T-R-A-N-S-P-A-R-E-N-C-Y

At last night's Policy Committee meeting, a resident asked a question about our newest School Board Director's financial disclosure statement.  Under the Ethics Commission law, ten days before taking the oath of office, a financial statement of interest must be filed with the local agency.  Our newest School Board Director offered to answer the question, but could not give a direct answer.  Mrs. Birks interrupted the resident by mentioning a situation that occurred with a former Director a few years ago.  The Solicitor took the opportunity to take Mrs. Birks' words and twist them into the resident's words.  The resident was questioning the status of newest School Board Director's financial statement of interest.  I guess we have to file a Right To Know for the answer.  It was also brought up that the Joint Steering Committee should be open to the public.  Here we go again with the District's lack of transparency and lack of respect towards its constituents.  The scary part of all of this is that our newest School Board Director, a lawyer, is the new head of the Policy Committee.  02 01 2011 Policy Committee podcast

Are the Commissioners qualified to decide?

A week from tomorrow could be the biggest decision ever made by the Mt. Lebanon Commissioners.  Yet, are they qualified to make decisions based on zoning issues?  There were many violations mentioned at the public hearing.  Some residents desperately called it, "minutiae."  Are we going to get a fair decision?  Joe votes the way Raja votes.  Raja is best buds with Ed and Dan.  Dave was in the Posti Gazette for BOSN.  Oh yeah.  Sounds definitely "fair" to me.  To be fair, maybe they should rely on the Zoning Hearing Board's expertise and send it their way on Feb. 8 and let them study it for a month.  What is one more month?  It is the right thing to do.

We will not have such blasphemy in Mt. Lebanon!

I happened to stumble upon this website in my travels, Northwestern C.A.R.E.S.  (Community Advocates for Reforming Excellence in our Schools.)  This Northwestern Lehigh School District in PA actually permits residents to video tape their meetings and publishes a balanced preliminary budget.  How refreshing!  Here are the community advocates' goals and purpose:

Northwestern C.A.R.E.S.

Community Advocates for Reforming Excellence in our Schools

Our Purpose and Goals

• The people that live in the Northwestern Lehigh School District want to be informed and know what’s going on with decisions that effect academics, students, teachers, extra-curricular activities, etc. We will distribute this information.
• To have an organization where people can get together to share ideas and thoughts about the school district’s issues that need to be corrected. Then, through an organized effort, take action to correct them.
• The people that are paying the school district’s bills want to be informed about what exactly it is they are paying for. The way the system works everywhere else is when someone pays a bill, they get a copy of the receipt. It’s reasonable for the people that live in this community to get a copy of the receipt of the bills they are paying. We will distribute these receipts.
• To assist individuals or groups that would like to voice their opinion or correct, change, or accomplish something within the school district. We will assist them on how to navigate the politics of the school board and the administration.
• To attend school board and committee meetings to see and hear first hand what is going on. We will video tape meetings and webcast them to benefit the people who are unable to attend, yet have an interest in knowing what’s going on.
• Collect information by asking for it, or by right to know, then distributing it by email or handouts.

Northwestern C.A.R.E.S., you would have a difficult time if you tried this here in Lebo!

Lebo's Confusing Budget and the PIAA's Financial Past Financial Condition

The following letter is from John Ewing, former Finance Committee Chair who is confused by this year's budget presentation on the School District's website.

Considering the confusing Budget posted on the District website, are the financial controls on sports receipts any better in Mt. Lebanon than they were for the PIAA in January 2001? Why 2001? Because that is the Report date on the PIAA and the date of the first architect's study (VEB Study) on the high school renovation. The renovation has taken a great deal of time since then. Did we have time to improve our financial controls in that time frame? Judge for yourself and remember the Superintendent is responsible for the actions of his staff. 

A report from the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee released in January 2001 had this summary about the PIAA finances:

A FINANCIAL AND MANAGEMENT REVIEW OF THE PIAA Report Highlights

During 1998, the Senate Special Committee on Interscholastic Athletics conducted an in-depth inquiry into the operations of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA). Subsequent legislation, Act 2000-91 created the Pennsylvania Athletic Oversight Council and directed the LB&FC to conduct an annual “financial and management review” of the PIAA. This is our first such review.

Overall Conclusion: The PIAA has made a number of important policy, management, and operational changes in response to the Senate Special Commit- tee’s report and Act 2000-91. While these actions represent important progress, current PIAA practices continue to fall short of “best business and accounting practices” in a number of areas. In short, more re- mains to be done if a complete reform of the PIAA, as envisioned by the Senate Special Committee, is to be accomplished.

Key Findings:

PIAA Revenues and Expenditures. 2000-01, PIAA headquarters had expenditures of $4.0 million; total PIAA spending, including the 11 PIAA districts, was $8.7 million. Total revenues were $8.1 million, most of which comes from ticket sales to PIAA-sponsored games.

PIAA Financial Condition. Despite recent in- creases in school membership dues and game ticket prices, the PIAA continues to incur annual operating deficits and reductions in its net worth. The PIAA headquarters had an operating deficit of $112,000 in FY 2000-01 and has seen its net worth decline by 84 percent since FY 1996-97.

Spending Policies and Guidelines. The PIAA has not initiated a formal review of expenses and has not established specific spending guidelines or expense reimbursement policies. The PIAA also does not have written guidelines governing the staff’s use of corporate credit cards. Documentation for many of the credit card purchases we examined was missing or incomplete.

Questionable      Expenditures.     A     number  of PIAA expenditures appear questionable, especially in light of its current financial condition and general spending guidelines that apply to nonprofit organizations. These include: spending for snacks and luncheons for PIAA staff; rings, watches, blazers, and other apparel purchased for Board Members and staff; reimbursement for Board Member attendance at champion- ship events; conference and out-of-state meeting expenses; and officials’ conventions.

Competitive Bidding. The PIAA’s competitive bid policy is limited in scope and applies only to

certain merchandise and services. During FY 2000-01, the PIAA awarded several contracts without a competitive bid, including one for printing with a value of $149,235 and another for $59,820 for trophies.

Game Managers. The PIAA employs “game managers” to administer playoff and champion- ship events. While the PIAA has changed some game manager procedures, the managers continue to use cash gate receipts to pay expenses at many games. We also noted delays in depositing game receipts and various compliance issues in game manager reports.

Employee Performance Evaluations. The PIAA appears to have made progress in establishing a formal employee performance evaluation system. PIAA officials did not, however, provide access to documents we needed to independently verify their adherence to this process.

Various Compliance Issues. The PIAA headquarters is in conformance with accepted accounting practices, and is generally in compliance with requirements for a nonprofit organization. The PIAA, however, is not in full compliance with its Open Meetings Policy and has not issued a required annual report in more than two years.

Recommendations:

The PIAA Board of Directors should work with the Oversight Council to resolve the question of whether the PIAA should continue to function as a corporate headquarters and 11 relatively auto mousy districts, or as a single statewide entity with consistent operating policies and procedures. The PIAA should also take further actions to stabilize the organization’s financial condition and ensure that funds are used only for necessary purposes; establish more stringent requirements for staff documentation of expenses; eliminate the practice of paying event workers in cash; prohibit Board Members from serving as game managers; and develop a PIAA-specific accounting manual. Other recommendations relate to timely deposit of game revenues, the distribution of an annual report, and sunshine compliance.

Minutiae? Really?

I was unable to attend Monday’s Commission meeting which included the public hearing for final approval of the High School Renovation as presented by the School District, but listened to it here http://www.lebocitizens.com/Lebo_Citizens/Podcasts/Entries/2011/1/24_Commission_Meeting.html  and here http://www.lebocitizens.com/Lebo_Citizens/Podcasts/Entries/2011/1/24_Commission_Meeting%2C_Part_2.html.

As written in the Trib, http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_719706.html

“Before public comment began last night, Weis explained that the commission can only consider whether the conditional use meets the requirements of Mt. Lebanon's zoning and land use rules. If the commissioners turn down the application, they must cite the specific parts of the law it doesn't meet.” 

As usual, exhibit after exhibit was produced by the folks who have been studying the project, and the ones who are for the high school renovation to move forward- no matter what - only provided compliments and thank you’s.  One even went as far as calling the evidence minutiae.  The commissioners were looking for evidence.  Listening to the podcasts, I could predict what was going to be said by the proponents of the current plan.  Same old, same old. 
Give me minutiae, a.k.a., specific parts of the law it doesn’t meet, thank you.  It avoids costly, “I told you so’s.”

More on Ms. Klein's Forecast

Looking more closely at the 1.4.11 Forecast, specifically the Federal (incl stimulus funds) line that represents 2% of the Revenue, I found two articles today that Ms. Klein should read.  State tuition voucher proposal on path fraught with questions.

"This school year, the state is counting on $654.7 million in federal economic stimulus money to help foot the basic education subsidy bill.

But that money -- which accounts for about 11 percent of the basic education subsidy this school year -- is not expected to be renewed for 2011-12. The state also expects to lose millions of dollars in stimulus money for other aspects of education and other services."

The other article that Ms. Klein should read is Politicians Balance Budgets With Money for Classrooms. 
"U.S. governors and legislatures facing deficits of more than $140 billion are slashing local school budgets, cuts that may mean jammed classrooms, fewer teachers and libraries without librarians."

This is not good news at a time when the School District is asking the Commission for final approval on the High School project. 

Are we getting balanced BUDGET reporting?

The Mt. Lebanon School District has posted the 1/4/2011 Forecast on the District website.  Spoiler alert!  It isn't balanced.  Even I noticed that.  The Real Estate Tax line is flat.  I have some questions whether they should be showing anything for Gaming.  What about the Federal stimulus funds?  I thought they were going away.  Best case scenario shows an estimate of a 41.37% millage INCREASE in five years.  Come on guys!  Do we need to have Mr. Feller and Ms. Taylor show you how to do it?  They televised budget hearings and posted a balanced budget. The School District doesn't even hold Audit and Finance Committee meetings!  Keep flashing your transparency i.d. card.  It hasn't sunk in yet with the community.

Update:11:37 a.m. The Forecast in its current form shows a 21.14% increase.  In order to balance the budget, the millage needs to be increased, resulting in a 41.37% millage increase in five years.  This is just an estimate and doesn't reflect some of the expenses which are offset by corresponding increases in State contributions (revenues).

Update: 11:29 p.m. About the Gaming...From the School District website:
Gambling Fund
Annually, the Budget Secretary for Pennsylvania certifies the amount of slots (gambling) funds available for real estate tax relief if sufficient funds are available in the fund.  The exact amount available per homeowner will vary by school district, but is estimated by the State that for Mt. Lebanon it will be $188  per eligible homeowner for 2010.  These gambling funds will be rebated through a reduction in assessment of owner-occupied homes via homestead exemptions.  Each owner-occupied home will receive the exact same tax reduction, not a percentage reduction based on the value of the home.  This reduction in taxes will be clearly noted on the tax bills.  It is important to note that the gambling monies are not guaranteed and may differ in amounts from year to year if they are approved.  Any money the District receives from gambling funds must be returned in total through this homestead exemption process.  

http://www.mtlsd.org/district/budget/taxissues.asp

Are we getting balanced reporting?

After reading this morning’s edition of the Posti Gazette, I mean, the Post Gazette, I am now convinced that we have a reporter who is the mouthpiece of the School District.  Reading A newsmaker you should know: Mt. Lebanon's newest school director, I did not see any mention of his fifteen minutes of fame.  After all, it did get national attention.  I am thinking about canceling my subscription.

Let's play the Lebo Shell Game

I asked a Mt. Lebanon resident in the construction business to look at the Construction Document Estimate.  Interesting findings:

Here is the 90% Construction Document Estimate.

"Still $113,000,000 after all the changes to reduce cost, after all the savings on asbestos, after everything.

According to Act 34 we can have a maximum NEW building construction cost of $45 million.

According to the 90% Construction Document Estimate, we are at $41,466,000.

If we exceed $45 million, then we need to have another Act 34 hearing.

Look at the high site costs. I don't believe they are included in the "new" construction even though much of those site costs ARE REQUIRED to do the new construction. Site costs are currently at $13,972,000.

The FF&E is included, but only the SOFT COSTS for FFE.  No new desks, no new furniture, no new nothing. I guess they are just going to recycle everything that is already outdated.  New school, same desks? New school, same chalkboards?

In the August 9, 2010 presentation, FFE was $2,000,000. http://www.mtlsd.org/highschoolrenovation/stuff/presentationarchitectaug2010.pdf  The new update had it at $398,000.

Also, there is only a 1% design contingency right now. 1%!

People talk about how our project can't be compared to others for sitework costs because we have asbestos.  Well, asbestos is only $3 million.  Demolition is only $1.5 million. That leaves another $10 million in site work with HALF of that being to prepare the site for new construction.

I am afraid that they are stuffing the Site Work expense column with costs that should be associated with New Construction. A $3 million swing between the two puts us at a new Act 34 hearing.  Are the architect and CM  jumbling the numbers to make it work?

Let’s compare the December 2009 95% design development estimate at $115 million.  http://www.mtlsd.org/highschoolrenovation/stuff/BE2008-123-Mt-Lebanon-D-D-95-Plan-Con-120809.pdf

1. Demolition was over $4 million and now it is $1.5.  Was asbestos abatement included in the demolition costs in that one?

2. The contingency was $4 million and now it is $856,000.  Did they reduce the contingency to bring down the cost? Or did they reduce the contingency because they used it?  The fact remains that it is gone. There will be nothing left for contingencies. That is a $2 million reduction in cost from Dec 2009 to Dec 2010.

 
3. The square footage has gone up by about 6000 sq. feet."

Very interesting.  Will we ever get straight answers from the School Board? Are we playing the Lebo Shell Game again?   

Josephine Posti's Board Report

Last night, Josephine Posti  gave this report at the Mt. Lebanon School Board Business Meeting.  http://jposti.blogspot.com/2011/01/111711-board-presidents-report.html I find her comments about the selection process they "chose was public, unprecedented, and postitve" were humorous since she failed to mention that two residents made the only recordings of the process.  WE chose to make it public by putting the interviews on lebocitizens.com.  There was no effort of televising the interviews even though the technology was available.
Josephine Posti goes on to say that our new School Board Director is highly regarded in the legal community.  This may be true, but I just found this letter from State Representative Matt Smith in my files. Online anti-outsourcing petition letter Highmark was one of the clients listed in this link. http://www.programmersguild.org/docs/cohen.html
Josephine Posti also takes a shot at blogs.  This blog has supplied link after link of documentation. It is hard to ignore what has been viewed nationally.  How could this NOT generate dialogue?

Look at what we are missing

Mt. Lebanon will never see this type of news article. Instead, we appoint School Board Directors who show companies how to rig job interviews to hire immigrants.

“'When we shortchange our students now, we shortchange our future as a state and our viability to compete economically for jobs,' Superintendent Allison said."

http://newsroom.usd259.org/modules/groups/group_pages.phtml?gid=1517498&nid=191584

Does this say it all?

Former School Board Director Promotes Job Opportunities

The following email from James Fraasch was reprinted with his permission.

Subject: 50 Job Openings at Ansaldo-STS

I hope that you will take a moment to pass along the link below to people who you think might benefit from it.  Having had the experience just over 18 months ago of being laid off, I want to make sure that everyone looking for a job knows that we have opportunities right here in Pittsburgh.

The company I work for now, Ansaldo-STS USA,  is currently seeking applications for over 50 positions.  Many are technical positions, but some are project management and planning positions. Our business has been extremely strong for the past few years and we currently have half a billion in work backlogged. That's enough work for about five years.  There has been some recent turnover due to a reorganization but that is finished now and this company is ready to move forward.  Some of the positions offer an opportunity for international travel.  Our US office is on 2nd Ave on the other side of the Hot Metal Bridge from Southside Works. Pay is good, health care premiums are mostly paid by the company, and there is a matching 401k.  Additionally, Ansaldo offers a tremendous relocation package for those people that might be from out of town.

If any of the positions are of interest to you or anyone you know, let me know and I can deliver an introduction directly to our HR staff.

Please see this link on the company website and search for the Pittsburgh jobs.  There are 34 job descriptions but many of them are for more than one position:

https://ansaldosts.tms.hrdepartment.com/cgi-bin/a/searchjobs_quick.cgi

Happy New Year to everyone if I haven't had the opportunity to say it to you personally yet. Let's see if we can do our part to insure that everyone who wants a job, gets a job.

Best wishes,

James Fraasch

NOW they want to keep the millage down?

Why didn't they think of this last year? Or is because it is an election year?

"'We know we want to keep the millage down, we want to have no increase, so I would work very hard with this board and with (Superintendant) Dr. (Timothy) Steinhauer to make that happen,' Klein said."
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_717913.html

School Board Disease is spreading rapidly

President Josephine Posti would like to continue meeting with the Commission, but you guessed it, the meetings would be closed to the public.  On Tuesday, January 11, the Commission decided to send two Commissioners to meet with two members of the School Board on a quarterly basis, against Dan Miller's and Matt Kluck's votes to hold the Joint Steering Committee meeting openly. 
Josephine Posti, do you seriously think this is what the public wants?  Closed meetings?  Lack of transparency is the first symptom of School Board Disease.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_717864.html