Thursday, June 19, 2008

What's Up with the Lebo School Board?

It doesn't take much imagination to read between the lines of today's Post-Gazette story about fractures and factions on the Mt. Lebanon School Board. Behind-the-scenes infighting among school board members is breaking into public view:

Three Mt. Lebanon school directors urged the board Monday to stick to its policy of allowing only residents and taxpayers to speak at public meetings.

The school directors, Sue Rose, Josephine Posti and Elaine Cappucci, said it was inappropriate for the board to permit former Upper St. Clair School Director Mark Trombetta to address the Mt. Lebanon board during the public comment section of its June 9 discussion meeting.

Dr. Trombetta addressed the board about "factions beyond our control that don't allow us to accomplish what we want."

and

Mrs. Cappucci also said she didn't "appreciate [Dr. Trombetta's] advice" that the board shouldn't listen to factions within the community and that residents shouldn't use the legal system.

She said as a school director she wants to hear from all residents on all issues facing the board. Mrs. Rose said the board needed to remember "to do the right thing for the right reason" and said she wanted to remind the board that it's mission is "to do right by the children."

She said that allowing people to come to the podium to make comments simply to be heard on television creates a circus atmosphere.

Mrs. Posti also asked that the board "cooperate and enforce the policy" that allows only residents and taxpayers to speak at board meetings. She also suggested that a subcommittee of the board be recreated to develop "process recommendations" on how to run board meetings.

No action was taken on that suggestion.

I just love how the story ends on that note!

And from today's Letters page:

Support your causes openly

History was made at the June 9 meeting of the Mt. Lebanon School Board. Dr. Mark Trombetta, a former Upper St. Clair school board member, made a statement at the meeting. Mt. Lebanon School Board President Mark Hart allowed him to speak after he identified himself as neither a taxpayer nor a resident.

The message was as curious as the visitor. He talked about a small faction ruining the community, just as it had done in USC. I didn't know USC was ruined! He talked about using the legislative system to overturn elections. He talked about factions beyond the control of the school board in USC and paralleled events in Mt. Lebanon with those of USC.

His facts are wrong. The facts are this: It's all about transparency in the election process. The facts are that five voters requested an audit of the Save the Mount Lebanon Schools Committee due to irregularities in their election reports. This mysterious Save MTL Schools committee sent out two mass mailings on the eve the election urging voters to vote out three incumbents. A review of their election reports revealed that the committee consisted of just two men -- Cal Lynch and Bill Schmeltzer -- and was funded in the majority from the coffers of the election fund of Mark Patrick Flaherty, the currently elected Allegheny County controller.

Instead of an audit, the judge set aside a date to question witnesses under oath. As a result, it was discovered, under oath, that Faith Stipanovich, a current MTL school board member, helped Terry Matusak, an employee of the county, edit the content of the mailers before they were mailed.

In addition, the initial form was notarized by a front office employee of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the same organization that employs Mr. Hart.

Those are the facts, Dr. Trombetta. There is nothing despicable about transparency in the election process. People can support whatever cause they wish, but they should stand up and be willing to do it openly.

FRANCI EBERZ
Mt. Lebanon

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3 Comments:

Blogger John Truel said...

Can some one clue me in on what the problem is with the school board? I grasp the issue with the income filing etc, but is there a power struggle, and if so why? It seems that Mrs Posti's and others request to keep out non tax payers and residents is the right thing to do.

June 19, 2008 2:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

John Truel said... Can some one clue me in on what the problem is with the school board? .....

There have been undercurrents for months about behind-the-scene infighting that Mike refers to in his post. Most recently evident at the last meeting when Sue Rose asked Mark Hart to please make a public report on his (and Faith Stipanovich's) meetings with Dan Miller, a Mt. Lebanon Commissioner, about field usage in Mt. Lebanon. Apparently the rest of the board (or at least some of them) were not informed that school board representatives were pursuing this issue.

- Sheryl Cohen

June 19, 2008 8:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Franci Eberz wants transparency but didn’t tell us she filed a petition against Bill Schmeltzer and Cal Lynch or say she was a member of the Committee to re-elect Sue Rose when she claims history was made on June 9th when Dr. Mark Trombetta addressed the board.
Franci, last year Rodella allowed a realtor to speak in support of the TIF. The realtor, a resident of Fox Chapel rents the building in which his business is located.
Dr. Mark Trombetta identified himself properly, and asks permission to speak. Rose and Posti are former policy committee members but didn’t question Dr. Trombetta’s request.
Rose, Cappucci and Posti questioned speaking policy and made remarks about Dr. Trombetta. Posti asked for a special committee on public speakers.
Rose told Hart he should not bring up a subject at a business meeting recently because it was inappropriate after the discussion meeting; she questioned Dr. Trombetta a week after he spoke.
I only remember two guest speakers since 1994.
Is this a priority for Franci and three board members?
John Ewing
john.ewing1@verizon.net

June 21, 2008 3:55 AM  

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