Tonight's Zamagias Property meeting

Tonight, St. Bernard's hosted a public meeting about the Zamagias property located at Bower Hill Road and Washington Road. Two residents recorded tonight's meeting, so the podcast is available on Lebocitizens.com. The handout from the meeting is available here.

I did not go to the meeting, but I did sign the petition for the commissioners to enforce inspections of the property and consider exercising the buy back provision if reasonable movement isn't made by the developer.
http://www.change.org/petitions/mt-lebanon-commissioners-property-at-bower-hill-rd-washington-rd-inspections-and-consider-buy-back

Besides signing the petition, please consider the following:

1. Email commission@mtlebanon.org or call the commissioners with the following points:

• We would like to see it developed - provide ideas for use of the space       
• Enforce keeping it cleaned up - enforce inspections      
• If reasonable movement is not made by the developer, consider instituting the buyback provision for the property and do not extend the agreement   
• If Zamagias defaults on the TIF loan, ensure that they pay back Mt. Lebanon  

2. Attend the 11/13/12 Commission Discussion Session. Zamagias Properties will be making a presentation. Start time for that meeting is usually scheduled for 6:30 PM, but when the agenda is published and posted here and on lebocitizens.com, in addition to the municipal website, I will pass it on. As always, residents cannot speak at the Discussion Session, but Citizen Comments are always held at the start of the Commission Meeting at 8:00 PM.

Please help this courageous Mt. Lebanon graduate

I know that we are being bombarded from all directions for donations here in Mt. Lebanon, but this one is a personal one for me. Geri, a 1997 Mt. Lebanon graduate is my daughter's friend and needs a triple transplant. The following is a letter from her mother in law. Please give what you can.

This is my beautiful daughter-in-law Geri. She is one of a kind, I always said I couldn't have picked a better woman for my son if I tried.

Geri got type 1 diabetes at a very young age. Her kidneys are now operating at about 18% so she is being put on the kidney, pancreas transplant list. First I ask for your prayers for her. That she has no fear and that she comes through this and everything works just the way it should! She will not be able to work for quite awhile so I am asking anyone who can to please click on the link below and make any donation you can to offset the money they will need to get through this time. I have 3 incredibly, loving, beautiful grandchildren who will be going through so much while their mom is going through this process. Not having to worry about money will make things so much easier for them. So please, open your hearts and give what you can...no matter how small.

Thanks so much in advance.
A grateful Mother-in-Law
Laurie Whalen MacCleary

To donate, please visit: http://patients.transplants.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=485635&lis=1&supId=370711636&patientPID=16070

2012 Ballot and more

With Election Day a week away, I wanted to share some voters' information for Lebo Citizen readers in Mt. Lebanon.

First of all, here is our ballot.  It's on the Allegheny County Board of Elections site: http://apps.county.allegheny.pa.us/VoteDistricts/Lookup.aspx By clicking on the link, you can also verify your registration.

Second, the polling place located in the Mt. Lebanon High School Fine Arts Theatre lobby has been moved due to construction at the high school. Voters will need to go to The First Church of Christ, Scientist located at 1100 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon 15228 to vote on November 6, 2012. The polling place will be located in the Social Hall.

Dress 4 Work 2012

Five years ago, I started Dress 4 Work through my church, in conjunction with Capacity Developers, Inc. Capacity Developers work with individuals in preparing for job interviews or employment. During the month of November, I will be collecting men’s business, scrubs, and business casual attire that are clean and fashionable. Items needed are men’s suits, slacks and jackets, scrubs, work shirts, golf shirts, dress shirts, ties, socks, shoes, and coats.  

If you have any donations, contact me at EGillen476@aol.com for details.

Please check your closets and drawers and at the same time, help job-seeking men become self-sufficient members of their communities. Thank you for supporting this annual event and helping men Dress 4 Work.

Zamagias meeting still on for tomorrow

As far as I know, the Zamagias property meeting is still scheduled for tomorrow evening. Informational Meeting about Zamagias Property
If that changes, I will post it here.

Trick or Treat Postponed

This is an important notice from LeboALERT.


Trick or Treat postponed till  Sat., Nov. 3 from 6 to 8 because of weather.
Please do not seek or give out candy Oct. 31.

Dave Brumfield on "Field Failure"

An anonymous comment was approved this morning, which I thought deserved its own post. The 67th comment to Brumfield won't support Robb Hollow, was an URL to President Dave Brumfield's website.  davebrumfield.com

Dave has written a very long letter to the community titled, "Field Failure." He gives a little background behind what happened to developing McNeilly fields and continues with why we need to turf Wildcat and Middle Fields. Dave goes on to announce an ad-hoc committee to review the field situation and determine if there is a field shortage.

I will be proposing at the next meeting the creation of the Mt. Lebanon Sports Facilities and Services Board. This board would be a joint entity with the school district to assess and review all sports related facilities in Mt. Lebanon (both Municipal and School District Facilities). It would consist of the Director of Recreation as well as our Municipal Fields Superintendent as well as the Athletic Director and Facilities Director from the School District (I have already discussed this the School Board and they have offered their staff for this joint venture). Additionally, each recognized sports organization would be entitled to have a representative on the Board. Finally, due to the overlap between our municipal parks and our fields we would ask for a member of the Parks Board to participate as well. Of course there will also be a commission liaison appointed and, should they so desire, a School Board liaison as well. The Board will operate as all other boards do with the possible exception of the frequency of their meetings. My direction will be that the first order of this board will be to review our field situation and determine whether or not there is a field shortage. And if so, what are our best options to address it.

Dave ends his letter with

I did not believe that people were accurately reflecting what had occurred over the last few months when they discussed these issues.

I am not sure which people were not accurately reflecting what had occurred; Kelly, Dave Franklin, the anonymous posters or me. Whomever he meant, there is always the option of listening to the podcasts on lebocitizens.com.

What else should a superintendent be doing?



Mt. Lebanon School District Superintendent Timothy Steinhauer shows the construction that is going on at the school on Monday, October 22, 2012. Justin Merriman | Tribune-Review

 Matt Santoni, from the Trib, reported that we will be reimbursed for nearly $400,000 in repairs because of the electrical line that was hit by a contractor. That is great news.  What is even better news is that Tim Steinhauer is working hard on meeting his goals. Goal number 2 is:

2. High School Project – The Superintendent will continue the District’s efforts to build/renovate the High School.

Insurer to reimburse Mt. Lebanon after contractor hit electrical line

Published: Wednesday, October 24, 2012, 8:57 p.m.

The Mt. Lebanon School District is waiting for its insurer to reimburse it for nearly $400,000 worth of repairs necessitated when a contractor on the high school renovation project struck an underground electrical line in August.

Finance director Jan Klein said the total bill should come to slightly over $390,000, and the district’s insurance policy should reimburse it for all but a $5,000 deductible. That should eventually be reimbursed by the subcontractor that had been doing the digging, Superintendent Tim Steinhauer said. Although that agreement has yet to be finalized, the contractor has given no indication it would challenge the district, he said.

The board last week approved a final $5,866 payment to Fairfield Electric for its work, bringing its total to about $279,000.

A few other bills, like money to Verizon for the phone system repair, may go before the board later, Steinhauer said.

The district’s cash-flow for the ongoing $109 million renovation should not be affected, since the repair money can be temporarily taken from the project’s contingency fund, officials said.

The electric problems occurred when subcontractors digging near the school’s loading dock along Cochran Road hit the buried 5-kilovolt line on Aug. 13, causing sparks, smoke and damage to the building’s phone systems and more. Three trailer-sized portable generators powered most of the school for the first three weeks of classes until the electrical line could be repaired

In a tour of the construction site on Monday, Steinhauer showed off progress on the athletic wing, which is going up between the main high school building and the stadium. Concrete supports are beginning to define the swimming pool, while masonry walls have gone up for the locker rooms and athletic offices along the building’s lower floors.

Steel girders have risen for the academic wing, and a canopy is taking shape where a new entrance will eventually pass through where the main gym is now. Steinhauer said that space will become into a central space for students once new gyms are completed.

The Fine Arts theater has been gutted for refurbishment, while the sixth floor of the old B Building, which fronts Cochran Road, has had many of its interior walls knocked down, opening up vast spaces that will be re-divided into larger classrooms.*

The project is scheduled to wrap up in 2015.

This week, subcontractors again had to dig for an electric line, but the work proceeded without incident.

* Old B Building has been gutted for refurbishment, but the 1972 C Building couldn't. Our school board is a train wreck. They are spending millions on the high school project. The superintendent is seen more times in photos wearing a hard hat than with students in a learning environment. We are paying him to be a project manager.

But where is the school board's priorities? Photo ops for Timmy, the high school renovation, turf and grinding.  As someone wrote on another blog about Lebo's grinding,

Teens have died from excessive drinking.
Nobody's ever died from grinding.

Shame on all of you, School Board. Your priorities are all wrong.
I almost forgot. While you gave Timmy his raise and charged students for parking, Number 26 on your cost reduction list:

Reduce use of contracted security at District events $ 5,000

Yes, he is very deserving. UPDATED

The Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Linda Lane turned down her raise for a second year in a row. So far, she has declined $35,000 in pay.

After the vote, Ms. Lane said that she and the top academic team will forgo pay raises.

The decision comes as the district has made unprecedented teacher furloughs and tackles a budget deficit.

Ms. Lane said the decision is in recognition of the serious fiscal problems the district face and a statement of support "for the district and those who aren't with us. We lost a lot of good folks."

Ms. Lane's contract calls for a raise of $5,000 each year as well as a bonus of $10,000 each year if certain performance goals are met. For 2012, she was eligible for the full $15,000. But for 2013, she was not eligible for the bonus amount because state test scores dropped.

Back to the bubble, our super Super gets raises every year. Dale Ostergaard concluded, "I am also normally conservative when it comes to raises, but I think in this particular case with a single individual Dr. Steinhauer is very deserving."

Yes, he is very deserving. As I commented in my last thread about grinding and a 16 year old girl who was carried off the dance floor and taken to St. Clair and then later to Children's Hosptal because she was drunk, the PG story was the number one emailed story according to the PG.

Just last month, Mt. Lebanon School District was recognized in the PG story, PSSA results come up short in Mt. Lebanon, Bethel Park.  Goal number four 4. Student Achievement – The Superintendent will maintain or improve student achievement. We can get another warning label from PA and Timmy will be maintaining student achievement. Yes, he is very deserving, Dale.

The number one superintendent in the state, Dr. Patrick O'Toole voluntarily froze his salary as well as the financial director's salary. Certainly Dale, O'Toole is very deserving.

I guess I shouldn't be so harsh with Dr. Steinhauer. I actually got a response from his office the other day to an email I sent.

Fwd: Your website

From	egillen476 egillen476@aol.com
To	schoolboard schoolboard@mtlsd.net
Cc	TSteinhauer TSteinhauer@mtlsd.net, CBowman CBowman@mtlsd.net

While I never received a response from ANY of the eleven of you, I see that the Board reports were updated and the goals have been posted. Thank you. Why would you remove the existing reports? Would you please include all of the reports for the year?

Still nothing for the Extra Mile Award. If you just cut and paste from
the Board President's Reports, my request is a rather simple one to
fulfill.
Elaine Gillen

-----Original Message-----
From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Cc: TSteinhauer <TSteinhauer@mtlsd.net>; CBowman <CBowman@mtlsd.net>;
EGillen476 <EGillen476@aol.com>
Sent: Wed, Oct 17, 2012 3:56 pm
Subject: Your website

When do you plan to update your website?

Extra Mile Award is from January 2012.
Superintendent Board Reports are from April 2012.
Board President Reports are from March 2012.
Superintendent Goals are from last year?
The agenda for Monday's meeting was finally posted on Monday morning.

Is this Cissy Bowman's responsibility?

Elaine Gillen

Finally, I got a response from an email I sent to the board.
Response from Tim Steinhauer While all hell was breaking loose over grinding at dances, Tim is enjoying his very deserving additional vacation days. Does an automated response from his office satisfy goal number five, Superintendent Performance Goals 2012-2013? Tim is well on his way for an increase next year.
Update October 25, 2012 1:30 PM Timothy Steinhauer's contract is available here. It is from June 8, 2009. It does not reflect his current salary, contract extension or additional vacation days. Article V permits him to undertake consulting work during his vacation days or with prior written approval from the Board. In other words, any time he wants.

They have a point

The you-know-what hit the fan today when Molly Born of the PG reported School tries to eliminate 'grinding' from Mt. Lebanon dances. I watched WTAE news this evening and recognized the reporter I saw this afternoon as I drove past the high school.  [Oh the irony of seeing a spelling error under Cissy Bowman's name at the 1:01 mark!]

The day of the homecoming dance Oct. 13, six students were cited for underage drinking, including a 16-year-old so intoxicated that a police officer had to carry her off the dance floor, said Lt. Aaron Lauth of the Mt. Lebanon Police Department.
Paramedics took the girl to St. Clair Hospital, then Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. Lt. Lauth had no update on her condition.

But the kids have a point, as usual:

The principal's Friday morning announcement wrongly made the grinding issue of chief concern, according to some students.

"I was mad because I think it's stupid that they're focusing on how we dance rather than on the drug and alcohol issues," junior Paulee Manich said.

How many kids were busted the day before graduation last year and walked? If you look on the UJS portal, it took several days before all the kids' names showed up. The story goes that there were so many kids busted that citations had to be mailed days later. I believe school board directors Kubit and Remely were overheard at Commencement talking about the kids who were busted. Yet, those kids walked.

I think the Policy Committee has their work cut out for them. A dancing policy should be implemented and endorsed by Len Goodman. How about enforcing the Alcohol Policy, Tim? Oh yeah, and get rid of the 21 Club, Blaise.

Brumfield won't support Robb Hollow

I am at the meeting right now, but I wanted to include this quick post. Dave Brumfield said that he will not support fields for Robb Hollow. There are some other components of Robb Hollow that he would support, which he has not revealed yet. He will support School in the Park, as well as other improvements up to $730,000.
Too bad, sports people, but evidently you don't need more fields. Kelly just proposed addressing drainage for Wildcat and Middle. John Bendel and Kristen Linfante would not support that. Dave Brumfield did not say either way since there were two commissioners who were against it already. So, no new fields and no drainage improvements for Wildcat and Middle. I don't get it.

Update:
Kelly also wants the words, No Turf, added to the verbage of the bond. The commissioners will support that.

PA university faculty seek OK to strike

According to the PG, State System faculty union leaders approve strike authorization vote

Leadership for the union representing some 6,000 faculty and coaches in the 14 universities in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education today [October 20, 2012] unanimously approved a strike authorization vote.

Here is a map of those 14 universities. http://www.passhe.edu/Pages/map.aspx

This really hits home. I see that one of our school board members is a faculty member of one of those universities. http://m.calu.edu/People-Finder/?first_name=&last_name=Cooper&relationship_id=0&submit=Submit 

Just Between Friends

When my kids were in school, my husband and I joined PTA, as most parents do. We were encouraged to sign up for Just Between Friends.  Big mistake. Our youngest graduated in 2009 and I can't unsubscribe!

I am getting constant reminders now. Here is the latest.

Region 03 All Pro Dad Father & Kids Experience Saturday, October 27, 2012 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM The National PTA is proud to partner with All Pro Dad and invite you to join Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin at the All Pro Dad Father and Kids Experience on Saturday, October 27th from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex (Steelers Practice Facility). Learn fatherhood tips and participate in activities with your kids while rotating through football - themed stations. As a thank you for being a member of the PTA, we would like to offer the first 40 people to go to this link - www.allprodad.com/steelerspta - FREE admission to the event!  If you weren't one of the first 40 to win free admission - you can still register at www.AllProDad.com . It's only $15 per family, which includes 1 adult and up to 4 kids. This event is recommended for children 5 years of age and older. We hope to see you there!  This was sent to you by: Bonita Allen You will be reminded on: 10/24/2012, 10/27/2012. Click here to change this reminder.

So what is Just Between Friends? On their website, they describe themselves as "the official PTA membership management and communications system, PTAs all over the country are able to communicate effectively with their entire school and easily manage their membership.  The efficiencies experienced using our system enable this volunteer organization to strengthen their PTA and simplify the lives of their members."

I have been trying to unsubscribe three years. It turns out, they are at 1910 Cochran Road. They may even read this blog. I have tried to block their emails, but their email address changes constantly.  

To read "Learn fatherhood tips and participate in activities with your kids while rotating through football - themed stations." is offensive to me on so many levels. 

I caution anyone who is considering joining this group.  It appears to be a life long commitment.  

This is how they will get turf UPDATED

According to the agenda for Monday's Commission Discussion Session ,

7:05 P.M.

3. Update Robb Hollow athletic field proposal:

a. Leaf collection options

b. McNeilly as site for leaf transfer

c. Robb Hollow preliminary engineering update

7:25 P.M.

4. Update on proposed bond issue. (Five minutes)

Twenty minutes are allotted for Robb Hollow, while five minutes have been set aside for the proposed bond issue.

On the agenda for the Commission Meeting scheduled for 8 PM,

JB 5. Introduction of an Ordinance (Bill No. 16-12) of Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, authorizing General Obligation Bonds, Series of 2013 in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $_____ for the purpose of financing certain recreation improvements.

The proposed Ordinance authorizes the borrowing of funds necessary to complete improvements at recreation facilities including _______________________. The proceeds of the issue will also be used to cover the costs of issuance.

Recommended Action    JB 1. Introduce Ordinance (Bill No. 16-12).

                                      DB 2. Set the public hearing for Tuesday November 13, 2012.

I sure hope that ALL the improvements are listed for recreation facilities before the commissioners vote on the bond. If not, this is how the proturf folks will get their way without having to pay a dime towards it.

I see that Kelly Fraasch updated her blog to include A compromise.

Update October 20, 2012 5:23 PM  Response from Kelly Fraasch:

Re: question on blog

From	Kelly Fraasch kfraasch@mtlebanon.org
To	egillen476 egillen476@aol.com

Sat, Oct 20, 2012 4:38 pm

 

Elaine,

 

Hi, I hope you are well.

 

To answer your question, I talked with Dave B. in mid-late August about the eco-friendly turf.

With consideration of raising money from user and extra time to plan details we found that a Phase II was appropriate.

We talked about this briefly at the next meeting and voted.  The vote was 4-1 I believe. 

 

Prior to that meeting, I believe Commissioner Brumfield made contact with all of his connections within YSA and shared his support of Robb Hollow and the details of the planning.  Around that time, I made contacts with those that had helped me with the proposal and got everyone supporting the "Phase II".  Dave was having a harder time.  While Dave was working on YSA, I began reaching out to other groups that would benefit from the RH development to see their support (verbal and/or financial.)

 

I hope that clears up things for you!

 

Have a good weekend.

Kelly

 

 

On Sat, Oct 20, 2012 at 3:12 PM, egillen476@aol.com <egillen476@aol.com> wrote:

Hi Kelly,

Someone wrote in on the blog asking if your compromise was ever presented to the YSA. I seem to remember it being discussed at a commission meeting.

Elaine

Letter from HS Principal Regarding School Dances

Interestingly enough, the letter came out a week after the Homecoming Dance.

From: Mr. Brian R. McFeeley, Principal - Mt. Lebanon HS [mailto:noreply@mtlsd.net]
Sent: Friday, October 19, 2012 8:50 AM
Subject: Message From Mt. Lebanon HS -- Letter from Principal Regarding School Dances

[Attachments to this email can be found by clicking on the links at the bottom]

Dear Parents/Guardians & Students

Attached is an important letter regarding expectations for student behavior at school dances. A summary of the information in this letter was announced to all students, by me, this morning during first period. I ask that you review this letter with your son or daughter. Additional information regarding procedure/expectation changes for future dances will be shared at a later date.

Sincerely,

Brian R. McFeeley
Principal

Attachment: http://ndrive.mtlsd.org/file/?khsro

---

MTLSD DISCLAIMER: THIS TRANSMISSION IS INTENDED ONLY FOR THE USE OF THE ADDRESSEE AND MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT IS PRIVILEGED, CONFIDENTIAL, AND EXEMPT FROM DISCLOSURE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. IF YOU ARE NOT THE INTENDED RECIPIENT, OR THE EMPLOYEE OR AGENT RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERING THE MESSAGE TO THE INTENDED RECIPIENT, YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT ANY DISSEMINATION, RETENTION, DISTRIBUTION, OR COPYING OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS COMMUNICATION IN ERROR, PLEASE NOTIFY THE SENDER IMMEDIATELY.