First Night of Deer Killing

Mt. Lebanon's controversial deer-culling program gets underway

At about 1 a.m., J. Merlin Benner, president of Tioga County-based Wildlife Specialists LLC, and an associate were at Robb Hollow, where their trail cameras indicated they'd had about four deer in a corral with the gate still open. But when Mt. Lebanon Police arrived to check on another reporter who was also near the park, they scared the deer off before the gate could be remotely closed, Benner said.

Straw or elevated platforms?

A snowman-attacking deer ready to make his kill.

It's in the news

Matt Santoni is reporting Mt. Lebanon residents reportedly plan private deer hunt. The question of the day is...well, I won't go there. Kristen Linfante is on record saying that it is happening and she is encouraging more of it.

I tried to inform the school district today about the hunt. In an email sent to the school board, superintendent, commission and municipal manager:

Since the Commission's School Board Liaison Kristen Linfante is going on a leave of absence, I wanted to bring this to your attention. This is a walking community, and the district has identified safe walking routes. Every street in Mt. Lebanon is listed. Here are the recommended safe walking routes. "For students in elementary school, locate your school map and find your address. You may then follow the blue arrows to the school." Following the blue arrows takes on a whole new meaning now, doesn't it?

Elaine Gillen

I only heard back from Kristen Linfante.

Dear Ms Gillen, 

I am not sure where you heard that I am on a leave of absence. You are mistaken. I am not. Please check the commission meeting video of January 5 where a clear explanation of my circumstances is available. I am facing a serious medical issue which *may* cause me to have to miss some meetings. For the sake of transparency, I wanted to make this known in the event that I do, in fact, miss any meetings. That is all.

As always, thanks for your good wishes, especially during this very challenging time. 

Best regards, 

Kristen Linfante
Commissioner, Ward 3

Of course I would hear from Kristen. Where is everyone else? Why isn't anyone calling her on this? Is there a freaking hunt or isn't there? Instead of condoning Kristen's efforts to terrorize parents with a secret cull, why didn't any commissioners put her on the spot during the discussion session? Was/Is there a hunt in reality or just in Kristen's mind? Why didn't Kristen say that, as school board liaison, she had it covered with the school district? No, I am mistaken. How did I ever get the idea that Kristen was taking a leave of absence? Why are our leaders putting up with this behavior?

Steve Feller was quoted in the Trib as saying, "There is no requirement for property owners to notify or consult with municipal officials about hunting.” Should property owners notify the school district, in order to update safe walking routes? Obviously, it isn't exciting school board president Larry Lebowitz and it is nothing for Timmy to tweet about. Mt. Lebanon is totally insane. Welcome to Mt. Looneytown.

Mt. Lebanon approves archery, trapping to cull deer population UPDATED AGAIN

I moved this topic "above the fold" and added this photo to go along with the November 29, 2014 at 3:39 AM comment.  Thank you for your series of comments, 3:39 AM.

OK Kristen, you win. Now go away.

The commissioners approved the deer management plan that I shared on this blog. They have approved archery and "trap and bolt,: as their lethal deer management plan.

Mt. Lebanon is applying to the Game Commission for a broader archery program and the use of “trap-and-bolt” methods that can take place on public or private land with the homeowner's consent. With trapping, deer are lured into a corral with bait, shut in with an automatic gate, then killed with a captive-bolt gun to their heads similar to those used in slaughterhouses. 

The commission will then submit a second application for using surgical sterilization to control the deer population, though Benner's report noted that Pennsylvania has never approved it before.

Read more: Mt. Lebanon approves archery, trapping to cull deer population

http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/local/mt-lebanon-council-votes-how-deal-growing-deer-pop/njFZ7/



Update November 29, 2014 6:56 PM

The game commission requires any deer-management plan to include controlled hunting on public land, which the staff and Mt. Lebanon commissioners decided could be implemented fastest by signing up municipal employees who are experienced hunters.

Read more:  Mt. Lebanon staffers become hunters to attack deer problem

Mt. Lebanon School District Teams Up With Pittsburgh Foundation

First, we had the Feasibility Study with Pursuant Ketchum for the $30 million $15 million $6 million fundraising campaign.

Next, PK was hired as counsel for the $6 million capital and endowment campaign. (March 2013)

The School District Hired DeLuca as Capital Campaign Director and Executive Director of the Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education (MLFE) with a $82,000 a year salary. (August 2013)

The Mt. Lebanon School Board unanimously approved Alyssa DeLuca as the Director of the Mt. Lebanon School District Capital Campaign and Executive Director of the Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education (MLFE). Ms. DeLuca will work with the Superintendent, MLFE Board Chair and campaign leadership to raise $6 million in capital and endowment funds. She will serve as the primary staff support for a volunteer campaign committee and the MLFE Board in the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of individual donors. Ms. DeLuca will lead campaign logistics and prospect management activities while establishing a long term development program for the District. She is expected to join the District on August 30.

In addition, MTLSD has been buying fundraising software on more than one occasion. I would love to know how much has been spent so far toward fundraising efforts. If a reader could do that research for me, I would appreciate it.

The Trib's Matt Santoni has an article in today's paper announcing that the Mt. Lebanon School District is teaming up with the Pittsburgh Foundation. I am trying to get a link to his article and will share it here as soon as I can. Mt. Lebanon, Pittsburgh Foundation team

Last I heard, we were in the "Quiet Phase," the longest quiet phase in the history of fundraising. In the article, I understand that our super Super Timmy would not disclose how much has been raised so far.

Report linking field surface to cancer elicits Mt. Lebanon protest UPDATED

Report linking field surface to cancer elicits Mt. Lebanon protest

Stephanie Strasburg | Trib Total Media

The grass on the baseball fields along Cedar Blvd. in Mount Lebanon is removed for the installation of artificial turf on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014.

Report linking field surface to cancer elicits Mt. Lebanon protest

By Matthew Santoni
Google+ Staff Reporter
Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014, 10:25 p.m.Updated 30 minutes ago


Construction on Mt. Lebanon's controversial $1.05 million artificial turf project began Thursday, but residents concerned about possible health and environmental effects are not giving up.

Contractors started to tear up grass on a pair of overlapping baseball diamonds in Mt. Lebanon's Main Park soon after the state Department of Environmental Protection and Allegheny County Conservation District granted the municipality a storm water discharge permit.

Mt. Lebanon Manager Steve Feller said Massillon, Ohio-based Vasco Sports Contractors could finish the project before winter sets in, despite delays of more than two months from the planned Aug. 1 start date.

A residents' group known as Mt. Lebanon Advocates for Child Health has scheduled a protest at 11 a.m. Sunday in the park, and hopes to get the municipal commission to delay or change the project.

“I'm against the turf because of the health risks,” said resident Susy Tybl, who plans to attend the protest. “The materials... contain a lot of toxins, including known carcinogens. I just wish Mt. Lebanon would wait until more is known.”

An NBC News report this month highlighted more than 30 soccer players, mostly goalies, who contracted cancer after playing extensively on artificial turf, leading them to question whether there was a link.

The report highlighted the back and forth over the topic: Environmental groups point to toxins such as benzene, lead or zinc in ground-up tire rubber used to cushion and fill in fields, while turf advocates produce studies that say those materials are locked in or aren't released in high enough quantities to affect health.

“Now with the NBC news about goalies, I'm more convinced than ever that Lebo needs to hold off on artificial turf,” said resident Dean Spahr, who originally opposed the project because he preferred grass, but became more concerned about health questions.

Jeff Heiskell, who lives near the field, said he and his wife were reconsidering having children because of their proximity to the field and their worry over whether it could affect her pregnancy.

Commission President Kristen Linfante said she and the commission knew about the goalie issue, from prior news reports, before awarding the contract in July, but felt it was outweighed by studies that said turf was safe.

“Each of us did our due diligence, and the overwhelming evidence of safety has made us feel more than confident with the decision we've made,” she said, noting artificial turf is at the high school stadium and similar material is used in local playgrounds.

Proposals for the Main Park fields included an alternative, organic infill made from ground coconut shells and cork, but contractors' bids for that option came back too high.

Dave Franklin, a coach and member of the sports advisory board that pushed for the project, said the board made its recommendation to move ahead with turf based on “the totality of the circumstances.” The board compared studies, and weighed them against the desire to create a more durable field to squeeze in more playing time and whether other institutions were choosing turf or natural grass for their fields.

“I certainly respect (the opponents') position,” he said. “Parents weigh risks for their kids every day: I don't let my kids play on trampolines; I don't let my kids swim in a pool without a lifeguard.”

In approving the storm water permit, the DEP echoed the commission majority and the EPA when it wrote that studies couldn't conclusively point to health risks from turf, though the EPA and other state and federal agencies also have said more research was needed to draw broad conclusions.

DEP approval, spokesman John Poister said, was based on whether the application met the state's regulations for runoff, which it did after Gateway Engineers modified plans for the drainage system. No one had appealed DEP's decision to the state's environmental hearing board as of this week, he said.

“The whole process was very disappointing to me,” said Elaine Gillen, who runs the Lebo Citizens blog, and said she thought government agencies would “do the right thing.”

Matthew Santoni is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-380-5625 or msantoni@tribweb.com.

Update October 25, 2014 11:27 AM Two additional and very disturbing articles were sent to me this morning.

Is Synthetic Turf Giving Athletes Cancer?

ARTIFICIAL TURF COULD BE CAUSING CANCER AMONG FORMER PHILLIES/MLB PLAYERS