Presenting the 2017-2018 Fake Budget

At one time, Janice Klein referred to the preliminary budget as "the fake budget." Jan Klein, whose title changed from Finance Director to Director of Business explained that the purpose of the preliminary budget is to be able to apply for exceptions to the Index limitation on real estate tax rates. I would like to present Jan Klein's 2017-2018 Fake Budget.

The Post-Gazette reports that according to the "preliminary" budget, our taxes should increase by 0.83 mills to 24.76 mills. Mt. Lebanon begins work on school budget

Lebo Citizen readers might want to do a search for "fake budget" on this blog. Read about how Mt. Lebanon resident Bill Matthews demonstrates to the Department of Education how the District annually submits a fake preliminary budget. Bill and I have attended District budget meetings, where we were both treated rudely. The audios of those meetings are still available on lebocitizens.com. For obvious reasons, those meetings have been discontinued.

For those of you who are new to this process, this is usually when the school board directors like to speak in terms of lattes or pizzas. Just cut back on buying lattes, we were instructed. From 2012, we were told about a $30 million fundraising campaign. Spin Class 101 We are still in the quiet phase of the now $6 million Century of Excellence Campaign. I would love to know how much is in that account. Maybe it will show up in the fake Final Budget.

Change Orders and Contract for Chief Negotiator

Monday's School Board Meeting Agenda has a special item on the September Agenda:

Contract for Chief Negotiator – The Board will consider the appointment of special counsel for contract negotiations. 

Is this for the Teachers' Contract?

The annual contract for FindWealth software is up for renewal. Are we still in the Quiet Phase? Or have we bailed from fundraising efforts? Did we see anything in the budget in regard to fundraising?

Renewal of Wealth Engine Agreement –This is a renewal of an annual contract with Wealth Engine for Mt. Lebanon School District to use FindWealth software for donor qualification purposes. The cost will be $3,300 for the year. The Superintendent recommends approval of this agreement.

Also on the Agenda is the list of change orders for September:

The list of change orders for September totals $81,911 for the following contractors:  

a. GC-105-244 to Nello for $74,210 for wall patching and fireworking, door revisions and concrete work,

b. EL-66-245 to Farfield for $4,501 for concrete pad removal and light replacement, and

c. ME-27-246 to McKamish for $3,200 for ductwork.

Field Maintenance, Capital Campaign, and Budget

Three topics for discussion at tomorrow's school board meeting:

1. Field Maintenance Bid Award – The Board will discuss the field maintenance services that have been provided by the Municipality. The field maintenance services were engaged to improve School District fields since 1999. The District has solicited bids from other companies and the costs will be reviewed.

2. Capital Campaign Counsel – The Board will discuss the engagement of Campaign Counsel for a potential Capital Campaign.

3. 2013-2014 Budget Presentation – Information concerning the preparation of the 2013-14 Budget will be presented to the Board.

Field Maintenance: Glad to see the Municipality is getting out of the School Fields Maintenance business. What does this mean for the YSA? Probably a topic for discussion with the new Sports Advisory Board. Chip Dalesandro, who represents both football and baseball, will say that all was paid up, while the Franklins will be there to confirm it.

Capital Campaign Counsel: I am assuming we are going with Pursuant Ketchum. Capital Campaign Counsel.

2013-2014 Budget: Are we getting fake information concerning the fake preparation for the fake budget?

Does this sound familiar?

Although a $6 million fundraising target within that campaign was set for the building, donors were told in campaign materials that they could earn name recognition by "creating endowed scholarships, rather than for supporting the convocation center as a capital project."

This is a quote from CalU fundraising for center ineffective. One of our school board directors teaches at California University of PA. Cal U set a goal of $6 million and to date has only collected $3,000 in private donations.

When told Friday of the amount of private donations raised by CalU, state. Rep. Joseph Markosek, D-Monroeville, minority chair of the House Appropriations Committee, expressed surprise the project progressed with so little university fundraising, especially in a bad economy in which there is concern about mounting public university debt.
"I think any reasonable person would raise an eyebrow and want to know more of the details and ask some tough questions," he said. "This is a situation I think deserves more scrutiny."

This situation deserves more scrutiny?  State Rep. Markosek, you should see what we are doing in Mt. Lebanon!!!

Letter to the Board

The following letter to the Mt. Lebanon School Board was sent by blog reader and write in school board candidate, Joe Wertheim.  It is being reprinted with his permission.

To: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Wed, Mar 21, 2012 7:12 pm
Subject: SNAFU

"K-12 education foundations like MLFE are independent, nonprofit organizations..." (MLFE website)

"Regardless of whether or not we get a green light for a campaign we will gain a wealth of information," said board president Jo Posti. "This would be valuable for the Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education's annual fundraising efforts." (front page, The Almanac 3-21-12)

So you are willing to roll the dice with $41,000 because "regardless of whether or not we get a green light for a campaign" (highly unlikely) "this would be valuable for the Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education" which is an independent, nonprofit organization, says board president Jo Posti.

You were not elected to benefit independent organizations! You were elected to represent the taxpayers of Mt. Lebanon. Of course, you have completely abandonedthe latter, so why would anyone think that you would have second thoughts about the former?

Just when it appears that this board could not be any more out of touch with reality you again prove us wrong. While USC is considering cutting classes and activities, and asking teachers for concessions, you continue to spend money like you actually have it.

Joe Wertheim

http://alleghenyinstitute.org/component/content/article/916-school-district-seeks-answers-.html

What will it take to make you understand reality?

School Board Schedules Special Meeting

From the School District home page:

School Board Schedules Special Meeting
A special meeting of the Mt. Lebanon Board of School Directors will be held on Monday, March 12, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. in the Jefferson Middle School Library to discuss a feasibility study for a capital fundraising campaign.