posted by Mike Madison at 6:31 PM /
Four newly-elected members of the Mt. Lebanon School Board participated in the annual organizational meeting of the Board last Monday. On a nine-member Board, even if the four vote as a group they can't make changes on their own. But it was interesting to see what happened nonetheless.
On the elevation of incumbent Joe Rodella from vice president of the Board to president: 6-3 in favor, with newcomers Hart, Remely, and Silhol dissenting, and newcomer Posti voting in favor.
On the retention of solicitor Thomas Peterson: 9-0 in favor of retention. An issue of cost was raised at the meeting; the District reported that Mr. Peterson's rates are competitive. It isn't clear whether any Board member questioned the skill of the solicitor. My view is that better contract draftsmanship would have improved the District's poor bargaining position in the Margery Sable affair.
Link: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05342/618656.stm
On the elevation of incumbent Joe Rodella from vice president of the Board to president: 6-3 in favor, with newcomers Hart, Remely, and Silhol dissenting, and newcomer Posti voting in favor.
On the retention of solicitor Thomas Peterson: 9-0 in favor of retention. An issue of cost was raised at the meeting; the District reported that Mr. Peterson's rates are competitive. It isn't clear whether any Board member questioned the skill of the solicitor. My view is that better contract draftsmanship would have improved the District's poor bargaining position in the Margery Sable affair.
Link: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05342/618656.stm
6 Comments:
Even though the outcome of the election of officers was not in question, it was disappointing to see Jo Posti vote for Joe Rodella and Rene Garson for president and vice-president. Ms. Posti was elected because the community is not happy with the way our school district has been run, yet whe chose, as her first official act, to back those who have been part of the problem. This is not an encouraging beginning.
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It seemed that those who did not vote for Joe and Rene were more interested in making a statement than anything else. I would question the wisdom of allowing a newly elected board member with no prior experience running a school board, be president or vice-president. I would hope in the future however, there will opportunities for Jo and the other new board members to make meaningful changes.
The new board members who voted against Joe and Rene were making a statement, which is exactly what the community elected them to do. Both elected officers have been part of a board which has cost Mt. Lebanon $500,000 in the Sable SNAFU, $6 million plus in overruns for the elementary school renovations, and secretly negotiated, a year early, a new teacher contract. These are the people you want running the board?
I don't believe in simply "making statements"...I'm waiting for ALL the new members to show they are serious about making meaningful change.
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