2008 in Mt. Lebanon

The most recent Mt. Lebanon mtl magazine arrived in the mailbox the other day, and it includes an item worth blogging about: How Are We Doing? As the new year dawns, a broader comment is timely.

The magazine solicited reader feedback last year, and while most of the comments seem to be positive, there were some critics. To the magazine's credit, it reported some of the negatives. For example: "How could you in all intellectual integrity ignore any references to the school district's secret buyout of the Chief School Administrator?" The magazine has a defensible response: "[W]e will not address the school superintendent's buyout -- we are not investigative reporters . . . ."

Since the magazine constitutes a major piece of the marketing material that our local real estate agents use to sell Mt. Lebanon, the position that "we are not investigative reporters" limits the magazine's portrait of the town. If newcomers are relying on the magazine, it's not easy for them to appraise Mt. Lebanon realistically.

Herewith, therefore, a list of feature stories for 2008, topics that mtl magazine might engage but that are more likely to get attention at Blog-Lebo:

Demographics and culture

1. Gay and lesbian couples and families in Mt. Lebanon.

2. Racial and ethnic diversity in Mt. Lebanon: What community groups are doing to attract non-white newcomers.

3. Keeping up with Peters: Why live in Lebo when you can live in Washington County?

Money and taxes

4. The Mt. Lebanon School District: really best in the region? A realistic appraisal of educational quality.

5. Decoding the budgets: The real (and hidden) costs of running the Municipality and the School District.

6. Costs and benefits of public safety: What the citizens of Mt. Lebanon need vs. what they pay for.

Economy

7. High rent and vacant space: Office space in Uptown Mt. Lebanon.

Environment

8. School transit pollution: The environmental costs of driving your children to school every day.

9. Dogs on the run: Off the leash in Bird Park.

10. LAN parties, Rocky Horror, and other phenomena of Funky Town: The Tie-Dyed Mt. Lebanon undeground goes mainstream.

Mt. Lebanon's Romantic, Upscale Luma A Shining Light

At Luma restaurants, cold, rain, sleet and snow don't bother customers who want to enjoy al fresco dining.

Chefs and co-owners Greg Ackerman and Michael Rudman employ a "patio-driven concept" at all three of their restaurants -- Luma in Aspinwall, Willow in Ohio Township and another Luma, which recently opened in Mt. Lebanon. The atmosphere is as romantic and upscale as the food, and the menu is changed three times a year to add seasonal depth, says Rudman, who oversees the kitchen. Ackerman is in charge of the front of the house.

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/living/fooddrink/cookingclass/s_544805.html

Court Lessens Liability In Baumhammers Shootings Suit

The state Supreme Court ruled Thursday that an insurance company could be responsible for paying only $300,000 to the six families who have filed lawsuits against the parents of a convicted killer from Mt. Lebanon who went on a hate-filled shooting spree.

The high court agreed with lower court rulings that a homeowners insurance policy held by Andrejs and Inese Baumhammers covers actions by their son, Richard Baumhammers, a former attorney who shot and killed five people and left a sixth paralyzed during the April 2000 rampage.

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_544810.html

Rep. Smith Secures Grant For Family Hospice

State Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, helped to secure at $15,000 grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development for Family Hospice and Palliative Care in Mt. Lebanon.

The money will be used to purchase 12 nursing beds, mattresses and other bed accessories in the hospice's new in-patient center, The Center for Compassionate Care, on Moffet Street. The beds will allow the staff to wheel patients to an outdoor courtyard.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07361/844550-55.stm

Lebo Grandpa To Serve Second Tour In Iraq

At a time when most people his age are thinking retirement, one local Army reservist has volunteered for a second tour of duty in Iraq.

Command Sgt. Maj. Jim Hill, 58, says part of the reason he's heading back is his commitment to family and the families of every service man and woman who will be in his command. He's already thinking about how to bring everyone home safely for next Christmas.

The Mt. Lebanon resident who grew up in Oakland is no stranger to combat. Forty years ago, he served two years in the jungles of Vietnam - a Marine and scuba diver. But back then he was a single care-free teenager. Now he's a grandfather.

Link: www.kdka.com/local/Grandfather.Iraq.Army.2.618387.html

A Mother, Daughter Reunited After Years Apart

NOTE: The Mt. Lebanon Fire Department, Police Department and Medical Rescue Team South Authority all assisted in making Ms. Massella's and Ms. Naughton's visit possible.

Minutes before it happened, mother and daughter were clueless. Oh, but they had inklings. When they finally saw each other yesterday afternoon, after 3 1/2 long years of separation, the result was a torrent of tears, cries of joy and a flood of emotions that confirmed a deep-seated love.

And in a scene for the season, a disabled mother wept while crawling the length of her bed, desperate to embrace her disabled daughter. "Money can't buy this," the mother said in tears.

Yolanda Massella, 83, of Mt. Lebanon, is bedridden and confined to her bedroom with muscular dystrophy. Her daughter Jacquie Naughton, 59, a mental health therapist who lives in Upper St. Clair, also has MD and must use a wheelchair.

Link 1: www.postgazette.com/pg/07358/844113-55.stm

Link 2: www.kdka.com/local/reunion.mother.daughter.2.616965.html (with video)

Meeting and Greeting and Liveblogging at Aldo This Morning

It's an unseasonably warm Saturday morning in Pittsburgh, and Blog-Lebo posters, commenters, readers, and lurkers are meeting and greeting one another in person right now (9 am-ish to noon-ish) at Aldo Coffee, 675 Washington Road in Mt. Lebanon. Stop by and say hi!

Update at 10:05 am: We've got a great table of folks assembled. Come down, join the conversation, and as Bill Matthews notes, stop in and buy something at one of the neighboring Washington Road merchants!

Update at 11:08 am: Still going strong, with lots of new visitors -- including some local politicians. We're generating some cool ideas for the blog, for Mt. Lebanon, and for Pittsburgh.

Noon: All done! Thanks to everyone who made it. Happy Holidays, and we'll do this again in the New Year.


Mike and Fen Labalme at Aldo!

Praise for Lebo Commissioners

The Almanac editorializes:

In this era of lame duck elected officials pushing through decisions before they leave office, our hats are off to the current Mt. Lebanon commissioners.
During a recent meeting, the five-member board agreed to hold off voting on a swimming pool renovation project. Depending upon the option approved, the project could cost the township anywhere from just more than $400,000 to nearly $10 million.

Instead, the decision on not only the cost of the project but also the financing arm will be left to members of the incoming board, three of which will be new to the board in January.

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/12_19_editorial_ML_pool

Random Kindness Reported

In this morning's Post-Gazette:

Five friends and I had just finished our dessert at Aladdin's Eatery before heading to Mt. Lebanon High School's Homecoming Dance in mid-October. We began to squabble over how to split the bill among ourselves.

A young couple sitting nearby leaned over and motioned to speak. I braced myself, expecting them to comment on our behavior -- after all, we were a bunch of squabbling high schoolers.

Instead, they declared that they wanted to pay our bill.

We were in complete shock to hear their generous offer, and reflexively began to decline, But they insisted on paying, explaining that they simply wanted us to have a good time and not have to worry about paying for dinner.

We hope that wonderful couple realizes how impressed we are by their unexpected kindness -- and how they influenced our outlook on life.

On the way to the dance, one of my friends proclaimed, "I hope one day when I'm older, I can do the same thing for another group of kids."

Although the couple wished only to give us one fun evening, they actually impacted us for years to come. We have experienced the importance of "paying it forward" and hope to share the same generosity that we were given.

Thank you for reminding us to give anonymously -- and inspiring us to emulate your actions.

-- RACHEL McMONAGLE, Mt. Lebanon

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07354/843122-294.stm

Gingerbread Houses at Markham

"The holiday season is a time for traditions, and first-grade pupils at Markham Elementary School in Mt. Lebanon recently marked a quarter century of a favorite seasonal tradition: The creation of gingerbread houses."

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07354/842941-55.stm

Commission Approves $44.6 Million Budget

Mt. Lebanon said good-bye Dec. 10 to three commissioners totaling 28 years of service. Barbara Logan, David Humphreys and Keith Mulvihill all ended their terms with one final budget vote.

The five commissioners voted unanimously for the $44.6 million budget, which will result in no change to the present 4.97 millage rate, a decision the outgoing commissioners were happy to make as they left office.

"I'm glad we were able to enact a budget without a tax increase. I think that is a good thing and I hope that can continue after those of us that are leaving are gone," said commissioner Mulvihill.

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/12_19_ML_final_budget_B

Herpes Case Won't Cancel Wrestling In Lebo

The announcement that a wrestler at Mt. Lebanon High School has a suspected case of herpes will not cause any of the team's matches to be canceled or postponed, but the South Park High School team has decided to suspend its program until after the holiday break after two wrestlers there were diagnosed with the skin infection.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07354/843029-55.stm

Link 2: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/12_19_ML_herpes_outbreak_B

Azzeria

I've heard it said that Azzeria -- the two-location pizza/panini/coffee combination on both sides of Banksville Road -- has a Mt. Lebanon connection. I'll go with that rumor and post this note, because the concept is neat, because Lebo commuters likely fuel a fair amount of their business, and because I just came across this nifty review in the City Paper.

Maybe a commenter can fill in the details.

Link: Azzeria

Christian Group Lands Lebo in "Savage Love"

An alert Blog-Lebo reader pointed me to this week's "Savage Love," a nationally syndicated column of (sometimes pretty explicit) sex advice that's distributed in Pittsburgh (and Mt. Lebanon) in the City Paper.

It seems that December's diaper-based skit at the Mt. Lebanon Young Life club, which attracted media attention when the program was brought to police attention , forms the basis of Dan Savage's advice to a women whose boyfriend has a serious diaper fetish. The bottom line: The boyfriend is neglecting her "vanilla" needs. And adolescents who play in diapers may grow up to be men who play in diapers, too.

What's Your Walk Score?

I saw this article in today's Post-Gazette and thought that I would link to it from here so that everyone could check out the "walk score" for their Lebo-based home. The site isn't without its flaws as evidenced by the comments about the PG staffers that live in Mt. Lebanon and tested the web site with their addresses:

This week, 17 Post-Gazette staffers tested their addresses against WalkScore's veracity and practicality.

The Mt. Lebanon residents among them were perplexed that their walkability score did not take into account the nearby restaurants on Washington Road but listed those on more distant Mt. Lebanon Boulevard.

Link 1: www.walkscore.com

Link 2: www.postgazette.com/pg/07354/843130-96.stm

Trouble In Lebo, Part 2

As Mike mentioned in this post, a number of residents have been receiving anonymous letters in the mail because they have been posting signs in their yards stating "Support The Troops, End The War". The letters have not been addressed to the home owner specifically, but just sent to the address itself.

One of our Blog-Lebo readers provided me with a copy of the letter and I'd like to share the content of it. The text provided below is exactly how the letter was written:

To whom it may concern:

I am writing to you because of the signs you have in your yard, "Support the troops, End the War." These signs have been a discussion piece with my family and friends; we have decided this would be the most appropriate action. I would like to remind you of the events of September 11th and all the American lives that have been forever ruined. If you get a chance please visit ground zero or talk to a person who lost a loved one that day. Other terrorist attacks include the previous World Trade Center bombing, the attack on the U.S.S. Cole and United States Embassy's. Also recall the attacks in Spain and Europe. There is a group of very real people, Muslim Extremists who have declared a Jihad (holy war) on Christians, Jews, Mormons, and even Capitalists. They want to kill us, and have proven so with various acts. These terrorists consider themselves martyrs, which is why you see so many willing to die as suicide bombers. I consider it a tribute to the United States Military, that since 9/11 we haven't had another terrorist attack on American soil. The troops have protected our American way of life. I have several family and friends in the U.S. Army, and they want to be in Iraq and Afghanistan hunting down terrorists. The terrorists are not going to go away on their own!!! The current U.S. troops are fighting the way our grandfathers fought communists. Our grandparents so graciously gave us the opportunity to live in this beautiful country, and our generation is fighting terrorists to give our kids that same opportunity. Ending a war as you would like, will not stop, but will only allow terrorists to operate and kill more innocent people. The sign should read, "Stop the War, Support Terrorists." That is what it would be doing. I don't want any U.S. troops to get hurt or killed but their cause is worthy. Even liberal media stations have even recognized that 2007 has been a great year of progress in Iraq. I am asking you to take down these embarrassing signs that have no substance or logic behind them.

Merry Christmas,

Your neighbors in the Mt. Lebanon area

Mt. Lebanon Magazine Shares the Love

Just posted by some folks at Mt. Lebanon "mtl" magazine:

Lebo Photo -- a montage of photography in and around town during 2007, with a charming musical track. This is a real treat.

Kudos to the producers! Enjoy.

Meet the Lebo Blogger Bloggers

Ever wondered what your Lebo blogger looks like? Sounds like? Wonder no more. So long as Rich and Melanie will put up with me, I'll be hanging out next Saturday morning (that's Saturday, December 22) at my favorite Mt. Lebanon coffee place, Aldo Coffee on Washington Road, from about 9 am to about 12 noon. I'll read the paper if no one stops by, but I'm happy to chat and share a cup with any and all anonymous, pseudonymous, and real name Blog Lebo aficionados. You choose. Stop by and say hi. Your secret will be safe with me.

Mike

(and Joe may be there, too)

Trouble in Lebo

A group of Lebo residents who display yard signs that read "Support the Troops / End the War" reported to me late last week that they had received anonymous letters in the mail that criticized them and their signs in what they characterized as a "poison pen" style.

Given how the letters are addressed, the conclusion for now is that the letters weren't sent by other Lebo residents, but the recipients are concerned enough to ask me whether I've heard of this sort of thing elsewhere in town. I haven't. Still, while the letters aren't directly threatening, they are troubling. There's no law against sending an anonymous letter through the mail. There is a law against threatening someone via the mail. If you receive a letter that you think crosses the line, consider contacting the Mt. Lebanon Police Department. Or the FBI.

Web Site Aims To Advance Region By Highlighting Neighborhoods

The mystery of Pittsburgh is this: how do so many great aspects of our city remain unknown, not just to those who have never visited, but to a remarkable number of well-traveled, highly educated residents who just won't "cross bridges"?

Mt. Lebanon resident Tracy Certo is editor and publisher of free weekly e-magazine and Web site that aims to inform and illuminate the best of Pittsburgh, one neighborhood at a time.

The site, popcitymedia.com, also focuses on arts and entertainment, the job market, company culture, housing trends, dining and much more.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07347/841138-55.stm

Golfers Can Still Learn From Kluck

Golfers at the Mt. Lebanon municipal course can still take lessons with Matthew Kluck, although through a new arrangement. Commissioners Monday agreed to a settlement with Mr. Kluck, the longtime head pro who filed a lawsuit in federal court two years ago, claiming age discrimination.

Without admitting to any wrongdoing or liability, Mt. Lebanon agreed to pay $15,000 to Mr. Kluck and $10,000 to his attorney.

Link 1: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07347/841135-55.stm

Link 2: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_543575.html

Another Lebo Citizen Receives MLPD's Chief's Award

The Mt. Lebanon Police Department has given their Chief's Award to Robert J. Truver, a citizen who helped Police Officer Mark Rayburg subdue a suspect on Oct. 12.

Mr. Truver, a passing motorist, witnessed an assault on Officer Rayburg, whom police say had been grabbed by the throat and thrown to the ground.

Mr. Truver and a second police officer eventually helped Officer Rayburg bring the suspect under control.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07347/841135-55.stm

Pool Plans On Hold In Mt. Lebanon

After hours in meetings and touring other facilities, Mt. Lebanon commissioners decided Dec. 3 to postpone a decision on renovation of the swimming pool, letting the new commission to decide when assuming office in the new year.

The municipality spent $32,000 for a feasibility study carried out by Hunsaker-Counsilman from St. Louis. The recommendation came down to two options, $9,960,000 for a 50-meter competitive pool with a separate leisure pool, or $7,370,000 for a 25-meter competitive with a separate leisure pool.

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/12_12_ML_pool_postpone_B

Rep. Smith Backs Budget Cuts

Freshman Pennsylvania House member Matt Smith (D-Mt. Lebanon) is calling for a 20 percent reduction in the funding allocation for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in the 2008-09 state budget.

Smith told House Appropriations Chairman Dwight Evans such a funding cut would help demonstrate that members of the legislature can be good stewards of public dollars.

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/12_12_ML_smith_cuts_budget_B

Teen Arrested In Mt. Lebanon Hammer Beating

Allegheny County and Mt. Lebanon police arrested Robert Deangelis and charged him in the Oct. 31 hammer beating of Sarah DeIullis.

Mr. Deangelis, 16, of Mt. Lebanon, was arrested without incident in his home last night, according to county police. He was charged as an adult with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and unlawful restraint.

Link: www.postgazette.com/pg/07345/840807-100.stm

Link 2: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_542310.html

Mt. Lebanon Teen Receives Survivor Award

A Mt. Lebanon teenager who survived a brutal attack with a hammer on Halloween received a special award from police at this evening's commission meeting as did the off-duty detective who helped rescue her.

Sarah DeIuliis received the Mt. Lebanon Police Department's Survivor Award. Likewise, the detective credited with stopping the attack will also received the Chief's Award.

Link: www.kdka.com/local/Survivor.Mt.Lebanon.2.607737.html

Link 2: www.postgazette.com/pg/07345/840707-55.stm

Link 3: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_542176.html

Washington Park Construction Begins

Construction on the Washington Park project has begun as evidenced by the demolition occuring this morning on Washington Road. Unfortunately, the demolition was also accompanied by a large power line being ripped down by one of the trucks involved. Hopefully the rest of the construction won't be as eventful!

Police Expect No Charges In Youth Group Diaper Skit

A skit at a local Christian youth group meeting had teenage boys taking off some of their clothes, wearing adult diapers, bibs and bonnets and being spoon-fed by girls as they sat in their laps.

Some say it's just crazy, goofy teenage fun. But others, including one boy's mother and the Mt. Lebanon School District, aren't comfortable with it.

The skit took place during the Nov. 29 meeting of the Mt. Lebanon Young Life club, a nondenominational Christian youth group directed by youth minister O.J. Wandrisco.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07342/840222-55.stm

Link 2: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_541799.html

Final Election Spending Information

I went to the County Office Building and checked for some financial totals. So far I have collected the 2007 Mt. Lebanon Commission candidates and the County Council District 5 race which included Mt. Lebanon. The totals reflect the amount spent by each candidate. It does not include in-kind contributions. Also, I had to fill in a couple of things so if any candidate would like to correct the information that would be great since I am not an expert in election law.

1st Ward
Bonnie Vankirk (D) - $12,595.13
D. Raja (R) - $43,049.63

3rd Ward
Andy Reinhart (D) - $8,618.53
Joe DeIuliis (R) - $5,254.76/$9,334.76 (His final report lists and additional $4080 as an unpaid debt that the campaign owes him. I couldn't see where that expense had previously been listed so I am assuming that it should be added to his previous total)

5th Ward
Dan Miller (D) - $7,530.19
Bill Hoon (R) - No report in folder. When I asked about this the staff told me that he had closed his PAC but couldn't explain the missing primary report which he filed and allegedly reported around $1,200 in expenses...

County Council
Vince Gastgeb (R) - $60,367.12
Barbara Logan (D) - $15,365.64

If you break it down by party, going off of the information that I found - Republican candidates spent $113,951.51 and Democratic candidates spent $44,109.49.

A Port Authority Driver Who Serves Customers With Care

From the Post-Gazette's Random Acts of Kindness section:

We were on the 42S light rail, No. 4229, hightailing it out of the South Hills one frosty mid-morning when we halted at a low-lying stop in Mt. Lebanon.

Next thing I knew, the driver -- a gray-haired woman close to grandma age if not already there -- was walking down the trolley steps to the platform, saying, "Here, let me take that. No, this would be better. C'mon honey ..."

And up the steps she brought a toddler, a boy far too small to easily make the climb. Behind him came a young woman carrying in one arm a baby bundled against the cold; with the other hand she had a bulky, folded stroller, with which the driver helped her as well.

"Isn't that driver a sweetheart?" someone said to the young woman after she got seated. She sure was.

Does it matter that the driver was white and the young woman she assisted was black? And that we were in Mt. Lebanon, which gets ripped fairly often for being a haven for white folks?

Maybe not. But it sure was a heartwarming moment on a cold, cold day, and I'll take that anytime.

-- MARGI SHRUM, Post-Gazette copy editor

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07340/839575-294.stm

Devonshire Holds Fundraiser For Fire Department

The Devonshire of Mt. Lebanon, a senior independent residence, is holding a fund-raiser this week to benefit the municipality's fire department.

"The fire department is here a lot for drills and they've been very nice to the residents," said David Troy, Devonshire executive director.

Residents have decorated trees and the home has a fireman's boot by each for people to come in 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and vote, with a donation, for their favorites.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07340/839486-55.stm

Scouting Family Welcomes 6th To Ranks Of Eagle Scout

Anne Wildfire is a typical mom. She's proud of her five sons and, if given the chance, will recount their accomplishments with zeal.

Less typical are her sons' accomplishments. As of last month, all five are Eagle Scouts. Add the fact that their father, Chris Wildfire, is too, and the total is six for this Mt. Lebanon family.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07340/839480-55.stm

This Town Would Be Different Without...

Mt. Lebanon Magazine, a publication produced by the municipality, held its 16th annual awards ceremony for its "This Town Would Be Different Without... " program and honored five residents.

They are:

• Elizabeth Castonguay, for her work with Celebrating Diversity and for giving countless hours to teen residents of Three Rivers Youth's Academy House.

• James Jamieson, for assisting at the Mt. Lebanon Library; for giving more than 175 donations of blood platelets to the Central Blood Bank; and for helping the Mt. Lebanon High School Percussion Ensemble.

• Thomas Joseph, for his problem-solving and leadership skills on the boards of Outreach Teen & Family Services and the Achieva Family Trust;

• John Conti, for sharing his expertise on Mt. Lebanon's residential architecture. He is a longtime member of the Mt. Lebanon Historic Preservation Board. He wrote the community's "Living with Styles" book, and has hosted several architectural tours. He speaks frequently on architecture to community groups.

• Irving Popkin, for his work as a role model for others who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. A founder and board member of the Parkinson Chapter of Greater Pittsburgh, he chooses to help others cope with the disease by injecting humor and perspective into their lives.

The honorees were selected by a panel of previous winners. They received citations from U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, state Sen. John Pippy and state Rep. Matt Smith.

The event was videotaped and will air on local cable channel 19.

To nominate a resident for the next round of awards, visit www.mtlebanon.org or call 412-343-3407.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07340/839486-55.stm

A Commenter's Valedictory

Our new "real names only" policy on comments prevents me from approving a comment that *CitizenA,* a long-time reader and thoughtful pseudonymous commenter, submitted this morning. But nothing prevents me from adopting and posting the comment here; I've enjoyed CitA's comments, agree with much what follows, and will miss them, assuming that s/he sticks to the decision not to post by name. I've added some paragraphing for clarity:

Being one of the psuedo's here I am obviously disappointed by the decision but completely understand where it comes from. In my posts I tried to use facts to back up opinion and tried to give information to people that they might not have otherwise. I think there was one post where I was disappointed in myself for having reacted to something emotionally rather than trying to advance ideas.

And that really was the purpose of my posts, to advance ideas and to ask questions of some posters that may force them to rethink their own ideas. Debating about the merits of the assessment process was fun back in June. That is the sort of conversation that I believe can be productive and not personal. What better place than this to see what other ideas are out there to fix a broken system? Sure we can get together at the Crown Plaza and rent out a space but what fun would that be. We can meet here whenever we want! And it costs less than the Plaza!

I suppose in conclusion, I would just ask that people be patient with our newly elected officials. The longest serving member of the School Board has four years of experience and there are four brand new members of that Board. The commission has three out of its five members being newly elected. I do not question the competence of any of these people (or the incumbents for that matter), after all they would not have been elected if they were not competent. If there is a hiccup or two along the way, give it a chance to correct itself...be vocal, but give it a chance. I expect BIG ideas from both the School Board and Commissioners in very short time. We have BIG issues that will only be solved by BIG ideas and not by doing things the same old way. We can no longer look at a budget and raise millage every year to cover new expenses. We need to either find new ways to cut costs or new ways to raise revenue. Perhaps somebody out there has an idea on how to do both at the same time?

As for me, I will attend the meetings that I can and will write to my elected officials when I feel the need. But I cannot post here under my real name. I wish that was not the case because I have enjoyed being part of this blog community for the last year or so.

*CitizenA*

Trillium Natural Medicine Brings New Healthcare Options, Services

With the opening of Trillium Natural Medicine in Dormont, Pittsburghers have new options in health care and wellness. Dr. Maureen Tighe, a Mt. Lebanon native offers naturopathic medicine consultations, acupuncture, cleanse programs, and natural fertility services. She also worked with Mt. Lebanon-based designer Chrissy Senko to decorate and furnish the center.

Link: www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/trlim1205.aspx

Friday Night on Washington Road

Tomorrow night, Friday, December 7, from the Washington Road merchants:

Carolers, store specials, food and drink, local holiday shopping, and Find Lebo!!

Uptown, Friday December 7 from 6-9

Inside, Outside, Anywhere on Washington Rd.

Lebo the Elf wants to help his fellow citizens get a jump start on their holiday shopping. Find Lebo and get a surprise! Over $1000 in Lebo Loot, coupons, candy -- it's hard to say what might come out of Lebo's Sack o' Fun!

Lebo Loot can be spent at participating stores and for parking during the month of December. Stores include: Empire Music, Zipper Blues, More Than Words, Ona, KoolKat Design, Planet Art Gallery, Salon Vivace, Art by M.A., the parking authority, and more!!

[I've been out of town for every single First Friday and ULTRA Party since the beginning of last summer. I'm in town for this. I'll be on Washington Road tomorrow night. See you there! Mike]

Blog-Lebo Changes Comments Policy

Since this blog began, Joe and I have wrestled with our policy on anonymous and pseudonymous comments. The arguments pro and con are well-worn; if you care about the history, you can search the archives for the blog.

The bottom line, however, is that the costs outweigh the benefits. Yesterday's posts and comments about the School Board reminded us: Some people cannot control themselves when they're allowed to hide their identities. Citizens of this community volunteer their time and effort to serve on boards and commissions. They often get criticized, and sometimes deservedly so. But they have the courage to stick their necks out there. They deserve the same from their critics.

So Joe and I have decided, finally and once and for all, to change Blog-Lebo's Comments policy. Anonymous comments will not be permitted. Pseudonymous comments will not be permitted. Use your real name. Include contact information (email, website/blog/Blogger profile with real ID, or street name). If you don't, then the Comment won't be posted.

If that discourages Comments, then that's a price that Joe and I are willing to bear. We think that the tradeoff is worth it. And we hope that you'll keep reading.

Eye on the Lebo Ball

Today's post on the School Board reorganization meeting and the selection of the new Board president quickly attracted comments, some critical, some not, regarding the identities of the players, transparency of Board processes, and related "good government" themes.

For me, the key issues facing the School Board -- and the Mt. Lebanon Commission -- don't involve ethics in government or involvement in personnel issues or who rents or owns or has kids or not, wherever they attend school. I know that many families in Mt. Lebanon are deeply invested in personalities and coaches and their kids, but the key issues for local government are financial.

The School Board is looking down the barrel at an enormous expense -- renovation or replacement of Mt. Lebanon High School -- and the financial ramifications of the Board's decision will affect all taxpayers in Mt. Lebanon for many years to come, and future taxpayers in Mt. Lebanon for years beyond that. Did the Board president file required disclosure forms? Apparently not, and I'm curious regarding the reason. Unless there's some scandal brewing that I'm not aware of, however, I'm much more interested in whether the Board is likely to make sensible decisions regarding taxing and spending, and specifically regarding the high school facility.

At the Commission (i.e., Municipality) level, the key issues are likewise financial. The 2008 budget has been presented to the Commission; approval of the revised budget is scheduled for next Monday evening (December 10). (For financial types, here's a link to the budget proposal.) As with any budget for a public entity, the key questions are:

• Does the budget document accurately reflect the real income and real costs associated with running the organization?
• Once we have an accurate baseline, how can revenues be increased?
• How can expenses be reduced?
• And can this be accomplished without materially affecting service levels?

Like the School District, Mt. Lebanon is staring at some significant capital expenditures in the near future. The proposed budget puts the total cost of those capital expenditures at roughly $46 million. Does that money have to be spent? And if it has to be spent, then where is that money going to come from?

Lebo's Wilson Coming Home

The Pirates' opening moves at the Winter Meetings were baby steps. But bigger things may be coming, as first-year general manager Neal Huntington looks to restock the organization. Monday afternoon, the Pirates claimed infielder Josh Wilson, a Mt. Lebanon native, and right-hander Ty Tauberheim off waivers.

"It was always my dream as a little kid to someday play for the Pirates," said Wilson, who is a 1999 graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School. "I didn't see this coming. But now that I'm finally a Pirate, it's definitely something special."

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/mostread/s_540965.html

Lebo School Board Reorganization

The Mt. Lebanon School Board reorganization meeting took place last night. I wasn't there, but a loyal correspondent sent this report:

At the school board reorganization meeting a new president and vice president were elected. Mrs. Rose nominated Mrs. Posti who has served as vp this last year. Mr. Kubit nominated Mr. Hart. Mrs. Rose called for a recess to give the board members certain non-public information. Mr. Peterson, the district lawyer said Mrs. Rose could read an email that Mr. Rodella (former board president) sent to all board members. The message detailed that the Auditor General's report to the board that will be published in January will note just one violation: one Board Member was non-compliant with the filing of financial information for the years 2005 & 2006. Apparently, the Board Member who was non-compliant was Mark Hart. The final vote for president - for Mrs. Posti: Mrs. Cappucci, Mrs. Rose, Mrs. Posti, - for Mr. Hart: Mr. Kubit, Mr. Fraasch, Mr. Remely, Mr. Silhol, Ms. Stipanovich, Mr. Hart. VP elected was Mr. Silhol.

Comments?

Raja Reaches Out

Back in October, Blog-Lebo published a newsletter from Mt. Lebanon Commissioner John Daley. I wrote at the time that we would be happy to host messages from other Commissioners and members of the School Board. Raja, Commissioner-elect from Ward 5 1, asked me to post the following on his behalf:

Feedback on budget

Dear Mt. Lebanon Residents,

First of all, thank you for your encouragement and support during the Commissioner Campaign. I am excited to have your endorsement; the real work begins now and I look forward to this. I would like your feedback on some private sector ideas’ applicability to the public sector (I have already shared with the Commissioners and asked for their feedback).

The final 2008 budget has been presented to the Commission for approval. I presume that whatever cost reductions are feasible have been incorporated into the budget as presented. Just as in the private sector, this is an ideal time to optimize efficiency and performance for the coming year. How about offering a substantial bonus by the end of 2008 to any municipal employee who can come up with a substantial reduction in costs without impacting service, taxes or indebtedness? I am envisioning something like a $40K bonus for ideas that save $2M. (Remember that this $2M savings can continue beyond one year.) The bonus can be pro-rated in proportion to the savings (ex: a $2K bonus for a $100K savings).

In the private sector, an incentive like this to the appropriate employee would cause him or her to really go above and beyond (brainstorming with every employee in his or her department, thinking out of the box, eliminating redundancies, sharing resources, using technology, etc.) to make this happen. The individual most apt to know where to cut costs without impacting service is the one who is responsible for overseeing the costs & services. And, more importantly, there will be a buy-in internally within the staff.

In the private sector, this kind of approach works best after the budget has been finally approved. This way, the natural temptation to pad the budget with things that can later be removed as “cost savings” is avoided. I also think this kind of an approach can only be done every 5+ years (allowing for “status quo” buildup).

Two other areas where I would welcome your responses:

How about providing the same sort of incentive to any municipal employee who devises a way to increase revenue without raising taxes, increasing indebtedness or impacting service? However, such an incentive should be payable only after the increased revenues were received.

In the private sector, many companies set goals for their department heads to improve productivity (say 10%) and decrease costs (say 10%) without impacting service. What do you think of similar objectives for public sector department heads?

When you respond to these suggestions, please provide your name and address. I look forward to your feedback. Thanks.

Raja
Commissioner-Elect, Mt. Lebanon

[To Blog-Lebo readers/commenters: Please do Raja the courtesy of using your real name and a real email address when you post. Or, you may email comments to me and I'll forward them to Raja. Mike]

Lebo's Hollander Scores Namath Film Project

Pittsburgh worlds will collide again in a bio-pic of NFL Hall of Famer Joe Namath, to be written by Mt. Lebanon native David Hollander.

The untitled Namath film, from Universal Pictures, will star Jake Gyllenhaal of "Zodiac" and "Brokeback Mountain," and follow the quarterback from his upbringing in Beaver Falls to the University of Alabama and stardom with the New York Jets.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07334/837901-42.stm

13 Here Make List Of Top High Schools

U.S. News & World Report, known for its college rankings, for the first time has turned its attention to ranking public high schools nationwide. The result is a list honoring schools as different as Mt. Lebanon, a high-achieving suburban school, and Duquesne, which was so troubled the state forced the closing of the high school this year.

The top rating goes to 100 numerically ranked "gold" high schools, only two of which are in Pennsylvania: Julia R. Masterman in Philadelphia and Conestoga Senior High in Berwyn, Chester County. No. 1 in the country was Thomas Jefferson High School in Alexandria, Va., a magnet school for science and technology.

Another 405, which are unranked, are considered "silver," including Allderdice, Hampton, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny and Upper St. Clair.

Link: www.usnews.com/sections/education/high-schools

Scare Your Child. Join Facebook

Some time back, Joe set up a "Blog-Lebo" group on Facebook. Anyone can join. Create a Facebook profile via facebook.com, then search for Blog-Lebo at Facebook. Join the group!

While you're at it, join Rich's Aldo Coffee group at Facebook as well.

Just don't friend your kids. It's creepy. Let them friend you.

A Neighbor's View of Lebo

Paul Shelly, a member of the McKeesport City Council, has posted a note to his blog about Mt. Lebanon and one of its new Commissioners, Raja. The post title, "Person over Party," suggests the overall tenor of the piece. An excerpt:

The folks in Lebo are lucky to have Raja. . . . I’m lucky to have him as a friend.

Sometimes you have to choose person over party. Believe me that is not an easy thing for a staunch progressive like me to do. I hink the last Republican I supported was John Heinz.

I think I made the right call on this one. So did the good people of Mt. Lebanon.

Paul's post reminds me that one of the things that I really dislike about this area is how thoroughly local elections are driven by party politics.

The point applies not only to Mt. Lebanon but to the region as a whole. I understand the history here. I understand the tradition. I understand that many people have significant personal investments and egos embedded in their political party activism. I understand that being able to organize and mobilize the party at a micro level bears importantly on races for the state legislative, Congress, and the presidency. I also think that Democrat v. Republican competition for local offices -- such as Commission seats -- is damaging to the community and to its residents. Is there a Democratic view of Mt. Lebanon? A Republican view? I don't see it.

Of course, I cut my political teeth in California, a state where "Democrat" and "Republican" don't always mean what they mean in other parts of the country, and sometimes don't mean anything at all. I also worked as a political organizer in the Iowa presidential caucus, and I saw how it's possible to distinguish party politics that are meaningful at the national level from the politics that are relevant to local communities.

At the least, I would enthusiastically support a ban on campaigning at polling places. Several states ban electioneering within 100 feet of polling places, and the Supreme Court has ruled that the bans don't violate the First Amendment. I do vote, but running the gauntlet of campaign volunteers stationed right outside the school -- many of whom are organized and sponsored by local party committees -- makes it a thoroughly unpleasant experience.