If the athletic supporters had only listened. UPDATED

I don't know where to begin. I guess I will start with Mt. Lebanon's latest administrative report.

We knew that the "Crown Jewel" would be abused. Here in Mt. Lebanon, we can't keep anything nice. Sunflower seeds are a definite no-no. I warned them about the Field Turf lawsuits. Bid opening today. We told them about the garbage and the lawn chairs on Day 1. Even with the new sign at the Crown Jewel in Office Depot vinyl sheet protectors, there are sunflower seeds. After the newer -new signs, we saw this. Sunday: WITH the new signs

Today, I received this in my email.
https://www.classaction.org/news/city-of-fremont-ca-latest-to-file-class-action-against-fieldturf-usa

On FieldTurf’s overall legal troubles, the lawsuit asserts the company “specifically knew that its fields would not last for the full eight-year warranty period due to structural inadequacies,” yet still told prospective customers that its product, more specifically its “monofilament” surfaces, would last at least 10 years.

Guess what the super secret turf task force recommended?

Speaking of final specifications, the Turf Project Task Force Recommendations included these specs, "To address the multi-purpose, heavy use planned for the field, the specification recommended for the turf will be a slit film with monofilament blend."

Monofilament surfaces. Yep, these geniuses were the ones who would not permit two Mt. Lebanon residents to attend the super secret turf task force meeting held at the Rec Center.

All this and we are only in Year 2. Next on the list will be turfing the practice field at the high school. You heard it here first!

In other news,



Update September 2, 2017 6:35 PM Mt. Lebanon School District confirms 7 high school football players being treated for staph infections

Athletic Director John Grogan sent this letter to parents:

Dear Parent/Guardian:
I wanted to inform you that we have seven confirmed cases of Staph infections among members of our football team. As a precaution, we felt it was important to notify you about this. To prevent communicable disease transmission, the Mt. Lebanon School District follows the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for infectious diseases/conditions.

How can we prevent Staph?

Handwashing is the most effective method of preventing the spread of infectious disease. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based sanitizer. Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with bandages to aid in healing and to prevent transmission of infection. Avoid contact with other people's wounds or bandages. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, clothes or personal items. On the recommendation of the ACHD, any student or employee who has been treated for Staph and cleared to return to school, as well anyone who has been or may be referred to their family physician for Staph screening, may return to normal activities as long as all wounds are completely covered and taped on all four sides.

What is the school doing?

We will continue to encourage good hygiene practices with students and staff. Soap dispensers and sinks are available in every locker room. The custodial staff will continue their daily cleaning and sanitization procedures in the locker rooms, washrooms etc. with cleaning products that have been approved by the ACHD. Additionally, one of our UPMC team physicians met with the football team student athletes and coaching staff to review safe hygiene practices.

What can you do?

We recommend that if you have concerns about your child's health, to contact his or her private physician. If your child is immunocompromised (i.e., HIV, cancer, leukemia, organ transplant, etc.,) contact your child's physician to ask for guidance. As always, information regarding a student with a diagnosed or a suspected infectious condition should be reported to the school nurse, principal and coach (if applicable). Student athletes should take all practice clothing home to be cleaned each evening. Finally, remind your student athlete to not share any personal items such as towels, razors, clothing, etc.

I want to assure you that we are doing all that we can to provide a safe and healthy school environment for our students and staff. In addition to contacting your own physician with concerns, please feel free to contact me or the school nurse.

Family sues MTLSD over football field

Family sues Mount Lebanon School District, says son was injured sprinting on football field

The correct case number is GD-17-007348.

MTLSD's answer to the complaint

Settlement

Posti and Remely wrong about Morgan Drive change order

You may remember the post regarding the change order on Morgan Drive.  This was the post that mentioned how Josephine Posti and Dan Remely had blamed the municipal engineer for the high cost of the change order.  I couldn't believe that the commissioner who is the liaison to the school board would allow the school board directors throw them under the bus like that.  Additionally, I couldn't believe that no other school board director, superintendent, or construction manager, set the record straight at the Construction Update.  In fact, even in the last school board meeting, Josephine and Dan went so far as to ask the solicitor what it would take to sue the municipality.  Don't believe me? Go back and listen to the podcast. It's all right there.

Today, I received the Right to Know that had a response from the municipal engineer.  His response was only to the commission, not to the school board. That is why Gateway's email was not revealed in a previous right to know request.  As I have said before, you have to ask the right questions. Boy, does this set the record straight. gillen RTK documents 100412

On page seven of the RTK, Dan Deiseroth began by clearly stating that it appeared that the school board had not been informed about the full extent of the change order.  While he did acknowledge that Mr. Marciniak tried to set some of the record straight, it wasn't enough since the same two board members went down the lawsuit path again the next meeting.

Next, Mr. Deiseroth listed what got changed in the change order and how much each had to do with standard municipal requirements. Paragraph after paragraph were dedicated in his email to describing to the commissioners what exactly happened.

Dan Deiseroth confirmed what many of us already suspected:

All of my directives were per the developer's agreement that they signed to comply with Municipal Standards which had to be applied once they ran into the difficult situation.

In my opinion, the documents they issued for bid were obviously lacking in information which along with the unforeseen circumstances culminated in the change order.  I do not see this in any way a case where we required anything more than we would require of ourselves when doing a project or the way we treat others who dig up our roads.

Here we have the municipal engineer clearly stating his position and that of the municipality.  So let's recap.  There was a developer's agreement signed that said the roads would need to comply with municipal standards. The school district had to redo the part of the road THAT THEY TORE UP for their high school project and they had to replace it to municipal standards.  Also, the district bid documents "obviously" lacked information needed for contractors to properly bid the road repair.

So who do you believe? The engineer who provided facts? Or Posti,  the plagiarizing princess and Dan (I will bring the High School project in under $95 million) Remely? Clearly, there is finger pointing going on over at MTLSD. Despite the municipal engineer having a direct conversation with the construction manager, Rus Del Re of P.J. Dick, either the school board is either willfully and shamefully blaming someone else who is clearly not to blame, or PJ Dick did not inform the school district of the scope of repairs.  Either way, the school board, superintendent, and central office staff need to look internally to place the blame.

But hey, what am I complaining about?  We may just be able to see the school district go 0-2 in lawsuits against the municipality.  I wouldn't put it past this school board to do just that. Remember item number 22 on Cost Reduction List for 2012-2013.

Anyone go to the coffees yesterday morning or this evening?