Monday, February 5, 2018

Mt. Lebanon Catch 22 UPDATED 02/07/18 @ 2:35 PM

Remember this post? Another step in the right direction. Well forget it. I think it may be easier to share the emails.

First email
From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Thu, Jan 25, 2018 7:56 pm
Subject: Capital Campaign spreadsheet

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


Second request
From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Thu, Feb 1, 2018 12:25 pm
Subject: two page report

Dear School Board Directors,

I had sent an email requesting the two page Capital Campaign report for YTD 12/31/17, as well as the complete report be posted on the capital campaign website moving forward. Mike Riemer was kind enough to let me know that moving forward, the entire Capital Campaign reports will be published.

I would still like to receive the two page Capital Campaign report for YTD 12/31/17. Is Mike the only one who is permitted to share this report with me, or since it has been approved, can any of you email me that?

Thanks.

Elaine Gillen



Third request
From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Mon, Feb 5, 2018 5:31 pm
Subject: Page 2

School Board Directors,

This is what is on the Century of Excellence website. https://www.mtlsd.org/uploaded/District/Century_of_Excllence/Capital_Campaign_Summary_YTD_ending_12.31.2017.pdf This report has been available monthly as is.
One. Page.
In order to receive page 2, a Right To Know had to be filed.

I am asking, once again, for page 2. I understand that moving forward, the Capital Campaign Summary YTD ending 01.31.18 will include both pages, but I would like page 2 of what is presently on the website. I would have had this by now, had I filed a Right To Know. Once again, I have to wait a week or so until I hear from the school board president, because the policy mandates that only the president can answer me. This is ridiculous.

Elaine Gillen




Then from the board president
From: Michael Riemer <mriemer@mtlsd.net>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>; schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Mon, Feb 5, 2018 5:40 pm
Subject: Re: Page 2

Ms. Gillen,

I am in receipt of your previous email and have been addressing this to get the full information before I respond to your request. Also I have been under the weather the last two weeks. We will be addressing your email in due time.

Mike Riemer
For the Board

My response
From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: mriemer <mriemer@mtlsd.net>; schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Mon, Feb 5, 2018 6:21 pm
Subject: Re: Page 2

Mike,

I am sorry to hear that you have been under the weather the last two weeks. I know that you were unable to attend the last school board meeting. A lot of nasty stuff has been going around. Couldn't Sarah have supplied the information that I have been requesting? On my blog, I have been criticized for wasting tax dollars by filing RTKs, but it does take the pressure off of the president. Perhaps that is why past presidents have told us to file RTKs. By filing a RTK, I would usually get an answer in five days or less. I'm not sure what "in due time" means. I am only asking for one page that shouldn't require any redactions. Wasn't the second page populated a month ago?

Elaine Gillen

Response from the board president
From: Michael Riemer <mriemer@mtlsd.net>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>; schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Mon, Feb 5, 2018 8:21 pm
Subject: Re: Page 2


Ms. Gillen,

As per Mt. Lebanon School District Board Policy KDB, which is in alignment with Pennsylvanian right to know law we are required to log all public records requests. Please feel free to file a right to know on the subject matter at hand.

Thank you.

Mike Riemer
For the Board

SO I DID.

 Update February 6, 2018 9:00 AM Mt. Lebanon School District Board Policy KDB is available for viewing here.
https://www.mtlsd.org/uploaded/District/School_Board/Policies/K-SchoolCommunityHomeRelations/KDB_Public_Records.pdf

 Update February 6, 2018 10:30 I heard back from Jeanine, the Open Records Officer. Notice how the attorneys had to be cc'ed. Billable hours, my friends. Ridiculous. This was for the second page of a published document.

 From: Jeanine Szalinski <jszalinski@mtlsd.net>
To: E.T. Gillen <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc: Thomas Peterson <TPeterson@tuckerlaw.com>; Voltz, Chris <cvoltz@tuckerlaw.com>; Dr. Timothy Steinhauer <TSteinhauer@mtlsd.net>; Michael Riemer <mriemer@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Tue, Feb 6, 2018 10:08 am
Subject: Right to Know Request



Dear Mrs. Gillen,

Thank you for writing to Mt. Lebanon School District with your request for information pursuant to the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law.

On February 6, 2018, we received your request seeking: Page 2 of The Capital Campaign Summary YTD 12/31/17 in pdf format.

Please find attached a response to your request and any responsive document.

Sincerely,

Jeanine Szalinski
Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent
Asst. Board Secretary/Open Records Officer
Mt. Lebanon School District
7 Horsman Drive
Pittsburgh PA  15228
412-344-2077



I had to jump through hoops for PAGE 2:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17s_cNCEUdm-u19aIPBEl6IAX21SVqcfG/view?usp=sharing

Update February 7, 2018 2:35 PM For future reference, since the monthly reports disappear from viewing when the latest report is posted, here is the link to Page 1 for YTD 12.31.17. https://drive.google.com/file/d/114Hi9y_-d1fiYkTPr5WSDv1cW2iUXgO9/view?usp=sharing

at

23 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 5, 2018 at 11:25 PM

    Why the secrecy?
    You’d think this initiative that they’ll be thanking us us for 100 years from now would want to brag about all the wonderful details.

    So much for romised transparency.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 6, 2018 at 9:33 AM

    Let me see if I ‘ve got this straight.

    We have a board that isn’t sure it can operate within the confines of the PA Dept. of Education’s Act 1 limit on raising taxes and we, I suppose, are to just roll over on write bigger checks when they can’t even post two pages of a financial statement.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lebo CitizensFebruary 6, 2018 at 9:41 AM

    I wonder how many other reports are not published in their entirety. Very discouraged.
    Elaine

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lebo CitizensFebruary 6, 2018 at 10:49 AM

    "Don't file RTKs because they cost taxpayers money."
    "File a RTK for the second page of a posted public document."

    Such BS. The second page is now available under my 10:30 AM update.
    Elaine

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousFebruary 6, 2018 at 11:30 AM

    Don't ask us for information while we're being transparent !

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousFebruary 6, 2018 at 12:04 PM

    That would be funny 11:30, if it weren’t so true!

    Of course they need to keep their options open to exceed the Act 1 tax limit. If you spend like drunken sailors filling wish list, perceived entitlements, and paying out exorbitant salaries, benefits, and invoices on a fundraiser that is losing money you’re going to have to slam taxpayers to cover it all.

    Here are reasons for Act 1 exemption approval.
    “Referendum Exception Submission Process
    In order to increase property taxes above the index without seeking voter approval, a school district must apply to and receive approval from the Department for a referendum exception. Act 1 lists four referendum exceptions based on costs associated with the following areas:
    1. School Construction—Grandfathered Indebtedness
    2. School Construction—Electoral Indebtedness
    3. Special Education Expenditures
    4. Retirement Contributions to the Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS)”

    See #2. I’m wondering if the big push to turf the Rock Pile and possibly fields at Mellon and Jefferson is a ploy to feed the beast.
    I wonder if the PA Dept. of Education really investigates if the “construction” is a real necessity in the district’s budget?

    For instance, you won’t find anything in the school code that proclaims a turfed practice field is infinitely better than a grass field.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousFebruary 6, 2018 at 12:27 PM

    The district spent approximately $260,000 each on DeLuca and Astorino and $56,000 on Schmidt’s salaries.
    They spent around $54,000 on healthcare and $43,000 on fringes.
    Plus paid Pursuant Ketchum around $154,000.

    Quick math— they spent over $712,000 on people and incidentals that have nothing to do with educating our kids to rake in approximately $672,000 in donations that the donors- not the taxpayers- get to stipulate what their donation is spent on.

    Taxpayers are OK with this?

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousFebruary 7, 2018 at 10:46 AM

    To be clear, it is great that donors might wish to create something like the makers spaces or even outfit a weight training room. Kudos and thanks for their generosity and it would be perfectly acceptable if the district adds to their donation to do it right or support it.

    The problem for this taxpayer is the exorbitant overhead running the Century of Excellence fundraiser. Please don’t tell me that the district administration had no vehicle in place before the fundraising campaign to accept donations. There wasn’t any Avenue in place to make a generous donation to the library, athletics, academics, or fine arts?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lebo CitizensFebruary 7, 2018 at 1:06 PM

    Yes, there is and has been for years - since 1999. It's called the MLFE. https://www.mtlsd.org/page.cfm?p=1128
    Elaine

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousFebruary 7, 2018 at 1:33 PM

    Looking at page one of the financial statement there is an item labeled: Interest - Total: $ 4,861.31

    Proceeding to the bottom of the page there is an item labeled:
    Reserved from General Fund - $910,930.02

    How is it possible that from 2013 to 12/31/17 this reserve only earned $4,861.31 in interest?

    You could park $910,930.02 almost anywhere and earn at least 1% interest which would be $9,103 annually.

    Had the district paid off some debt early with that $910,930.02 they would have saved substantially more.

    Money managers, bankers, accountants... correct?

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousFebruary 7, 2018 at 1:43 PM

    So the district had in place a means in place for anyone that wanted to make a contribution to the district, but chose to spend nearly three-quarters of a million dollars to create another avenue!

    Why didn’t the MLFE make a simple marketing appeal for donations and saved the thousands and thousands of dollars paid out to Pursuant, staffers, fringes and benefits?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lebo CitizensFebruary 7, 2018 at 2:07 PM

    A question I have been asking since the beginning, 1:43 PM. But I am the crazy one.
    Elaine

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousFebruary 7, 2018 at 2:11 PM

    Here’s an idea!
    Had they put just $500,000 of that $910,930.02 and put it in a Goldman Sachs FDIC insured savings account with a annual yield of 1.50% APR on I/1/18 at the end of the year they would earn $7,500. The money would still be in reserve, it is after all a savings account, but it’d be working harder for the district.

    The yield from a little more than half of the $910,930.02 would be way more than the $1,716.30 in interest the campaign earned YTD 2017 when the full $910,930.02 reserve was in place.

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousFebruary 7, 2018 at 2:18 PM

    Many of us have asked that same question and suggested that toe-dipping approach Elaine, when they first engaged Pursuant Ketchum to investigate if they could raise $6 million from donors in five years.
    They squandered $42,000 on a PK survey that got it wrong!

    You’ll also never hear from the key players that pushed this and are “excited” by the money loosing venture that they were wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Lebo CitizensFebruary 7, 2018 at 2:32 PM

    There was also another avenue, 10:46 AM. Mt. Lebanon Community Foundation has an outstanding pledge of $25,000 from 2015. www.lebofoundation.org/board-of-directors.html There are some heavy hitters sitting on that board, including Mr."Shit Show" Beth Evans (Mike Blehar), whose daughter was just hired as a permanent substitute.
    Elaine

    ReplyDelete
  16. AnonymousFebruary 7, 2018 at 3:01 PM

    Yes, the toe-dipping suggestion was to up the fund-raising efforts of the MLFE to test the waters.

    Wonder why one fundraiser would pledge money to another fundraiser? That’s like promising to take money out of your left pocket and depositing it in your right! And paying several people good money to sit around waiting to watch you do it. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  17. Lebo CitizensFebruary 7, 2018 at 3:04 PM

    Page 1 YTD 12/31/17 shows Total Revenues with Pledges $921,131.20.

    Astorino's November 2016 presentation(https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9r_1biKte_bRFhnVmppRHZMbnc/view?usp=sharing)
    shows total revenues with pledges:
    Capital: $760,470.
    Endowment: $165,740.
    Total revenues with pledges as of November 2016 $926,210.

    Jan Klein's creativity at work again?
    Elaine

    ReplyDelete
  18. AnonymousFebruary 7, 2018 at 3:11 PM

    Bottom line. The Century of Excellence Campaign has lost money.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Lebo CitizensFebruary 7, 2018 at 3:26 PM

    It is Dr. Timothy Steinhauer's fiduciary duty to protect the District's assets. Timmy has failed miserably. He is the one who recommends everything on the school board agendas. Timmy sits up at the front, all smug, knowing that he will be getting his annual raise. Jan Klein, who conveniently moved out of Mt. Lebanon before the 10.5% tax increase, has been cooking the books using Teflon pans. Nothing ever sticks. The numbers are always changing. Poor Nick knew it and he died trying to prove it.
    They both must resign because of this almost million dollar heist.
    Elaine

    ReplyDelete
  20. Lebo CitizensFebruary 7, 2018 at 5:16 PM

    Last night, I sent an email to Jan Klein and cc'ed the school board:

    "I am not able to read the section that starts out with "Finance office has pledge..." Please explain what it says and what it means."

    I have not heard back. I guess with the schools closed today, Jan does not have access to her email. yeah.
    Elaine

    ReplyDelete
  21. AnonymousFebruary 7, 2018 at 6:36 PM

    Can anyone explain if you can...

    On page 2 it states:
    Total Revenue. $672,267.20
    (All years)

    Total Expenditures
    (All years) $712,870.13

    Which illustrates they spent $40,602.93 more on operating and marketing the fundraiser than they took in! THEY’RE IN THE RED BY THEIR OWN ADMISSION.

    So somebody please explain- where did the $384,754.05 come from that they disbursed on the Makerspace, Fine Arts, Tech & Weight room equipment, directed donations, Stem grant, Hall of Champions, Coach Black, and Award Recipient come from?

    ReplyDelete
  22. Lebo CitizensFebruary 7, 2018 at 7:14 PM

    I posted this FIVE months ago! https://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2017/09/no-wonder-its-been-in-quiet-phase-all.html
    How much longer are we going to put up with this bullshit?
    Elaine

    ReplyDelete
  23. AnonymousFebruary 7, 2018 at 9:02 PM

    What we really need in the district is an accounting 101 class.
    The syllabus would be on page and it would read: YOU CAN’T SPEND MORE MONEY THAN YOU HAVE WITHOUT PUTTING YOURSELF IN DEBT!

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.