Joint Maintenance Agreement Approved 4-1

Last night's podcasts have been uploaded on to Lebocitizens.com. The end of Part 1 of the Discussion Session includes the JMA. I believe all of the commissioners asked Staff questions about the Joint Maintenance Agreement. Dave Donnellan emailed all the sports groups, Dr. Steinhauer, and Jan Klein in March asking about the Joint Maintenance Agreement.  He never heard back. On June 6, Jan Klein contacted Dave Donnellan to say that the YSA was not sure if they could move forward as an organization. There were two meetings held since then, June 26 and July 18. Last week, Klein got back to Donnellan to verify that the YSA and School District came to an agreement. The Commission did not get any information about the JMA until Friday when they received their packets.

During last night's discussion, Kristen Linfante, school board liaison, revealed that she was in touch with Elaine Cappucci, Commission liaison, to say that the School District was more concerned with maintaining the field maintenance rather than the YSA portion of the agreement. Kristen also said that we are the only municipality that requires sports groups to pay to use the fields. She wonders if the School District should even charge them at all. I guess that is a preview of coming attractions. Of course.

Kelly Fraasch and Matt Kluck asked to table the vote, but were outvoted. In the end, Kelly said that she would approve this six month extension only. Six months gives the municipality the ability to get out of the fiscal year with being reimbursed for the work that was budgeted for 2012. Six months gives all parties involved to decide to continue the JMA or to go with user fees. Six months also gives the YSA time to decide if they will continue as an organization. Matt Kluck was the only commissioner to oppose the six month agreement.

What is REALLY going on with the school board liaison appointment?

To bring everyone up to speed, I am sharing this link to Blog-Lebo.  None of this is making any sense to me.  What is really going on here?  I have filed RTKs and I have been told that all of my requests now require an extension beyond the five business days to determine if the records I am asking for, are indeed public information. So I will hear something within thirty days of today or sooner, after the lawyers review my Right To Know Requests. So much for transparency in our local level of government.

While we are waiting, let me remind everyone of this article that appeared in the Post Gazette three years ago. Some Mt. Lebanon residents ask for new high school

It was nice while it lasted

I am carrying over the discussion from Blog-Lebo concerning the appointment of a school board liaison.  Joe Polk posted the PG article and I left the first comment to the post.

 E. T. Gillen said...

The PG incorrectly reported that Kristen Linfante was appointed as liaison. As of yet, nobody has been appointed as school board liaison.
Elaine Gillen

JANUARY 30, 2012 5:53 PM

This was followed by a second comment from President Dave Brumfield.

 Anonymous said...

Commissioner Linfante was appointed to be the liason at our last meeting. The position that remains unfilled is the representative(s) to the joint meeting with the School District.

Dave Brumfield

JANUARY 31, 2012 8:41 AM

I beg to differ, Dave.  The Commission makes that liaison appointment by a formal motion, seconding by a Commissioner, followed by a majority vote.  Please look up Home Rule Charter Section 317 and Municipal Admin. Code Section 113.1 that says that "Official actions by the Commission...by Ordinance, Resolution or Motion..." Commission appointments are "official actions" by motions and voting. I have been unable to find in either the Charter or Admin. Code,  the specific powers of self appointment without official action, i.e. motions and votes, by the Commission.  Perhaps you can cite the source(s) granting such rights.  I am not going to buy into the argument that "past practices" (even though improper, illegal, etc.) justify continuing the practice, therefore making it bonafide.

I miss Dan Miller being president of the commission.

Who will she be representing?

As reported in the Post Gazette this morning, Mt. Lebanon Commission named Commissioner Kristen Linfante as a new school board liaison. Kristen is certainly qualified for the position.  On the Municipal website, her dossier is as follows:

• Key Communicator, Mt. Lebanon School District
• Utilities Management Group, Mt. Lebanon School District
• PTA, Foster Elementary and Mellon Middle Schools

Later in the article,

Board President Josephine Posti said the board's working relationship with the municipality is better than it's ever been since she joined the board in 2005. Naming a liaison is a great idea, she said, noting that they already communicate often, even though it's not practical to attend each other's meetings faithfully.
"I think the goal would be to just dispel the perception that the two bodies don't talk to each other frequently," she said.

At the risk of sounding paranoid, I smell a rat.