The day after the 100 year Lebo storm

What a night! I didn't get home until midnight.  The original Discussion Session was to begin at 6:20 PM. The revised agenda listed a start time for 6:30 PM. As usual, the executive session ran late and I believe the Discussion Session didn't start until 7:00 PM. The only reason why White Buffalo was presenting, was because Kristen Linfante wanted them there. Guess who was out of town for last night's meeting? Kristen.

Dr. Anthony DeNicola was MIA. Instead, a technician, Mr. Maddock (didn't catch the first name) made the presentation. Mr. Maddock started off by clarifying that he was not a wildlife biologist as the agenda portrayed him to be.

I want to thank Kelly Fraasch for asking about the video that was originally posted here about suffocating deer. Maddock had heard about the video, but never watched it. I wonder why he never did. He said that the deer was dead and that the moving legs were just a reflex. They bag every deer's head, to avoid the scent of blood, causing other deer to leave the area.

We have the same situation as we did for the last two cullings. A company determines that a deer culling is necessary and the same company would be hired to do the culling. (Sounds amazing similar to the feasibility study done by PK, doesn't it?)

I had to leave the room at that point. It is recorded and will be uploaded on to lebocitizens.com as well as posted on the municipal website.

A very long discussion about Brafferton Field with bids coming in too high. Dave Brumfield and John Bendel thought that it would be better to turf an existing field. Of course. Dave wants Mellon and John wants Wildcat. Blah blah blah. You can hear it on the recordings.

Steve Feller will be recommending another bond issue for next year. I was so punchy that you need to watch the meeting for more details.

Academy Avenue parking issues and traffic options were discussed ad nauseum. Bottom line is that the commission will not making Academy Avenue one way.

PAYT was an interesting discussion. I sat next to Andrew Behrend, not sure of the spelling of his name, during the Discussion Session. He was never introduced when he spoke about PAYT, but I understand he is a member of Environmental Sustainability Board. Kelly and Andrew spoke about Cranberry's successful program. It seems that someone from Cranberry will be attending the next commission discussion session. Evidently, SHACOG has now placed a deadline in the middle November, if Lebo wants to switch to PAYT. I get the feeling that Steve Feller and Tom Kelley are not thrilled about PAYT. Dave said that the cost will double for residents. Steve said that if there is a problem with collection, then the municipality will need to pick up the garbage. Andrew told me during the meeting that containers are problematic, while Kristen and Kelly are leaning toward containers. Andrew wants to sell them on the idea of PAYT and then work out a hybrid program for Mt. Lebanon. I had mentioned to Andrew that everyone is NOT paying the same for trash collection since it is based on our assessments.  I am not thrilled about this idea.

By the time all this was over, we moved into the commission chambers and the first resident comment (mine) was at 10:10 PM! Many people left because they were tired of waiting. I didn't get home until midnight. What a night.

The 100 Year [Lebo] Storm

Tuesday's Commission meetings should go down as the most controversial meetings of our 100 year history. Here is the agenda for Tuesday's Discussion Session:

Discussion Session – Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Open Discussion Session (Room C)

6:20 P.M.

1. Deer: 

• Wildlife biologist with White Buffalo

6:45 P.M.

2. Brafferton Field bids.

6:55 P.M.

3. Financial planning review: 

• Financial trends 

• Overview of municipal debt 

• Proposed CIP for 2014-2018 

• Proposed user fee schedule for 2014 

• Proposed equipment replacement schedule

7:15 P.M.

4. Update on Academy Avenue parking and traffic.

7:25 P.M.

5. Pay as you throw.

7:35 P.M.

6. Dog park.

7:40 P.M.

7. Invasive species in parks.

7:45 P.M.

8. Commission liaison activities.

7:50 P.M.

9. Review of Regular Agenda.

Citizen Comments will begin at 8 PM during the regular Commission meeting. The Commission Meeting agenda is here. It's is going to be a late night.

No Quorum at Turf Board Meeting UPDATED

The guy who works on word puzzles at the Turf Board meetings recorded last night's meeting for me. I have uploaded it on lebocitizens.com.  Since there were not enough voting members for a quorum,  there was only a discussion.

Since there was no roll call, it was hard to determine who was there. I heard David Donnellan, David Franklin, John Bendel and David Brumfield's voices. There was quite a discussion about signage. David Donnellan explained why there was only one sign sold.  David Brumfield noted that the Commission could amend the ordinance, and it shouldn't be a problem. Yet another amended ordinance.

Brafferton Field bids were discussed. Bids will be opened on September 17. Hopefully, no lawsuits will result.

John Bendel discussed turfing Middle and Wildcat Fields. He believes that the majority of the commission would be in favor of allocating $400,00 to $475,000 from the unassigned funds for turf. The Commission has asked the engineer to look at Mellon turfing. Dave Brumfield was hoping that the SAB could help raise funds for this project. Dave Brumfield is pushing for Mellon which would be a plus for the business district. School Board Director Ed Kubit was not present. This was after the discussion of how one sign was sold.

Bad news for Parks and Recreation UPDATED

The commissioners are in a real pickle. It seems as though the costs for the Brafferton field improvements, the golf course improvements, and the swimming pool renovations have ALL increased.

The bids for the swimming pool, which included architect and engineering costs, came back high by several hundred thousand dollars. 

The golf course bid has come back so high that they may be reducing the scope of work and re-bid the project. 

Brafferton Field came back higher than estimated, so they may bid the project two ways: one as currently designed with a larger field and one with a smaller field. 

How many people will be asking the commissioners to turf a field now? What will the Sports Advisory Board think about this? What happens to the unassigned funds - still going to the School District?

This and more will be discussed at Tuesday's Commission Discussion Session.

Update August 10, 2013 12:18 PM The agendas for the Commission Discussion Session and the Commission meeting have been posted. Plans for the golf course improvements are going to be scrapped, revised and rebid. Looks like the pool will be getting every conceivable upgrade possible. This is from the agenda:

Renovations to the swimming facilities includes pool recirculation, filtration, zero depth swimming pool addition, deck equipment, gutter system, pool heater, epoxy pool coating, surface drainage and concrete decking. The project has 13 alternate bids including a recreation storage building addition, east deck retaining wall, subsurface drainage system, removal of earth mounding at west side of bathhouse, splash pad assembly, water slide assembly, climbing wall assembly, deep water well slide assembly, aquatic features for zero depth entry pool, spectator bleachers, video surveillance system, drive/pedestrian walkway (options A and B) and site gas line.

Also on the agenda is to approve the 25 car parking lot for Brafferton, even though the bids came back higher than estimated. The field may need work and has no approved bid, but at least it will have a nice parking lot.

$700,000 for turf?

Latest LeboALERT:

Mon 8 pm Commission mtg includes public hearing on capital investment. To see possible items: http://www.mtlebanon.org/documentcenter/view/9596

The Mt. Lebanon Commission will conduct a capital investment hearing on Monday, July 22, 2013 beginning at 8 p.m. in commission chambers, 710 Washington Road. The purpose of the hearing is to solicit input on the use of unassigned fund balance over the 10% threshold, which as of December 31, 2012, totaled $829,561. 

The big ticket item is Athletic field improvements/turf $700,000...for Mellon Middle School. That's right. The commission majority wants to spend municipal tax dollars on a School District field. Of course. Where is Brumfield's or Linfante's or Bendel's proposal? Does it matter that Brumfield and Bendel are coaches?

Other athletic improvements include another $200,000 Additional swim center improvements. Can anyone say...Climbing Wall? We just took out a Rec Bond for the pool!

Still more athletic improvements - Brafferton parking lot and basketball court $133,000

Is it going to be another meeting of sports parents with puppy dog eyes saying that Lebo is not spending enough on athletics?  This is making me sick.