The Internet, and Governing Mt. Lebanon

Lebo School Board Director James Fraasch has additional posts up at his blog about matters before the Board (including, but not limited to, the coming decision on reconstruction or renovation of the high school). Check them out here, and again here. Board Director Jo Posti’s blog post about the Board’s considering a “public comment policy” (or not considering one), which I linked to earlier, drew this email from Dave Franklin. With Dave’s permission, I’m printing much of his comment below. I don’t agree with all of it, but it’s thoughtful and provocative, and I think that it warrants some public conversation here.

The topic: The Internet and related technologies enable elected politicians and constituents to engage in conversations about public policy about that are frequent, detailed, and interactive like never before, or like nothing we've seen since pre-Revolutionary New England or the golden age of Athens. How does this improve the quality of governance and civic life? How does this harm it?

Here’s Dave:

I was glancing over the Lebo Blog recently and stumbled across the entry re: public comments at school board meetings, which included a link to Jo Posti's own blog where she authored a lengthy post about what went on at the meeting in question. Interestingly, she filed the post under the tag line "Truth" and included a sentence that read, "While the discussion about how to improve public comments has ended, it is, in my opinion, an unresolved issue." I've also followed Dan Miller's posts regarding the decision to place a Lebo cop at KOHS and the subsequent reversal of that decision, presumably due to considerable public pressure.

Then I got to thinking . . . is it really good practice to have individual school board members or commissioners posting their opinions on blogs - especially after a vote/decision has been made by the body as a whole.

Let me state at the outset that I applaud any school board director or commissioner who wants to host a website to stay in touch with his/her constituents. I think that is a noble and worthwhile effort. However, blog entries (especially those coming post-board/commission action), which question or oppose the board/commission's action seem like a slippery slope to me. For example, one thing that I counsel all of the boards that I represent is the obligation to ultimately set aside one's personal opinions and acknowledge/support the decision of the board, whether you voted for it or not.

I wholeheartedly agree that during consideration of an initiative or motion, every board member who has something to say on the issue should voice his or her opinion and attempt to convince others (in good faith, of course) to see it their way. However, once the vote is cast, the board must come forth with a unified voice on the outcome. It is okay for a dissenting director or commissioner to say nothing after a vote that he/she disagrees with, but I think it is a dangerous precedent for such individuals to continue the discussion on personal blogs/websites. Frankly, I think it undermines the process to a degree and could possibly create confusion, distrust or other problems down the line.

Think for a moment if the individual board members at Heinz or PNC posted their opinions regarding decisions that were made at a board meeting. Conceivably, these personal comments could create public disclosure issues and actually impact the stock price and completely ruin the public's confidence in the process. For these reasons, you'll never see it happen.

I see myself as a shareholder in Mt. Lebanon, and I question whether these personal blogs are a good practice in the government sector.

After I wrote back to Dave that I don’t think that “shareholder/firm” is the right or best analogy here, and that in other political contexts the losing pols often air their disagreements with the outcomes and vow to continue the debate, he replied:

I think one difference between local (township) government and the legislature is access. These folks aren't doing this for a career and we all see them at the ball fields or the Giant Eagle.

I certainly see myself as a shareholder - or at least something close. Like a shareholder, I have made (and continue to make) a financial investment and I voted for certain people to lead. It doesn't seem like whining post-vote advances the ball, regardless of what side you're on. There needs to be finality. We elected these folks to lead, not whine to the populace if they lose. Otherwise, let's put everything to a referendum.

. . .I fully support politicians having websites to better communicate with constituents. My concern is simply surrounding the post-vote stomping.

I suppose I should also mention[] that I am concerned that these blogs may replace attendance at meetings. For example, like the police issue, I think its very bad practice to take a vote, and if the result is not what you wanted, go to the public at large and drum up support for a reversal. While I certainly agree with the reversal of the police decision (in fact, I wrote a stern email to my Commish Raja), I think the practice of working for a reversal is a slippery slope.

Thoughts?

Schools Focus On Environment In Class, Construction

While most students spent the summer free of homework, some teachers were hard at work on an assignment.

A group of elementary school teachers in the Mt. Lebanon School District received a state grant to brainstorm ways to infuse environmentalism into the existing science curriculum, and they gathered around a conference table earlier this month to share the fruits of their labor.

A standard second-grade unit on "changes," for example, could include a lesson on recycling, which could carry over into other subject areas, said Jefferson Elementary School teacher Debi Mercier. "The idea of the environment isn't something that's only in science. It has a direct connection with social studies."

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08241/907397-54.stm

Milliron To Become Commercial Districts Manager

A North Side man on Tuesday is scheduled to become Mt. Lebanon's third commercial districts manager since January. Eric Milliron will replace Dan Woodske, who served in the position for about four months and left at the end of April.

"Mt. Lebanon is really poised to go to the next level," said Milliron, 37, who had worked for the past two years as director of business development for the Northside Leadership Conference.

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/north/s_585112.html

Color To Brighten Commute In Murals On Inn, T Station

Life in the South Hills is a bit brighter, thanks to some colorful projects.

Passersby have been following the progress of two large-scale murals within a half-mile of each other. One part of the Pittsburgh 250 celebration is steadily taking over three large walls of the Mt. Lebanon T station off Shady Drive East.

The other involves transforming a plain, gray-block garage addition to the Ivy Inn on Castle Shannon Boulevard in Mt. Lebanon. Thanks to great weather in the last few weeks, both are heading rapidly toward completion, probably by late September.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08241/907418-55.stm

Fire Department Recruiting New Members

Ever wondered what it's like to be a firefighter? You may have seen the recruitment yard signs and/or posters in local businesses. The Mt. Lebanon Fire Department is currently recruiting new volunteer members. Check out their web site for more information.

Christ Community Church Coming To Washington Road

It didn't take long for the space previously inhabited by La Boheme to be rented again. Christ Community Church of the South Hills, an Upper St. Clair based church, will be using this new space as their Uptown Center according to their pastor's blog. He states the reason for their selection of this space as:

Our hope and prayer for the Uptown Center is that it might become a tangible expression of the kingdom of God in the midst of this neighborhood. Our intention is to join in the work that God is already doing in this neighborhood and by faith, contribute what we can to the promotion of flourishing in this community.

On behalf of Mike and myself, welcome to the neighborhood!

MLHS Teacher Charged After Online Sex Sting

The state attorney general announced today that a Mt. Lebanon High School chemistry teacher has been caught in a child predator sting.

Nicholas Salvo, 34, of Mt. Lebanon, is accused of using the Internet to send sexually explicit photos to someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl.

Authorities said Mr. Salvo accessed a teen chat room from his home computer on July 3 and contacted an undercover agent posing as a teen.

Link: www.postgazette.com/pg/08235/906281-100.stm

Link 2: www.attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=3849

School Board Approves Salary Increases

The school board on Monday approved a 4 percent salary increase for Superintendent John Allison, bringing his salary to $156,000 effective July 1, 2008.

The board also approved other salary increases, including an average of 4.55 percent for 10-month hourly clerical workers, 3 percent food service employees, 3.5 percent for personal care assistants and 5.14 percent for teachers.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08234/905792-55.stm

Castle Shannon Eyes 'T' Project

About a decade in the making, Castle Shannon Manager Tom Hartswick said he's hopeful an agreement can reached with a Mt. Lebanon developer to construct a platform above the Port Authority "T" station at Mt. Lebanon and Castle Shannon boulevards.

The developer would build apartments and designate commercial space on top of the platform. Mt. Lebanon officials are also keenly interested in the plans, because the area in question has been known for traffic congestion. Mt. Lebanon Manager Steve Feller said he wants to see the traffic studies once they've been submitted to Castle Shannon by the developer.

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/08-20-ML-CS-development-B

School Board Discusses HS Stadium and Class Sizes

Renovation of Mt. Lebanon's High School stadium and fieldhouse and class size concerns in the elementary grades were issues at an Aug. 18 board meeting.

While the board has focused on the overall high school renovation, Mt. Lebanon Blue Devil Club and players on the district's various athletic teams have asked the board to take a more focused look at the stadium, field house and turf.

The fieldhouse was state-of-the-art 30 to 40 years ago, but now, say students, it's an embarrassment compared to facilities in neighboring Upper St. Clair.

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/08-20-ML-school-board-B

Man Exposes Self To Woman Walking Dog In Cemetery

Police in Mount Lebanon are looking for a man that flashed a woman who was walking her dog. Police said the woman was walking her dog in the Mount Lebanon Cemetery when a man stepped out from behind a tree and pulled down his pants, exposing himself.

The cemetery is a popular place for walkers and joggers, but so far, police said, this was the only flashing incident reported. In the meantime, police said they would increase patrols at the cemetery.

Link: www.wpxi.com/news/17234777/detail.html

Lebo Resident To Lead Bayer Corporation

Greg Babe, a 1978 graduate of West Virginia University with a degree in mechanical engineering, will become president and CEO of Bayer Corporation and Bayer's senior representative in North America, the company announced recently.

Babe will succeed Dr. Attila Molnar, who will retire from the company after 30 years of service on October 1, 2008. Babe is a native of West Virginia who lives in Mt. Lebanon, PA, with his wife, Carla, and their four children.

Link: http://www.cemr.wvu.edu/news/news-details.php?item=1154

Nowhere To Sit, Nowhere To Sleep

Iryna Maskaliova and her husband arrived in Mt. Lebanon from Belarus last year with a green card, the promise of a job, a suitcase of clothes and a laptop computer. The couple, both 29, were eating and sleeping on the floor, using candles for light, when Off the Floor Pittsburgh learned about them.

Volunteers from a church carried a bed, chairs, tables, bedding, pots, pans and lamps to their sixth-floor apartment. "When I saw the truck, I thought it was for 10 families. I couldn't believe it was all for us," Ms. Maskaliova said, sitting on one of the vintage recliners that was part of the mismatched but practical delivery.

"We felt that we finally had a home," she said.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08230/904955-55.stm

Operation Troop Appreciation

Chalk this one up as one of those "I had no idea there was an organization like this and I sure as heck didn't know it was based right here in Mt. Lebanon!"

Each Saturday morning, I take the time to travel with my mother around town to visit the various garage sales that our fellow residents hold each week. We stopped at a garage sale on Parkside Avenue on Saturday that had a large sign in front of the house that said "All proceeds benefit Operation Troop Appreciation".

Curiosity got the best of us, so we made sure to ask the homeowner, Kristen Holloway, what the organization was about and she proceeded to tell us everything that we needed to know. She also had a great photo album available which showed the troops opening the care packages that were sent via Operation Troop Appreciation.

Please take the time to learn about this great organization and how you can help support our troops.

Link: www.operationtroopappreciation.org

Sponsoring The Devil's Advocate

We received the following email from Danielle Nathanson, the editor of The Devil's Advocate, which is the newspaper for Mt. Lebanon High School:

Blue-level sponsorships are $100 for the year, and gold-level sponsorships are $250. Sponsors will have their name or business name appear in every issue of the paper and receive a copy of each issue. The first sponsorship deadline is September 12. Also, anyone who is interested can contact us about placing an ad in the paper, with a 5% discount for advertisers who pay in full by September 12. Potential sponsors and advertisers should contact Casey Henry at chenry@mtlsd.net for full details.

Mt. Lebanon Farmer's Market

Just a reminder not to forget the Mt. Lebanon Uptown Farmer's Market:


Click here to sign up for the mailing list.

Lebo High School Renovation Update

Every taxpayer and future taxpayer in Mt. Lebanon should be paying attention to conversations about the renovation, reconstruction, and/or replacement of Mt. Lebanon High School.

There is a blog maintained by the School Board that is dedicated to the topic, though the blog isn't quite up-to-the-minute with news and updates.

Two School Board members, Jo Posti and James Fraasch, have personal blogs, and they have more detailed and recent notes (and opinions) about the renovation process.

James Fraasch's post from Thursday, August 14. It begins:

On Monday the Board heard an update from the architects about the progress being made on the high school renovation project. We also heard from a number of residents regarding the project. One resident's comments in particular hit home with me. One of the things I have been wondering about is how the costs for certain options of this project seem to be out of touch with what was presented to us by Dejong during their research just over 18 months ago (Dejong final summary was released in January 2007).

Jo Posti's post from Tuesday, August 12. A snippet:

A public comment by Rob Papke, PTA Chair of Environmental Concerns, led to an interesting discussion about solar energy, an option currently down-played in the architects' options available. While there may be issues surrounding solar energy for a building whose lowest usage is during sunny months, this, along with many other options, is one that the master design team has discussed and will continue to investigate. Mr. Remely stated that his goal is to cut our current utility cost by 40 percent, a number that would be significant with the high school's utility bills representing the largest share of the pie among our ten buildings. The feasibility of wind turbines, solar energy, geothermal energy and energy credits is still yet to be determined but should not, in my opinion, delay our decision-making regarding a concept. As we were reminded last night, there will be much refinement and many iterations of the final plan for the high school before we actually break ground. The task before us is to choose one and work with our architect, CM and master design team to refine the plan, address any issues and "value engineer" the concept to a plan acceptable in terms of final scope and price.

John Doctor Field Dedication Coming Up

The official dedication of the John Doctor Field at Bird Park is set for 10 a.m. Sept. 6. The soccer field, located off Beadling Road directly across from Markham School, has been renamed in honor of Mr. Doctor, who died suddenly of heart disease at age 49 in 2005 .

Mr. Doctor volunteered in many community organizations, but he gave much of his time to the Mt. Lebanon Soccer Association and the Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy -- two groups that hold Bird Park dear.

The ceremony will include a number of town leaders, including Commission President Dale Colby, state Sen. John Pippy, R-Moon, and state Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon.

The event will be filmed for cable television, and the public is invited to share memories of Mr. Doctor for a film crew after the dedication.

From the Post-Gazette

John was one of the very first people I met when our family moved to Mt. Lebanon in 1998, and I can still picture him standing alone, quietly, on the other side of the soccer field as his daughter AJ tore up the pitch for the Lebo Cup soccer team that I coached. I've had this date circled in red for a long time. It will be a bittersweet celebration.

Donations Needed

You know the one about "give a man a fish and he eats for a day, but teach him how to fish and he eats for a lifetime?" Fast forward that advice: Help a child learn and, well, you can figure out the rest.

Accordingly, South Hills Interfaith Ministries needs donations for its Back-to-School Program, which benefits school-age children of suburban poor and refugee families who live in Baldwin Borough and Township, Bethel Park, Castle Shannon, Mt. Lebanon, South Park, Upper St. Clair and Whitehall.

The group is collecting supplies, such as backpacks, notebook paper, pens and pencils, which are, of course, tools to help youngsters learn. Such items should be dropped off through tomorrow [that's TODAY - Friday August 15] from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the SHIM center, 1900 Sleepy Hollow Road, South Park.

For more, call 412-854-9120, ext. 10.

From the Post-Gazette

Yes, there are poor and refugee families in Mt. Lebanon.

Blog-Lebo Celebrates Again

Blog-Lebo recently celebrated its third anniversary - quietly, and with an absolute minimum of fuss!

Thanks to Joe Polk for collaborating here, and thanks to all readers, commenters, and lurkers for sticking with us. The Summer is usually a slow traffic time, but over the last month we had more than 9,000 visits and more than 18,000 page views -- not bad for a town of just over 30,000 people locally, who-knows-how-many elsewhere, and an unpaid "staff" of two! (Note from Joe -- from August 15, 2007 to August 15, 2008, we had 30,092 unique visitors to our site! Wow!)

Please stick around. Thanks!

School Board President Won't Allow Vote To Review Public Comment Policy

A discussion on First Amendment rights and free speech by the Mt. Lebanon school board was brought to an abrupt halt Monday night when board President Mark Hart refused to allow board members to be polled on the matter.

School director Josephine Posti had asked for the board to consider forming a subcommittee to review board meeting procedures, specifically the way in which speakers address the board.

Mrs. Posti said at in recent months speakers have presented inaccurate information, and some have attacked administrators and community volunteers from the podium.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08227/904083-55.stm

Update: At her personal blog, School Board Director Jo Posti notes:

While the discussion about how to improve public comments has ended, it is, in my opinion, an unresolved issue. Some districts provide information that corrects inaccurate information. Some broadcast public commentors on-camera vs. off. Some provide venues for comments that do not pertain to board business. Some publish public comments or identification of commentors in order to provide the same level of respect to the public as the public is asked to provide the board. While none of these concepts are my recommendation, they may have been points of discussion should a sub-committee have been appointed. My hope is that we can all work harder going forward to provide accurate information to the public and to reinforce the Golden Rule standard during public comments.

Chief Ogden 'Nowhere Near Finished' Despite Upcoming Retirement

In less than one month, Mt. Lebanon police Chief Thomas Ogden will be retired officially from the force, but to his mind, he'll always be a cop. "I have never been Joe Citizen and don't plan to be for some time," he said, laughing.

"I haven't been that in 29 1/2 years, never. When I walk into a restaurant, I know exactly who is sitting where, what they are wearing, who they're facing, how the cars are parked in the parking lot ..."

Chief Ogden, 51, will step down Sept. 7 and become director of security for Carnegie Mellon University the next day.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08227/904066-55.stm

Generosity Keeps South Hills Food Pantry Doors Open

The South Hills Food Pantry occasionally gets an expired can of powdered milk or jar of jelly. But the generosity of donors and volunteers keeps the program going at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Mt. Lebanon, leaders say.

"It's meant to be. I never know how it is going to happen. It is up to God," said organizer Danni Allman of Upper St. Clair. The food pantry specializes in assisting South Hills residents who have no way to transport groceries home. They are disabled, elderly, have heart issues or diabetes, or are without a car.

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_582663.html

Tops

Lebo resident

Thomas J. Doyle, MD, MPH, has received recognition as Pennsylvania's Emergency Physician of the Year. The award will be presented during an awards luncheon at the 2008 Pennsylvania Emergency Medical Services Conference in Hershey on Friday, August 15. This award is given by the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services.

From Vertical Daily News, North America's Daily Helicopter News Service, Aug. 12, 2008

Update: The Post-Gazette catches up with this story.

Back to School News

Mt. Lebanon's Nancy Dapper is so well-organized that she scares me:

Mt. Lebanon mom Nancy Dapper recommends making school lunches the night, or even the week, before. When her three daughters, who are now 20, 18 and 15, were in elementary school, she writes in an e-mail, she'd make 15 peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches every Sunday, individually wrap them and place them in a large Ziploc bag in the freezer. Whole fruits were kept in a bowl on the counter and small baggies filled with a handful of grapes, cut-up carrots or celery were placed in the fridge; a "snack" drawer in the kitchen was filled with small packs of cookies and crackers, granola bars and individual bags of chips.

Each morning, Mrs. Dapper says, the girls were responsible for packing their own lunches by taking a sandwich, at least one fruit/veggie item and no more than one dessert/snack item. "Every day was a bit different, and it was what they were in the mood to eat," she says. "It made them responsible for themselves and taught them a bit about eating in a healthy manner. Best of all, it made our crazy school mornings a bit more relaxed."

"Some homework for back-to-school preparedness," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Aug. 13, 2008.

Lebo in Hollywood

The cover story in the August 6 TV Guide magazine begins:

A long time ago in a movie house far, far away–Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, to be exact– a little kid named Dave Filoni watched a reissue of “Star Wars” and went wild over a fleeting line of dialogue. “There’s a scene where Luke Skywalker says to Obi-Wan Kenobi, ‘You fought in the Clone Wars?’ and that got my imagination all fired up,” Filoni recalls. “My brother Mike and I were like, ‘Wow, there’s history here? Something called the Clone Wars came before Star Wars? And what the heck is a clone?’”

He would eventually find out in a very big way. In the ultimate dream of a Star Wars geek, Filoni—now 34—has taken the torch from grand master George Lucas and directed “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” The CG-animated feature (opening August 15) is set between the events of “Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones” (2002) and “Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith” (2005). It follows the daring exploits of Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker as civil war rages between the Galactic Republic (led by the Jedi generals and their clone army) and the Confederacy of Independent Systems (the evil Separatists and their droid forces).

Read the whole thing.

Update: The Post-Gazette weighs in on this fantastic story.

Dys-turbia?

From the Freakonomics blog at The New York Times, an excerpt from a post that solicited comments on the future of the suburbs:

Alan Berube, research director and fellow at the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, which he joined in 2001.

“… in 40 years perhaps we’ll get beyond our fixation with “the suburbs” (love them or hate them) and develop a richer vocabulary for what lies beyond the city limits.”

In 40 years, “the suburbs” won’t exist.

With all their current heterogeneity and further changes on the horizon, chances are we’ll have retired the phrase from popular lexicon by 2050.

That’s not because they’ll depopulate — the nation will need to accommodate at least another 100 million people during this period, and not even $10-per-gallon gas will send the majority of Americans scrambling back to cities. But “suburbia” will be an even less useful descriptor in 2050 for the diverse range of communities in which the majority of Americans will continue to live. An educated guess at what we’re likely to see:

New physical forms. Just as America’s first suburbs sprouted up along the streetcar lines built in the early 20th century, the first half of the 21st century will see the growth of “light rail suburbs” (even in areas that don’t have the rail yet).
High oil prices and the imperative to address global climate change will help spur denser residential development along transit corridors outside of cities. We’d see more of it today, if supply kept up with demand. Chris Leinberger estimates that walkable suburban communities served by transit today command anywhere from a 40 percent to 200 percent price premium over conventional drivable suburban development.

New demographic profiles. Suburbs of 2050 will be a far cry from the Ozzie and Harriet communities a century before. Already, most immigrants in the nation’s newer gateways — metro areas like Sacramento, Charlotte, Minneapolis, and Washington — skip the city and head directly for suburban communities. These regions boast a far-flung ethnic patchwork, with a tremendous diversity of national origin groups. Meanwhile, as the Baby Boom generation “ages in place,” the suburbs of several major metro areas are projected to have larger elderly population shares than their cities by 2030. And even today, there are more poor Americans living in the suburbs of major metro areas than in cities.

New governance. Diversifying populations and changing infrastructure needs will demand a less parochial, more regional approach to public decision making. Small suburban jurisdictions can’t finance and manage transit systems, public hospitals, or affordable housing on their own. A move toward more metropolitan collaboration on these issues, borne of economic necessity, may further blur the traditional political boundaries that define suburbs.

“Suburbia” is an oppositional concept — in Latin, it’s literally “under city.” But as the people and places that define suburbia look more and more like those we associate with the city, and less and less like one another — in 40 years perhaps we’ll get beyond our fixation with “the suburbs” (love them or hate them) and develop a richer vocabulary for what lies beyond the city limits.

[cross-posted at Pittsblog]

Keystone Oaks Policing Decision Reversed

At last night's meeting, the Mt. Lebanon Commission reversed its earlier decision to transfer a Mt. Lebanon police officer to Keystone Oaks High School. At his blog, Commissioner Dan Miller posted a note explaining his opposition to the transfer and a follow-up note confirming the Commission's decision last night. Dan reports that he had heard from a lot of Mt. Lebanon citizens who objected to the Commission's initial decision. Those objections made their way to my In box as well. Here is an example:

URGENT: ACTION ALERT
Officer Mike Riemer being reassigned to Keytone Oaks - removed from working with Mt. Lebanon Schools August 10,
2008


As many of you may be aware, Mt. Lebanon Commissioners have agreed to accept $60, 000 from Keystone Oaks School District to have a Mt. Lebanon police officer permanently stationed at their High School beginning in the next few weeks. It was decided to take this position from the crime prevention unit/educational officer and reassign him to KO leaving Mt. Lebanon with one less police officer.
This means that Officer Mike Riemer is no longer an educational officer for our schools. It means that the only proactive unit in the police department is one person less. It means that the 300-400 classes that Officer Riemer taught to our students will have to go by the wayside because his partner will not be able to pick up the slack for that great amount of work. It means that the 15% decrease in bullying incidents reported by MMS will be sacrificed. It means that the 25% drop in juvenile arrests might be affected.
We urge you to attend the Commissioner's Meeting this Monday Night to speak to them about the many positive affects this position has in our schools and in our community. We also ask the you email your views to the commissioners or call them.

Be sure to think about the many programs at your school that will be cut because of the elimination of this position. No more "Stranger Danger" classes, no more "Safe Walking to School" programs, no more internet safety programs, no more bike rodeos, no more classes on the dangers and consequences of underage drinking, no more parent programs on sexual predators and how to keep your kids safe on the internet.

Blog-Lebo's earlier post on the topic is here.

The Commission's original decision was made in spite of a contrary recommendation by Mt. Lebanon's outgoing Chief of Police, Tom Ogden. Chief Ogden apparently cautioned initially that the officer to be assigned to KO would be pulled from traffic enforcement. It appears that plenty of people were unhappy with the Commission's decision even given that impact, but community mobilization against the KO decision was made more intense by information that the police department would re-assign an officer who had been working in Mt. Lebanon schools.

I do not know what Keystone Oaks officials, or KO students and families, think of the decision. Much as we all want to do what's best for our own children, I can't help but think that the decision not to assign a Mt. Lebanon police officer to KO does just a wee bit of harm to the broader concept of community. "KO wins, Lebo loses" -- and now the reverse -- is a zero-sum approach to public safety. Is there a win-win-win option waiting to be explored for KO, the Mt. Lebanon Police Department, and Lebo schools?

MLK Mural Comes to Mt. Lebanon

If you've driven on Shady Drive East recently, you've seen people painting the concrete walls of the Port Authority tunnel that goes underneath the road. I've seen the mural starting to take shape, but I didn't see anyone actually working on it until today so I stopped by to talk to the people that were there.

The mural is part of the MLK Community Mural Project, which according to their web site is:

The MLK Community Mural Project is for Pittsburgh the biggest and brightest art venture in the city’s history, with murals scheduled to cover 26 walls throughout the city and already engaging hundreds of Pittsburgh’s biggest and brightest residents.

I had the opportunity to speak to Bonnie, the project manager for the Mt. Lebanon mural and Karen, one of the artists that has helped to design the murals themselves. Bonnie stated that they have designed murals to be placed on multiple walls that are part of the tunnel for the T and that they have students from around Pittsburgh that come to the site to work on it. They have also contracted the work of artists from a Pittsburgh-based firm called KH Design to design the actual murals that the students will paint.

I personally think that this is an awesome project that will bring life and lots of color to otherwise dreary concrete walls that are passed by every day by tons of people traveling through Mt. Lebanon. I've posted pictures of the work in progress below this article. I'm sorry that the pictures aren't that great quality, but I took them with my cellphone camera. As you'll see, there will actually be 3 separate areas of the tunnel area that will have murals placed on them. I can't wait to see the finished work!

Pension Problems

The city of Pittsburgh has an $800 million problem. That’s the estimated price tag for the pension and retirement benefits promises the city has made to police, firefighters and municipal employees without setting aside money to cover the bill.

Pittsburgh isn’t alone. Monroeville’s obligations likely top $35 million. Penn Hills estimates $4 million. Mt. Lebanon, $2.6 million. And on it goes.

Just how much of the region is in the red is impossible to say. GASB is not collecting the data, said spokesman Neil McGarity, and cannot say how many municipalities have completed the actuarial reports.

“It’s too early to tell, but what we’re finding is that people are surprised at the extent of their liability,” said Marcia Taylor, the only local among GASB’s seven board members.

Taylor also is assistant manager of Mt. Lebanon, which did its actuarial report ahead of schedule and pegs its total pension liability at $2.6 million.

That’s not an insignificant number, Taylor said, but she and Finance Director William McKain are trying to be proactive in addressing the liability. McKain said Mt. Lebanon (which has a 2008 budget of $44.6 million) began annual contributions of $250,000, starting in 2007.

Link: pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2008/08/11/story10.html

Foreclosures Jump In Upper Middle Class Areas

Foreclosures in middle and upper middle class neighborhoods are taking off. In fact if you take a drive down an upper middle class town like Hampton Township -- you might be surprised that banks and lenders foreclosed on some 30 homes last year -- up from two just seven years ago - proof positive that the foreclosure crisis is hitting the well-to-do as well as the working class.

Bethel Park went from 12 to 38 and Mt. Lebanon from 10 to 25.

Link: www.kdka.com/kdkainvestigators/Foreclosures.wealthy.communities.2.790468.html

Library Receives $50K Grant

Last week state Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, presented the town's public library with a $50,000 state grant. The money will help the library improve its resources while helping it to cope with rising prices and a smaller budget.

The grant will help the library expand its collection by buying more large-print books, audio books, early childhood education resources, and materials for families who home school and for families who don't speak English as their primary language.

Some 76 percent of the more than 33,000 town residents have a library card.

Last year, the library circulated more than 565,880 books and other materials and was visited by more than 397,500 patrons.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08220/902395-55.stm

Police Department Receives $15K Grant

The police department received a state grant of $15,000 from the Department of Community and Economic Development to purchase a speed warning trailer, which shows drivers their actual speed. This grant was acquired by State Representative Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08220/902395-55.stm

Annual Deer Management Meeting

The annual meeting on deer management will be held 7 p.m. Aug. 25, in the municipal building, 710 Washington Road. Mt. Lebanon's deer management plan, available at www.mtlebanon.org, requires that the plan be evaluated and updated each year.

Mt. Lebanon contracts with the U. S. Department of Agriculture to implement a white-tailed deer management program to reduce property damage, nuisance complaints and deer-vehicle collisions.

In 2007, the municipality obtained a Pennsylvania Game Commission Special Use Permit to remove no more than 150 deer from within municipal limits. By the conclusion of the program in late spring 2008, the USDA had removed 146 deer.

The Aug. 25 meeting will begin with a presentation by representatives of the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. A public comment session will follow and each resident may speak up to five minutes.

The USDA report for 2008 will be posted at www.mtlebanon.org.

Lebo Church's Summer Mission Stays Home

Beverly and Neil Brem took vacation time off work for the annual mission of Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian Church. Only this time, they weren't going to Africa or the Dominican Republic. Their project was in Mt. Lebanon and Castle Shannon.

The church committed to a local mission this summer, and 250 of the 800 members last week got involved in assisting people and making improvements within a 1.5-mile radius of the church. They called it "Mission Possible."

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/today/s_581473.html

ULTRAParty Raises Approximately $25K for Autism Center

From the Autism Center of Pittsburgh....

Saturday's ULTRAparty was a success by all accounts, despite a few small setbacks. Over 3,000 attendees descended upon Washington Rd. to enjoy the sounds of the 80's cover band, Velveeta and enjoy food and beverages provided by Wilson-McGinley/Miller Brewing and Atria's Restaurant & Tavern.

Despite an early setback of electrical outlets that were not operational, the problem was quickly solved with generators and the party went on as planned!

Once again the event proved to be one of the most successful in Pittsburgh thanks to hundreds of volunteers from the Autism Center of Pittsburgh and the LEBO group.

No police incidents were reported.

Police Chief Ogden Announces Retirement

Mt. Lebanon Police Chief Thomas Ogden has submitted his notice of retirement to Municipal Manager Stephen Feller effective Sunday, September 7. He has accepted a position as Chief of Police for Carnegie Mellon University.

Mr. Feller shared the following information with me regarding Chief Ogden's retirement:

Chief Ogden was actually eligible for a full retirement in January of 2007. He has over 28 years of service with Mt. Lebanon, and has held every rank within the Department. He has served as Chief since 1999. He holds a Masters Degree in Public Policy and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Chief Ogden has been an extremely effective Chief. He will be greatly missed. Mt. Lebanon has had only six individuals serve as Police Chief since 1940. We are committed to finding the very best candidate to assume this key position in the community.

Is Lebo a Hotbed of Flower Theft?

At least one of the flower beds along Washington Road in Mt. Lebanon -- near the corner of Washington and Academy -- is under "video surveillance" due to "flower theft." See the photo above.

Can anyone provide details? Have gobs of gladiolas gone missing? Where is the video camera?

Local Business Update

Things I learned at First Friday, last Friday:

Aldo Coffee sells coffee beans produced by local roaster Jake's Java, which is based in Venetia. Tastes great! Less filling.

And Empire Music received a "Best of Pittsburgh 2008" award for music lessons, from something called the U.S. Local Business Association (http://www.uslba.net). What is the USLBA? Do we care? Congrats!

Preliminary 5 Year Capital Improvement Plan Now Online

The preliminary version of the 5 year, 48MM Capital Improvement Plan is now available for viewing on the Mt. Lebanon web site. Totals by department are as follows:

General: $90,000
Economic Development: $105,000
Public Works: $28,167,640*
Recreation: $18,120,890
Public Safety: $2,440,000

TOTAL: $48,923,530

* Note: Almost $13,000,000 of Public Works is for Sanitary Sewer Improvements and is funded by residents and property owners through the ALCOSAN surchage.

Link: www.mtlebanon.org/DocumentView.asp?DID=2614

Mt. Lebanon Motorcyclist Killed In Crash

A Mt. Lebanon man was killed late Saturday after he lost control of the motorcycle he was riding and crashed into a pole. Lynn Love, 67, was driving north on Washington Road when he lost control of his motorcycle at 8:08 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

There were no adverse road conditions but police do not suspect alcohol contributed to the accident, Mt. Lebanon Police Lt. Robert Kwiatkowski said. Love was taken to UPMC Presbyterian, Oakland, where he was pronounced dead.

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_580913.html

Lebo Crime Alert -- Burglaries

From the Mt. Lebanon Police Department website, posted July 29, 2008:

Mt. Lebanon Police are investigating a series of daylight burglaries.

The crimes are occurring during late morning to early afternoon hours on weekdays on the west side of town, along the Bower Hill Rd and Cochran Road corridors.

In one incident a back door was damaged in an attempt to gain entry, in another incident entry was gained through a ground floor window. Entry was gained in one house through an unlocked door and another with the use of a key found outside the residence.

The thieves are stealing electronic items, laptop computers, jewelry and other things that can be carried away easily.

Mt Lebanon Police are requesting assistance from residents to report suspicious people, suspicious vehicles and any other suspicious circumstances by calling 911 immediately.