From the Ethics Commission website

I still have not received the final order from the PA Ethics Commission, but here is a link to the April 10, 2018 final adjudication posted on the PA Ethics Commission website which is saved in Google Docs. Actual link is here.

Mary Birks spoke at the May 14, 2018 school board meeting and referred to 41 pages of findings. This document has 24 pages. I skimmed over the pages and found that on page 8, Mary attended an Outreach Board of Directors meeting on May 6, 2010, where concerns of conflict of interest were raised by several Outreach board members.

Outreach Board member David Hartman verbalized Birks' need to recuse herself as a Member of the District Board if /when the District Board voted on any matters involving Outreach.

Outreach can't be too happy with how this all went down.

I also find it interesting that the Ethics Commission noted that Mary had left a block blank on her 2016 Statement of Financial Interests filed in 2017 and was deemed deficient. (Page 16) Upon notification of the above referenced deficiency, Birks amended the SFI with the District. I guess the Ethics Commission did not see the boo boo that Timmy made this year. It is ironic how Mary Birks defended Larry Lebowitz. See below.

I can't help but think how the PA Ethics Commission would have a field day over the municipality's SFIs. Statements of Financial Interests are a big thing with the PA Ethics Commission, but Keith McGill, Susan Morgans, Ian McMeans, Dave Brumfield, Bonnie Cross, and a host of others don't or didn't seem to take it seriously. Nick Meduho was on top of this too.

See We don't pay her enough; she's homeless!
We've been lied to repeatedly
T-R-A-N-S-P-A-R-E-N-C-Y
Mt. Lebanon is on a roll

This is like a locker search at Mt. Lebanon High School, announcing what is ahead: I will be filing a Right To Know for all the SFIs for the municipality, Keith. Just a heads up.

Loaded for bear?

The agenda for tomorrow evening's Joint Discussion/Regular Meeting appears to be pretty innocuous. Will Larry, Elaine, and Bill show up loaded for bear, like last week, or will they be amiable and cooperative?

Last week's meeting was embarrassing. It was ironic to hear a resident make a reference to Robert's Rules of Order, when his own wife was not observing Robert's Rules. Personal attacks were made toward other board members. Speaking without being recognized by the president seems to be the norm now. This includes the superintendent! When residents or taxpayers go up to speak, they are often met with interruptions. Hostility and bullying have no place at a school board meeting.

I am extremely optimistic that good things will happen this year. I believe the school board is headed in the right direction. Even Pantone's Color of the Year is encouraging. Here is to 2018!

Meet & Greet Tailgate Event Canceled UPDATED

Normally I wouldn't give this a second thought, but in the past 24 hours, this is what I have been learning through a Right To Know.

Capital Campaign Catering Receipts

The Mt. Lebanon Alumni Association has been holding Tailgate BBQs for the past several years (2014, 2015, and 2016) and the receipts were run through the Capital Campaign.

As Lebo Citizens Readers know, I graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School. When I was looking through my Alumni Directory last night, I found this introduction.

Look who signed it.

Board of Directors

Update September 28, 2017 10:50 PM I wonder who is paying the bill for the 2017 Mt. Lebanon Alumni Tailgate BBQ. 

Meet the Candidates

On Tuesday, May 19, 2015, registered Republicans and Democrats will have the opportunity to choose up to five School Board Directors. Additionally, those voters in Wards 1, 3, and 5 will be voting for their candidates to serve as Mt. Lebanon commissioners. Four years ago, Mt. Lebanon voters had more options, with several candidates running for the same seat. The League of Women Voters held a Candidates Forum, prior to the May Primary in 2011, which gave voters an opportunity  to learn more about those running for office. For this Primary, registered R's and D's must rely on social media.

The race for School Board Directors includes six candidates for five seats. Those running for School Board have the opportunity to cross file.

Running on both tickets are:

Incumbent Elaine Cappucci
Incumbent Larry Lebowitz
Incumbent Bill Cooper
Hugh Beal
Sarah Olbrich
http://www.leboed.com/

Running on the Republican ticket only:

Matt Kluck
No website for Matt Kluck

For the Commission:

In Ward 1,

Incumbent John Bendel (D)
http://www.votebendel.com/

Dan McNichol (R)
http://votemcnichol.com/

In Ward 3,

Andy Reinhart (D)
http://www.andyreinhart.com/

Steve McLean (R)
No website for Steve McLean

In Ward 5,

Kelly Fraasch (D)
http://www.kellyfraasch.com/

William Hoon (R)
No website for William Hoon

If voters are dissatisfied with the actions of our School Board, this Primary gives registered R's and D's a chance to vote out one incumbent. The General Election in November will give all registered voters an opportunity for change in leadership (the majority) within our Municipality.

A Capital Campaign Update

Larry's excited!

The Mt. Lebanon Board of School Directors held a reorganization meeting on December 1, 2014. In a unanimous vote, Lawrence Lebowitz was elected Board President and Mary Birks as Board Vice-President for a term of one year. The School Board also took action to appoint Thomas P. Peterson as School Board Solicitor and set the Board calendar for 2015.

Podcast is available here.

6-1 in favor of .54 mill increase UPDATED

I didn't go to the meeting, but I did hear the news that Scott Goldman was the only school board director to vote against the budget. Ed Kubit and Bill Cooper were absent. (Note: Ed Kubit missed the 10.5% increase in 2010.)

School Board Approves Final Budget for 2014-15 School Year May 19, 2014  At the May 19, 2014 School Board meeting the Board approved a Final Budget for the 2014-2015 School Year in the amount of $87,924,509 setting the millage rate at 23.15 mills, a .54 mill increase over the 2013-2014 millage rate with the use of $750,000 of the Fund Balance to balance revenues with expenditures.

Bill Matthews was chewed out again. Larry Lebowitz questioned Bill's numbers. After all, Jan Klein won that damn award.

The Mt. Lebanon School District received the Association of School Business Officials International’s Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting award for having met or exceeded the program’s high standards for financial reporting and accountability for the 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. This is the 29th year the District has been honored with this prestigious award.

A little background on this. We pay for this award. As long as all the parts of the report are submitted, you win the award. Table of contents? Check. Meet the criteria and you win! So double counting is permitted.

Of course, Elaine Cappucci said that they were so fiscally responsible that they eliminated the Assistant Superintendent for the Primary Schools. Then it was announced that Dr. Marybeth Irvin, the new principal at Lincoln who had coffee with Dr. Steinhauer according to Timmy's Traveling Twitter Tweets on the first day of school, was appointed as the new Assistant Superintendent for the Primary Schools.

Oh, big news! "The Grievance" was settled. It only cost the District $60,000! They have agreed to hire permanent subs at the appropriate step.

The podcast to tonight's meeting is available here.

Update May 20, 2014 9:07 AM From Bill Matthews:

Last night I provided the Board with the above chart, demonstrating that in eight of the last nine years the budget has been under budget on the expenditure side by almost $1,000,000 per year, on average. And once again, the Board “baked in” these surpluses from days of yore, raising taxes to cover these ghost expenses, ultimately resulting in an unnecessary and unwarranted tax increase.

Three things (at least) are at play that makes it difficult to work with the Board on budget issues:


1) Their obsequiousness to the Administration’s financial information.
2) Their obsequiousness to the Administration’s financial information.
3) Their obsequiousness to the Administration’s financial information.


While the budget information available to the public is quite limited, albeit often “award” winning, it is far from error free. Please see these pages from the recent annual budget books, where over three years the revenue and expenditure information is repeated, repeated and repeated, as if to make a point.

No need for a new photo

Meet the new president and vice president of the Mt. Lebanon School Board. No need for a new photograph.

Elaine Cappucci is president again with Larry Lebowitz serving again as vice-president. Dan Remely, Mary Birks, Mike Riemer, and Bill Moorhead were sworn in tonight. Dan never raised his right hand. Mike Riemer was the only one who used a Bible. Just some fun things to watch out for when watching the Reorganization meeting on TV.

Who will be the next school board president?

On Monday, December 2, 2013, the newly elected school board directors will be sworn into office. According to the agenda, the school board directors will be nominating and electing a new president.

My money is on Larry Lebowitz for president. I bet Mary Birks will be vice president.

The results are in...

Elaine Cappucci is President. Larry Lebowitz is Vice President. No fights tonight. Everything was decided in advance.

From the District website:

Mt. Lebanon School Board Elects New Leadership at Reorganization MeetingThe Mt. Lebanon Board of School Directors held a reorganization meeting on December 3, 2012. In a unanimous vote, Elaine Cappucci was elected Board President and Lawrence Lebowitz as Board Vice-President for a term of one year. The School Board also took action to appointed Thomas P. Peterson as School Board Solicitor and set the Board calendar for 2013.

The Parking Chair

Josephine Posti reports on her blog that "Students have been observing parking and walking restrictions." We did have a recommendation made by a Lebo Citizens blog reader for residents on Main Entrance.  They should resort to using "The Parking Chair." This would eliminate any "issues" concerning parking on side streets.



Photo by Jennifer Ciroli

I am not sure that is necessary [or legal], particularly since Jo Posti's relatives on Main Entrance said that everything was good in the 'hood when this all started.

While I was looking up some school policies, I stumbled upon this policy, Policy ECE TRAFFIC AND PARKING REGULATIONS. I advise parents to read this, especially those who use Hoover for football practice.

The speed limit for all vehicles on all school property, including parking lots, streets, roadways and play areas, is 15 miles per hour. No vehicles (other than District authorized vehicles) are permitted on tracks, ball fields, lawns or District property other than roadways and parking areas.

Just last week, a car was parked on the field. The person who observed this found it ironic since the sports groups complain about the condition of our fields.

Another point of interest is:

Student vehicles parked on District property are subject to search by the District and/or law enforcement authorities at any time for any reason, with or without notice. General and random searches (including canine sniff searches) are authorized. Students should have no expectation of privacy as to vehicles on District property. Parking is a privilege, not a right, and student parking permits will be issued only where students and/or parents consent to such searches. Refusal to cooperate in such searches may result in loss of parking privileges as well as disciplinary action.

This raises some questions in my mind. Are student vehicles subject to search by the District and/or law enforcement authorities at the Mt. Lebanon Lutheran Church or municipal parking, such as Dixon? Now that the students have to pay for parking, is it still a privilege? We still are not sure about the District's right to enforce anything on municipal parking lots, are we? Are they allowed to charge for student parking on municipal lots?

I recommend that the Policy Committee review Policy ECE after they cook the books, I mean, review the policies concerning "Purchasing Authority" and "Construction Contracts, Bidding and Awards."

Let's hear it for Directors Ostergaard and Goldman!

Last night, the school board directors voted and approved raises for head custodians, administrative assistants, supervisors, specialists, custodial/maintenance employees and administrators (3%). June 18, 2012 School Board Meeting Agenda  Scott Goldman explained why he was going to vote no. Dale Ostergaard also explained why he was voting no. Watch the meeting or listen to the podcast and hear Josephine Posti publicly scold Dale for his reasons. Larry Lebowitz also chimed in and supported Josephine. We knew it was going to go that way since Josephine included in her monthly report how Dr. Steinhauer deserved his raise. Here is the best part. Scott Goldman asked Tom Peterson if the vote was 9-0 against the raises, would the staff still get the raises.  Peterson said, "Yes." Then Goldman asked why even vote if it is guaranteed. Peterson said that's the way it's always been done.
It's on the podcast.
Remember what USC's superintendent did? Is Steinhauer in this for the money? Evidently.

Communication about Asbestos Abatement

I just uploaded the Construction Manager Update podcast on Lebo Citizens.  Thank you, Director Larry Lebowitz for stressing the importance of communication during the process. Emails are going out to parents concerning asbestos abatement.  Posti apologized to Mr. McFeeley for what she had posted on her blog in regard to asbestos abatement. Five percent of the asbestos abatement will be done during the school year.

Precision, the asbestos abatement company, is out of Cleveland (Independence) Ohio. There was some confusion as to the full name of the company, since only "Precision" was listed on the bids.  It was confirmed that it is Precision Environmental of Independence, OH.

How about good spelling as a goal?

Got my colorful campaign door card from the Cappucci, Cooper, and Lebowitz gang.  Anyone notice the spelling error?

Hint: It is one of their goals.



Let's look at their goals.  The first one talks about constituent satisfaction.  Remember how many of us wanted some or most of the current board members to resign in an earlier poll?  Let's not forget how we were ignored when I submitted our 25 questions about the renovation.  80% of us believed that the school board would not answer our questions concerning the renovation in the latest Lebo Citizens poll. How about the 4,000 of us who signed the petition?
The second goal talks about managing our finances responsibly. Don't see that happening with our latest Taj Mahal project.
The third goal is to move our district forward with a new Strategic Plan.  Isn't that one of Dr. Steinhauer's 2011-2012 goals?
And the final goal is to..oops...there it is: POSTION our district to be a leader in 21st-century education. 
I hope spell check will be included in 21st-century education.
I don't know Mr. Cooper, but when it comes to "Caring Leadership," the leader of the high school renovation doesn't seem to care that we have unanswered questions and that we do not approve of the cost of the project.

Buildings B and C: Collaborative Partners

Dan Rothschild has a great post on his new blog, lebodesign.net.  In his post, Buildings B and C: Collaborative Partners , Dan writes how the CAC was inspired by Dr. Davis' 45 minute lecture where he said that by arranging departments side-by-side, the opportunity for interdepartmental collaboration increases.

The CAC was energized by this talk, and how it meshed with earlier discussions by high school staff, that a great amount of learning in high school happens outside of the classroom.  Using this information, the CAC proposed a paradigm shift in the design that suggested moving the classrooms located in the new Building G to the existing Building C.  This not only placed all of the academic departments side-by-side, as discussed in Dr. Davis’ talk, but allowed the development of a collaborative zone in between the two buildings in the bridges that currently connect Building B to Building C twice on each floor.

It is unfortunate that the School Board will not revisit Building C. Larry Lebowitz was quoted as saying, "We need to obtain as much public input as we can." Dan Rothschild wants to revisit Building C.  The CAC wanted to keep Building C. We have talked about it here on Lebo Citizens. Keeping Building C has been discussed on Blog-Lebo. We have pleaded at School Board meetings to keep Building C. Are you getting enough public input, Mr. Lebowitz, or are you on public input overload? What WILL the School Board do with all this public input? We all know the answer to that question. 

Newsflash: The School Board needs as much public input as possible.

The Trib wrote an article this morning about Dan Rothschild's new blog, lebodesign.net.

Well-known architect seeks public say on Mt. Lebanon renovation

"He wants to play a role; he wants to help. ... We should and we will take advantage of that," said school board member Larry Lebowitz, who had not yet been appointed to the board when the advisory committee made its original recommendations. "We need to obtain as much public input as we can."

Tom Moertel was quoted as saying, "Right now, after having been stung so badly by the bids, the school board may be receptive to reconsidering its previously unshakable beliefs."

I am not seeing it, Tom.  I also don't understand why there aren't any links to lebocitizens.com where one can also hear podcasts of architect's updates on Dan's new blog.  My email went unanswered.   I am also confused as to why I get 400 hits a day on this blog and only get a handful of votes on the polls.  Maybe people are worn out trying to give input to our local government.  As Giffen Good had stated, "It really doesn't matter that the board's decision doesn't sit well with us."

Get to know our new school board director

Here are some links that were sent to me about our new school board director, Larry Lebowitz.

http://www.programmersguild.org/docs/cohen.html
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07173/796195-28.stm


Updated 01/12/11 From phone calls and emails that are coming my way, I know there are many who are new to blogs.  By clicking on the word, "comments" which is immediately below this post, you have the opportunity to read comments submitted by readers.  There is also a section where you can submit your own comment.  Just make sure to include your real first and last name, so that it can be published.  If I can't verify who you are, I will not publish your comment.