posted by Mike Madison at 10:02 PM /
For all of the access that Mt. Lebanon residents have to their elected officials and related bureaucracies, certain issues don't get addressed -- complaints get ignored, or the problem-solver can't be identified, or issues aren't articulated in sensible ways and therefore fall through the cracks. Maybe these aren't even problems at all.
Blog-Lebo (or at least my email In-Box) is becoming a destination of last resort for these things. People who don't know me send me their problems; can Blog-Lebo help?
Well, no, Blog-Lebo can't help; Joe and I aren't volunteer ombudsmen. But I can throw a note up here from time to time and see if it draws interest or a response from someone who can. I've titled the post "LeboWatch," because this reminds me of "ChronicleWatch," a feature at the San Francisco Chronicle. The newspaper posts items about little things in public life that need to be fixed, and then it measures the days until someone/something responds. How long will that huge pothole go unfilled? and so on. And I've given this LeboWatch a number -- 1 -- because there may be more in the future.
Here are two LeboWatch items to get us started:
One: "I live on Sleepy Hollow Road. About 5 years ago, the Post Office removed the blue drop boxes on my street at Country Club, and the one on Broadmoor at Crystal. The day after the box on my street was removed, 3 people were standing around the spot with letters to mail looking around very puzzled. These boxes were used everyday by residents. The boxes in other Mt. Lebanon neighborhoods closer to Postal facilities remain. I have written, called and complained in person about these missing boxes. I'd be happy to get a petition for them to be re-installed, but I don't know how to word it or who to send it to. Can you look into this and post something about it on Blog Lebo, to generate more interest?"
Two: Someone who pays closer attention to the School District's budget than I do noticed that one of the programs showcased on the District's website is being dropped from the budget. I don't want to get into the details of whether a given program should be kept or dropped, but it does seem fair to expect that the marketing of the Mt. Lebanon School District rely on programs, facilities, and staff that are actually part of the scholastic enterprise going forward. Mt. Lebanon is, in my opinion, a very good (though far from perfect) public school district. There is no need to oversell it. Those of you who know more details (including explanations) can post them in the comments, using your own names, as always. Or, perhaps, this is a nonissue, and in that case I'm sure that a plausible explanation will be provided.
Blog-Lebo (or at least my email In-Box) is becoming a destination of last resort for these things. People who don't know me send me their problems; can Blog-Lebo help?
Well, no, Blog-Lebo can't help; Joe and I aren't volunteer ombudsmen. But I can throw a note up here from time to time and see if it draws interest or a response from someone who can. I've titled the post "LeboWatch," because this reminds me of "ChronicleWatch," a feature at the San Francisco Chronicle. The newspaper posts items about little things in public life that need to be fixed, and then it measures the days until someone/something responds. How long will that huge pothole go unfilled? and so on. And I've given this LeboWatch a number -- 1 -- because there may be more in the future.
Here are two LeboWatch items to get us started:
One: "I live on Sleepy Hollow Road. About 5 years ago, the Post Office removed the blue drop boxes on my street at Country Club, and the one on Broadmoor at Crystal. The day after the box on my street was removed, 3 people were standing around the spot with letters to mail looking around very puzzled. These boxes were used everyday by residents. The boxes in other Mt. Lebanon neighborhoods closer to Postal facilities remain. I have written, called and complained in person about these missing boxes. I'd be happy to get a petition for them to be re-installed, but I don't know how to word it or who to send it to. Can you look into this and post something about it on Blog Lebo, to generate more interest?"
Two: Someone who pays closer attention to the School District's budget than I do noticed that one of the programs showcased on the District's website is being dropped from the budget. I don't want to get into the details of whether a given program should be kept or dropped, but it does seem fair to expect that the marketing of the Mt. Lebanon School District rely on programs, facilities, and staff that are actually part of the scholastic enterprise going forward. Mt. Lebanon is, in my opinion, a very good (though far from perfect) public school district. There is no need to oversell it. Those of you who know more details (including explanations) can post them in the comments, using your own names, as always. Or, perhaps, this is a nonissue, and in that case I'm sure that a plausible explanation will be provided.
Labels: LeboWatch
4 Comments:
Mt. Lebanon district website proudly presents the Montserrat e-mission as a great success.
THIS PROGRAM IS ON THE LIST TO BE CUT FROM NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
From the article on the district website: "Another important feature of this program is its ties to the Mt. Lebanon School District’s Strategic Plan. Students must use proper problem-solving techniques, work cooperatively, and apply critical thinking skills in order to successfully complete the mission. The mission also gives students the opportunity to use such important 21st Century Skills as effective communication and the creation and management of media. "
Cutting programs that push forward the long-debated and much-touted Strategic Plan is not the way to accomplish the goals. While I understand the tough choices ahead in this budget process, I urge the board not to make decisions simply to save money at the cost of the quality and innovative education we expect of Mt. Lebanon schools.
Sheryl Cohen
Take a look at www.mailboxmap.com
from the US Postal Service and punch in your zip code. There are not many boxes left in most neighborhoods.
The one thing most of us are still spoiled with is mail-at-the-door delivery, as opposed to curbside. BIG thank you to our carriers.
Update on the mailbox question: Matt Smith happened to notice this post shortly after it went up, and he volunteered to have his staff look into the matter. Thanks, Matt!
In my old neighborhood in Austin, we didn't even get curbside delivery outside the house. The whole subdivision had two mailbox "pods" of about 50 boxes each, located on the larger street from which our streets branched. I had to walk up the street and around the corner to get our mail--about 100 yards. Some people had to walk much farther. And our local post office was 3 miles away.
This kind of setup was typical of newer subdivisions. (i.e. built in the 80s or later)
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