Recreation in Mt. Lebanon

There has been much discussion about recreation proposals in Mt. Lebanon. We heard from the YSA and their desire for artificial turf for Wildcat and Middle Fields. James Cannon III presented an alternate proposal for natural grass called Keeping it Real, The truth behind artificial surfaces in Mt. Lebanon.  Both presentations are available on the municipal website here.  Ward 5 Commissioner Kelly Fraasch has been working on a proposal for months and it has now been posted on her blog. A number of us received this email from Kelly.

Hello,  

I have been preparing a comprehensive proposal for months to present to the Commission regarding our recreation needs.  

Each of you have either taken the time to discuss Mt Lebanon’s Recreation issues or have been kind enough to help contribute to this proposal. 

I distributed a draft of this proposal to the Commissioners at the last meeting and have received numerous requests from residents to see what the presentation involves. 

After a conversation with our Commission President, I thought it would be time to have the proposal “go public” rather than waiting till I present on August 14^th.  

Please see the attached link to my blog and find the presentation available for review. 

www.kellyfraasch.com/blog  

Thank you again for your interest in this important topic for Mt Lebanon.  

Kelly

Please take the time to look at Kelly's presentation.  If you have questions about Commissioner Fraasch's proposal, you can email her at kfraasch@mtlebanon.org. If you care to comment on her plan here, please sign your comment with your real name. Thanks to all.   

A closer look at the JMA, YSA, MTL, MTLSD, MTLH, MLAC, TBDC,and any other letters of the alphabet

Fascinating information is pouring in about these groups. I received this link from the July/August 2002 issue of mtl Magazine.  See pages 30 and 31 about fields and YSA. http://ebooks.mtlebanon.org/mtl/mtl-072002/files/31.html  There was talk about turfing Jefferson from the time Smartchan was superintendent ten years ago.  The JMA earned the PASBO (PA Association of School Board Officials) award of achievement, but it doesn't look like PASBO ever reviewed the 990 forms.  According to the article, drainage was already rectified. Lots of interesting information, including The Blue Devil Club and Marcia Taylor's involvement.

I also received more 990's. The Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club does a fiscal year, only their fiscal year is from 1 September to 31 August of the following year. Here are their 990's.
Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club 2008 990
Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club 2009 990
Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club 2010 990

The Mt. Lebanon Hockey Association also reports on a fiscal year basis starting 1 May and ending 30 April the following year. Here are their 990's.
Mt. Lebanon Hockey Association 2009 990
Mt. Lebanon Hockey Association 2010 990
Mt. Lebanon Hockey Association 2011 990

I'm intrigued with all these non-profit groups in Mt. Lebanon - especially the field sports groups.  No one group has $200,000 to contribute towards this scheme to carpet and light Wildcat/Middle fields.  The Soccer Association comes close, with net assets of $179,687 - and MLAC has $131,592.  YSA certainly can't come up with the $200K by themselves - they only have a net worth of $31,918!  They must be counting on contributions from other field sports groups to bring $200,000 to the table.

Another Country Heard From UPDATED

By now, you have received your 2012 letter from The Blue Devil Club. I am glad to see that they took some time to draft a new letter.  It is interesting to compare this year's to last year's letter. The 2011 letter "pitched":

• However, this continued success is even more impressive when you consider that our student-athletes also maintained a collective QPA in excess of 3.25!

• Over 91% of the total funds raised by and through the Blue Devil Club are spent specifically on the student-athletes.

 I hope it was an oversight, but those two statements would be worth repeating if they were true this year. In light of the Joint Maintenance Agreement, sports groups' 990's and the YSA, perhaps over 91% of the total funds were not spent on the "student-athletes." The 2011 letter also mentioned that:

ln the past, the funds were spent to upgrade athletic facilities and/or equipment, assist the Club‘s member sport teams meet temporary shortfalls in their ability to raise the funds necessary to meet annual expenditures, and to provide the “extra things” that help give our student-athletes a first class experience that they will never forget!

What annual expenditures? The YSA's inability to contribute $30,000 a year to maintain School District fields? Zero dollars are spent on Municipal fields. Yet, in the YSA's own words, the best baseball fields are Middle and Wildcat which happen to be Municipal fields. When will the Mt. Lebanon Scholastic Athletic Association, a.k.a. The Blue Devil Club, which includes the following varsity sports: baseball, boys' and girls' basketball, cheerleading, football, boys' and girls' soccer, fast pitch softball, boys' and girls' tennis, softball, volleyball and wrestling start contributing to the municipality for the use of their facilities? Why must the 78% of the households who do not have children in school be expected to fund this organization? Levels of support range from an individual or family membership ($25) to Blue Devil Champion ($1000 or more).

Update July 31, 2012 11:15 PM
Blue Devil Club 2009 990
Blue Devil Club 2010 990
Blue Devil Club 2011 990

Twenty MTLSD administrators received salary increases

Remember how the school board directors agonized over the cost reductions totaling approximately $850,000? They were able to reduce costs by charging students for parking at $50 per student, eliminating six part time library clerks and one custodian, eliminating the teacher applicant software, and more.

It turns out that twenty Mt. Lebanon School District administrators received salary increases for the 2012-2013 school year averaging three percent. Here is the breakdown:

• Deb Allen, assistant superintendent and top earner, went from $133,136 to $135,693.
• Ron Davis, assistant superintendent, went from $117,853 to $121,671
• Jan Klein, finance director, went from $124,451 to $133,054

In today's PG, Molly Born was able to clarify the technicality concerning Jan Klein's salary adjustment in Mt. Lebanon school officials given raises.

"She would not have been able to achieve her 3 percent raise for meeting expectations because she was at the top of her salary scale," Ms. Posti said.

Upper St. Clair's finance director declined a payraise. We take care of our finance director here in Lebo.

The increases were based on evaluations; 1.5% increase if approaching expectations, 3% increase for those who met expectations, and 4.5% increase for those who far exceeded expectations. 1.5% for those who approached expectations??? Does that mean "Close enough?" Are we playing horseshoes?

What about Dr. Steinhauer and his increase?

The board will approve superintendent Tim Steinhauer's salary sometime in the coming months. For the 2011-12 fiscal year, he earned $151,420 -- an increase of 3.5 percent from the previous year.

Dr. Steinhauer eliminated the supervisors, but has created "Dean of Students." I don't know how much of a savings there is with this new position, but I am sure that the board will be giving Dr. Steinhauer a 4.5 percent increase since he is doing a bang up job. Remember the super Super from  USC who requested a pay freeze? Not here. We charge students for parking, so that our administrators can get their raises. Only in Mt. Lebanon.

From one of the Field Boys

Last week, I emailed the entire commission with the following:

Dave,I would like to see Matt Kluck have more than five minutes to discuss turf. The YSA presentation ran over thirty minutes, even though fifteen
minutes was allocated to the YSA on the June 25 agenda. I hope you do
the right thing and let the discussion resume after the commission
meeting. Elaine Gillen

I received no response. During the Citizens Comments portion of Monday's meeting, I spoke of backwater valves, flooding on Cedar Blvd, asked who sets the agenda, why the YSA proposal was removed from the municipal website, and I would like to see any presentations down the pike posted. It is in the podcast, the first five minutes of the meeting.

Last night, I sent this email to the entire commission:

Commissioners, 

I just approved this comment from Dave Franklin (Lebo Fields): "I recently received a copy of a proposal being circulated by one of
our commissioners about a comprehensive Rec proposal. It covers every
major Rec asset from the tennis courts to the golf course to the pool
to the ice rink to new fields. It touches everything and at a
significant price. I fully support a large portion of this proposal,
but I'm worried that when she presents it you're all going to
Commisionet Fraasch her to move. Really?" My opinion of this Commission is now at an all time low. I am guessing
that Mr. Brumfield is the commissioner who is circulating a proposal.
Dave, are you responsible for keeping Jim Cannon's presentation off of
the municipal website? Elaine Gillen

This morning, I was greeted with this response from Dave Brumfield.

Ms. Gillen,
After having been at work all day, then coaching, attending a board meeting and finally getting home I saw this email.  It is readily apparent that you have no regard for facts when it comes to your blog, email and citizen's comments allegations.  In the last week you have accused me of preventing Mr. Cannon from getting his fair time.  But if you had asked me or Matt Kluck you would know that I had already agreed with Matt that if Mr. Cannon's presentation could fit in regular discussion we would otherwise it would be done after our regular meeting.   Since we had a full agenda from Gateway we were trying to squeeze it in but did not want to take away from Gateway's alotted time so we entered the presentation with 5 minutes as a place holder.
Next you accuse me of circulating Kelly's rec proposal to Dave Franklin.  I would have thought that in one of your conversations with Kelly you would have asked how long Kelly has been circulating her plan to key members of the public to drum up support.  The fact is I have not even had time to open the attachment with the proposal since Kelly sent it to me Monday night.
Then you think I am keeping Mr. Cannon's presentation off the website.  It was actually staff's opinion that it should be kept off.  When asked I told staff that as long as there were no copyright concerns, as some of Mr. Cannon's material was previously published, to put it up.
I would hope that this situation serves as a cautionary tale to keep you from using accusations and insults as your first line of inquiry.  I have replied only to you Kelly and Matt so that you can see I am not trying to embarrass you.  But so that you also know that I am serious about how easily you could have confirmed any of this.  I realize that this may be a somewhat terse email but at this time of night after all of this it is the best I could do.
Dave

First of all, I am not embarrassed by any of this.  It is public information, so I am sharing it with my readers as well as any commissioner who happens to read my blog. One reason why I am posting this is to show that Staff is running the store in Mt. Lebanon, not the commissioners. I would be embarrassed of that, Dave. Second, you never responded to my email about doing the right thing. As it turns out, you did the right thing and permitted the Matt Kluck turf information presentation to be given in the second part of the Discussion Session. By not responding to my email, I would be embarrassed, Dave. Third, I was respectful during my comments at Monday's meeting. Listen to the podcast. To say that I was using accusations and insults should be embarrassing for you, Dave. Fourth, your constant interruptions during Mr. Cannon's PowerPoint was embarrassing.  For you. It showed your true colors. And finally, to say that I have no regard for facts, is humorous, to say the least. I have promoted Lebo Fields, the blog by the other Field Boy, Dave Franklin, several times on my blog. I presented both forms of the YSA proposal and even had a poll which has not been removed to see what kind of support you had in the community with your plan. You can't say that I have kept anything from the public. I also discovered that to find the YSA proposal on the municipal website, one must use the muni website search widget using the keyword, "YSA."  

As of 11:43 AM, the turf information presentation is still not on the municipal website, a website that is funded by you and me. My website and blog, funded by me, shows both sides. So who should be embarrassed, Dave? 

Elaine Gillen 

Keeping It Real

At tonight's Discussion Session, two items were removed from the agenda because they were added prematurely and needed to be discussed and reviewed. These were Items 1 and 4a. Discussion Session Agenda for July 23, 2012 Item number 5 (Matt Kluck Turf Information) was given additional time and was presented by James Cannon III when the Discussion Session reconvened after the regular meeting.

"Keeping It Real...The truth behind artificial surfaces in Mt. Lebanon" is a response to the artificial turf proposal and can be found here. This 32 page presentation will be available on the municipal website. The podcast is available here and runs just over thirty minutes. It would have been less, but Dave Brumfield kept interrupting James, almost to the point of arguing with him until Matt Kluck stepped in by asking James to continue and to save questions for the end.

For Immediate Release from Susan Morgans, PIO

Contact: Susan Morgans, PIO
412-343-3780FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sewage to be billed separately from water starting in September
MT. LEBANON—For more than a decade, Mt. Lebanon residents have been paying for their water and sanitary sewer usage together in one bill sent from Pennsylvania American Water Co. But starting this fall, the water company will discontinue billing for sewage nationwide.
Beginning September 1, Mt. Lebanon residents will receive their sewage bills from Jordan Tax Service. It is critical to note this is not a new fee; the water bill will decrease by the amount of the sewage bill and the sewage bill will instead come monthly from Jordan. It will continue to follow the formula set by the municipality and ALCOSAN based on household water consumption. Residents should also not confuse this bill with the storm water bill sent quarterly from Jordan. That fee also will be unchanged.
"It wasn’t a choice," says Assistant Municipal Manager/Finance Director Marcia Taylor. "Pennsylvania American notified us late last fall that they would be changing it and gave us a drop dead date." Mt. Lebanon evaluated collecting the fee in-house in conjunction with other municipalities but it was too expensive and the turnaround time was too tight for it to be feasible. "We will continue to investigate that option."
In addition to mailing the bill to Jordan, residents may pay the sewage bill in person during normal business hours at the Customer Service Center in the Municipal Building, 710 Washington Road. By October, Jordan hopes to provide electronic billing options.

http://mtlebanon.org/DocumentCenter/View/8971

"Ah! Those ever so enduring, immortal, low-maintenance and indestructible plastic fields!"

http://www.synturf.org/maintenancereplacement.html Lots to read, but here is just one example of an unhappy customer. "Flooding" caught my eye. Proponents to artificial turf would probably say that the type shown in the photo is not what is being considered.  Even so, when Cedar Blvd. floods again, all those little pellets (infill) are going to float away. School District, check out No. 76...

[No. 77] Ridgewood, New Jersey: Costly face job on artificial turf field. This is the story that keeps on giving – first the flooding, then the clean up, and now a wrinkle removal procedure for the artificial turf field that got shriveled in the face of heavy rains that reminded everyone why some places are called flood pain and not very suitable for a million-dollar artificial turf installation. For previous posts on the plight of Ridgewood, see http://www.synturf.org/waterdamage.html (Items No. 14 and 15). According to the news report in The Ridgewood News (April 27, 2011), “The final repair of the wrinkles left on new turf installed on Ridgewood High School's (RHS) Stadium Field after flooding this month [April 16] cost the school district about $21,000, Superintendent Daniel Fishbein disclosed at a Board of Education (BOE) meeting Monday night.” Fishbein stated that the cleanup was being conducted by the district's contracted custodial company, "so there's no additional costs." “However, when The Ridgewood News questioned Fishbein during the public comment portion of the [Board of Education] meeting about the cost of hiring an outside company, LandTek, to repair the turf wrinkles, the superintendent reported that the field repair in fact cost about $21,000. "I'm sorry. There was a cost for LandTek. I neglected to say that," he said, adding that he considered the repair of the wrinkles a "correction" and not a "clean-up" cost. For more, please go to Kelly Ebbels, “Ridgewood turf field's 'wrinkle release' costs $21,000,” in The Ridgewood News, April 27, 2011, available at http://www.northjersey.com/news/120734824_Ridgewood_turf_field_s__wrinkle_release__costs__21_000.html . Go to the site for a picture of the wrinkled field.

Houston, we have a problem UPDATED

It seems as though President Brumfield is only allowing Matt Kluck five minutes to speak about turf. Here is the agenda for Monday's Discussion Session. Yet when the deadbeat YSA gave its presentation, they were allowed three times that. June 25, 2012 Discussion Session Agenda Mr. Brumfield, care to explain the difference? Or are you going to continue the discussion after the regular meeting is over? I hope whatever Mr. Kluck is presenting will be posted on the municipal website, just as the YSA was able to have its proposal published.

Update July 21, 2012 PM 1:19 PM
The link to the YSA Proposal podcast is here.  It starts at 13:00 minutes and ends at 43:37 minutes.  In my pea brain and never one for math, it appears that the YSA spoke for 30:37 minutes. Why does Matt only get five minutes?  This place is so corrupt.

What? Not everyone wants artificial turf?

I almost missed this.  Thanks to the reader who alerted me to this article in the Almanac. ML residents oppose turfing fields (Saved in Google Docs) I was at the meeting when Ann Stanton passed out photographs of the horrendous traffic congestion on Cedar Blvd. I am willing to post those photos, Ann. Not only do people park illegally on Cedar Blvd. and Cedar Lane, but kids are dropped off on Cedar and run across the street. It is an accident waiting to happen. So let's "add more slots" by adding artificial turf which, in turn, will increase traffic congestion and create more parking issues. Since the artificial turf will permit more games played after rain storms, where will the cars park when Cedar is flooded?

Monday's meetings should be interesting.  Maybe YSA will present their check during the commission meeting public comments, so that they may clear their name of past debts.  Only then should they pick apart Matt Kluck's turf information which will be given during the discussion session.

Latest LeboALERT and Poor Field Conditions UPDATED

This is an important notice from LeboALERT.

 Due to inclement weather & poor field conditions, Lil Sluggers is cancelled today (7/20).


If we had artificial turf, we still wouldn't have Lil Sluggers due to the heavy rain and thunderstorms.


Over on Lebo Fields, Dave Franklin put up a video from Penn State in his latest post, The Facts About Injuries and Turf.  Dave provides an excellent link to Penn State's studies. I found the following information.  http://plantscience.psu.edu/research/centers/ssrc/news/2011/from-the-field-december-2010

So what do these studies tell us? Based on the results of the available research, the notion that athletes are at a greater risk of suffering injury when playing on synthetic turf is not valid, if they are playing on infilled synthetic turf. It is important to look at these studies collectively, as a whole, and not cherry pick the data from one part of one study. The fact of the matter is that while these studies are the best way to track injuries occurring on various surfaces, all research suffers from inherent limitations. For example, it is sometimes difficult to determine whether the surface contributed to an injury. Additionally, lumping all natural grass fields into one category is problematic, as the condition of grass fields can greatly vary. Surely, a hard, compacted field with little turf cover has a greater potential to cause an injury than a finely manicured field. This is true for infilled synthetic turf as well. The age, type, and maintenance of the surface can affect the playing quality. Nevertheless, when looked at collectively, the take away message from the available research is that the rate of injury on natural grass and infilled synthetic turf is comparable. 

OK, so artificial turf adds zero slots to playing time during thunderstorms. Injury rate is comparable to both natural grass and infilled synthetic turf. What about costs?  Surely artificial turf is cheaper according to the YSA. Well, according to the same Penn State link, their studies say no.  Resources

The general conclusions listed under Natural turf or synthetic turf: The numbers game:

• Synthetic infill systems can handle up to six times more traffic than natural turf fields in high-use situations
• Synthetic infill systems are less expensive to construct and maintain than sand-based fields; but they are much more expensive than soil-based fields.
• An existing sand-based field will be less expensive to maintain over a period of 10 years, than constructing and maintaining a new synthetic field that will need to be replaced at the end of that period.
• Existing soil-based fields are the least expensive of all to establish and maintain.

This and the lack of documentation from the School District showing YSA's payments make me question why the Municipality considered the YSA worthy of linking their proposal.  I see that it has since been removed.

Update: Friday, July 20, 2012 3:09 PM An important seminar for the YSA:

	501(c)(3) Status: Keeping it Legal with the IRS
	This full day workshop hosted by the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management and presented by IRS Exempt Organizations specialists, explains what 501(c)(3) organizations must do to keep their tax-exempt status. Topics covered will include: Tax-exempt status Unrelated business income Employement issues Form 990 series Required disclosures Fee is $50 and includes lunch. This session will take place at the Robert Morris University Holiday Inn at 8256 University Blvd. Moon Township, PA 15108 on Tuesday, September 11 from 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.For more information go to www.stayexempt.org. Pre-registration is required. Register online or by calling Shelby Gracey at 412-397-6000.

With mixed emotions...

I filed a Right To Know for the list of tax liens for 2011 on Monday evening. My RTK was granted this morning. Josephine Posti sounded giddy during Monday's meeting when she singled out the media to say that this list will be available to publish. I apologize in advance if this causes any heartache for those individuals who can't afford to pay their taxes and have filed bankruptcy. My heart goes out to you. The taxes here are outrageous and it is a struggle to pay them.  I do see a familiar name who was endorsed by the Mt. Lebanon Republican Committee, instead of me.  For that reason, I am publishing this list.

2011 liened properties

Tim Steinhauer, Tom Peterson, and Jan Klein were cc'ed on the email.  I never saw a RTK granted so quickly.

Someone is lying. UPDATED

A little history...June 7, I posted this thread, NSF YSA Makes The Trib!

Then-school Superintendent John Allison dismissed the amount owed in 2008 because of the group's insufficient funds;

June 20, 2012, this appeared on Lebo Citizens. Another hole in Jan's story - Updated 2x - 990's added - Trib's correction This sums up the thread:

For the record, I never did see the statements from Jan Klein that Chip Dalesandro was referring to in the post, I had a visitor today...  How could George Wilson dismiss the amount owed when he wasn't even the superintendent? Who dismissed it? The School Board at that time? Or was it Jan Klein?

On June 20, 2012, I filed two Right To Know requests with the School District. I heard from Mrs. Szalinski on June 26 with this response and this response, both requiring extensions up to thirty days.

That brings us up to today. I heard from Mrs. Szalinski by email. Dr. Tim Steinhauer, Thomas Peterson, and Gavin Robb were cc'ed. Peterson and Robb are with Tucker Arensberg. I don't understand why two attorneys would have been involved. Double legal fees?

Here are the responses.

On June 20, 2012, you requested any and all communication regarding the dismissal/forgiveness/release/waiver of funds owed by the Youth Sports Alliance for the years 1998-present by any superintendent, financial director, school board director, or YSA member. Please be advised that the District is not in possession of any records responsive to your request. Official response

On June 20, 2012, you requested any and all communication between Jan Klein and Chip Dalesandro regarding the YSA payment schedule and funds received. Please be advised that the District is not in possession of any records responsive to your request. Official response

So no records of ANYONE dismissing YSA fees in 2008 or ANYTIME. No copies of records that Chip has in his possession from Jan Klein accounting for all of YSA's payments. Where are the records? If there is nothing, why were two attorneys involved? Why the extensions?

Update: July 20, 2012 3:10 PM An important seminar for the YSA:

501(c)(3) Status: Keeping it Legal with the IRS
	This full day workshop hosted by the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management and presented by IRS Exempt Organizations specialists, explains what 501(c)(3) organizations must do to keep their tax-exempt status. Topics covered will include: Tax-exempt status Unrelated business income Employement issues Form 990 series Required disclosures Fee is $50 and includes lunch. This session will take place at the Robert Morris University Holiday Inn at 8256 University Blvd. Moon Township, PA 15108 on Tuesday, September 11 from 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.For more information go to www.stayexempt.org. Pre-registration is required. Register online or by calling Shelby Gracey at 412-397-6000.

What exactly happened at the school board meeting?

I have had a couple of emails asking about David Huston's comment at last night's school board meeting. Here is part of one email exchange.

Could you (or if you'd prefer, feel free to forward this to Mr. Huston) explain, in simple terms, the Sunshine Act and how it applied to the meeting last night from your perspective? Thank you so much!

 My response:

Thank you for contacting me through the blog. I have copied David Huston on this email. Do you know that the podcast is available here? http://www.lebocitizens.com/Lebo_Citizens/Podcasts/Entries/2012/7/16_School_Board_Discussion_Business_Meeting.html

For information on the Sunshine Act, I have this link on the website as well. http://www.elc-pa.org/pubs/downloads%202009/GettingInformationAboutYourSchool6-09.pdf under http://www.lebocitizens.com/Lebo_Citizens/Right_to_Know.html 

I found this website too that might be helpful. http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Pennsylvania_Sunshine_Act 

Here is what I see as the issue about having the meetings combined. The first meeting in the month is when there is discussion about an agenda item. The school board is very tight lipped about their agenda items. These issues were introduced (briefly) and then voted upon all in one motion. David is absolutely correct in what he said.

David Huston explained it much better.  Here is what he wrote:

I wish more people tried to find out what is going on. I could sit here and type many hours all about the Sunshine Act, but for now I will attempt to clarify what I said last night.

Our lawmakers crafted the Sunshine Act specifically to allow folks to not only see government function but also to allow and encourage public participation. It's why we go to government meetings, and gets to the very reason America its allegiance with Great Britain. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the oldest civilized government on the North American continent, with the Pennsylvania State Constitution the first contract with its citizenry.

From the Sunshine Act, 65 Pa.C.S.A. Section 702:
The General Assembly finds that the right of the public to be present at all meetings of agencies and to witness the deliberation, policy formulation and decisionmaking of agencies is vital to the enhancement and proper functioning of the democratic process and that secrecy in public affairs undermines the faith of the public in government and the public's effectiveness in fulfilling its role in a democratic society.

It is truly a shame the Sunshine Act is not adhered to or enforced the way its authors intended.

Much more information is available at:
http://www.pafoic.org/

Typically the School Board has two open meetings a month. One is the Discussion meeting, and the second one is the Business meeting. This month we had a "Combined" meeting. I do not think it is possible to have a combined meeting. You can only have one meeting, then another; but never two combined into one.
So, we either:
1) Skipped the Discussion meeting this month and only have a Business meeting
  -- This is what I think actually happened
or
2) Go along with what Posti and the agenda stated and have both meetings at the same time.
  --It is not possible for this to happen, but it is my premise for the Sunshine Act violation

Here is the part of the Sunshine Act our School District violated last night:
65 Pa.C.S.A. Section 708 (6)(b) Procedure. The executive session may be held during an open meeting, at the conclusion of an open meeting, or may be announced for a future time. The reason for holding the executive session must be announced at the open meeting occurring immediately prior or subsequent to the executive session.

The District, according to both the agenda and Posti, held both the Discussion meeting and the Business meeting at the same time. The open meeting occurring immediately subsequent to the executive session was the Discussion meeting. The District started the second open meeting, the Business meeting, without announcing the reason for the executive session during the Discussion meeting. The District did not announce the reason for holding the executive session at the open meeting occurring immediately subsequent to the executive session.

I am not a lawyer, but I know when the District is violating the Sunshine Act.

David Huston

I am aware that some school districts may eliminate some summer meetings, but to me, that is not an excuse. Historically, the summer is when things get slipped in here in Mt. Lebanon. If you listen to Josephine Posti, she was encouraging the media to request the list of liened properties for the 2011 tax year. I filed a RTK but I have mixed emotions about publishing it, if or when I get my RTK granted. This is not transparency in my mind.  How many of the liened properties are due to bankruptcy? Josephine seemed delighted to publish the list. How about sharing the salaries? How much did Timmy get? Or Jan?  What exactly was the technicality regarding Jan's salary? How about some transparency there, School Board? To sound excited over people's hardships sounds a little twisted to me. I know that I may be sounding hypocritical since I wanted to publish the scofflaws, but I think this is different.  

Act 93 Administrative Agreement removed from agenda

Thanks to David Huston, the podcasts to tonight's meetings are now available. Josephine Posti announced that an agenda item was removed -

Act 93 Administrative Agreement – The Board will be asked to consider an Act 93 agreement with the District’s administrators.
Act 93 Administrative Agreement: RESOLVED, That the Board approves the Act 93 Administrative Pay for Performance Plan as presented effective July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2017.

Does that mean that there is no agreement for Jan Klein? Steve Scheurer?

The following action item was only an adjustment to Mrs. Klein's annual salary, or a technical amendment or revision as explained by Scott Goldman:

Revision to 2012-2013 Administrative Salaries – The Board will be asked to approve a revised list of salary adjustments for administrators previously approved by the Board.
Revision to 2012-2013 Administrative Salaries: RESOLVED, That the Board approves the revised 2012-2013 list of annual salary adjustments for administrators effective July 1, 2012.

At the last meeting, Scott Goldman had not voted to approve the administrative raises, but since tonight was a technical amendment, the vote was unanimous. I wish the Board would have just come out to explain what the technical amendment was.