YAY! 2nd page is included!

We're making some progress! The TWO page campaign financial report YTD ending 1/31/18 has been posted on the school district website here.

https://www.mtlsd.org/uploaded/District/Century_of_Excllence/Capital_Campaign_Financial_Rpt_013118.pdf

Thank you, Mike Riemer! One less Right To Know to file every month.

The following may be hazardous to your health

I keep bringing up the capital campaign and somehow it is always brought back to the issue of artificial turf. So let's look where we came from, if we dare...

For now, Josephine Posti's Center Court blog is still available on Blogger. You can read it here. If she does delete it, I have it archived here. Also from 2013 is my blog post [6.9%] 7.46% increase for Timmy

Picture this: a school board sitting in executive session making very, very difficult decisions.

Where do we cut? We've already trimmed the fat; now we're cutting muscle. How do we pay for the remainder of the high school renovation? Do we wait for a green light from Pursuant Ketchum? Should we cut librarians? Guidance counselors? Custodians? Do we eliminate the community service coordinator? Should we charge students to park? What about increasing student parking fees? Oh, this is so hard! Shall we charge an activity fee? We need to make cuts as far away from the student as possible. How about a $30 million fundraising campaign? No...a $15 million campaign! Uh...$6 million fundraising campaign? Yes! That's it! But we still have to figure out how we are going to pay for the rest of the project. We can't have a referendum. Let's float a bond! We'll wrap it. Use capitalized interest. Don't use any money from the General Fund. It will only be $18 a month more. No, that's not right. We'll say that it is like no increase at all. No...We'll say it will be like two large pizzas. Wait a minute. There is a grievance that we need to address. If we ignore that, maybe it will go away. For sure, we won't budget for it. Uh oh, there is something else. PSERS. Darn that Corbett! It is all his fault. What to do, what to do? Let's come up with an early bird contract for our superintendent! Let's give him the same lame goals as he had in 2012-13 and 2013-14! Even better - let's give him a 6.9% 7.46% increase to kick off the 2014 contract. Perfect! But we have to do this quietly, because it will never fly if it gets out. Now what about the rifle range, the weight room, tennis courts, and Mellon Field? It should add up. We have TERC Investigations.

Here it is, Folks. Dr. Timothy J. Steinhauer's 2014-2019 Contract 

The picture I painted above was before the school board directors okayed a transfer from the General Fund in the amount of $923,520.02 IT ALREADY HAD. Josephine Posti and Elaine Cappucci, both on the capital campaign cabinet, were telling us that they were going to cut librarians, charge students to park at the high school, RAISE student parking fees, charge activity fees, cut guidance counselors, blame Corbett for everything, eliminate the rifle range, nix repairing Mellon Field, trimmed the fat and now cutting into muscle, while extending Timmy's contract - against the recommendation of the auditor general and give him lucrative annual raises.

Josephine Posti has the audacity to question a $700 donation to a political campaign made by an individual who also supports the MLFE and donates his time to the community - both municipality and school district. Read the crap that the Century of Excellence Capital Campaign "Co"chair has been writing about for years. The same woman who was praying for me. The same woman who is angry that her friend Mary Birks, pulled the reset presentation before the election like it is the fault of Riemer, Strotmeyer, and Diamond. Josephine Posti wanted to make cuts as far away from the student as possible, while wasting almost a million dollars from the General Fund - and she is the one who is angry. Unbelievable.

$467,275.74+ later...

Mt. Lebanon School District has not released the Capital Campaign Financial Report ending 1/31/18. As of 12/31/17, Mt. Lebanon taxpayers have spent $467,275.74 on salaries, healthcare, and fringes on a position that Lebo Citizens have been saying is totally unnecessary since the beginning of the campaign.

The breakdown for the "Director of Advancement" since its inception, is as follows:

Salaries $355,830.65
Healthcare $61,493.20
Fringes $$49,951.89

Nick Meduho had been filing Right To Knows for all the receipts concerning this issue. He had to face many obstacles because the District was not willing to surrender this information without a fight.
He asked for the "reset" presentation when then school board president Mary Birks would reply with, "Nope." I saw Nick later that week and he was still upset over the capital campaign. Nick died ten days after that school board meeting. He died from hypertension. Since he never went to a doctor, his high blood pressure was left untreated. What a senseless death. I will never forget that meeting.

Now I see that Sloane Astorino's name is no longer listed on the Capital Campaign or the MLFE website. Sloane also drew a salary and benefits for heading the MLFE.  She vanished without a trace. Nothing is listed on Monday's school board agenda

Mt. Lebanon taxpayers deserve some answers. Come on, School Board Directors, do it for Nick.

Gee, I wonder why I didn't get this LeboALERT ;)

This is an important notice from LeboALERT.


Meet the Commissioner: An open forum with Craig Grella, 4th Ward, 1pm, Sunday, Feb 11, Mt. Lebanon Library. Get acquainted with your local elected official.

It has been FIVE MONTHS! UPDATED 02/09/18

I posted this FIVE months ago!

No wonder it's been in the Quiet Phase all these years! Holy Shit!

How much longer are we going to put up with this?

Update February 8, 2018 7:21 AM 

Total Revenue as of 7/31/17 $621,473.37
Total Revenue as of 12/31/17 $672,267.20
+$50,793.83
Total Expenditures as of 7/31/17 $756,791.06
Total Expenditures as of 12/31/17 $712,870.13
($43,920.93)

HOW CAN THIS BE?

Update February 9, 2018 4:35 PM Click on the link and watch what happens.

Mt. Lebanon School District: Advancement

https://www.mtlsd.org/page.cfm?p=1154

Sloane Astorino is the Director of Advancement for the Mt. Lebanon School District. Ms. Astorino oversees the Century of Excellence Campaign and is the Executive Director of the Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education.

Mt. Lebanon Catch 22 UPDATED 02/07/18 @ 2:35 PM

Remember this post? Another step in the right direction. Well forget it. I think it may be easier to share the emails.

First email
From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>

Sent: Thu, Jan 25, 2018 7:56 pm
Subject: Capital Campaign spreadsheet

School board directors,

Every month, my friend Nick Meduho would file a Right To Know for the two page Century of Excellence Capital Campaign spreadsheet. I would like to request the two pages for YTD 12/31/17 by emailing the Board, and moving forward, I am requesting that both pages are put on the Capital Campaign website instead of just the one page every month.

Thanks.

Elaine Gillen

Second request

From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Thu, Feb 1, 2018 12:25 pm
Subject: two page report

Dear School Board Directors,

I had sent an email requesting the two page Capital Campaign report for YTD 12/31/17, as well as the complete report be posted on the capital campaign website moving forward. Mike Riemer was kind enough to let me know that moving forward, the entire Capital Campaign reports will be published.

I would still like to receive the two page Capital Campaign report for YTD 12/31/17. Is Mike the only one who is permitted to share this report with me, or since it has been approved, can any of you email me that?

Thanks.

Elaine Gillen

Third request

From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Mon, Feb 5, 2018 5:31 pm
Subject: Page 2

School Board Directors,

This is what is on the Century of Excellence website. https://www.mtlsd.org/uploaded/District/Century_of_Excllence/Capital_Campaign_Summary_YTD_ending_12.31.2017.pdf This report has been available monthly as is.

One. Page.
In order to receive page 2, a Right To Know had to be filed.

I am asking, once again, for page 2. I understand that moving forward, the Capital Campaign Summary YTD ending 01.31.18 will include both pages, but I would like page 2 of what is presently on the website. I would have had this by now, had I filed a Right To Know. Once again, I have to wait a week or so until I hear from the school board president, because the policy mandates that only the president can answer me. This is ridiculous.

Elaine Gillen

Then from the board president

From: Michael Riemer <mriemer@mtlsd.net>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>; schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Mon, Feb 5, 2018 5:40 pm
Subject: Re: Page 2

Ms. Gillen,

I am in receipt of your previous email and have been addressing this to get the full information before I respond to your request. Also I have been under the weather the last two weeks. We will be addressing your email in due time.

Mike Riemer
For the Board

My response

From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: mriemer <mriemer@mtlsd.net>; schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Mon, Feb 5, 2018 6:21 pm
Subject: Re: Page 2

Mike,

I am sorry to hear that you have been under the weather the last two weeks. I know that you were unable to attend the last school board meeting. A lot of nasty stuff has been going around. Couldn't Sarah have supplied the information that I have been requesting? On my blog, I have been criticized for wasting tax dollars by filing RTKs, but it does take the pressure off of the president. Perhaps that is why past presidents have told us to file RTKs. By filing a RTK, I would usually get an answer in five days or less. I'm not sure what "in due time" means. I am only asking for one page that shouldn't require any redactions. Wasn't the second page populated a month ago?

Elaine Gillen

Response from the board president

From: Michael Riemer <mriemer@mtlsd.net>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>; schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Mon, Feb 5, 2018 8:21 pm
Subject: Re: Page 2

Ms. Gillen,

As per Mt. Lebanon School District Board Policy KDB, which is in alignment with Pennsylvanian right to know law we are required to log all public records requests. Please feel free to file a right to know on the subject matter at hand.

Thank you.

Mike Riemer
For the Board

SO I DID.

Update February 6, 2018 9:00 AM Mt. Lebanon School District Board Policy KDB is available for viewing here.
https://www.mtlsd.org/uploaded/District/School_Board/Policies/K-SchoolCommunityHomeRelations/KDB_Public_Records.pdf

Update February 6, 2018 10:30 I heard back from Jeanine, the Open Records Officer. Notice how the attorneys had to be cc'ed. Billable hours, my friends. Ridiculous. This was for the second page of a published document.

From: Jeanine Szalinski <jszalinski@mtlsd.net>
To: E.T. Gillen <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc: Thomas Peterson <TPeterson@tuckerlaw.com>; Voltz, Chris <cvoltz@tuckerlaw.com>; Dr. Timothy Steinhauer <TSteinhauer@mtlsd.net>; Michael Riemer <mriemer@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Tue, Feb 6, 2018 10:08 am
Subject: Right to Know Request

Dear Mrs. Gillen,

Thank you for writing to Mt. Lebanon School District with your request for information pursuant to the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law.

On February 6, 2018, we received your request seeking: Page 2 of The Capital Campaign Summary YTD 12/31/17 in pdf format.

Please find attached a response to your request and any responsive document.

Sincerely,

Jeanine Szalinski

Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent

Asst. Board Secretary/Open Records Officer

Mt. Lebanon School District

7 Horsman Drive

Pittsburgh PA  15228

412-344-2077

www.mtlsd.org 

I had to jump through hoops for PAGE 2:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17s_cNCEUdm-u19aIPBEl6IAX21SVqcfG/view?usp=sharing

Update February 7, 2018 2:35 PM For future reference, since the monthly reports disappear from viewing when the latest report is posted, here is the link to Page 1 for YTD 12.31.17. https://drive.google.com/file/d/114Hi9y_-d1fiYkTPr5WSDv1cW2iUXgO9/view?usp=sharing

Still investigating as of January 16, 2018

This was buried under my taxes. Sorry for the delay.

January 16, 2018

Re: 17-016

Section 1108(c) of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act requires that the Respondent and Complainant if applicable, be advised of the status of the investigation at least every 90 days until the investigation is terminated. The current status of the above referenced investigation is as noted below.

They are still investigating.

Mixed Messages

Long time readers of Lebo Citizens know that I have unsubscribed from the Post-Gazette because of Outdoor Editor John Hayes. Since Mt. Lebanon started their "sharpshooting" once again on February 1, I imagine that we will be seeing another unbiased "article" from Hayes, the PA Game Commission mouthpiece. What I don't understand, are the mixed messages from the PG.

This one appeared a couple of weeks ago. Food plots: How to create a winter wildlife buffet What? How to create a winter wildlife buffet? I'm confused.

This one scares me. Will our brilliant commissioners decide to go this route next year, when we end up paying $7,711 per deer to kill ten deer? The cost will certainly be lower! I wonder how many residents will "donate" their properties for this one. Survey suggests fire may be the only remedy for a deer-killing plague There is nothing in the "Gun Free School Zone Act" that says anything about fires. John Bendel, Steve McLean, Craig, Grella, and Steve Silverman - sound like a good idea to you? And what about you, Susan Morgans? You can continue to be "transparent enough" by publishing the hours to be listed as "late afternoon and evening," not mentioning that the hours really begin one half hour after elementary school children are dismissed.

The hours, for those who really want to know when the shooting begins on undisclosed private properties are 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM, seven days a week. On public properties, the shooting is from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

Best blogger?

Wouldn't it be fun if I won the "Best Blogger" category? A couple of people who come to mind wouldn't handle that very well.

www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Best-of-the-Burgh-Blogs/The-Best-Blog/February-2018/Nominate-the-Best-Pittsburgh-Magazines-2018-Readers-Poll/

Saw this on Facebook this morning. No gift subscriptions needed for Lebo Citizens; also available at no cost to taxpayers.

Timmy warns parents. Again. And again.

Keystone Oaks had a problem with the indoor rifle range being so close to Myrtle Avenue School, so Mt. Lebanon was forced to move the rifle range to Public Works. Here in Mt. Lebanon, our School District encourages parents to keep their kids on sidewalks and safe walking routes and avoid shortcuts through private properties starting Wednesday, February 1 through March 31, 2018. Killing starts at 4 PM on undisclosed private properties (during after school activities) and 6 PM at posted public properties including the Golf Course.

You might want to consider avoid sled riding at the Golf Course to avoid a "teaching moment*" for your kids.

Here is the letter from our head "teaching moment" professional, Mt. Lebanon's overpaid superintendent, who will be receiving a 6% increase this July. I hope all private schools and neighboring school districts have also been notified since we have lower standards for high powered rifles in our community. And it is PA Courts Approved!

From: Dr. Timothy Steinhauer [mailto:noreply@mtlsd.net]
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2018 1:28 PM
To: Mt. Lebanon School District Families
Subject: Updated Deer Management Information

Dear Mt. Lebanon School District Families,

In our ongoing effort to keep you apprised of local issues, I am sending you information that I received from the Mt. Lebanon Municipality concerning the upcoming cull beginning on February 1 through March 31 of 2018.  I have attached a letter from Assistant Municipal Manger Ian McMeans with details about the program and a link to more extensive information on the Municipal website at http://www.mtlebanon.org/2114/Deer-Management-Information. This same information is also being shared with all of our principals, teachers, and support staff. Please do not hesitate to contact the Mt. Lebanon Municipality or Mt. Lebanon Police Department should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Timothy J. Steinhauer, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Letter from Municipality 0118.pdf**

*White Buffalo's Jody Maddock, August 15, 2014, considers children witnessing a deer being killed as a teaching moment. See How about this teachable moment?

**Same absurd suggestion from our municipality as last year. See Shooting starts Feb. 1- March 31, 2017.

Another step in the right direction.

From: Michael Riemer <mriemer@mtlsd.net>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc: schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Mon, Jan 29, 2018 5:02 pm
Subject: Re: Capital Campaign spreadsheet

Ms. Gillen,

I have spoken with Dr. Steinhauer concerning this matter and moving forward all pieces of the Capital Campaign financial documents will be posted to the website. 

Thank you, 

Mike Riemer 

For the Board 

On Thu, Jan 25, 2018 at 7:56 PM, 'egillen476@aol.com' via SchoolBoard <schoolboardemaillist@mtlsd.net> wrote:

School board directors,

Every month, my friend Nick Meduho would file a Right To Know for the two page Century of Excellence Capital Campaign spreadsheet. I would like to request the two pages for YTD 12/31/17 by emailing the Board, and moving forward, I am requesting that both pages are put on the Capital Campaign website instead of just the one page every month.

Thanks.

Elaine Gillen

Gulp. UPDATED at 3:40 PM

I just posted this comment, only to receive the letter that Timmy sent out this morning.

What I found more disturbing is how Mt. Lebanon ranks in the safest schools categories. #13 in safest schools in Allegheny County does not warm my heart. https://www.niche.com/k12/search/safest-school-districts/c/allegheny-county-pa/ Why are we looking at overnight parking?

Here is the letter that was sent to parents this morning.

From: Dr. Timothy Steinhauer <noreply@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2018 10:40 AM
To: Mt. Lebanon Parents
Subject: Important Message from Mt. Lebanon School District

Dear Mt. Lebanon Parents,

As you may be aware from media reports this morning, a threat against an unnamed Pittsburgh area school is being investigated by federal authorities and the Pittsburgh Police.

We have been in contact with the Mt. Lebanon Police Department early this morning, and they have confirmed that there is no known specific threat against the Mt. Lebanon School District.

In an abundance of caution, the Mt. Lebanon Police will have an increased presence in and around our buildings. We are carefully monitoring our school buildings and grounds. All staff are on alert to look for and immediately report anything unusual or suspicious.

Again, there is no known specific threat to the Mt. Lebanon School District.  Maintaining a safe school environment for our students and staff  is our highest priority.

I want you to know that we take all threats seriously and we are monitoring this situation very carefully. If other pertinent information becomes available, I will be sure to communicate it to you.

Sincerely,

Timothy J. Steinhauer, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Update January 29, 2018 3:40 PM 

From: Jeanine Szalinski <jszalinski@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2018 2:53 PM
To: Mt. Lebanon Parents
Subject: *Update on Important Message from School District*

 

Dear Mt. Lebanon Parents,

We were just informed that the reported threat of violence at a “Pittsburgh” school was a hoax that originated in Florida. While we are grateful that this incident turned out to be a hoax, it reminds us of the value of remaining alert and taking these types of threats seriously.

Please help us by reporting any information that could impact the safety or welfare of our students or staff immediately to the Mt. Lebanon Police Department (9-1-1), your child’s principal, or to me.

Sincerely,


Timothy J. Steinhauer, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

If Pittsburgh is anything like Mt. Lebanon, they will laugh in the face of the PA Office of Open Records

Pittsburgh Tried to Hide Its Amazon Proposal by Claiming It Was a "Trade Secret"

Here is the Final Determination from the PA Office of Open Records

http://www.openrecords.pa.gov/Documents/FinalDet/31530.pdf

Fortunately, Pittsburgh's claim was laughed out of the state's Office of Open Records yesterday. The city now has 30 days to turn over a copy of the proposal to Paul Van Osdol, a journalist at the Pittsburgh-based WTAE-TV.

Mt. Lebanon's claim that property was donated for the use of killing deer was laughed out of the state's Office of Open Records too. They said that no land ownership was donated and that the private property owners only granted access.


Kyle Applegate, Esq. was the appeals officer for my appeal too. He ruled in my favor, as well. WTAE, you didn't win the battle. If the City of Pittsburgh is anything like Mt. Lebanon, they will appeal to the Court of Common Pleas. Then it can go to Commonwealth Court and then heard in PA Supreme Court, if they will take the case. By then, Amazon will have chosen their site for HQ2.

Osdol submitted the initial requests for the proposal way back on October 19, shortly after Amazon published a list of locales that submitted bids for the headquarters. Under state law, public entities have five business days to respond to a request, but they can give themselves a 30-day extension for a variety of reasons. In this case, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County waited until November 27 to respond. By the time an appeal to the denial was filed, it was already December 1. The city and county dragged out that appeal for another month.

By the time the 30-day deadline to turn over the proposal to Osdol is over, it's possible Amazon will have made its decision. In the meantime, the public will have been kept in the dark about what Pittsburgh was willing to offer Amazon during a crucial four-month period when public opposition might have sunk the deal.

It may not be a trade secret under Pennsylvania state law, but crony capitalism is certainly a trade full of secrets.

How the commissioners are funding their increase

Mt. Lebanon studying changes in overnight street parking

Revised Block Party Status by Street

Spoiler Alert!

Sleepy Hollow is still not permitted to have block parties. (See Another Unexpected Visitor)

The latest list has been posted on the municipal website today.  Mt. Lebanon Roadways - Block Party Status