, 4:03! No one is suggesting that parents or anyone else for that matter shouldn’t be able to be a director because they have a relative or student in the school system. The problem or ethics issue comes into play when they try to influence or vote on something that they or their relatives might profit by. As long as they don’t try to influence the rest of the board or vote on such issues there is no problem.
“6:10. What does the concept “conflict of interest” mean and why should school directors try to avoid such conflicts?The term “conflict of interest” in the broader context of school board service refers to any potential clash between the public interest and the private financial interest of an individual director. Both the School Code and the Public Official and Employees Ethics Act prohibit various categories of conflicts of interest that school directors and other public officials must take great care to avoid. A public official must not vote on or otherwise attempt to influence decisions on matters that could result in private financial gain for themselves, their families, or businesses with which they or their families are associated.”
The PSBA recommends public officials must take great care to avoid even an appearance of conflict of interest. Mary seems oblivious to that recommendation.
So according to your sound reasoning, if School Director X or Commissioner Y has a child who referees youth soccer games (most of the youth level games are officiated by teenagers), those elected officials should abstain from discussing or voting on field issues in our community. That’s absurd.
I go back to the comments in the P-G...http://www.post-gazette.com/local/south/2017/05/05/Mt-Lebanon-school-board-Elaine-Gillen-refrains-from-voting-president-nonprofit/stories/201705050031
There is nothing to see here. Ms. Birks appears to have inadvertently voted on an item that was lumped in with many other contracts, and the unanimous vote indicates that her vote wasn't even needed.Let's move on.
6:14, the standard per the other posters (see 4:25) is whether or not there is financial gain. All refs in Lebo get paid, both kids and adults alike. But I think your response underscores my original point. You can’t leap to the obtuse conclusion that a conflict of interest exists without exploring all of the facts. To suggest that elected officials should abstain from a field discussion because someone in their family gets paid to be a ref is absurd. But I suppose par for the course for Lebo Citizens.
Another competition sized turf field means less games cancelled due to rain and more games able to be held because there's another surface. Competition games need referees. Referees get paid when games get played. More opportunity for games=more opportunity to ref=more money in referees (families) pockets.
Yes, that is true 8:33, but have they been given accurate and true numbers regarding grass vs. turf. One area of the Rock Pile Draft showed a large difference between maintanence for the two surfaces. Turfs cost did not reflect the cost of replacement every 8-10 years and the grass maintenance value was way too high. I sincerely doubt they ever spent $40,000 maintaining the grass on the old Rock Pile. I’d like to see proof of that.
The big question 8:33, is whether the whole community wants to turf another field.
Bet if they had real numbers on the costs, maintenance and replacement they’d never go for it. Especially considering the number of tax hikes the district has implement over the last ten years.
It’s also ludicrous how the district cries that their budget is under great strain and they need a fundraiser to keep everything going to our usual high standards.
The cost of maintaining turf is less expensive than maintainting grass. The estimates presented to the Board were something like $4700 vs $10,000 annually. I think the cost to maintain a usable, safe competition sized field in this region is actually higher. If they have to shut it down due to ruts, puddles, mud, snow, etc., the opportunity cost is lost too. No forward thinking community in W. PA is installing grass competition fields. Latrobe’s fundraising efforts have been used on this blog as an example Take a look at what they just did to their athletic facilities.
"Why wouldn’t the Board say who prepared the estimates in the Rock Pile Draft. What, is it a CIA operation?"
As with any crooked scheme, follow the money.
As a taxpayer and a citizen, ask yourself this--Why would the same names on the school board, those who have bee a part of every shady deal and comical misstep since 2008, fight so hard to shut people out, hide information and keep their seats? My theory is, the whole thing is a house of cards. They clearly can't keep their stories straight. The numbers are always changing, which should make taxpayers nervous. The dishonesty is rampant and when questioned, they attack the messenger. And they go to extreme lengths to ensure only their little gang runs things. Remember the PTA sticking their nose into the election? The teachers union? Churches? That all happened in Lebo. Some of the people who openly violated election law are on the school board.They are terrified that they will lose the keys to the secret room, the dark place where someone will discover the truth. That's why they're pushing so hard for pet projects.They owe people, and they are also protecting themselves. I firmly believe this a massive scandal. Taking down public documents, shifting money between accounts without even a public discussion, nepotism, forcing RTKS for what should be information routinely distributed.
Get out and educate your neighbors. Heck, just show them how none of the accounting totals add up. Ever. Show them how much money has been spent on dumb ideas like turfing every field (and let's remember our pal Dave Brumfield and the jock straps, er, athletic supporters telling everyone there was no plan to turf Mellon or the rock pile, it was a kooky conspiracy, etc.)
This is it. This is the time for change. If the board doesn't change this election, then the community is endorsing fraud and deceit.
Let's get back to reality, Folks. There's $5 million in capital funds. I guess we want to blow it all on new and replacement toxic turf. Wait, I better change that to artificial turf, because people get nervous when I say toxic. This fund is for textbooks, roof replacements, and turf replacements in eight years (that would be in two more 4 yr. terms). Elaine Cappucci and Mary Birks were school board members when we replaced the stadium turf in 2010. http://jposti.blogspot.com/2009/12/board-approves-retaining-stadium-turf.html Elaine
Sorry, but 8 year olds don't need "competition turf" and grass fields have been used all over the world since the dawn of time. If HS athletes "need" turf, we already have a field for that. And if, as someone mentioned before, the field was "empty on a Sunday night", well then it's not being used to its full potential.
“New sod installation underway in Beaver Stadium | Penn State University
“Approximately 70,000 square feet of sod will be used to complete the stadium playing surface and the nursery on campus. The nursery is used for general field maintenance across the numerous grass playing surfaces on campus.
If numerous grass playing surfaces are good enough for Penny State, grass should be good enough for little old Mt. Lebanon School District, 7:30!
Plus— 1) I doubt the district ever put $10,000 worth of maintenance in on the Rock Pile and 2) 8 years of grass maintenance is $80,000 vs. 8 years of turf with $37,600 of maintenance and a $400,000 to $500,000 replacement cost!
From Forbes magazine:
“How Taxpayers Get Fooled On The Cost Of An Artificial Turf Field”
“So why are some municipalities still spending big bucks to install artificial turf fields? Main reason: taxpayers have been getting hoodwinked by bogus analysis into thinking artificial turf fields are cheaper than natural grass. But the reality is that non-partisan studies have shown the exact opposite–natural grass fields are a bargain compared to artificial turf due to the huge costs taxpayers get stuck with to maintain and replace artificial fields after their warrantees expire. One of the artificial turf industry’s selling points is that an artificial turf field will last eight-to-10 years, even though the usual warranty runs for only eight, and that the initial exorbitant cost of installation is recouped in no time from tens of thousands in savings from no longer maintaining a natural grass field. Another way proponents of artificial turf skew the math in their favor is by saying many more events will be held on the field once artificial turf is installed, thereby lowering “the cost per event” on the field relative to natural grass. But who knows if that math is based on reality (the fields in my town, Glen Rock, New Jersey, are often vacant)? How can anyone accurately predict the future demographics of a town?”
I know 7:30,you are so much smarter than the people at Forbes magazine, right!
The municipality is offering the crown jewel field for rental to non-residents which should indicate they have excess capacity for sporting events on an artificial turfed field.
Eliane you make a good point. Mr. Remely, Mrs. Birks, & Mrs. Cappucci have made careers in politics using artificial turf as vote grabbers. The joke's on them. The ENTIRE school board wants a new competition sized field.
You caught that, 8:29 AM? Talking about turfing and expanding fields once was a sure-fire way for Birks, Cappucci, and Remely to be reelected. But if everyone is on the same page, what else do they have to offer? Shutting down communication and transparency? Raving about our Director of Business, who is producing questionable spreadsheets which seemingly change on a daily basis? Politicking about a fateful fundraising campaign? Why would anyone want to vote for them? Elaine
Hey 7:30, how about citing some hard evidence to backup your claims. Yeah, I know we have the Rock Pile Draft, trouble is the board won’t divulge who created the estimates.
As far as one can tell, Mrs. Birks has a history of ethics violations. Voting for artificial turf as Mrs. Older Gentleman Soccer Ref and voting for Outreach as Executive Director, Outreach.
34 comments:
Translation:
I like sports. So everyone else needs to pay for it.
More regulation size fields>more artificial turf>more games>more refereeing opps>more money in Birks pocket ! FOUL !
CONFLICT OF INTEREST !
But the crown jewel remains empty most evenings... Should we build a second ice rink because sports daddies don't like off-hour ice-time? This is getting a bit ridiculous. Make do with what you have.
3:18, that claim is demonstrably false. If you had driven by the "crown jewel" on any Monday-Thursday evening in the past two months you would see that there is football and soccer from 5:30 to well past dark, every night (maybe on Fridays too, I don't know). On the weekends there is, at a minimum, soccer played there. From 6:15 until about 6:40, the fields are packed as soccer tries to wrap up and football slowly creeps onto the field. But sure, you went by one Sunday night and it was empty. Cool story.
The field on Cedar remains empty on most nights? Not from what I can see. 3:18, I think you need to get out more often.
The issue is an ethics issue, Folks. Let's try to stay on topic, instead debating the usage of Wildcat/Crown Jewel/Clint Seymour Field.
Elaine
Suggesting that is an ethics issue or a conflict of interest is like suggesting that no parent should ever run for school board because he/she will make decisions that benefit their own child. Keep throwing out the red herrings. The logic is comical.
Bull, 4:03! No one is suggesting that parents or anyone else for that matter shouldn’t be able to be a director because they have a relative or student in the school system.
The problem or ethics issue comes into play when they try to influence or vote on something that they or their relatives might profit by. As long as they don’t try to influence the rest of the board or vote on such issues there is no problem.
“6:10. What does the concept “conflict of interest” mean and why should school directors try to avoid such conflicts?The term “conflict of interest” in the broader context of school board service refers to any potential clash between the public interest and the private financial interest of an individual director. Both the School Code and the Public Official and Employees Ethics Act prohibit various categories of conflicts of interest that school directors and other public officials must take great care to avoid. A public official must not vote on or otherwise attempt to influence decisions on matters that could result in private financial gain for themselves, their families, or businesses with which they or their families are associated.”
If there is financial gain, it is a conflict of interest. Ask Mrs. Cappucci. She will be making decisions that will benefit her own child.
The PSBA recommends public officials must take great care to avoid even an appearance of conflict of interest.
Mary seems oblivious to that recommendation.
So according to your sound reasoning, if School Director X or Commissioner Y has a child who referees youth soccer games (most of the youth level games are officiated by teenagers), those elected officials should abstain from discussing or voting on field issues in our community. That’s absurd.
I go back to the comments in the P-G...http://www.post-gazette.com/local/south/2017/05/05/Mt-Lebanon-school-board-Elaine-Gillen-refrains-from-voting-president-nonprofit/stories/201705050031
There is nothing to see here. Ms. Birks appears to have inadvertently voted on an item that was lumped in with many other contracts, and the unanimous vote indicates that her vote wasn't even needed.Let's move on.
Nothing to see here. Let's move on. Sure.
Mr. Birks is an experienced USSF referee - not a student.
Yeah 4:46, the law is absurd!
You’re right, but please tell me in your world at what level does the ethics violation become a violation.
6:14, the standard per the other posters (see 4:25) is whether or not there is financial gain. All refs in Lebo get paid, both kids and adults alike. But I think your response underscores my original point. You can’t leap to the obtuse conclusion that a conflict of interest exists without exploring all of the facts. To suggest that elected officials should abstain from a field discussion because someone in their family gets paid to be a ref is absurd. But I suppose par for the course for Lebo Citizens.
Another competition sized turf field means less games cancelled due to rain and more games able to be held because there's another surface. Competition games need referees. Referees get paid when games get played. More opportunity for games=more opportunity to ref=more money in referees (families) pockets.
Watched the video. The ENTIRE Board favors a new competition sized field.
Yes, that's true, 8:33 PM. The ENTIRE Board also approved Outreach contracts, but the only one under investigation is Mary Birks.
Elaine
How could this be an ethics issue when it is plainly a stupidity issue? The refs knees? I can't believe this is real.
Mary E
Yes, that is true 8:33, but have they been given accurate and true numbers regarding grass vs. turf. One area of the Rock Pile Draft showed a large difference between maintanence for the two surfaces.
Turfs cost did not reflect the cost of replacement every 8-10 years and the grass maintenance value was way too high. I sincerely doubt they ever spent $40,000 maintaining the grass on the old Rock Pile.
I’d like to see proof of that.
The big question 8:33, is whether the whole community wants to turf another field.
Bet if they had real numbers on the costs, maintenance and replacement they’d never go for it. Especially considering the number of tax hikes the district has implement over the last ten years.
It’s also ludicrous how the district cries that their budget is under great strain and they need a fundraiser to keep everything going to our usual high standards.
Why wouldn’t the Board say who prepared the estimates in the Rock Pile Draft. What, is it a CIA operation.
Will the referees make more if the game is played on a turf field?
The cost of maintaining turf is less expensive than maintainting grass. The estimates presented to the Board were something like $4700 vs $10,000 annually. I think the cost to maintain a usable, safe competition sized field in this region is actually higher. If they have to shut it down due to ruts, puddles, mud, snow, etc., the opportunity cost is lost too. No forward thinking community in W. PA is installing grass competition fields. Latrobe’s fundraising efforts have been used on this blog as an example Take a look at what they just did to their athletic facilities.
Literally, turfing the Rock Pile with plastic grass will be the bee's knees !
"Why wouldn’t the Board say who prepared the estimates in the Rock Pile Draft. What, is it a CIA operation?"
As with any crooked scheme, follow the money.
As a taxpayer and a citizen, ask yourself this--Why would the same names on the school board, those who have bee a part of every shady deal and comical misstep since 2008, fight so hard to shut people out, hide information and keep their seats?
My theory is, the whole thing is a house of cards. They clearly can't keep their stories straight. The numbers are always changing, which should make taxpayers nervous. The dishonesty is rampant and when questioned, they attack the messenger. And they go to extreme lengths to ensure only their little gang runs things.
Remember the PTA sticking their nose into the election? The teachers union? Churches? That all happened in Lebo. Some of the people who openly violated election law are on the school board.They are terrified that they will lose the keys to the secret room, the dark place where someone will discover the truth. That's why they're pushing so hard for pet projects.They owe people, and they are also protecting themselves. I firmly believe this a massive scandal. Taking down public documents, shifting money between accounts without even a public discussion, nepotism, forcing RTKS for what should be information routinely distributed.
Get out and educate your neighbors. Heck, just show them how none of the accounting totals add up. Ever. Show them how much money has been spent on dumb ideas like turfing every field (and let's remember our pal Dave Brumfield and the jock straps, er, athletic supporters telling everyone there was no plan to turf Mellon or the rock pile, it was a kooky conspiracy, etc.)
This is it. This is the time for change. If the board doesn't change this election, then the community is endorsing fraud and deceit.
Let's get back to reality, Folks. There's $5 million in capital funds. I guess we want to blow it all on new and replacement toxic turf. Wait, I better change that to artificial turf, because people get nervous when I say toxic. This fund is for textbooks, roof replacements, and turf replacements in eight years (that would be in two more 4 yr. terms). Elaine Cappucci and Mary Birks were school board members when we replaced the stadium turf in 2010. http://jposti.blogspot.com/2009/12/board-approves-retaining-stadium-turf.html
Elaine
Sorry, but 8 year olds don't need "competition turf" and grass fields have been used all over the world since the dawn of time. If HS athletes "need" turf, we already have a field for that. And if, as someone mentioned before, the field was "empty on a Sunday night", well then it's not being used to its full potential.
http://news.psu.edu/story/375622/2015/10/15/athletics/new-sod-installation-underway-beaver-stadium
“New sod installation underway in Beaver Stadium | Penn State University
“Approximately 70,000 square feet of sod will be used to complete the stadium playing surface and the nursery on campus. The nursery is used for general field maintenance across the numerous grass playing surfaces on campus.
If numerous grass playing surfaces are good enough for Penny State, grass should be good enough for little old Mt. Lebanon School District, 7:30!
Plus—
1) I doubt the district ever put $10,000 worth of maintenance in on the Rock Pile and
2) 8 years of grass maintenance is $80,000 vs. 8 years of turf with $37,600 of maintenance and a $400,000 to $500,000 replacement cost!
From Forbes magazine:
“How Taxpayers Get Fooled On The Cost Of An Artificial Turf Field”
“So why are some municipalities still spending big bucks to install artificial turf fields? Main reason: taxpayers have been getting hoodwinked by bogus analysis into thinking artificial turf fields are cheaper than natural grass.
But the reality is that non-partisan studies have shown the exact opposite–natural grass fields are a bargain compared to artificial turf due to the huge costs taxpayers get stuck with to maintain and replace artificial fields after their warrantees expire. One of the artificial turf industry’s selling points is that an artificial turf field will last eight-to-10 years, even though the usual warranty runs for only eight, and that the initial exorbitant cost of installation is recouped in no time from tens of thousands in savings from no longer maintaining a natural grass field. Another way proponents of artificial turf skew the math in their favor is by saying many more events will be held on the field once artificial turf is installed, thereby lowering “the cost per event” on the field relative to natural grass. But who knows if that math is based on reality (the fields in my town, Glen Rock, New Jersey, are often vacant)? How can anyone accurately predict the future demographics of a town?”
I know 7:30,you are so much smarter than the people at Forbes magazine, right!
The municipality is offering the crown jewel field for rental to non-residents which should indicate they have excess capacity for sporting events on an artificial turfed field.
Eliane you make a good point. Mr. Remely, Mrs. Birks, & Mrs. Cappucci have made careers in politics using artificial turf as vote grabbers. The joke's on them. The ENTIRE school board wants a new competition sized field.
You caught that, 8:29 AM? Talking about turfing and expanding fields once was a sure-fire way for Birks, Cappucci, and Remely to be reelected. But if everyone is on the same page, what else do they have to offer? Shutting down communication and transparency? Raving about our Director of Business, who is producing questionable spreadsheets which seemingly change on a daily basis? Politicking about a fateful fundraising campaign? Why would anyone want to vote for them?
Elaine
Hey 7:30, how about citing some hard evidence to backup your claims.
Yeah, I know we have the Rock Pile Draft, trouble is the board won’t divulge who created the estimates.
As far as one can tell, Mrs. Birks has a history of ethics violations. Voting for artificial turf as Mrs. Older Gentleman Soccer Ref and voting for Outreach as Executive Director, Outreach.
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