Way Back Wednesday

Is there such a thing? If not, I am making it one now. I came across a Lebo Citizens post from 2013,
[6.9%] 7.46% increase for Timmy 

Picture this: a school board sitting in executive session making very, very difficult decisions.

Where do we cut? We've already trimmed the fat; now we're cutting muscle. How do we pay for the remainder of the high school renovation? Do we wait for a green light from Pursuant Ketchum? Should we cut librarians? Guidance counselors? Custodians? Do we eliminate the community service coordinator? Should we charge students to park? What about increasing student parking fees? Oh, this is so hard! Shall we charge an activity fee? We need to make cuts as far away from the student as possible. How about a $30 million fundraising campaign? No...a $15 million campaign! Uh...$6 million fundraising campaign? Yes! That's it! But we still have to figure out how we are going to pay for the rest of the project. We can't have a referendum. Let's float a bond! We'll wrap it. Use capitalized interest. Don't use any money from the General Fund. It will only be $18 a month more. No, that's not right. We'll say that it is like no increase at all. No...We'll say it will be like two large pizzas. Wait a minute. There is a grievance that we need to address. If we ignore that, maybe it will go away. For sure, we won't budget for it. Uh oh, there is something else. PSERS. Darn that Corbett! It is all his fault. What to do, what to do? Let's come up with an early bird contract for our superintendent! Let's give him the same lame goals as he had in 2012-13 and 2013-14! Even better - let's give him a 6.9% 7.46% increase to kick off the 2014 contract. Perfect! But we have to do this quietly, because it will never fly if it gets out. Now what about the rifle range, the weight room, tennis courts, and Mellon Field? It should add up. We have TERC Investigations.

Here it is, Folks. Dr. Timothy J. Steinhauer's 2014-2019 Contract

We were told by Josephine Posti at Budget Time, that the school board has already trimmed the fat, now they're cutting into muscle. They cut back on guidance counselors, hacked away at the high school renovation plans, gave Timmy his sweet deal of an amended contract, handed out bonuses, and instead, decided to take almost a million dollars out of the General Fund to kick start the Century of Excellence Capital Campaign.

How does the former school board president have the audacity to come back to the school board and criticize? She got us into this mess.

Fortunately, the "Lebo Gives" and gives agenda item has been tabled to August.

Capital Campaign YTD ending April 30, 2018

Capital Campaign YTD ending April 30. 2018
(saved in Google Docs)

For comparison:

Capital Campaign YTD ending March 31, 2018


Summary:

Total donations YTD ending April 30, 2018     $154,770.77
Total donations YTD ending March 30, 2018   $154,322.77

Total donations for the month of April $448.00

Total fundraising expenditures YTD ending April 30, 2018      $57,724.81
Total fundraising expenditures YTD ending March 30, 2018    $57,208.19

Total fundraising expenditures for the month of April  $516.62

Net loss of $68.62. 

Capital Campaign Report YTD Ending 02/28/18

Capital Campaign Report YTD Ending 02/28/18

The reference error at the bottom of page 2 has been corrected. The balance of money in the bank account is $410,204.13.

Thank you, School Board Directors for getting the report corrected in a timely manner.

When I ask, it's redacted. UPDATED 5:11 PM

The school district has gone overboard by redacting and withholding public information in Right To Knows about the Century of Excellence Campaign. I filed a RTK for "Sloane Astorino's handout with the campaign financial summary from her November 2016 PowerPoint presentation." This is what I received.  No financial summary. Just a redacted presentation orginally archived without redactions by Nick Meduho here.

And so the emails which emphasize the glut of redactions to the Open Records Officer with copies to the school board begin. RTK emails abt Sloane campaign financial summary 

This isn't the only instance where the school district has gone redaction crazy. From my post, The Butcher, The Baker, The Candlestick Maker, my dear friend Nick M. had filed a RTK for the names of the Advisory Panel. They charged him for the redaction too, even though Lebomag had no problem listing a minor's name in their misinformation/propaganda. Under the Sunshine Law, the school district has the right to charge 25¢ per page of redactions.

Misinformation from 710 Washington Road

“Last year, the district launched the Century of Excellence Capital Campaign, a private funding initiative to bridge the gap between the balance sheet and the wish list. The campaign’s goal is to raise $3 million for things that would enhance the quality of education but fall outside of the budget, and another $3 million to establish a sustainable endowment.”

As a Lebo Citizens reader writes:

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG MTL MAGAZINE! THE DISTRICT LAUNCHED THE CAMPAIGN TO RAISE $6 MILLION IN 2013, NOT 2015 AS THE MAGAZINE CLAIMS. NEED PROOF, JUST LOOK AT THE DISTRICT’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE CAMPAIGN.
IF THE MAGAZINE IS GOING TO BE THE MAIN SOURCE OF INFO FOR THE COMMUNITY, IT SHOULD AT LEAST GET IT RIGHT!

Nick Meduho was aware of what was happening with the campaign. He maintained a soft-spoken, unassuming demeanor during Citizen Comments, quietly filing Right To Knows, and Mary Birks knew it. I am feeling overwhelmed with Nick's passing. I hope others will come forward to continue Nick's work.

Update November 1, 2017 5:11 PM Oops! She found it.

Dear Mrs. Gillen,

After I received your email I did locate the attached financial summary that was not originally with the PowerPoint, but was handed out to the Board.

Jeanine

I can see why it was not originally included. YIKES!!!!!!

Statements from The Pittsburgh Foundation

 Right To Know Request:

I would like to request all reports (financial or other) received from the Pittsburgh Foundation regarding the investments from the Century of Excellence Campaign from periods January 1, 2017-August 31, 2017.

The request was granted and is available here.

List of funds are from here:
https://pittsburghfoundation.org/funds-master-list?page=6