Kids could run into each other!!!!!

I am sorry I didn't hear this said at the last commission meeting.

Players scrimmaging on separate halves of the same field could run into one another or could hurt themselves when frequent use of a field leaves the grass full of mud or ruts, they said.

I wonder if the Trib reporter was able to keep a straight face when he included that in his article, Mt. Lebanon pushed to put turf on field. We need more field space because players could run into each other. 

I have never heard this threat mentioned at any school board meetings. This is an extremely dangerous situation. This is worse than people having flooded basements and garages.  Kids running into each other on a field definitely trumps kids walking to and from school on busy streets that have no sidewalks.

Those opposed to putting turf on more fields noted other upgrades they thought would make better use of the money, such as flood control or sidewalks in residential neighborhoods.
“I want to specifically request that you put sidewalks on this list (of potential projects),” said Doug Descalzi, one of several residents on and around North Meadowcroft Avenue who said their neighborhood would favor the municipality adding sidewalks to their streets.
“I don't see how you can have this list and not have something like this on it.”

The Descalzi Family made this video and posted it on YouTube.



Dave Franklin was quoted in Matt Santoni's article.

“I'm not going to suggest that artificial turf is more important than sidewalks or storm sewers, but I look at fields the same way as any other infrastructure,” said David Franklin, a member of Mt. Lebanon's Parks Advisory Board and Sports Advisory Board. “I don't think the decision to improve fields is a frivolous decision.”

Clearly, Commissioners, turfing a school district field is not a frivolous decision. We don't want kids running into each other on the playing fields. This is a top priority over sidewalks or assisting residents with flooding issues. Perhaps the Turf Board can suggest turfing basements next. They could then be used immediately by not having to wait for them to dry out. 

We're surrounded by greed

Remember when the school district increased our taxes by 10.5% in May 2010? Sure you do! Mt. Lebanon Passes Budget To Pay For School Renovations Want to know how excessive that tax increase was? I filed a Right To Know for Jan Klein's July 1, 2013 report presented to the school board directors. My July 16 request was finally granted today.

The ONE PAGE report is located here. Notice the excess funds available from the May 2010 tax increase $2,375,000!!!!! How about that General Capital Fund, Dave and Dave? $6,350,000!!!

The commission majority wants to turf Mellon Field and the School District is sitting on $8,585,000, yet they want to wrap bonds to pay for the entire balance of high school renovation.

Dave Brumfield, Kristen Linfante, John Bendel, Dave Franklin, and all the rest of the sports people that were at the commission meeting last night: Why aren't you going after the school district to fix their own damn fields? For that, our sidewalks are missing on safe walking routes, people are plagued with flooding issues, our municipal building can't be locked securely, the golf course can't have a tractor, staff has to cut back, we can't close the pension funding gap, haven't paid for McNeilly, and we haven't started to fund the TOD project.  But hey, you have $829,561 just burning a hole in your pockets. So what do you want to do? Turf a school district field because it is a "safety hazard." Equally hazardous as people losing cars and damage to their homes due to flood waters or making kids walk to school on busy streets that have no sidewalks. What are you thinking, boys and girls??????

Brumfield has no plan

The commission meeting went as predicted. The sports people were there in full force. One by one, we heard their sad stories of kindergartners not being able to play lacrosse, soccer games canceled week after week because of wet fields. Never mind that the last major rainstorm dropped 4 inches of rain and that homes all over Mt. Lebanon were flooded, ground is saturated to the point that trees are being uprooted and streets are uplifted.

I asked that all the unassigned funds go to public safety issues such as the police radio, installing sidewalks leading to schools, and installing back water valves in the homes that are constantly flooded.  When my back water valve was inspected today, the plumber told me that there are 55 such valves in Mt. Lebanon. I said it was a no brainer to spend money on sidewalks and help people with flooding issues, not spend $700,000 on artificial turf.

A heated discussion followed among the commissioners. Clearly, it was decided in advance that Brumfield, Bendel, and Linfante were voting for artificial turf. Hints were made that municipal money was going to turf Mellon. The unassigned funds are to be spent on MUNICIPAL capital projects, not school district fields. Our staff has to cut back, but it is OK to blow $700,000 on school district fields.

The shining moment in tonight's meeting was when Kelly asked if Dave had a plan. He admitted freely that he did not have a plan. But they were quick to point out that this wasn't going to be spent immediately and that $700,000 was not enough to turf anything. It would have to come from the school district and -are you sitting down?- donations from the sports groups. No plan.

So after this goes down, and it will, the next want WILL be McNeilly. You mark my words.

Oh, before I forget, they will not be buying a golf course tractor or go for Building Security replacement. Think about what replacing Building Security means, Folks.

I have uploaded the podcasts to tonight's meetings. So if you are as hyper as I am at this point, listen to the commission meeting. It is available here.