Heartbreaking

Investigation Launched After Cat Shot With Arrow In Washington Co.

We asked last year where the Deer Archery was going to take place, so that we could protect ourselves and our pets, but Judge Terrence O'Brien ruled that those twelve properties were "donated."

ICYMI*, archery is taking place right here in Mt. Lebanon. Archery season is from September 17, 2016, and continues through January 28, 2017, with a break between November 27 and Christmas in Twin Hills Park, McNeilly Park, Robb Hollow Park, the Golf Course, the Conservation District, and Public Works, along with twelve super secret private properties and any other ones who Mt. Lebanon Partnership's Erin Hart could drum up for her brother in law. These public areas will remain open during Archery Season. 

*In Case You Missed It. I just looked that up after I saw it in a mtl Magazine tweet. 

Another win for Mt. Lebanon Commissioners UPDATED 3X

By court order, Mt. Lebanon will be permitted to kill deer in Twin Hills next month. Scott v MTL Court Order

This is yet another black mark against our commissioners. Killing deer in Twin Hills does not more than kill Scott Township deer. Barbara Logan must be thrilled.

August 19, 2016 11:52 AM Cowards! This is the latest LeboAlert.

This is an important notice from LeboALERT.

Commission discussion session/adjourned meeting for Mon, Aug. 22, are cancelled. Exec session only. Next regular Commission meeting is Sept.13.

August 20, 2016 8:18 AM So why were the commission discussion session and the commission meeting canceled?

There were no agenda items other than one that is not time sensitive. 

Keith

August 23, 2016 9:11 PM I stopped in at the end of the Scott Township meeting tonight and learned that Mt. Lebanon gave their 30 day notice to start archery in Twin Hills. Does that make it September 23, 2016?

Mt. Lebanon is making it a challenge

Fighting vitamin D deficiencies in kids during the sun-scarce winter months

Drinking milk and playing outside isn’t enough, research shows

But here in Mt. Lebanon, vitamin D deficiencies must be at an all time high. How can kids play outside around here when we have archers from September through January? The commissioners will be approving sharpshooting, extending the time through March. What about the folks who suffer from seasonal affective disorder? Even our dogs can suffer from canine cabin fever.

Mt. Lebanon has been kicking around the idea of putting in a dog park near Public Works. So when the weather is mild, like it has been so far this winter, families can take Spot to the killing fields at Robb Hollow. When there is snow on the ground, families can sled ride at the killing fields at the golf course.

So what is the solution? Do we ask John in the paint department at Rolliers if he sells light boxes?

Q and A about the Archery Program UPDATED 2X

A resident emailed the commissioners the following email. Commissioner Bendel asked Manager Steve Feller to respond to the questions. His answers are shown below in blue italics next to the question. 

Commissioners,

I am very concerned about the safety of our community's kids during this archery program.  Can you tell me when/how the Commission is planning to disseminate details and safety information on the program to residents?   Public hunting areas will be posted. Municipal officials will send LeboALERTs as needed. We will also include information in the October Mt. Lebanon Magazine and the website www.lebomag.com and give updates on www.mtlebanon.org in the newsflash section on the front page and on the deer management page.  We will also notify school officials. 

In the meantime, could you please address the following questions/clarifications or direct me to information already published that answers them?

1. What hours of the day will archers will be active?   Hunting can take place from 30 minutes prior to sunrise to 30 minutes following sunset. 

2.  If the designated parks are M-F only, is that also the case for private properties?   Hunting on private properties may also occur on Saturdays

3. If the parks have to post hunting notice signs to inform the public of the presence of hunters, are private residences also required to post a notice alerting pedestrians who are passing by/near the propert(ies) that are being hunted on?   No 

4. Please confirm that the safewalk walking routes posted/published by the police department for each school will be free of any archery activity during daylight hours, and will have at least the minimum buffer zone to parks or private properties that are allowing hunting.   Hunters will abide by all laws pertaining to buffer zones.  There will be no hunting on safe walking routes. 

5. Please also confirm that the archers are aware of these walking routes. Yes. Hunters were given these maps as part of the orientation 

6. Will there by any school-district driven e-blasts or anything like that sent out to all the parents of all the students regarding the archery program?  I am concerned about the students who walk through the parks and/or get dropped off on streets that are near their schools but not necessarily part of the safewalk routes.   The School District will be notified that archery hunting will be occurring.  State law permits archery hunters to hunt during the archery season beginning September 19 through the last weekend in January, with a break for two weeks in December.  The program involves legal archery hunting following all state game commission rules and requires no additional permits.  Many other areas in the State are using legal archery programs including Allegheny County, Upper St. Clair, Bethel Park, Peters Township, South Park, and Fox Chapel.  

*******

Shall we remind Steve Feller and the commissioners about the population density in those areas?

Update September 10, 2015 9:14 PM Here is an FYI for Mr. Feller. EVERY street is mapped out on safe walking routes. From the School District website:

The Mt. Lebanon School District is a walking school district. Student safe walking awareness is reviewed annually with the assistance of the Mt. Lebanon Police Department (MLPD). In addition to reinforcing safe walking rules with students at the beginning of the school year, the MLPD has established Safe Walking Routes for each elementary school. Please review these routes with your child throughout the school year.   Safe Walking Routes The Municipality of Mt. Lebanon, along with the Mt. Lebanon Police Department and Juvenile Protection has formulated the following walking routes.  These routes are recommended safe walking routes according to pedestrian and vehicle laws of the Commonwealth of PA.  The walking routes are all encompassing not simply for routes to each elementary school.  They were designed to be used 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  These routes will show the safest area to walk on the street as well as the safest place to cross every street and crossing guard locations.  The routes will take you to a signalized intersection with a stop sign or traffic signal making it easier to cross.  For students in elementary school, locate your school map and find your address.  You may then follow the blue arrows to the school.  The reverse would be done for walking home.  For students in middle and high school, locate the elementary school map where you live and follow that towards your school and onto the next elementary school map where the middle or high school is located. Because the maps are all encompassing for safety, all walking routes will follow a street or sidewalk.  Pathways and cut through stairs have been eliminated as safe walking routes. Foster Elementary School Walking Route Hoover Elementary School Walking Route Howe Elementary School Walking Route Jefferson Elementary School Walking Route Lincoln Elementary School Walking Route Markham Elementary School Walking Route Washington Elementary School Walking Route Update September 10, 2015 10:05 PM What a bunch of crap. Read the latest Right To Know responses from Manager Steve Feller. Right To Know Meduho 091015

New locations of parks UPDATED

Twin Hills Park is back in. Someone contact the Scott Commissioners! Scott Commissioners have been alerted.

Also included are the Golf Course, McNeilly, the Conservation District, Robb Hollow and Public Works.

In the parks, hunting will be Monday through Friday. Allegedly, there will be police officers doing the archery in the parks. 

There are 18 private properties, with six are ready to go.  It isn't six properties. It is six neighborhoods. John Bendel promised to alert the school district of the 18 areas. He didn't know for sure if there were any commercial properties. He believes they are all residential properties. Bendel also promised to post No Hunting signs in the rest of the parks.

Commissioner Fraasch held up a Bow Hunting notice.

The archery was approved. The commissioners authorized MTL officials to issue a RFP for deer culling services utilizing sharpshooters to reduce deer-vehicular accidents, property damage, and nuisance complaints involving white-tailed deer. I knew it wasn't just about car accidents. It is about gardens and lame deer sightings. Because of these new elements, Commissioner Fraasch added Agenda Item 19, asking for a survey to be done so that residents could weigh in. It was voted down, 1-4. 

Regarding sterilization, Coleen Vuono and Steve Silverman voted against starting the process of submitting a proposal to HSUS and the Dietrich W. Botstiber Foundation. The commissioners are taking a risk by starting the lethal methods of deer management, even though that was one of the stipulations made by the Foundation - to take all lethal methods off the table. We are not the only community competing for this. We would have been number 1 on the list. By the way, Coleen Vuono is an evil person. Steve Silverman is a coward. A young woman was crying after the meeting and wanted to speak with Steve Silverman. He ran out of the room and slammed the door behind him. He ducked out and went down the steps to come out on the lower level of parking garage. Yes, Steve, that was me in front of the Municipal Building calling down to you and saying "Run, Steve. Run."

Yard signs are available. Archery will start on September 19 in six neighborhoods. We do not know where those neighborhoods are.

Update September 9, 2015 8:58 AM I sent this email was sent to the commissioners on September 9, 2015 at 3:50 AM. 

Commissioner Vuono,

I noticed that you were not in Executive Session with the rest of the commissioners. Why weren't you representing Ward 3? I also noticed that you have not attended the last two Traffic Board meetings of which you are commission liaison. Why is that? Please read the quote from Keith MCGill concerning Lyme Disease. It is in the June 22 meeting information and is also documented on the municipal website.

Commissioner Silverman,

You sure left in a hurry after the commission meeting. A constituent was in tears and wanted to speak with you. Slamming the door behind you and ducking out the back was cowardly. Shame on you.

Commissioner Bendel,

Thank you for adding No Hunting signs to the remaining parks. I wish you had allotted more time for HSUS. I think Susan Morgans spoke as long as HSUS. I want to thank you, along with Commissioners Brumfield and Fraasch for keeping an open mind toward sterilization. I hope you haven't jeopardized our chances to work with the Foundation and HSUS by beginning yet another lethal program. 

Finally, you really don't have any idea of what the majority of people think about deer. None of us do. It is unfortunate that you don't want to find out.

And yes, I'm still awake. There are others like me, who cannot sleep because of your decision to use arrows and bullets in our densely populated municipality.

Elaine Gillen

Update September 11, 2015 4:55 PM False alarm. I drove over to Lindendale and took this picture that is just below Lindendale and Glaids. It is not a tree stand. I also drove around Public Works and didn't see any tree stands. However, I didn't go all the way down to the end.