Dear concerned resident & taxpayer UPDATED

An anonymous letter found its way to this blog. I have scanned it and is available as a pdf in the hyperlink above and as jpgs below.

Anyone care to comment? I am curious about the roof warranty. The author claims that the project is behind schedule. Was the FAT to be ready late January 2013? What about the 6th floor?

Update 9:55 PM  Perfect timing! The District has uploaded this 4:21 minute video illustrating the items mentioned in this anonymous letter.  The 2 small white boards are at the end of the video, not smart boards, but white boards. The large white board is at 4:01. Is that a 21st century classroom?  High School Project Photos

Our School Board Would Never Do This

Since the following news item had been sent to me by multiple readers, I thought it would be interesting to post the article on Lebo Citizens.

State lawmaker acknowledges making anonymous online posts, apologizes

Rep. Jesse White, D-Cecil, attacked constituents, who support shale-gas drilling in Washington, anonymously online.

“It was a shock that he would go to this, (that) a public official who's an educated man would go to this depth of harassing people when he doesn't have to.

“He can debate and have his opinion. And he doesn't have to bash his constituents.”

White's statement:

These attacks have included anonymous or fictitious posts on various websites,” White, 34, said in an emailed statement. “On occasion, I have exercised my First Amendment rights and responded in kind, which was an error in judgment that I regret.

“To be clear, I did not use government resources while posting comments on these sites.”

Here in Mt. Lebanon, we know our school board would never do this. Elaine Cappucci has told me flat out at a budget meeting that she has no desire to write on my blog. In a phone call to me, Mary Birks said that she works full time and doesn't have the time or the desire to read my blog. Of course, the heaviest blog traffic is during work hours on weekdays.  Certainly Central Administration would never read this blog, let alone post on it. Even our Municipal and District public information officers, would never post anonymously.

Who's on first?

Almost ten days ago, Mt. Lebanon voters cast their ballots for up to four school board directors. As I had noted before, the results are as follows:

Republican ballot:
School Director MT LEBANON
          Vote for not more than  4
              (WITH 38 OF 38 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           Mary D. Birks .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       998   19.72          
           Durwood Hill  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       641   12.67
           Michael Jon Riemer  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       963   19.03          
           Dan Remely .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,391   27.48
           William J. Moorhead .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,049   20.73          
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        19     .38

Democratic ballot:
School Director MT LEBANON
          Vote for not more than  4
              (WITH 38 OF 38 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           Michael Jon Riemer  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,623   21.09          
           Dan Remely .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,064   13.82
           Mary D. Birks .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,980   25.72
           Durwood Hill  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,227   15.94
           William J. Moorhead .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,772   23.02          
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        31     .40

So who won? As I understand it, and please correct me if I am wrong, the ballot should look something like this:

Birks, Moorhead, and Riemer will appear on both lines. Remely will be on the Republican line, and Hill will be on the Democratic line. (Thanks goes to a Lebo Citizens reader for explaining this to me.  Not sure if he wants to be identified.)

But what about Independents? According to the Post Gazette, you have to be an Independent at least 30 days before the Primary to run as one in the November General Election. (Again, thanks goes to the same person.)

Unless we have an Independent that meets the criteria, it looks like we are stuck with the five candidates listed above. What bothers me is that Remely received more votes that Durwood Hill did. Mt. Lebanon, are you kidding?

I would love to hear who the fifty write-in names were.  Can we come up with a successful write-in campaign?  Are there Independents who will step up to the plate? If not, we're in for more of the same. In the words of the infamous Josephine Posti, "Ugh!"

Lebo math at its finest

A reader submitted this for consideration. It appears that Jan Klein's numbers are not adding up.

Look at the Estimated value of Community Assessment in 2013 chart which was dated 8-May-13.

Assessed Value Per Tax Office (5/3/13): $ 2 ,715,449,015

The next line is interesting.

Less Historical % of Liens at Year End est at 1.6%: 43,447,184

Every year, this shows up in the budget. However, it never shows up as revenue when the liens are satisfied. They get paid eventually. Classic example is the $2.3 million windfall for the Covenant. Liens are deducted in the budget which cause the millage to go up.  We pay for the liens through our taxes and then when the District collects the liens, we never get a refund or see it budgeted.

Back to the chart. See the 22.61 mills in the orange box? That is our new millage for 2013-2014.  But Jan Klein skipped a step. The Anti Windfall Law requires that she first needed to establish the revenue neutral tax rate. That number is 21.17 mills.  How do you get the 21.17 millage? Take $54,914,220 (Budget- Real Estate Taxes at 2012-13 Millage Rate) and divide it by $2,593,675,608 (Adjusted Assessed Value) in the green box. That is the true millage neutral rate.  Jan's number is 6.8% over the revenue neutral tax rate, or a 1.44 mill increase.

Doing the Lebo math:

  22.61 (Jan's millage)
 -21.17 (millage neutral)
1.44 mill increase or 6.8% over the revenue neutral tax rate


Let's look at the "20%" reduction in millage. (Blue Box)

 27.13 mills (2012-2013)
-22.61 mills (2013-2014)
4.52 mills

That is a 16.66052340582381% reduction, not 20% reduction!  Percentage calculator

I think there is some explaining to do, School Board. It ain't adding up.

Pay to play

On Monday, the school board approved the 2013-14 budget which includes student fees for sports and extracurricular activities.

The fee schedule for sports includes:

$40 for high school sports
$20 for middle school sports
$5 for intramural sports

Band activities will cost students $40.

Student activity fees are expected to generate $50,000 according to Item #17 on the Budget Reductions Concepts for 2013-14

Students will also pay $25 more to park next year when the parking fee increases to $75 a year.

Watching the election results? UPDATED 4X

Keep refreshing this link for up to the minute results of the Primary and Special Election. http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/elect/201305pri/el45.htm

At 9:30 PM
Representative in the General Assembly 42ND DISTRICT
          Vote for not more than  1
              (WITH 27 OF 66 PRECINCTS COUNTED 40.91%)
           Dan Remely .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,547   37.02
           Dan Miller .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     2,408   57.62
           George Brown  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       215    5.14
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .         9     .22

Republican ballot:
School Director MT LEBANON
          Vote for not more than  4
              (WITH 15 OF 38 PRECINCTS COUNTED 39.47%)
           Mary D. Birks .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       351   18.85
           Durwood Hill  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       251   13.48
           Michael Jon Riemer  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       368   19.76
           Dan Remely .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       504   27.07
           William J. Moorhead .  .  .  .  .  .  .       379   20.35
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .         9     .48

Democratic ballot:
School Director MT LEBANON
          Vote for not more than  4
              (WITH 15 OF 38 PRECINCTS COUNTED 39.47%)
           Michael Jon Riemer  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       605   20.93
           Dan Remely .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       382   13.22
           Mary D. Birks .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       738   25.54
           Durwood Hill  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       488   16.89
           William J. Moorhead .  .  .  .  .  .  .       667   23.08
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        10     .35

Member of County Council DISTRICT 5
          Vote for not more than  1
              (WITH 35 OF 88 PRECINCTS COUNTED 39.77%)
           Sue Means  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,178   59.77
           Krista Harris .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       792   40.18
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .         1     .05

Update 10:56 PM
 Member of County Council DISTRICT 5
          Vote for not more than  1
              (WITH 88 OF 88 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           Sue Means  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     3,737   62.90
           Krista Harris .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     2,197   36.98
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .         7     .12

Update 11:00 PM

Republican ballot:
School Director MT LEBANON
          Vote for not more than  4
              (WITH 38 OF 38 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           Mary D. Birks .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       960   19.65
           Durwood Hill  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       622   12.73
           Michael Jon Riemer  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       930   19.04
           Dan Remely .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,341   27.45
           William J. Moorhead .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,013   20.74
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        19     .39

Democratic ballot:
School Director MT LEBANON
          Vote for not more than  4
              (WITH 38 OF 38 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           Michael Jon Riemer  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,591   21.16
           Dan Remely .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,042   13.86
           Mary D. Birks .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,932   25.69
           Durwood Hill  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,195   15.89
           William J. Moorhead .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,728   22.98
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        31     .41

   Representative in the General Assembly 42ND DISTRICT
          Vote for not more than  1
              (WITH 65 OF 66 PRECINCTS COUNTED 98.48%)
           Dan Remely .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     3,699   37.40
           Dan Miller .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     5,635   56.97
           George Brown  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       539    5.45
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        18     .18

Derek Hough and Kellie Pickler - DWTS  ;)

Update May 21, 2013 8:45 AM

Representative in the General Assembly 42ND DISTRICT
          Vote for not more than  1
              (WITH 66 OF 66 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           Dan Remely .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     3,837   37.27
           Dan Miller .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     5,881   57.13          
           George Brown  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       557    5.41
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        19     .18

Update May 23, 2013 8:55 AM Election Night Final

Member of County Council DISTRICT 5
          Vote for not more than  1
              (WITH 88 OF 88 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           Sue Means  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     3,808   62.71          
           Krista Harris .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     2,257   37.17
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .         7     .12

Republican ballot:
School Director MT LEBANON
          Vote for not more than  4
              (WITH 38 OF 38 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           Mary D. Birks .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       998   19.72          
           Durwood Hill  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       641   12.67
           Michael Jon Riemer  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       963   19.03          
           Dan Remely .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,391   27.48
           William J. Moorhead .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,049   20.73          
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        19     .38

Democratic ballot:
School Director MT LEBANON
          Vote for not more than  4
              (WITH 38 OF 38 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           Michael Jon Riemer  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,623   21.09          
           Dan Remely .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,064   13.82
           Mary D. Birks .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,980   25.72
           Durwood Hill  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,227   15.94
           William J. Moorhead .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,772   23.02          
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        31     .40

Representative in the General Assembly 42ND DISTRICT
          Vote for not more than  1
              (WITH 66 OF 66 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           Dan Remely .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     3,837   37.27
           Dan Miller .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     5,881   57.13          
           George Brown  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       557    5.41
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        19     .18

Current Status of the Teachers' Grievance

At last night's school board meeting, a resident asked for an update concerning the grievance. Solicitor Tom Peterson answered the question by saying that the arbitrator issued an initial decision that neither the MLEA nor the District really fully understood.  They had different interpretations of the scope of the relief, so the District submitted a few questions to the arbitrator to clarify her award.

The arbitrator concluded that certain people should be advanced on the pay scale, but it wasn't clear whom or how many people. The District doesn't have any idea of the economic scope of the decision. They are waiting for a final award and hope to hear from her any time now.

The podcast is available here. The status of the grievance is answered at the very end of the podcast.

Budget passed

The Mt. Lebanon School Board Directors voted 6-3 to approve the 2013-2014 Budget. Three school board members voted against the budget; Goldman, Ostergaard, and Remely.

From the District website:

School Board Approves Final Budget At the May 20,2013 School Board meeting, the Board Approved the 2013-14 Budget. Here is the budget resolution from the Board agenda:

2013-2014 Final Budget Resolution: RESOLVED, That the Board approves, and attaches to the minutes, the formal Budget Resolution which establishes the Final Budget for the 2013-2014 School Year in the amount of $83,164,503. 

The Resolution calls for the continuation of the Real Estate Transfer Tax, the Earned Income Tax, and the Emergency and Municipal Services Tax, all of which are collected by the
Municipality, Tax Collection Agency or the County, and a portion of which is allocated to the School District. 

The real estate millage is set at 22.61 mills, or $2.261 on each $100 of assessed valuation. Of this amount, 13.61 mills is allocated to salaries and increments of staff, 3.98 mills is allocated to debt service, and 5.02 mills is allocated to general purposes. A homestead exemption for eligible property owners in the amount of $8,081 per home is included in this action. 

The Budget Resolution again permits installment payments, payable as follows: 50% on or before September 30, 25% on or before December 31 and the balance of 25% due on or before February 15. The penalty for late payment continues to be 10%, plus interest thereafter.

The Fresh Market Looking to Fill Two-Dozen Positions

From the Baldwin Patch:

http://baldwin-whitehall.patch.com/articles/the-fresh-market-looking-to-fill-two-dozen-positions-40bf268b

A variety of jobs are available. An assistant front end manager, seafood specialist and cheese specialist are among the opportunities open. Some part-time work is also needed. Click here for a look at all of the job listings.

The new store's "Interview Day" is scheduled for 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22, at the Crowne Plaza Pittsburgh South hotel, 164 Fort Couch Rd., Bethel Park, PA 15241.

To be considered and scheduled for an interview, apply online first.

Harris/Means Update [UPDATED]

This came in an email to me:

The PG and Trib endorsed Sue Means. PG said Harris wasn't informed or qualified. Trib said that Republicans made a mistake when they picked Harris over Means to replace Gastgeb and the voter has the chance to right that wrong.  Maybe if the three Republicans currently on council, led by Heidlebaugh, had not held the vetting and vote in secret, breaking the Sunshine Laws, we could have gotten the right selection.

On top of above, Cold Sparks is working for both the Wagner campaign and the Peduto campaign. That means Krista, et al is taking money from Democrats which should also disqualify her. Should Cold Sparks continue to work for the winner, then Krista and her husband will have to resign from the Mr. Lebanon Republican Committee...

Update May 24, 2013 8:10 PM

 

"Laurel: To Sue Means. Fifth District Allegheny County voters rejected spoils-system politics when they elected the Bethel Park Republican to serve out the remaining term of departed County Councilman Vince Gastgeb. She defeated Republican Krista Harris, appointed to the seat on an interim basis as a reward for a relative's work on another pol's campaign. Here's to voters who rejected such a machination."

http://triblive.com/mobile/4040053-96/pittsburgh-sports-lance

Updated change orders for May UPDATED 2X

The agenda for tonight's school board meeting includes an additional change order.

*j. GC-43-93 to Nello for $580 for partition wall with recessed shower and plumbing in Buildings J and K,

I updated the list with number 96 being the additional change order.

Speaking of change orders, $75,000 for winterization costs is getting Dan Remely fired up. The Almanac (Saved in Google Docs) writes:

“I cannot believe the contractor did not include any winterization costs for a four-year project,” said board member Dan Remely. He requested more detailed information about the change order or that it be removed from the agenda for the May 20 school board meeting.

Well, Dan Remely, it is still on the agenda for tonight. So much for trying to get the change order totals on the district website, Dan. At the January 21, 2013 school board meeting, you said that "the blogs" just have numbers for change orders. I guess we still have to rely on "the blogs," Dan.

This email is being circulated by Remely's campaign manager:

All,

Please feel free to share with all of your friends. This is the truth not the misleading misconception that Dan Miller put out in his mailer.

Dawn


When a Democrat tells you he’s the “low tax” candidate, be suspicious.
Look at what he’s done, not at what he says.

FACT: During Dan Miller’s tenure as a Mt. Lebanon Commissioner, taxes rose 14% - without any State mandates - and he still thinks taxpayers are getting a “bargain.”

Dan Remely Stands on his Record

FACT: Dan Remely was instrumental in cutting the cost of high school renovations by half.

FACT: Dan Remely has worked tirelessly to maintain quality education at the lowest reasonable cost.

FACT: Dan Remely has helped hold down school costs and has only voted to raise taxes when absolutely necessary to pay for State required pension contributions, unfunded state mandates and much needed high school renovations

NOW, Who do you think will keep taxes lower?

Vote for Dan Remely, the responsible choice for State Representative, he's made the tough decisions!

If anyone votes for Dan Remely for any seat, you are seriously misguided. Watch Dan vote against the budget tonight. He should have started doing this seven years ago, not the eve of the Primary!

Update May 20, 2013 12:04 PM  Here is a 2009 document that details much of the early direction from the board on the cost of the project. The project is about where the board wanted it all along - at the borrowing limit - no matter what.  I don't see where Remely made any difference.

Update May 20, 2013 5:23 PM Agenda has been updated today, but I can't tell what has changed.

At least they got this right

Ouch! Read what the Trib has to say about Krista Harris.


Voters in Allegheny County Council's 5th District have an opportunity on Tuesday to use their franchise to right a political wrong.

When marginal Republican Vince Gastgeb of Bethel Park, a 13-year veteran, left the council in February to do Democrat Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald's bidding for the county Airport Authority, the GOP had the opportunity to name a replacement. It chose Krista Harris of Mt. Lebanon. Actually, she was a “chit choice” — a spoils appointment for the work of a political operative relative.

Voters in the district composed of Bethel Park, Bridgeville, Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair deserve better than such rank political spoilage. That's why they should vote for Sue Means, 61, of Bethel Park.

Mrs. Means is no stranger to conservative political circles. Trained as a nurse, she's long been engaged in politics — she's run, twice unsuccessfully, for the Pennsylvania General Assembly — and in community service in the South Hills. She's a good, engaged and decent person. And if you don't know her personally, you'll recognize the name of her family's business, Brookside Lumber.

Because there's no Democrat in the primary, the winner of the GOP primary on Tuesday will serve out the remaining two years of Mr. Gastgeb's term. Fifth District voters would serve their best interests (and that of the political process) by rejecting representation by proxy and voting for representation by Sue Means.

Read more: http://triblive.com/opinion/editorials/3999522-74/political-primary-sue#ixzz2TcC4XtmB

Final weekend before the Primary and Special Election

I was considering having another poll about the candidates, but since the Blogger poll gadget is so unreliable, I thought it would be better to allow readers to write about their choice of candidates.

If you attended the 42nd Pennsylvania House District candidates forum at the Bethel Municipal Building, or listened to the podcast on Lebo Citizens, who do you think made the best overall presentation?

George Brown - Libertarian
Dan Miller - Democrat
Dan Remely - Republican

If you want to sign your name, great. If you choose to remain anonymous, that is your right.

Who are you supporting in the Special Election? Just say why you are supporting your candidate without trashing any of the others. No negative comments. Who should win the Special Election?  

Care to comment about the County Council race between Krista Harris and Sue Means? I would like to hear some good, solid facts. No fluff. Who deserves our vote?

Finally, not much of a choice, but if you have something positive to say about the school board candidates, now is your chance. 

Don't forget to vote on Tuesday.

Legend...wait for it...ary UPDATED 2X

Last night, The Trib ran this editorial. Primary 2013: Remely in the 42nd The Trib writes:

But it is Dan Remely who, clearly, is the better choice and on a variety of levels.

The Trib has totally lost it. Clearly, Remely is the worst choice and on a variety of levels. How much did the good old boys pay the Trib for this one?  The classic line in that editorial is:

His engagement in the community is almost the stuff of legend.

THE STUFF OF LEGEND? How is this for engagement in the community? Side 1 Side 2 

Decide for yourself tonight at the Bethel Municipal Building, 5100 W. Library Road, near St. Valentine's.  The Candidates Forum will begin promptly at 7:00 PM.

Update May 16, 2013 7:03 AM The Trib's South Hills candidates for 42nd District seat want smaller House

Update May 16, 2013 9:30 AM The podcasts to last night's forum are available here.
http://lebocitizens.com/Lebo_Citizens/Podcasts/Podcasts.html

The Big Reveal

This is very confusing, but here it goes.  After the County Reassessment, our millage will decrease by 4.54 mills to 22.61 mills. But it is still a .42 millage increase.  No fund balance will be used.  Jan Klein will be setting aside funds that will not show up in the budget for appeals.  Asbury Heights and Concordia are the biggest appeals.

Larry Lebowitz commented on the outstanding grievance. The fund balance will be used if the grievance is awarded to union.

What I don't understand is how the municipality put this information in their agenda and shared it with residents on Friday, but the school board has to keep it under wraps.

The question remains about the gaming revenue. Still no final budget posted anywhere.

New Mills Final Budget

Estimated value of Community Assessment in 2013

Budget Reduction Concepts