Dave Brumfield on "Field Failure"

An anonymous comment was approved this morning, which I thought deserved its own post. The 67th comment to Brumfield won't support Robb Hollow, was an URL to President Dave Brumfield's website.  davebrumfield.com

Dave has written a very long letter to the community titled, "Field Failure." He gives a little background behind what happened to developing McNeilly fields and continues with why we need to turf Wildcat and Middle Fields. Dave goes on to announce an ad-hoc committee to review the field situation and determine if there is a field shortage.

I will be proposing at the next meeting the creation of the Mt. Lebanon Sports Facilities and Services Board. This board would be a joint entity with the school district to assess and review all sports related facilities in Mt. Lebanon (both Municipal and School District Facilities). It would consist of the Director of Recreation as well as our Municipal Fields Superintendent as well as the Athletic Director and Facilities Director from the School District (I have already discussed this the School Board and they have offered their staff for this joint venture). Additionally, each recognized sports organization would be entitled to have a representative on the Board. Finally, due to the overlap between our municipal parks and our fields we would ask for a member of the Parks Board to participate as well. Of course there will also be a commission liaison appointed and, should they so desire, a School Board liaison as well. The Board will operate as all other boards do with the possible exception of the frequency of their meetings. My direction will be that the first order of this board will be to review our field situation and determine whether or not there is a field shortage. And if so, what are our best options to address it.

Dave ends his letter with

I did not believe that people were accurately reflecting what had occurred over the last few months when they discussed these issues.

I am not sure which people were not accurately reflecting what had occurred; Kelly, Dave Franklin, the anonymous posters or me. Whomever he meant, there is always the option of listening to the podcasts on lebocitizens.com.

Recreation programs come at a high price to taxpayers

Someone sent me this link to Terri Johnson's article in the Almanac.  She was writing about Peters Township, but it could be about Mt. Lebanon.  I am going to reprint it here since the Almanac doesn't archive their articles.  My question is how do the soccer associations come up with so much money? 

11/16/2011 

PT plan comes with price

By Terri T. Johnson Almanac staff writer tjohnson@thealmanac.net

Recreation programs in Peters Township are extremely active and supplying fields on which various sports will play, comes at a high price to taxpayers.

The school district is in the midst of a nearly $2.5 million upgrade to athletic fields above Pleasant Valley Elementary School. The fields will have lights, a sound system and artificial turf, along with a concession stand and rest rooms.

On Nov. 14, township council voted to spend $204,000 for the installation of lights on Field 5 in Peterswood Park. The contract was awarded to the lowest of 11 bids, Schultheis Electric.

Work on a design to install artificial turf on the same field will continue with the total estimated cost to improve the field reaching about $1.4 million. The design contract was let earlier for $39,500 and does not include surveying the field. That cost could reach an additional $2,000 to $3,000.

To help with the turf costs, the soccer association has agreed to contribute up to $250,000 on the condition the soccer association receives scheduling priority during its season. Council hopes the field will be graded at the end of the spring soccer season, with the new turf installed in the summer in anticipation of the fall 2012 soccer season.

In another area of Peterswood Park, the township is currently spending about $2.5 million to expand additional fields.

Both the township and the school district are funding the projects with proceeds received through bond issues.

The electrical contract was passed by council on a 6 to 2 vote. Councilman Gary Stiegel Jr. was absent. Voting against were Council members Monica Merrell, who did not give a reason for her vote, and Robert Lewis, who has made his opinion known in previous votes involving expansion of or upgrading to facilities for youth sports.

Lewis said he believes too much money is being spent on youth sports and that funds should be directed to other recreational activities.