Foolish and stupid

That's what one resident called the commissioners on Tuesday (yesterday) since they are considering hiring Tony DeNicola for another $9000 to oversee the archery program and "sharpshooting." They have to continue paying Tony thousands of dollars to protect the identities of the archers and twelve private property owners even though there is a decline in deer/vehicle collisions and dead deer pickups.

None of this adds up. Well, actually, it never did. We were told last spring when Mt. Lebanon paid $815.78/deer for "sharpshooting," that the warm weather was to blame for the low body count. Oh wait, also, they couldn't get to where the deer were hiding. Now, there is a decline in deer/vehicle collisions. We were counting incidents, now we are counting collisions. That is what they should have been doing the entire time. Of course, the manager's numbers are out of whack anyway, so who's counting?

“They have a safety protocol that has so far been impeccable,” said Commissioner John Bendel.

Of course, they refused to follow up with Castle Shannon over the two incidents that were reported to Castle Shannon Police.

The commissioners are going to discuss the deer killing at their June 26 meeting. In the meantime, watch out, Pedestrians! Look up, Lebo!

Updated Mt. Lebanon Deer Incident Report UPDATED

https://lebotools.mtlebanon.org/dit/public_incident_report.php

Chief Lauth reported that the deer covered with a tarp at 318 Hazel Drive had been hit by a vehicle. Now the report says that the deer had been stuck in a fence and discharged by police. He told Commissioner Vuono that there were no incidents related to archery.

No incidents? What about 9/26/15 - dead deer with arrow on Robb Hollow?

Check out the report for 23 Ralston on September 3 - deer ran off. Pathetic.

This has to stop!

Update October 20, 2015 5:26 PM

From: Kelly Fraasch <kfraasch@mtlebanon.org>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>; alauth <alauth@mtlebanon.org>
Cc: dbrumfield <dbrumfield@mtlebanon.org>; philip.weis <philip.weis@bipc.com>; commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>
Sent: Tue, Oct 20, 2015 3:39 pm

Subject: Re: Hazel Drive discrepency?

Chief:

Please review the email below.
I would appreciate if you could respond to Ms Gillens concerns and copy the rest of us.
Thank you.

Sent from Kelly's iPhone, please excuse typos or auto-corrections.

On Oct 20, 2015, at 2:28 PM, "egillen476@aol.com" <egillen476@aol.com> wrote:

Aaron Lauth had reported to Coleen that the 318 Hazel deer had been hit by a car and left behind until Animal Control came to pick it up. He also told you, Kelly, that he had no idea where the bloody tarp would have come from. Now the deer incident report is claiming that the deer on Hazel had been stuck in a fence and "dispatched" by a police officer. Which is it? 

https://lebotools.mtlebanon.org/dit/public_incident_report.php 

On 9/26/15, there was a dead deer with an arrow in it on Robb Hollow Road. How can you or Mt. Lebanon Police claim that there were no incidents related to the archery program? What about the car accident on Washington Road that involved a wounded deer? Where does that show up on the deer incident report?

Are you aware that ******* has been issued a second citation for the Shady Lane incident? This one is by the PA Game Commission. It is tragic that she has become a scapegoat. She was walking her dog during her visit here. She lives in *******. You may remember that I spoke to you on the phone about this incident. The police had asked her to delete her photos.
Elaine Gillen

Update October 20, 2015 5:38 PM

From: Aaron Lauth <alauth@mtlebanon.org>
To: Kelly Fraasch <kfraasch@mtlebanon.org>
Cc: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>; David Brumfield <dbrumfield@mtlebanon.org>; Philip Weis <philip.weis@bipc.com>; Commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>
Sent: Tue, Oct 20, 2015 5:31 pm
Subject: Re: Hazel Drive discrepency?

Commissioner Fraasch,

After reviewing these incidents in question, it appears that I confused the reason for the 9-1-1 call related to the deer at 318 Hazel Drive. Based on my quick recollection when called upon at the meeting, I apparently mixed up the reason behind the calls received on 9/27 and 9/28.

318 HAZEL DRIVE 09/28/2015 INJURED DEER STUCK IN FENCE - DISCHARGED BY OFFICER
243 TWIN HILLS DRIVE 09/27/2015 X DEER STRUCK BY VEHICLE - IN YARD INJURED

After further review, The Deer Incident Report does reflect the correct information surrounding these incidents. The Twin Hills Drive incident was reported as a deer struck by a vehicle and the Hazel Drive incident involved a deer that had become stuck in a fence. While the start of the Hazel Drive call was different than what I described at the meeting, the outcome was the same. The deer's leg had become stuck in a fence, and as it attempted to free itself, the leg was broken causing severe injury to the animal. Since this call came in at 11:30 pm, our police officers were sent to address the situation. Based on the condition of the animal, the decision was made to put the deer down as is routine in these types of situations. After discharging the deer, it was left in the front yard of 318 Hazel Drive for pickup by Animal Control the following morning. I still have no information about who may have placed a tarp on the deceased animal, but I can confirm that an Animal Control Officer did pick up the carcass first thing in the morning.

The incident listed on 9/26 involved an early morning call about a deceased deer that was found in a yard on Robb Hollow Rd. An Animal Control Officer responded and located a dead deer with an arrow in its side. It was then quickly determined that archer from the contracted deer management archery program had hunted the deer and was in the process of tracking it when the call was received. The hunted deer was found in close proximity to where the archer was hunting and he was currently tracking the deer. I did not speak about this situation at the meeting because this event appears to be part of a normal archery hunt where the archer had shot (arrow) and was actively tracking the deer as required, therefore no "issues" or Game Commission violations occurred.

Lastly, I can confirm that ******* of ****** was cited by MLPD for Defiant Trespass on 10/5. ******* entered private property and refused to leave after several requests by the property owner. When the local Wildlife Conservation Officer from the PA Game Commission became aware of the incident, it is my understanding that he then filed charges for interference with a lawful hunt. At the time of the incident, MLPD officers asked ******** to delete the photos on her cell phone at the request of the victim, as well as ******* relatives whom she was staying with at the time.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

Thanks,

Aaron V. Lauth

Chief of Police

Mt Lebanon Police Department

555 Washington Road

Pittsburgh, PA  15228

(412)343-4015

alauth@mtlebanon.org

www.mtlebanonpd.org

"'Peril'...sell the fear."

Thank you, Jason Robi, whoever you are. That was his comment to Linda Wilson Fuoco's article Rabies, coyotes and ticks, oh my! Perils abound in the backyard this summer I wonder when the PG's deer hunter John Hayes, who wrote on February 1, 2014: "With thousands of white-tailed deer causing what has been called a public safety hazard in Mt. Lebanon.." will write his BS about deer for the obvious media blitz going on in time for the June 22 Commission Discussion Session on deer "management."

Fuoco, who responded with a comment on Lebo Citizens  was just part of the "media circus" as described by Susan Morgans. Somehow, Fuoco subscribed to the theory that there are 400 deer in Mt. Lebanon. Morgans defended her on Facebook.

The municipality is so entrenched in this prokill movement, that the two donated planters of deer resistant plants outside of the municipal building are dying from lack of water. Thanks to Barbara S., the planters got a healthy drink of water last night. Driving by today, I don't think MRTSA can revive one of them.

To be fair, I am starting to think it is the commission, being bullied by the power brokers. In the latest Right To Know, our former police chief wanted to end the deer incident report.

It was crazy how our commissioners expected our police force to protect corn. As far as the deer incident report, I have been saying all along that it is bogus. I never filed that August 20, 2014 report. I have never been able to remove that entry from the report. Now, I see that the report has many gaps of information. Yes, Coleman, the report is being used erroneously to push a personal agenda. Originally, we were told that the goal was to reduce deer/vehicle collisions by 50% in 3-5 years, from 2% to 1%. Our commissioners are relying on a deer killer's estimates while ignoring FLIR aerial surveys. They are now depending on an incomplete deer incident report, often confused with a deer accident report.

Our public misinformation office is busy at work contacting her clowns, gearing up for Round 2 of the media circus and the June 22, 2015 Commission Discussion Session featuring deer killer Tony DeNicola. All part of selling the fear.

This counts as an incident? UPDATED

Our Public Information Office has removed the Deer Incident Report dated 7/31/14, which showed a decline in numbers from a year ago. It has been replaced by this report by the Mt. Lebanon Police:

https://lebotools.mtlebanon.org/dit/public_incident_report.php The report shows that there are a total of 701 incidents in this report. Incidents are entered into this system on a monthly basis.

I am listed as reporting a deer with a broken leg and its fawns on 8/20/14. I DID NOT REPORT THAT!!!!!!!!! What happened was, there was a guy from animal control in the upper parking lot of Rockwood Park. He said that he was looking for a deer with a broken leg. I said that she is a mom and gets around just fine. He confirmed that after he saw her. Mt. Lebanon is counting it as an incident!

Forgive me. I am bleary-eyed from reading and watching all the news about the turf rally, so I may have missed it, but where is the incident which our blood-thirsty dictator reported at a recent commission meeting? Kristen claimed to have had the police shoot and kill an injured "baby deer" right in front of her house on Roycroft. I'm not seeing it. Does she EVER tell the truth? While fact checking, please check to see how many deaths have occurred from deer/vehicular accidents. The totals are not listed.

Deer management is on the agenda for tonight's commission meeting. Kristen has listed $68,000 for deer "management." Deer is our biggest concern here in Mt. Lebanon. Not toxic turf. Not pedestrian safety. Deer.

Update October 27, 2014 3:46 PM I emailed the commission this post since I am unable to attend tonight's meeting.

From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>

To: klinfante <klinfante@mtlebanon.org>; cmcdonough <cmcdonough@mtlebanon.org>; sfeller <sfeller@mtlebanon.org>
Cc: commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>
Sent: Mon, Oct 27, 2014 2:40 pm

Subject: Re: deer incident report

Kristen, you are missing the point of my email. I DID NOT REPORT ANYTHING to the police or anyone else in the municipality. Why is that on the report? How many other incidents have been fabricated by the municipality?

As far as the doe, I have no idea what happened to her. She may have burned her hoof on the hot, rubber pavers in Rockwood Park, for all I know. Perhaps your deer expert will shed some light tonight on the various ways a deer can injure itself.

Elaine Gillen


-----Original Message-----

From: Kristen Linfante <klinfante@mtlebanon.org>

To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>; Coleman McDonough <cmcdonough@mtlebanon.org>; Stephen Feller <sfeller@mtlebanon.org>
Cc: Commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>
Sent: Mon, Oct 27, 2014 2:26 pm

Subject: Re: deer incident report

How strange. I wonder how the deer's leg was broken. Perhaps it was a rough game of soccer in Rockwood Park. Surely it couldn't have been hit by a car.

With regards to the incident of the baby deer being shot in front of my house, I don't recall the exact date, but it was clearly before 2011 if it does not appear on this report.

All best regards,

Kristen Linfante
Commissioner, Ward 3

Kristen Linfante
Commissioner, Ward 3
(412)561-2790

Comm. Prez @KristenLinfante aghast others opp'd sharpshooters: "He's the expert & we're going against him...we're going w/ our imaginations"
— Matthew Santoni (@msantoni) October 27, 2014