Timmy warns parents. Again. And again.

Keystone Oaks had a problem with the indoor rifle range being so close to Myrtle Avenue School, so Mt. Lebanon was forced to move the rifle range to Public Works. Here in Mt. Lebanon, our School District encourages parents to keep their kids on sidewalks and safe walking routes and avoid shortcuts through private properties starting Wednesday, February 1 through March 31, 2018. Killing starts at 4 PM on undisclosed private properties (during after school activities) and 6 PM at posted public properties including the Golf Course.

You might want to consider avoid sled riding at the Golf Course to avoid a "teaching moment*" for your kids.

Here is the letter from our head "teaching moment" professional, Mt. Lebanon's overpaid superintendent, who will be receiving a 6% increase this July. I hope all private schools and neighboring school districts have also been notified since we have lower standards for high powered rifles in our community. And it is PA Courts Approved!

From: Dr. Timothy Steinhauer [mailto:noreply@mtlsd.net]
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2018 1:28 PM
To: Mt. Lebanon School District Families
Subject: Updated Deer Management Information

Dear Mt. Lebanon School District Families,

In our ongoing effort to keep you apprised of local issues, I am sending you information that I received from the Mt. Lebanon Municipality concerning the upcoming cull beginning on February 1 through March 31 of 2018.  I have attached a letter from Assistant Municipal Manger Ian McMeans with details about the program and a link to more extensive information on the Municipal website at http://www.mtlebanon.org/2114/Deer-Management-Information. This same information is also being shared with all of our principals, teachers, and support staff. Please do not hesitate to contact the Mt. Lebanon Municipality or Mt. Lebanon Police Department should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Timothy J. Steinhauer, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Letter from Municipality 0118.pdf**

*White Buffalo's Jody Maddock, August 15, 2014, considers children witnessing a deer being killed as a teaching moment. See How about this teachable moment?

**Same absurd suggestion from our municipality as last year. See Shooting starts Feb. 1- March 31, 2017.

Another step in the right direction.

From: Michael Riemer <mriemer@mtlsd.net>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Mon, Jan 29, 2018 5:02 pm
Subject: Re: Capital Campaign spreadsheet

Ms. Gillen,

I have spoken with Dr. Steinhauer concerning this matter and moving forward all pieces of the Capital Campaign financial documents will be posted to the website. 

Thank you, 

Mike Riemer 

For the Board 

On Thu, Jan 25, 2018 at 7:56 PM, 'egillen476@aol.com' via SchoolBoard <schoolboardemaillist@mtlsd.net> wrote:

School board directors,

Every month, my friend Nick Meduho would file a Right To Know for the two page Century of Excellence Capital Campaign spreadsheet. I would like to request the two pages for YTD 12/31/17 by emailing the Board, and moving forward, I am requesting that both pages are put on the Capital Campaign website instead of just the one page every month.

Thanks.

Elaine Gillen

Gulp. UPDATED at 3:40 PM

I just posted this comment, only to receive the letter that Timmy sent out this morning.

What I found more disturbing is how Mt. Lebanon ranks in the safest schools categories. #13 in safest schools in Allegheny County does not warm my heart. https://www.niche.com/k12/search/safest-school-districts/c/allegheny-county-pa/ Why are we looking at overnight parking?

Here is the letter that was sent to parents this morning.

From: Dr. Timothy Steinhauer <noreply@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2018 10:40 AM
To: Mt. Lebanon Parents
Subject: Important Message from Mt. Lebanon School District

Dear Mt. Lebanon Parents,

As you may be aware from media reports this morning, a threat against an unnamed Pittsburgh area school is being investigated by federal authorities and the Pittsburgh Police.

We have been in contact with the Mt. Lebanon Police Department early this morning, and they have confirmed that there is no known specific threat against the Mt. Lebanon School District.

In an abundance of caution, the Mt. Lebanon Police will have an increased presence in and around our buildings. We are carefully monitoring our school buildings and grounds. All staff are on alert to look for and immediately report anything unusual or suspicious.

Again, there is no known specific threat to the Mt. Lebanon School District.  Maintaining a safe school environment for our students and staff  is our highest priority.

I want you to know that we take all threats seriously and we are monitoring this situation very carefully. If other pertinent information becomes available, I will be sure to communicate it to you.

Sincerely,

Timothy J. Steinhauer, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Update January 29, 2018 3:40 PM 

From: Jeanine Szalinski <jszalinski@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2018 2:53 PM
To: Mt. Lebanon Parents
Subject: *Update on Important Message from School District*

 

Dear Mt. Lebanon Parents,

We were just informed that the reported threat of violence at a “Pittsburgh” school was a hoax that originated in Florida. While we are grateful that this incident turned out to be a hoax, it reminds us of the value of remaining alert and taking these types of threats seriously.

Please help us by reporting any information that could impact the safety or welfare of our students or staff immediately to the Mt. Lebanon Police Department (9-1-1), your child’s principal, or to me.

Sincerely,


Timothy J. Steinhauer, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

If Pittsburgh is anything like Mt. Lebanon, they will laugh in the face of the PA Office of Open Records

Pittsburgh Tried to Hide Its Amazon Proposal by Claiming It Was a "Trade Secret"

Here is the Final Determination from the PA Office of Open Records

http://www.openrecords.pa.gov/Documents/FinalDet/31530.pdf

Fortunately, Pittsburgh's claim was laughed out of the state's Office of Open Records yesterday. The city now has 30 days to turn over a copy of the proposal to Paul Van Osdol, a journalist at the Pittsburgh-based WTAE-TV.

Mt. Lebanon's claim that property was donated for the use of killing deer was laughed out of the state's Office of Open Records too. They said that no land ownership was donated and that the private property owners only granted access.


Kyle Applegate, Esq. was the appeals officer for my appeal too. He ruled in my favor, as well. WTAE, you didn't win the battle. If the City of Pittsburgh is anything like Mt. Lebanon, they will appeal to the Court of Common Pleas. Then it can go to Commonwealth Court and then heard in PA Supreme Court, if they will take the case. By then, Amazon will have chosen their site for HQ2.

Osdol submitted the initial requests for the proposal way back on October 19, shortly after Amazon published a list of locales that submitted bids for the headquarters. Under state law, public entities have five business days to respond to a request, but they can give themselves a 30-day extension for a variety of reasons. In this case, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County waited until November 27 to respond. By the time an appeal to the denial was filed, it was already December 1. The city and county dragged out that appeal for another month.

By the time the 30-day deadline to turn over the proposal to Osdol is over, it's possible Amazon will have made its decision. In the meantime, the public will have been kept in the dark about what Pittsburgh was willing to offer Amazon during a crucial four-month period when public opposition might have sunk the deal.

It may not be a trade secret under Pennsylvania state law, but crony capitalism is certainly a trade full of secrets.

How the commissioners are funding their increase

Mt. Lebanon studying changes in overnight street parking

Revised Block Party Status by Street

Spoiler Alert!

Sleepy Hollow is still not permitted to have block parties. (See Another Unexpected Visitor)

The latest list has been posted on the municipal website today.  Mt. Lebanon Roadways - Block Party Status

Grella is off the hook again

According to the clerk in the Castle Shannon magistrate's office, Grella's case is still sitting on the magistrate's desk. Grella complied, so the magistrate will be dismissing the case.

https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/DocketSheets/MDJReport.ashx?docketNumber=MJ-05217-NT-0000326-2017

If Grella gets reelected, he could certainly use the 43% increase for his legal defense fund.

The Teflon Commissioner

Raise proposed for Mt. Lebanon Commissioners

Just when you think you have heard it all, then something like this comes along. Kelly Fraasch proposed an increase for commissioners - from $3500 to $5000 a year. She cites that commission meetings are now twice a month, meetings as commission liaisons, all those community events, and then there is email, which wasn't around in 1993 when stipends were set at $3500.

I could hear Nick Meduho now. You don't answer emails! You make Keith McGill answer all your emails. You don't give out information unless it goes past the solicitor as Right To Knows. In the last few summers, you have reduced your meetings to once a month. Don't forget how commission liaison John Bendel went to the Sports Advisory Board in October 2014 and asked how they wanted to spend their pot of gold at one of those board meetings. It was about $750,000 and now we are to give you guys more money? Unreal.

Come on, folks. Do you really think commissioners deserve a 42.9% increase?

This would not take affect until four years after the ordinance is passed, thanks to the home rule charter. Read more in The Almanac Raise proposed for Mt. Lebanon commissioners

In Nick's memory - School board videos UPDATED 01/25/18

Just came back from Nick Meduho's house where his father and sister allowed me to copy his files from his server. Nick had backed up all the school board meetings that are being pulled from the district website for me and saved nine gigs of data when he saved the 24 meetings. I am in the process of uploading them and putting a link to them on the blog.

Sadly, Nick's 88 year old dad saw the October meeting where Mary Birks would not answer his son's questions. Mr. Meduho was pretty upset. Because of that, I told him about my ethics complaint and how Mary lost the election.

The reason why I am telling you all this is because I think I am going to bite the bullet and stick with my blog, which is available to everyone. To all of the nice folks who signed up on Facebook, thank you for sticking with me, but I have decided not go through Facebook. I want people to have access to Nick's videos and will keep Lebo Citizens on Blogger in his memory.

The links to 24 school board meetings that Nick backed up for me will be available in another thirty minutes or so. Until now, I had two gigs of data on Google Docs. With nine more gigs of data, I still have room available. Nick tried to tell me that the District was giving us a bunch of garbage and that they should have the ability to keep far more information than what they were telling us. 

Thanks, Nick Meduho, Jr.

Elaine

Link to Nick's school board meeting videos

Update January 25, 2018 7:44 PM Per 4:40 PM's suggestion, here is a link for the YTD ending 12/31/17 spreadsheet. It certainly is a mess, 4:40 PM. For the two page spreadsheet, that would require filing a Right To Know. Nick would do that every month. Perhaps an email to the new board majority will provide that information without filing a Right To Know. It would be much simpler if they would post the two pages automatically. A new spreadsheet should be available in the next week or so.

Various parties will be notified.

What does THAT mean? The Public Information Office finally fixed the December 5, 2017 broken link to the FAQ "Sharpshooting" 2018 program on January 16, 2018. Shooting starts in a week. The details become more and more obscure every year. We're back to the hours listed as "Shooting takes place in the late afternoon and after dark." Seven days a week.

As I have written before, DeNicola originally quoted MTL commissioners $250 per deer for "sharpshooting." This year, our commissioners are willing to pay $771.10 per deer, even more lucrative than Timmy's annual increases! That is based on killing 100 deer. What will be the true cost this year? We will learn more in April, after DeNicola has cashed his check.
Just like previous years, the number of archery kills from the middle of September to January 31, 2018 will be available half way through the "sharpshooting" program. 

Looks like we are being FUQ'ed again. Frequently Unanswered Questions (FUQ) No contract posted on the municipal website. Through a Right To Know, you can read it here. 2017-2018 "Sharpshooting" Contract "Executed" copy available here.

Not transparent enough, Susan. For those who like to accuse me of making personal attacks toward our PIO, I just publish what she says. https://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2015/12/latest-right-to-know-shaking-my-head.html

Not transparent enough.

Upper St. Clair Superintendent announces his retirement

From: "Upper St. Clair School District" <potoole@uscsd.k12.pa.us>
Date: Jan 23, 2018 6:40 AM
Subject: Important Message from Dr. O'Toole

January 23, 2018

Dear Upper St. Clair Families:

After 39 years in education, the past 11 of which I have served as superintendent at Upper St. Clair, I officially notified the Board of Directors last evening of my intent to retire. My retirement is effective at the end of my present contract, which concludes on June 30, 2018.

It has been the greatest honor of my career to serve USC as an educational leader. I never imagined having this opportunity to work with such talented faculty, support staff and administration.

I will do everything possible to ensure that there is a smooth transition to a new superintendent. I have confidence that the future of our district is bright because of our exceptional staff who deliver such a terrific educational experience for our students and community.

Below is the full text of the press release, which is also posted on our District website.

Sincerely,

Patrick T. O'Toole
Superintendent of Schools


Following a career in public education that spans 39 years, Dr. Patrick T. O’Toole, superintendent of the Upper St. Clair School District, announced his pending retirement, effective June 30, 2018. The school board approved his retirement during its meeting on Monday, Jan. 22, 2018.

“It has been the greatest honor of my career to serve the community of Upper St. Clair,” Dr. O’Toole said. “I never imagined having this opportunity to work with such talented educational leaders, faculty, support staff and students.”

Serving as Upper St. Clair’s superintendent of schools since March 2007, Dr. O’Toole has provided effective leadership of numerous projects and programs. He focused the district’s vision for these initiatives on a new tagline: “Customizing Learning, Nurturing Potential and Delivering Excellence.” Throughout his tenure he led two strategic plans; the expansion of STEAM opportunities through the district’s 1:1 initiative and the creation of the Innovation Hubs at the middle and high schools; the enhancement of the Professional Learning Communities model in all six USC schools; the renovation of Boyce and Fort Couch middle schools; and the current capital project effort.

Dr. O’Toole also led the district through its most difficult financial times brought on by the 2008 recession. A result of this work is the district’s advancement initiative that secures private and grant funding for district programs.

“I cannot find adequate words to thank the board members who took a chance when hiring me in 2007 and those who have supported me through the years,” Dr. O’Toole said. “Most of all, I thank my wife and son for their many sacrifices throughout my career.”

Members of the Upper St. Clair School Board expressed their appreciation for Dr. O’Toole and the impact he has had on the school district.

“Dr. O’Toole often shares how fortunate he is to work at Upper St. Clair School District; in fact, it is our community, our staff, our school board and, most importantly, our students who have been fortunate to have benefited from his leadership for more than a decade,” Amy Billerbeck, school board president, said. “He has led Upper St. Clair with vision, integrity, and professionalism. We wish him well in his retirement.”

For Mrs. Billerbeck, Dr. O’Toole’s most impactful initiative was leadership development. During his first few years at Upper St. Clair, he implemented the “Total Leaders” program bringing in nationally known education innovator, Charles Schwahn to work with the district’s administration. The program quickly expanded to include teaching staff and sparked innovative leadership programming for students at nearly all grade levels.

“Dr. O’Toole’s vision of developing and nurturing leadership throughout the district has been transformational,” Mrs. Billerbeck said. “Through his efforts we are extremely fortunate to have strong, highly capable leaders at every level of our organization.”

Upper St. Clair School District has garnered national praise for several innovative programs initiated under his leadership. In 2013, Upper St. Clair School District was recognized with the National School Boards Association Magna Award for its Student Leadership Academy that helps students at all levels understand how they can change the world through their leadership. This program was an outgrowth of the leadership initiative started by Dr. O’Toole. The district earned another Magna Award – this time a Grand Prize Winner – in 2017 for SHOP@USC, a student-run business within the high school’s Innovation Hub that operates fully through the collaboration between students with significant disabilities and their same age peers without disabilities.

In November 2017, Upper St. Clair High School was named one of only 25 schools nationwide to be selected as a national model of Innovative Successful Practices by the Successful Practices Network and AASA, The School Superintendents Association. Upper St. Clair High School ranks among the top high schools in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report’s list of 2017 Best High Schools. For the second year in a row, Upper St. Clair School District was named among the nation’s 2017 Best Communities for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation.

Personally, Dr. O’Toole earned numerous honors for his leadership and contributions to the field of education. The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators honored him with the 2010 Service to the Professional Award and named him the 2012 Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year. Also in 2012, he received the Distinguished Educator Award from the Tri-State Area School Study Council.

In addition to his duties as superintendent, Dr. O’Toole has provided leadership to the greater education profession. He served as president of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators during 2016-17; president of Tri-State Area School Study Council from 2013 through 2015; and treasurer of the South Hills Area School Districts Association from 2009 through present. He has also served as a presenter on numerous educational topics including best practices, student achievement, customized learning, flexible scheduling and student leadership at regional, state and national level conferences and institutes.

Prior to joining the leadership staff at Upper St. Clair, Dr. O’Toole served as superintendent in the South Butler County and Shenango Area school districts. In addition, he has served as a high school principal, assistant high school principal and elementary teacher.

A graduate of Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Dr. O’Toole holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. He earned a master’s degree in educational administration and a doctorate in administration and policy studies from the University of Pittsburgh. In 2016, Clarion University honored him with its Distinguished Alumni Award.

Dr. O’Toole resides in Cranberry Township with his wife, Tracey, a chemistry teacher in the Seneca Valley School District, and their son, Patrick.

The school board is now tasked with naming Dr. O’Toole’s successor – widely considered the board’s most important duty. Planning for this decision began with the district’s 2015-2020 strategic plan and related board goals, which were adopted in February 2017. In accordance with the board goals, officials have been evaluating the district’s leadership succession plan throughout the past year.

“We have been very intentional with succession planning over the past several years, and have the utmost confidence in our Upper St. Clair administrators and their ability to lead,” Mrs. Billerbeck said. “The board has already begun the work of evaluating a successor to Dr. O’Toole. We are very fortunate to have strong, committed leaders in place, and will not need to undertake an external search.“

According to Mrs. Billerbeck, the school board could appoint the next superintendent early this spring to ensure a seamless transition in leadership.

Parents of young children need to watch this!

MeWe

Is anyone here using MeWe? I just heard about this "Next-Gen Social Network." Their Frequently Asked Questions address my concerns about Facebook.

I am still planning to move Lebo Citizens to Facebook on February 1, but I hate the fact that you have to send a friend request to me so that you can join. So far, it hasn't been a problem because most of the people who joined the Lebo Citizens Facebook group are friends of mine, members of the closed blog from a year or so ago, or invited by people who I trust. I am not crazy about the idea that you can now see my personal Facebook account.

Please share your experience with MeWe. Thanks.

For those offended by the snow removal criticism and other sacred cows

Mt. Lebanon sacred cows continue to increase. Add Public Works to the list. On Nextdoor, a person made the mistake of questioning snow removal this year. Most of the comments have been civil, but there are always those who become very defensive. It turns out that this year has not been as good for a reason. The answer is on Monday's commission agenda.

The municipality is buying two trucks for snow removal.  See? There was a problem. Funding for these vehicles has been appropriated in the 2018 municipal budget. 

Block parties has been on the sacred cow list for a couple of years now. In fact, remember how our now commission president got one of his Sleepy Hollow buddies all fired up and came to my door to tell me to mind my own business? The police ended up going to his house and told him that the next time, he will be arrested for trespassing. See Another unexpected visitor Also, a member of our PIO's family received preferential treatment, also from the same street.

On Monday's Commission Discussion Session agenda, FIFTEEN minutes will be devoted to reviewing the block party street list. I will be curious to see if Sleepy Hollow and Roycroft will be added to the "OK to have a block party" list. A certain school board director, also on the sacred cow list, may have the power to get her family and friends hired in the district, so it will be interesting to see if she carries any weight with the municipality and gets Roycroft approved.

It pays to say "shit show" at a school board meeting.

I got a copy of Monday night's personnel report which was approved by the school board. The very first entry on the personnel report lists Capital Campaign Board Member and potty mouth Beth Evans' daughter as being appointed as a permanent substitute English teacher at the high school.

Beth Evans lived across the street from the Cappucci family, and their teacher kids went to school together.

Also on the lengthy report shows the special education teacher at the high school, where her husband is the principal. I wonder if she works under her husband.

This shouldn't be happening! UPDATED 1/17/18

From: Timothy Steinhauer

Sent: Monday, January 15, 8:21 PM

Subject: Re: Blocked on Twitter...

To: Middle School Parent

Cc: schoolboardemaillist@mtlsd.net

Thanks for your request. You will be unblocked once I log back into my account. I am pleased that your wish to follow my tweets. This has been a great environment to spread the good activities that occur throughout the District. 

Best wishes,

Tim

On Mon, Jan 15, 2018 at 8:01 PM, Middle School Parent wrote:

Dear Board:

I am blocked from seeing Dr. Steinhauer's tweets. Is there anything that can be done about this?

Update January 17, 2018 5:43 AM This is why Timmy shouldn't be blocking ANYONE. I was assured when he unblocked me that he wasn't blocking anyone now. Why is he blocking anyone? This is what the middle school parent had been missing until two days ago.

This is so wrong!

A Nice Change

With the new school board majority, I noticed a subtle change on the January 15, 2018 Agenda. Who can find it?

Hint: It is NOT the potential millage increase of .73 mills. I said, "Nice."

On the school district website, Timmy is quoted:

We won't see that this year.

It's really not difficult

During all the "Just" drama, I read women thanking the moderators for managing their Facebook groups. Not having a Facebook group myself, I thought, "How tough can it be?" So I started one. And guess what? It's not!

The group that I started is for a local sewing group. It is considered a "secret group," meaning it will not show up in a search. Instead, you have to be added by a member or a moderator. It may be the answer for my Lebo Citizens blog.

I won't get ten hits a day from Timmy, Jan Klein, or the PIO. I won't get hits from Tucker Arensberg when Timmy or school board directors gets cranky. Think of the benefits. Productivity would increase. Billable hours would be reduced.

On my Facebook group, I don't get anonymous comments where I am called a c***. Telling me to move out of Mt. Lebanon just doesn't happen. No hideous comments about my poor husband. Remarks about my "miserable life" are non-existent. I can still share documents, links, and photos.

I do see some disadvantages. You would have to be on Facebook. You would have to email me at EGillen476@aol.com, if you want to become a member or rely on another member to join. Circulation would decrease. But who cares? It would slow down the haters.

My Facebook group is a delight. I'm going to give this some serious thought.

Throwing more money away on Virginia Manor decorating guide

Back in 2015, the Historic Preservation Board, along with staff liaison Susan Morgans spent $25,000 on a decorating guide for Virginia Manor. See Oops, there goes $25K The commissioners scrapped the idea. Then in my February 2017 post, Commissioners, please save Christmas for discriminating residents, I predicted that the Historic Preservation Board will ask the commission to revisit the decorating guide. Guess what was in today's Administrative Report. I called it!

This is the same group that wanted to keep brick streets in Ward 1. How much is this online design costing taxpayers this time? 

Proposed Rifle Range Moved!

Mt. Lebanon moves site of proposed rifle range

That pesky federal Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990, which got in the way of killing deer next to my house in Rockwood Park, forced commissioners to rethink their decision about putting the rifle range within 1,000 feet of Myrtle Avenue Elementary School.

I commend the Keystone Oaks School District for taking this stand. Unlike our superintendent who, in the next couple of weeks, will be issuing his annual statement about students staying on sidewalks while "sharpshooters" will be firing high-powered rifles starting at 4 PM in undisclosed (with the PA Supreme Court's blessings) neighborhoods for the next two months.

Bullets never cross sidewalks.

And to show how committed our Public Information Office is to getting the word out, the link to the FAQ Sharpshooting Program 2018 has been broken since December 5, 2017.

Forget 10 AM starts vs. 2 Hour Delays

This is the way to do it!

Protesting Super's Pay Increase

A teacher in Louisiana was hauled off in handcuffs at a school board meeting for protesting the superintendent's pay increase. Teacher’s Arrest For Criticizing Boss’ Pay Raises ‘Serious Constitutional Concerns,’ ACLU Says Here in Mt. Lebanon, teachers may be more subtle.

Watching Monday's school board meeting, I don't know how our superintendent can sit at a school board meeting and not be uncomfortable. Finance director, Jan Klein was talking about the "preliminary budget," once referred to as the "fake budget." She said that she has salaries at 3% (39:25 time stamp). She also emphasized that everything is an unknown at this point, especially with the teachers' contract.

Why should the teachers settle for a 3% increase, when Timmy is sitting there pulling in a 6% increase this July? We have the old school board to thank for that brilliant contract.

We don't have teachers being arrested over our super's pay increases, but it should be interesting to see what the new teachers' contract will cost Mt. Lebanon. Thanks to Timmy and his supporters for putting us in this position. A special thanks to Elaine Cappucci who played a major part in that decision and will be voting to accept the teachers' contract for her son.

Fire on Pinoak

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/01/08/mt-lebanon-pinoak-house-fire-woman-rescued/

Unblocked. No apology, no explanation, nothing but an admission.

From:	Timothy Steinhauer <tsteinhauer@mtlsd.net>
To:	egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc:	Mike Riemer <MRiemer@mtlsd.net>; Sarah Olbrich <solbrich@mtlsd.net>
Subject:	Re: "Can you get away with this in your District?"
Date:	Mon, Jan 8, 2018 11:38 am

---

Dear Ms. Gillen,

At your request, you have been unblocked from the @mtlsdsuper Twitter account.

On Mon, Jan 8, 2018 at 9:11 AM, egillen476@aol.com <egillen476@aol.com> wrote:

School board directors,

For those of you who do not read my blog, this post appeared on my blog on January 5, 2018.

Still no response from our superintendent or any of you. 

Elaine Gillen

Lebo Citizens isn't "Just" for Mt. Lebanon residents. Over the seven plus years of this blog, I have a following of readers from neighboring communities. Especially interested are those from surrounding school districts. This post is for you. Thanks for reading Lebo Citizens...

Timothy Steinhauer's  January 8, 2018 11:38 AM email 

More unbalanced reporting from Hayes

I stopped subscribing to the PG because of their "Outdoor Editor" John Hayes and his unbalanced "reporting." I got what I expected to read when someone forwarded a link to his article in yesterday's PG. In Michigan, a deer management experiment scrapped in Mt. Lebanon begins its second season

The PA Game Commission's mouthpiece is buying into the BS that deer killer Tony DeNicola is dishing out. Who else would be charging to kill 250 deer during a non-lethal "experiment?" Why does baiting not work during frigid temperatures OR milder temperatures? In either scenario, DeNicola is justifying his failures. 

Hayes also forgot to mention that DeNicola originally quoted MTL commissioners $250 per deer for "sharpshooting." This year, our commissioners are willing to pay $771.10 per deer, even more lucrative than Timmy's annual increases! That is based on killing 100 deer. What will be the true cost this year?  We will learn more in April, after DeNicola has cashed his check.

KQV Tribute

EG:

My favorite Internet radio station, REWOUNDRADIO.COM, is having a KQV tribute show today from noon until 3pm, featuring air checks from the following jocks:

- Jim Quinn 1/21/68
- Bob Wood 1/21/71
- Chuck Brinkman 1/9/72

Thought you like to know.

RG

Can you get away with this in your District? UPDATED 010818

Lebo Citizens isn't "Just" for Mt. Lebanon residents. Over the seven plus years of this blog, I have a following of readers from neighboring communities. Especially interested are those from surrounding school districts. This post is for you. Thanks for reading Lebo Citizens.

For several years, I have been emailing our superintendent and school board directors about being blocked from following and/or viewing the superintendent's Twitter account.

Tucker Arensberg's Tom Peterson is our solicitor. He was emailed concerning this issue. Over the years that I have been emailing the school board about this, we have had three attorneys sitting on the school board. They all understand the ramifications of the superintendent's actions blocking a taxpayer from a District Twitter account. Here is the latest email sent to the superintendent with copies to the school board.

You may wonder why I am able to have his Twitter feed in the right sidebar. I was able to embed the HTML code of his Twitter feed onto my blog so that everyone has access to it. I was also able to follow his Twitter account as @notElaineGillen. Pathetic, isn't it?

As you can see, his Tweets and Retweets are also pathetic. They are not the caliber that you would expect from the highest paid superintendent in the Pittsburgh area. He will also get a SIX PERCENT increase on July 1, 2018.

So why am I so concerned about being blocked? It is the principle of the thing. I am a Mt. Lebanon resident and taxpayer. Recently, I brought this up on a local Facebook group, which resulted in an hour long attack by a PTA officer, which was liked by yet another attorney! Being readers of this blog, you know the ending of that story. Ultimately, I was kicked out of that group.

I am asking you if you can get away with this behavior in your school districts? Would your school board directors condone this? Do you have a sweet contract like this one? Amendment to Mt. Lebanon Superintendent's Contract Under terms of Dr. Steinhauer's contract, his salary increase for the 2017-2018 is 5.5%, resulting in a salary of $205,492.

I'm still debating how I am going to proceed with this. I am not getting any answers from anyone.

Update January 8, 2018 12:18 PM After all these years, the superintendent unblocked me from the @mtlsdsuper Twitter account.

Letter to the Editor

Television, radio, newspapers and social conversations are full of complaints, but we forget that we are the ones responsible for putting them there. Last November, in Mt. Lebanon's election for a commissioner, this was made very clear to me.

The Republican candidate's name is on a plaque naming him the community's "outstanding citizen." He is a life time resident. He is a very active volunteer for the fire department, (including teaching the classes for citizens and fund raising). There are very few community events he doesn't actively participate in.

The Democrat candidate has been a resident for four years. In that time, he has made no known contribution to our community but has managed to get three police citations, one involving drunkenness.

The Democrat won (14% to 12%) simply because Democrat registrations far out-number Republican. As long as people vote a straight party ticket; instead of taking the time to learn about the experience, ability and character of the candidate, we will get exactly what we've got. The strength of our democracy depends on voter wisdom and participation in all elections.

Ann Roper
Mt. Lebanon, PA

Yes, sad day

Mt. Lebanon Magazine

Congratulations to new Commissioner Craig Grella, who was sworn in this evening by his good neighbor District Judge Blaise Larotonda.

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Posted by Mt. Lebanon Magazine

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JoAnne Bova Mt Lebanon Magazine you can’t even get the right ward. Really? Sad day!

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Mt. Lebanon Magazine Sorry, Ward 4. Once elected, however, a commissioner is charged with making good decisions for the entire community. We do not identify commissioners by ward or party in Mt. Lebanon Magazine for that reason.

Nice try, Mt. Lebanon Magazine. The original post read Ward 2. As someone wrote to me privately,

"This is just another example of the bias flip flopping of this magazine. You can not trust this magazine. They either have things wrong or it's out dated. Maybe they should research into the depths of the Commissioners "Good" neighbor and how he has the power to dismiss violations."