Final Order is now public UPDATED

I received a copy of the PA Ethics Commission's final order and what Mary Birks received and spoke of at the last school board meeting is what is posted here on the State Ethics Commission website.

Mary spoke of 41 pages, but it was printed on one side, while what I received and what is on the website is printed on both sides of paper.

I spoke with the executive director of the Ethics Commission and he assured me that all interviews by the State Ethics Commission remain confidential.

Update 6:01 PM School board meeting at 01:46:00 time stamp May I remind you that this blog is a "taxpayer freebie." I have put in more than a 1,000 hours per year since 2010. I also want to remind you that you are now treading upon my Constitutional Rights. I am a private citizen, a taxpayer of Mt. Lebanon, and at the time, Mary Birks was president of the Mt. Lebanon school board. For all of her term, we were told to file Right To Knows for answers. How she treated Nick Meduho, who died just a few days later, didn't help her at the polls.  Yes, it is a harassment issue. If anyone is guilty of harassment, it is Mary and her minions.

It is always 6-15 people "who are out there." Where these numbers come from, is beyond me. I do know that there are at least 6-15 people who have consistently been harassing me. Most, not all, are serving the public in some capacity or have in the past.

So to talk about filing a class action lawsuit to recoup her legal fees is just a waste of more money, not to mention, harassment. I am a retired, 64 year old widow on Social Security. Knock yourself out.

I needed this.

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.

Coup de grace UPDATED

I am so discouraged with the system. Things are so unfair here in Mt. Lebanon.

• The PA Office of Open Records ruled in my favor. No land was donated to kill deer. Property owners only granted access for deer to be killed. Mt. Lebanon appealed and won. Twice. PA Supreme Court would not hear it.

• A local magistrate threw the book at a visitor from Boston when she came across a hunter who had just killed deer in an area which had no warning signs posted. When the case was appealed in Common Pleas Court, the judge called the case, "A tempest in a teapot."

• A school board director had to resign from office because her son was interviewing for a teaching position and ultimately got the job. The job posting was altered nine months after he was hired. She ran again and is back on the school board. Yep, no conflict there. It also helped that she made a sizable donation to the capital campaign. Covering all her bases, she pushed for an early contract amendment for the Superintendent, that resulted in a pecuniary gain of roughly $50,000 over three years. I filed a complaint with the PA Ethics Commission, but they dismissed it.

• A man is out until 4 AM and gets cited for public drunkenness and similar misconduct, runs for commissioner, beats out a fire fighter, has his hearing delayed to two days after the election, and then gets his case dismissed. He also had other cases dismissed by his next door neighbor, the magistrate. (See above.)

And the final blow?

A year ago, I filed a complaint with the PA Ethics Commission against Mary D. Birks. I felt that it was a conflict of interest with Mary D. Birks serving as president of the Mt. Lebanon School Board while being the executive director of Outreach Teen and Family Services. She represented Outreach and the School District and never recused herself from any votes whenever the District contracted with Outreach. Mary Birks used her position to speak with PTA. She had a close relationship with the magistrate (see above) who referred defendants to Outreach. He also officiated at her daughter's wedding in Lake Tahoe.

Complaints filed with PA Ethics Commission against Birks and Cappucci

The PA Ethics Commission recently issued an order concerning my complaint. Finding: "De minimis economic impact." I haven't gotten a copy of the final order, but Mary Birks spoke at the school board meeting tonight and talked about the complaint.

Personally, I will never forgive that woman. After how she treated Nick Meduho at the October 17, 2017 school board meeting, Nick was really upset. His sister told me that she had seen him the next day and knew something was bothering him, but Nick didn't say anything to his sister. It wasn't until after he died, did Nick's family have any idea as to what was going on. With a heavy heart Nick was asking about the capital campaign.  Watching that segment of the video, Nick was trying to find out about taxpayer money being paid back to the general fund. Based on Mary's terse response, the money in the general fund is there to be used by the District. It has been out of the general fund for five years. Kiss that $910,930.02 goodbye.

There is no justice in this world. However, Mary did admit guilt. I know that the Democratic and Republican Committees want nothing to do with her. She lost the election big time. Mark Hart had gotten in trouble for not filing Statement of Financial Interests. Because he won the presidency over Josephine Posti, a scathing report was in the Posti Gazette. Former Mt. Lebanon school director cited in audit In this case, Mary Birks admitted to voting on Outreach contracts while on the school board. She admitted guilt. Let's see how this is covered up by the media since she is best buds with Josephine Posti.You won't hear much from the Posti Gazette. It was certainly downplayed by anonymous commenters in my post from June 20, 2017. Yesssss!

Update May 15, 2018 1:24 PM To hear Mary Birks' rant, go to the timestamp 01:59:05 of the May 14, 2018 school board meeting. She doesn't get it. Her behavior over the years, caused her to lose the election. Back when I attended school board meetings, Mary would make snide remarks during my comments. She would roll her eyes when residents would speak. Her attitude as school board president, particularly to anyone who questioned her, was dreadful. To put it simply, she was a bitch. She was power hungry and it went to her head. She didn't lose the election because of my complaint or because of any board member. She lost it all on her own.

Still investigating as of January 16, 2018

This was buried under my taxes. Sorry for the delay.

January 16, 2018

Re: 17-016

Section 1108(c) of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act requires that the Respondent and Complainant if applicable, be advised of the status of the investigation at least every 90 days until the investigation is terminated. The current status of the above referenced investigation is as noted below.

They are still investigating.

Status of investigation

Still under investigation.

90 day report from the PA Ethics Commission

Mr. B's knees

Another ethics violation? Watch the Solicitor's reactions while Mary Birks talks about her soccer ref husband. Solicitor Peterson is sitting to the right of Mary Birks.

Birks on turfing two fields "to save money"

Final step

I've been notified.

We're now at Number 4. I was notified by phone this morning.

Ethics Complaint Letter

Yesssss!

State Ethics Commission Complaint No. 168

Mt. Lebanon continues to be defiant

Every year, our public officials and public employees are required to file a Statement of Financial Interests with the Municipality or School District, as well as with the PA Ethics Commission. Here are the Municipal Statements of Financial Interests May 2017.

According to the Guide to the PA Public Official and Employee Ethics Act,  The State defines public officials as :

Any person elected by the public or elected or appointed by a governmental body or an appointed official in the executive, legislative or judicial branch of this Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof, provided that it shall not include members of advisory boards that have no authority to expend public funds other than reimbursement for personal expense or to otherwise exercise the power of the State or any political subdivision thereof.

Former manager Steve Feller was a stickler when it came to filing SFI's. Our new manager Keith McGill, not so much. We already know that Andrew McCreery and Susan Morgans made critical errors on their SFI's. At one time, members of these boards submitted SFI's. http://mtlebanon.org/63/Agendas-Minutes What I am noticing now is the number of SFI's which are no longer filed. Missing in action include:

Mark Quealy, Mt. Lebanon Parking Enforcement Supervisor

Blaise Larotonda

Members of the Historic Preservation Board who have spent $25,000 on Virginia Manor remodeling guides, and brick road recommendations.

Sports Advisory Board, the most powerful board in the Municipality, now are MIA. Their meetings are constantly being canceled. The latest posted minutes are from January 5, 2017.

Mt. Lebanon continues to become more and more defiant. Just ask the Allegheny County Health Department concerning baiting and toxic dust emissions, Scott Township about killing in Twin Hills, PA Office of Open Records, and now the PA Ethics Commission.

We don't pay her enough; she's homeless! UPDATED 2X

I would bring this to the attention of our manager, but he has said that he is not responsible for gathering the correct information, only getting the form. Through a Right To Know, close to eighty statement of financial interests forms were filed in the municipality. Of all the SFIs submitted, only one came back incomplete. You guessed it. Susan Morgans.

The poor girl is homeless. Susan has given herself an interest free loan from Susan F. Morgans Card Services. She collects no income. Wow, Susan, I owe you a huge apology. All along, you have been donating your services getting information out to the people. Just like me!

The form is considered deficient by the PA State Ethics Commission. Perhaps someone else can contact them, since I have been busy with Mary Birks and Elaine Cappucci, and soon, another individual.

Update May 17, 2017 4:37 PM Email sent to Manager Keith McGill.

Update May 18, 2017 8:26 AM My guess is that Susan Morgans is in Wine Country again. I heard back from Keith McGill. 

Complaints filed with PA Ethics Commission against Birks and Cappucci UPDATED AGAIN

Press Release

On April 26, 2017, formal complaints were filed with the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission against Mt. Lebanon School Board President, Mary D. Birks and former Mt. Lebanon School Board President/current Mt. Lebanon School Board Director candidate, Elaine Cappucci.

Cappucci, Birks, School Board Director Dan Remely, and newcomer Katie Caste are running on the same slate in the May Primary.

Documentation submitted to the PA Ethics Commission include:

Summary of ethics complaints

Complaint filed against Elaine Cappucci

Complaint filed against Mary D. Birks

Steinhauer Amended Contract

RTK response cover letter dated April 24, 2017

RTK response to April 10, 2017 request

Outreach vouchers, minutes, and votes

https://www.applitrack.com/mtlsd/OnlineApp/JobPostings/view.asp?Category=Teacher/&AppliTrackJobId=471&AppliTrackLayoutMode=detail&AppliTrackViewPosting=1

Elaine Cappucci, longtime Mt. Lebanon school board member, resigns


The PG picked up the Mary Birks story here:

Mt. Lebanon school board president to refrain from votes for nonprofit


Remember how VP Bill Moorhead said that it wasn't a conflict? and Schoolboard President and Outreach SECOND REQUEST Well, it is.

Update May 5, 2017 10:47 AM As I explained to the reporter, the copy of the complaints was not notarized. I scanned the complaints before they were notarized, got them notarized, and then mailed them. Here are copies of the receipts. Track the number 7016 0910 0002 2878 8566 at usps.com for proof of delivery. Notary receipt is also available.

Proof of delivery click here

Notary and postage receipts

Also, I did not file the RTK as stated in the article. It was sent to me by a Lebo Citizens reader.

Update May 6, 2017 7:31 AM A RTK was filed (not by me) for the Statements of Financial Interests for those required to file by May 1 in the School District. It can be found here. Check out page seven. It is the SFI of Elaine Cappucci's neighbor on Roycroft. She was PTA President, and is now Dean of Students.