List of names with outstanding parking tickets delayed - UPDATED

I filed a Right To Know with Steve Feller for the list of names of those with outstanding parking tickets. You know, the ones that came to over $800,000 which the Mt. Lebanon Parking Authority failed to collect?
I heard from Steve today.

Dear Elaine:

Please be advised that my office with the Municipality of Mt. Lebanon (the "Municipality") received your Right to Know request (the "Request") dated May 31, 2012.  The Municipality is in the process of obtaining a legal review of the Request to determine whether the records you seek are "public records" subject to access under the Right to Know Act.  The Municipality expects to be able to respond to the Request on or before June 29, 2012.

Thank you

Steve

Stephen M. Feller

Municipal Manager

Personally, I think they should be public information particularly since the Municipality has made basic facts about it known to the public already. Perhaps they may be holding out to see what response they receive from the amnesty letters mailed giving scofflaws contacted from June 1 - June 20 to pay the original fines outstanding. My hope is that they don't want to release names now to allow a first response to avoid public embarrassment for those who comply. Only time will tell.

Update June 10, 2012 3:24 PM This was emailed to me and provides more information and background regarding the Parking Authority. I removed some information to protect this person's identity.

I wanted to give you some info about the parking authority, but I don’t want to personally put it on the blog. If you want to put it out there from a source feel free. Some of the things people have written are way off base and I am disappointed that they have been allowed to post them anonymously. There are so many miss truths on the last couple of blog about the MLPA I don’t know where to start.

First all of the stuff about Raja’s influence on the MLPA is crap. He had none... And Al Frioni could not have done things on his own. There were 5 members of the board. 2 were members of the Republican Committee, 2 I am not sure of party and 1 was on the Democratic committee... And at other times there were additional D’s, 1 a former commissioner and 1 a former candidate for Mt. Lebo treasurer. So for people to make this a R’s vs. D’s thing is a mistake. When you ask where the D’ were when all of this happened the answer is they were at the table. But no one seems to want to mention that on your blog.

The reason why Al, Raja and Joe were against the consolidation...into the Muni is that if you look what the MLPA paid its staff it was much less then what they are making now. The MLPA was non-union. So the maintenance people made much less then the Muni employees. The Muni would even have the MLPA do work to help save money from time to time. Also the MLPA did not have a pension plan. It had a Defined Contribution plan. That is why if you look at what the employees retirement plan was when it was shut down it is very small. They do not receive cash payments for the rest of their lives like the Muni employees. Now that they work for the Muni they will be entitled to a pension. So it actually costs the tax payers more money.

The MLPA never took tax payer money from the Muni. It operated on collection rent and fines. That is it. So no tax payer dollars were touched... The MLPA did have the Muni as a “Co-signer” on its bonds. But it never needed the Muni to step in...

As for the 800k in reserves that you somehow connected to the missing fines. That 800k came from the sale of property. So there is no connection between them.

As for Dawn Morrison’s hiring. There have been some really mean things said about her. First she did nothing wrong. She was hired as a part time employee. To a position that at one time had been eliminated but the board felt needed to comeback as the current staff was no longer able to complete all of its duties without additional staff. Her title does not reflect what she did. She was a Liaison to the store owners. Going out and talking to them and finding out what questions and concerns they had. She also interacted with the Muni so we had an open line of communication. In addition she was what I would call a floater. She filled in for other staff members when they were on vacation or out sick. After about a year it was determined that part time was not enough time to complete all that was involved so it was turned into a full time position. Now when it come to having to advertise the position, I frankly don’t recall why we were told it was not necessary to do. Just that it wasn’t. You would have to ask the solicitor about that.

Now the big question the 800k in fines. First let me tell you that I did bring up the question of fines on multiple occasions. I even asked about booting and towing... I can tell you that I was never told that there was this much in fines outstanding. If I had been, I would have done something about it. I can’t imagine the... board members knew either. The thing everyone needs to remember is that the board meets once a month. It relies on the Executive Director and the staff to run day to day operations and the Solicitor and Auditors to make sure that it has all of the needed information to make decision. How this got past the Auditors is beyond me. They had been the Auditors for several years so I would have thought that they would have noticed this kind of discrepancy. The board can’t act on information it is not given. I know it is an excuse, but it is also a fact. I also know that the Muni received a copy of the financial every month. So it got by them too. I am as interested as anyone in finding out what happened. If for no other reason but to clear the name of those...who were on the board.

NSF YSA Makes The Trib!

In today's Trib, Matt Santoni submitted Mt. Lebanon youth sports backers catch up on bills.

The municipality has been weighing whether to build more athletic fields or improve some existing ones with new drainage or artificial turf, and the YSA is working on some proposals of its own, said commission President Dave Brumfield. Meanwhile, the agreement is being renegotiated to reflect that teams have two fewer fields to use because of construction at the high school.

The YSA was supposed to come up with a plan at the end of April as announced at the April 19 "Town Hall Meeting." Then they were supposed to come up with a plan at the end of May. Do you think they will come up with their infamous plan on Monday evening at 6:30?

The whole Joint Maintenance Agreement is a farce. We have a sports association which doesn't seem to have a very good track record. The School District, from what I heard last night, can't trim the weeds and eliminate the poison ivy that is taking over the steps at Jefferson. And we have Jan Klein/Board bartering with our tax dollars.

Is this the end of Kossman project?

In today's Trib, Allegheny County backs financing plan for transit project, Castle Shannon voted unanimously to support a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) to develop the Castle Shannon T stop by Ice Castle. From a traffic standpoint, this would be a traffic nightmare for the Kossman property.

We were talking about developing the air rights over the Mt. Lebanon T stop. I wonder if this will affect our plans. I believe we're asleep at the switch. Castle Shannon is moving forward while we talk about turfing Mellon field and going after tax appeals.

The U.S. Flag at the Mt. Lebanon Veterans Memorial

The following letter has been submitted by frequent Lebo Citizens commenter and Mt. Lebanon resident, Richard Gideon. Mr. Gideon is nationally recognized as the nation's leading Vexillologist. Thank you for submitting this informative letter.

To the Editor:

This month we celebrate two important dates dealing with the Flag of the United States. The first one is 14 June, which is our traditional "Flag Day." The second is the anniversary of an act that established what form the flag should take. On 24 June 1912, President William Howard Taft signed Executive Order 1556, which for the first time in our nation's history established uniform specifications and a "pattern" for the U.S. Flag. To commemorate that event Old St. Lukes in Scott Township (330 Old Washington Pike) has graciously offered me space and time to present a Centennial Lecture on the subject, which will occur on the 24th of June, 2012, at 2:00pm - one hundred years to the date of the signing.  All Blog readers are cordially invited to attend. The lecture will be short, but I trust you will find it informative and the "visual aids" interesting. Admission is free.

The necessary research into this subject got me to thinking about the Mt. Lebanon Veterans' Memorial. I was curious about the height of the flag pole and the size of the flag to be flown from it. As this is a memorial to our military veterans and those killed in our nation's wars, I was reasonably sure the flag would be "G-spec" - meaning it would meet the current requirements that the U.S. Flag have an aspect ratio of 1.9:1; but I was curious about what size the architect had chosen. As it turns out, I was wrong to make that assumption.

About two weeks prior to the dedication ceremony, I made preliminary efforts to contact some of the people who were on the memorial committee, asking them about the height of the pole and the size of the flag to be flown. I heard back from two members, but neither one had the answers. One recommended that I contact the Mt. Lebanon PIO person, Ms. Susan Morgans. I anon wrote to Ms. Morgans, explaining to her that I was a professional Vexillologist and a registered Government Contractor, and my primary business was supplying military streamers and flags to military departments and organizations. I asked her for the height of the pole and the size of the flag. Her response was as follows:

"The architects are well aware of the specs and the flag and pole conform. Thanks."

Earlier I had been informed that the Marine Corps League had donated a flag for the Memorial, so I tried contacting that organization. Unfortunately, no one returned my phone call. I then turned to the Internet (which I probably should have done in the beginning), and after some searching found what I was looking for in the Planning Board Minutes of Tuesday, April 26, 2011. On page four is the following entry:

"Mr. Kreuthmeier said they reviewed a proposal with the Veterans memorial committee. The idea was to visually anchor the 45-foot tall flagpole with an 8-foot-by-12-foot flag. The obelisk will list the wars starting with the Revolutionary War at the bottom and working up. They were asked to provide a quote for the back wall of the memorial. They will also have a quote from Plato that will go around the obelisk."

A U.S. Flag of 8 feet by 12 feet (aspect ratio 1.5:1) is not a code flag. It is a popular commercial size, but for reasons which are better left to my lecture on the 24th, it is not an appropriate military ensign. I so informed Ms. Morgans, along with all of the correspondents to whom I had written earlier; including the Mt. Lebanon Commissioners, some members of the former Mt. Lebanon Veterans' Memorial Committee, and various other interested parties. Ms. Morgans replied, understandably, that she was only repeating what she had been told by the architect, and in replying to me CC'd all in my original message, adding the architect, Mr. Peter Kreuthmeier, to the list. Not long afterward, I received an E-mail from Mr. Kreuthmeier, who opened his message as follows:

"Mr. Gideon is absolutely correct.  We have been aware of these concerns since the inception, and indeed had every intention and made every effort to incorporate a G-spec flag on this project.  We did not do so for several reasons, some practical, some proportional, some manufacturing-related."

Mr. Kreuthmeier went on to say, in essence, that the biggest limiting factor was his desire to use a flag with a fly length of 12 feet, for reasons having to do with the layout of the memorial (including possibly interfering near-by trees), and ready-made flags meeting the U.S. Flag Code were not available in that length (to meet the code a flag with a length of 12 feet would have to be 6 feet, 3 3/4 inches wide). In my earlier message I had suggested that a proper flag for the pole would be a "G-spec" size 6 flag, measuring 8' 11 3/8" (or 8.94 feet) by 17 feet, but that size would have been too long by five feet. I then suggested that a smaller, size 8 flag of 5 feet by 9 1/2 feet would meet the Flag Code and be short of the desired length by only two and a half feet. Mr. Kreuthmeier said he had considered a smaller size in combination with the POW/MIA flag, and although he felt the combination didn't have the "vaboom" he was trying to achieve, he did say,

"In the interest of satisfying the question at hand, I'd presume you can bring some of these flags to the site and we can literally run them up the flagpole. I'd be happy to oblige if there is any interest."

Blog readers may wonder why any of this "flag business" matters, and that's a fair question to ask. Although the U.S. Flag Code "requires" that our national emblem be made in an aspect ratio of 1.9:1 (except for a few specialty flags), there are no penalties for not doing so, and even President Eisenhower felt that meeting the "spirit" of the law was more important than meeting its letter. But a properly made U.S. Flag gives a totally different "feel" to the viewer, as any member of the military can attest - and this is a memorial for Mt. Lebanon's military veterans and those killed in action.

Since the Mt. Lebanon Veterans' Memorial is not on military property the current 8' x 12' flag will likely stay, to vex, if you'll pardon the pun, Vexillologists (and veterans) such as myself. I did feel that a proper code flag would have been more fitting (and apparently, to his credit, so does the architect), but I do understand the problems involved with using one at the Mt. Lebanon Veterans' Memorial site.

I would like to publicly thank all of those to whom I wrote for taking their valuable time to respond to my concerns, even if we did not see eye to eye on the subject.  

Richard Gideon
USAF 1966 - 1970

YOU CAN HELP TO FIGHT CANCER

Enroll in the Cancer Prevention Study-3

The 2012 Relay For Life of Mt. Lebanon has been selected by the American Cancer Society as an enrollment site for the Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3). By joining CPS-3, we have an unprecedented opportunity to personally participate in the fight against cancer.

The first and second cancer prevention studies discovered the connection between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, and the connection between exposure to second-hand smoke and obesity in cancer diagnoses. It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when people didn’t realize that smoking cigarettes could cause cancer. By joining CPS-3, we can help the American Cancer Society understand other lifestyle, behavioral, and genetic factors that cause cancer, which will help to prevent the disease and save lives.

The American Cancer Society is enrolling men and women at select locations across the United States and Puerto Rico for CPS-3…men and women who want to see an end to cancer. The Mt. Lebanon Relay is one of only two enrollment sites planned for this summer in Western Pennsylvania. The CPS-3 Study, which is 100% funded by the American Cancer Society, is an example of how the money that is raised during the Relay For Life is used to fight cancer.

Enrolling in the study is voluntary and requires a long-term commitment. Those who choose to enroll will be asked to complete follow-up surveys at home every few years for the next 20-30 years. If you are between the ages of 30-65, have never personally been diagnosed with cancer, and are willing to make the required long-term commitment, consider enrolling in CPS-3 at the 2012 Relay For Life of Mt. Lebanon. Enrollment can only be done on-site during Relay and requires 30 minutes of your time to complete a questionnaire, have your waist measured, and provide a small sample of blood. You can enroll in the Study whether or not you are a member of a Relay For Life team.

Please consider enrolling and encourage those close to you to take part in this potentially life-saving study.  If you have a history of cancer, ask others to participate on your behalf.  Spread the word to everyone you know who would want to participate.

Cancer Prevention Study-3 Enrollment

2012 Relay For Life of Mt. Lebanon

Mt. Lebanon High School Stadium

Enrollment time:  Saturday, June 9^th - 1pm until 5pm

More information about the Cancer Prevention Study-3 can be found at www.cancer.org/cps3. If you have questions or are interested in enrolling on June 9th, please contact Teresa Donatelli at relayteresa@comcast.net.

Research today for a cancer-free tomorrow.

A great loss for Mt. Lebanon

KEITHLEY D. MULVIHILL

Age 55, of Mt. Lebanon, on Thursday, May 31, 2012. Beloved husband for 31 years of Donna (Colella) Mulvihill; loving father of Michael Keithley and Mary Katherine Mulvihill; brother of Marilyn (Gary) Gladowski, Sally (Robert) Morbeck, and Nora (Charles) Lersch; son of the late Bernard H., Jr. and Doris L. Mulvihill; brother-in-law of Virginia (Thomas) Trainor, Marilyn (Roger) Nemrava, and Barbara (Bob) Williams; also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Friends will be received at LAUGHLIN MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 222 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon, on Tuesday 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Bernard Church on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Keith was a Cum Laude graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law where he was managing editor of the Law Review. He was a Partner with Rawle and Henderson LLP, where he practiced Civil Litigation. He was a volunteer coach for Mt. Lebanon Recreation boys and girls basketball as well as a volunteer girl's basketball coach at St. Bernard School. Keith served on the Mt. Lebanon Board of Commissioners from 2000-2007, performed pro bono work for the Better Business Bureau, and had served as a court-appointed mentor for the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. A Lector at St. Bernard Church for 22 years, he also served on Parish Council. He had achieved the prestigious Charter Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation and was a member of the Allegheny Chapter. He had been Treasurer of the PA Defense Institute and was chair of the PDI's Professional Liability Committee. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI), memo line – Keith Mulvihill, UPMC Cancer Pavilion, Suite 1B, 5150 Center Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15232 or to the Arthritis Foundation , Foster Plaza #11, 790 Holiday Dr. Pittsburgh, PA 15220.
www.laughlinfuneralhome.com
Send condolences at post-gazette.com/gb

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/postgazette/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=157887251

Wouldn't this be a cheaper way to go for everyone? UPDATED

At the May 29, 2012 commission meeting, a motion was tabled to pay the Schood District 17% of the actual costs billed by Diversified Municipal Services.

Consideration to financially participate in the Mt. Lebanon School District’s involvement in property assessment appeal hearings.

Diversified Municipal Services, Inc. (DMS) represents Mt. Lebanon School District at first-level Allegheny County property assessment appeals. DMS develops evidence in support of sustaining current values on owner-filed appeals and appears at hearings to present the evidence. DMS charges the school district $150 for attending a hearing at which the owner is present and $100 for appearing for a hearing at which the owner does not attend.

It is proposed that the municipality participate in funding this effort.

Recommended Action: Move to direct the Municipal Manager to reimburse the Mt. Lebanon School District for 17% of the actual costs billed by Diversified Municipal Services in representing the taxing body at residential reassessment appeal hearings for the 2012 appeal year.Move to direct the Municipal Manager to reimburse the Mt. Lebanon School District for 17% of the actual costs billed by Diversified Municipal Services in representing the taxing body at residential reassessment appeal hearings for the 2012 appeal year.

Diversified Municipal Services is owned by Dominick Gambino. Doing a Google search, I found this PG article about Mr. Gambino. Get ready: Assessments are coming next week

Mr. Gambino strongly differs, saying reassessment will lift an existing unfair tax burden on residents of poorer communities. Elected leaders, not a county judge, should have launched and directed the project on their own, he said. Mr. Gambino, who worked for the county for 25 years, now runs a consulting firm called Diversified Municipal Services Inc.

As Tom Moertel and Commissioner Fraasch demonstrated, there is an unfair tax burden on certain wards in this community. To counter this "unfair tax burden," Diversified Municipal Services provides this service to assist individual property owners, businesses and governments in analyzing property data in Allegheny County. http://countypropertyanalyzer.com/about.php

The County Property Analyzer is another service provided by Diversified Municipal Services, Inc. It can be a useful tool for individual property owners, businesses and governments in analyzing property data in Allegheny County.
Diversified has represented clients in literally thousands of property assessment appeal hearings. The County Property Analyzer unleashes the power for anyone to create sales comparison evidence for submission in property assessment hearings.

On their home page, Diversified Municipal Services reads:

Welcome to the County Property Analyzer

The product you are about to preview is an amazing tool for anyone in search of property information in Allegheny County. It will invite you through the door to explore the property data for over 550,000 properties.

But more remarkably, this tool allows you to analyze the data even further by exporting and saving the results of your search - over twenty-five different bits of information including property and mailing addresses, sales validation information, assessed values and numerous land and building characteristics - onto an excel spreadsheet.

The countypropertyanalyzer will also be a valuable resource in calculating property values by easily and efficiently helping you acquire comparable sales and granting you the ability to create and prepare sales comparison reports in a pdf format.

This is a product that has a wide variety of functions and uses. It was developed by the former Manager of the Allegheny County Office of Property Assessments specifically to allow the analysis of property data. Sales ratios studies, Comparable Sales Reports and mail merge capabilities are just a few of the possibilities.

Countypropertyanalyzer is a "must-have" for any real estate professional or property owner.

The best part about the product is the cost. Sign up for a "free week trial period" by clicking on "SIGNUP". After the trial period, you can continue having access to this fantastic tool for only $75 per month!

So my questions are:

1. Couldn't a homeowner use this service for free during the trial period for their reassessment hearing? 
2. Why is the District willing to pay $150 per assessment hearing when they could use this service for $75 a month?
3. More importantly, why is the Municipality are Commissioners Brumfield and Linfante willing to fork over 17% towards this charge?

Update June 2, 2012 6:15 PM With James Fraasch's permission, I am sharing a link to a letter he sent to the Honorable Senior Judge R. Stanton Wettick, Jr on May 30, 2012 concerning the reassessment. It just might blow your mind! It did for me. I hope our elected officials (at all levels) read it VERY carefully.

Commissioner Fraasch writes about the Muni's involvement in the appeal hearings - UPDATED

Take a look at Kelly Fraasch's blog, Muni involvement in property assessment appeal hearings… As I had written in a previous post and commented at last night's meeting, there was an item on last night's agenda, where the motion was made, but not seconded for Consideration to financially participate in the Mt. Lebanon School District’s involvement in property assessment appeal hearings. 


From reading Kelly's blog, it appears that the Commission never discussed this. Dave Brumfield said that it was his idea.  Kristen Linfante made the motion, so it looks like the school board liaison is all for it too.

Make sure you see the link Kelly provided to Tom Moertel's map on Blog-Lebo which illustrates the large concentration of over assessments in Ward 5 as well as Ward 1.


Update May 31, 2012 11:18 pm To be fair, here is a link to Kristen Linfante's blog, Why I voted "no" (anyone hear "Dueling Banjos" playing in the background?) She writes:

The commission met this past Tuesday night and had a lively discussion about a variety of issues.  One such issue was a propsal [sic] that Kelly Fraasch and Matt Kluck jointly proposed with regards to spending money out of our undesignated fund. 

She goes on to say:

It is my hope that we will come to a consensus that a bond is not only necessary, but the right thing to do.

As well as:

A bond, (and I'm not talking a huge bond, but a bond) along with a portion of our undesignated fund could address these concerns.

Her previous post was about Field Signs/New Revenue

...it is the responsibility of the commission to find new revenue sources for the municiaplity [sic]. 

 I am confused.  Is a bond, not a huge bond, but a bond a way to find new revenue sources?

Before they go away...

Before I delete the three polls regarding the Joint Maintenance Agreement I had on this blog, I thought I would record the final results in a post.

Based on the documentation provided on this blog, do you feel that the Municipality has been a responsible partner in the Joint Maintenance Agreement?
No 24 (51%)
Yes 23 (48%)

Based on the documentation provided on this blog, do you feel that the Shool District has been a responsible partner in the Joint Maintenance Agreement?
No 33 (70%)
Yes 14 (29%)

Based on the documentation provided on this blog, do you feel that the Youth Sports Alliance (YSA) has been a responsible partner in the Joint Maintenance Agreement?
No 39 (61%)
Yes 24 (38%)

Thanks to all who voted.

An open letter to the commissioners

Commissioners,

As promised, I am sending the USDA APHIS Wildlife Services Firearm Safety Review.   http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/Safety_Review/content/Firearms_Report.pdf I don't think I saw this in your deer management status report. It was discussed at length during several meetings. I had sent this to the prior commission.

Seven accidents were reported, from shooters shooting themselves in the foot to shooting through floor boards of their vehicles, all classified as Negligience, Ignorance or Carelessness.  On page 9, only 2% were randomly drug tested. Page 13, "firearm safety incidents were perceived as "no big deal." Check out page 14, 100% of the employees could not list all four WS fundamental gun safety rules. Notice on page 28, "Wildlife Services is being faced with the possibility of hiring Biologists or Field Employees with little or no firearm experience." THEY ARE NOT SHARPSHOOTERS!   As Tom Kelley reported last night, Wildlife Services shot from the back of pick up trucks. Page 30 indicates that WS Directives should clearly address whether shooting out of vehicles is allowed.  The recommendation is terra firma.

Now let's bring this back to Mt. Lebanon. Wildlife Services provided no insurance.  They take no responsibility. It would have been Mt. Lebanon's responsibility. As Dan Miller said, he would never use Wildlife Services again. They mishandled the Lindendale incident.  They lied to our police. They lost all credibility with our former commission. Craig Swope, from Wildlife Services was asked every year by Dale Colby, were there ever any accidents and Craig Swope would answer, "No sir."  I found SEVEN.

Kristen, you are doing a great disservice to the community by "reinventing the wheel." We have spent thousands of dollars doing surveys and studies on deer culling. As Dave Brumfield suggested last night, you have not explored all options. We know that there are deer here.  You will NEVER get rid of every single one. The ones that are permitted to stay could be the ones that jump in front of cars. They could be eating your neighbors' hosta (which by the way are their favorite food, so why plant hosta?) You mention that there was a herd of deer in Rockwood Park, which as you know is next to my house.  Come over some time and look at my untouched hosta. If there are so many and hosta are their favorite food, why are mine untouched? You are afraid of guns, Kristen? Try having men literally outside your bedroom window shooting deer. 

Elaine Gillen

Update May 30, 2012 12:10 pm
From: Kristen Linfante <klinfante@mtlebanon.org>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Sent: Wed, May 30, 2012 11:22 am
Subject: Re:

Thanks for the link, Elaine.
Kristen

Update May 30, 2012 4:44 pm
From: Kelly Fraasch <kfraasch@mtlebanon.org>
Date: Wed, May 30, 2012 at 4:12 PM
Subject: Re:
To: commission@mtlebanon.org, "Weis, Philip" <philip.weis@bipc.com>, Stephen Feller <sfeller@mtlebanon.org>, Tom Kelley <tkelley@mtlebanon.org>

Ms. Gillen,

Thank you for the information.

I do think we made a positive step forward last night by having all present Commissioners share support in having Phil draft an ordinance against the feeding of deer.

I firmly believe we need to stop feeding the deer immediately.  It's truly not helping the deer and actually hurting them in the long-term.  Not to mention, putting humans and deer at risk.

Secondly, I do have safety concerns about culling. 

I've had lengthy conversations with the previous Ward 5 Commissioner and find that services rendered for culling were alarming at best.

As a community, we can do better to co-exist with our wildlife and I would like to invest in those methods and educate our community before jumping into a management program.

Kelly

Newsweek's Best High Schools 2012

It's that time again.  I wrote about this last year here: Newsweek's Best Public High Schools in America Newsweek released their list today.  America's Best High Schools 2012 Upper St. Clair ranked #244, while Mt. Lebanon was "close behind" at No. 518.

Other southwestern Pennsylvania high schools that made the list are:

• No. 488 Fox Chapel Area
• 
  
• No. 624 North Allegheny 
• 
  
• No. 627 Pine-Richland 
• 
  
• No. 648 Quaker Valley
• 
  
• No. 662 Hampton
• .

This feels so wrong

On tonight's Commission agenda:

Consideration to financially participate in the Mt. Lebanon School District’s involvement in property assessment appeal hearings.

Diversified Municipal Services, Inc. (DMS) represents Mt. Lebanon School District at first-level Allegheny County property assessment appeals. DMS develops evidence in support of sustaining current values on owner-filed appeals and appears at hearings to present the evidence. DMS charges the school district $150 for attending a hearing at which the owner is present and $100 for appearing for a hearing at which the owner does not attend.

It is proposed that the municipality participate in funding this effort.

Recommended Action: Move to direct the Municipal Manager to reimburse the Mt. Lebanon School District for 17% of the actual costs billed by Diversified Municipal Services in representing the taxing body at residential reassessment appeal hearings for the 2012 appeal year.Move to direct the Municipal Manager to reimburse the Mt. Lebanon School District for 17% of the actual costs billed by Diversified Municipal Services in representing the taxing body at residential reassessment appeal hearings for the 2012 appeal year.

As was pointed out to me in an email:

The municipality is using tax dollars to fight taxpayers who are using their own resources to defend their property value against an inflated tax dollar funded assessment.

"By unlawfully delegating general authority to staff members (to file the appeals) the commission of Mt. Lebanon unlawfully discriminated against the intervenors and those property owners similarly situated in an attempt to require them to bear an unlawful and disproportionate share of the tax burden of Mt. Lebanon"
-Raymond Cromer on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. William Anderson Jr. of 749 Gypsy Lane, published in the Pittsburgh Press 19-MAY-1976 on page 3.

In yet another email:

Where are the Lebo taxpayers who will suffer as a result? Why is there no injunction being filed against the District & Muni by those being affected? Why, why, why, ? ? ? ? Why have we become a herd (not a community) of sheep??

Parking Authority overlooked over $800,000 in parking tickets

Say what? Yes, since 1997, the Mt. Lebanon Parking Authority failed to collect over $800,000 in parking tickets.  I was at the commission meeting when the Parking Authority was dissolved and it reported by Marcia Taylor.  To say the least, we were shocked.

Marcia Taylor, Mt. Lebanon's assistant manager, said there are more than 20,000 outstanding tickets, although some people have multiple tickets -- including one person with 159 tickets -- and some, just a few.

I emailed the commissioners yesterday, asking for the list of names so that I may publish it here. I don't know if I will be asked to file a Right To Know. It should be interesting.

Read more: http://triblive.com/news/1864441-74/parking-tickets-authority-lebanon-brumfield-department-ticket-unpaid-800000-charge

Veterans Memorial Dedication this evening

Please join us Sunday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. for the dedication of the Mt. Lebanon Veterans Memorial, Morgan Drive, Mt.Lebanon Park.

The Pennsylvania sandstone wall is complete; the huge boulders and the flagpole are in place, and the marble panels are being installed on the obelisk. The rectangular marble insets in the wall and the grass that will be lighted at night are expected to be the most dramatic feature of the memorial; electricians were there today programming the permanent lighting and putting a”Ta Da” control, as architect Peter Kreuthmeier calls it, in place for the inaugural light-up at the end of the dedication.

It seems almost too good to be true—and maybe it is—but the weather forecast for the 27th is perfect (and that’s a good thing, because there is no viable Plan B for the dedication.) The dedication, which begins at 7:30 p.m. at the memorial on Morgan Drive in Mt. Lebanon Park, will last about an hour. Everyone is invited to celebrate the happy conclusion of a two-year effort to permanently honor the men and women veterans who served our county in times of war and peace.

A committee chaired by Wallace Workmaster selected the site and the design; a fund-raising committee chaired by Dan Gigler and Rocky Bleier raised more than $468,000 to build the memorial. Major donors, including Duquesne Light ($260,000) and Range Resources ($10,000) are recognized along with everyone who gave at least $1000 on etched glass panels that flank the memorial. The bulk of the funding, however, came in smaller donations, including $10,000 raised dollar by dollar by Mt. Lebanon’s elementary, middle and high school students.

The ceremony will be filled with music, including a military medley played by Carnegie Mellon’s Skibo Brass,and several songs by the Patriot Chanters, a 24 member subgroup of the South Hills Chorale led by director emeritus Hank Monsch. Master of Ceremonies is KDKA’s Jon Delano; District Judge Blaise Larotonda will deliver the invocation and benediction, and Rocky Bleier will be the keynote speaker. An honor guard from the Marine Corps League will raise the colors; Mt. Lebanon’s “Bullet Bob” Daley, a World War II veteran will sing “the Star Spangled Banner,” and Ron LoVerde of Uptown Rhythm and Brass will play “Taps.”

Parking could be challenging, as the tennis center and ice rink will be open (although baseball will have concluded). There will be a drop-off spot on Cedar Boulevard at the park’s entrance and people who are unable to walk that far may be dropped off directly at the memorial. Parking will be available at the Rec Center, the Commissioner’s Lot, the high school lot and the lots on Cedar Boulevard next to the fields.

About 150 people will be able to sit. Thanks in advance to younger people for either standing or bringing blankets and sitting on the grass, freeing up the seats for veterans and older people in attendance.


http://www.mtlebanon.org/index.aspx?NID=1986

South Garage Entrance Closed for Repairs

The South Garage entrance will be closed for repairs from Saturday, May 26 (6:00 AM) through Tuesday, May 29 (6:00 AM),  Please use the 3rd floor entrance to enter the garage. Take Florida Ave. to Municipal Way. Vehicles parked above the 3rd floor are to use extreme caution due to the possibility of 2-way traffic accessing those floors above the 3rd floor entrance.