Mt. Lebanon Breaks Through Class AAAA Semifinal

After being eliminated in the WPIAL Class AAAA semifinals each of the past two seasons, the Mt. Lebanon softball team used a dominant pitching performance to ensure this year would be different.

Behind a 12-strikeout performance by senior Geena Badolato, the Blue Devils rolled to a 6-0 victory against Connellsville in a semifinal game Thursday at California (Pa.). The victory lifted Mt. Lebanon into a matchup with Shaler in the WPIAL championship game, to be played next Thursday at California.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/s_683360.html

Dirk Taylor Rebuts School Board’s Claims About High School Project

In a four-page letter to the School Board, Dirk A. Taylor, P.E., responds to the claims made by the School Board about the High School project and, in particular, by Director Josephine Posti in her blog post about Building C on April 20, 2010.

Mr. Taylor is a Mt. Lebanon resident, a graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School, and has served as an engineer to the school district on many projects at the High School. He also served on the Design Advisory Committee and Community Advisory Committee for the currently planned High School project.

In his letter, Mr. Taylor challenges the claims the School Board has made to justify its plan to demolish Building C: asbestos abatement, temporary classrooms, travel distance between classrooms, community input, and cost savings. He goes into details, makes clear arguments, and backs them with evidence.

Summarizing, he writes, “As I have said..., I am in full agreement with the [School] Board that Mt. Lebanon High School needs a major renovation. But my 30 years of experience in the building construction industry and 40-year knowledge of the High School tell me that your proposed reconstruction design is a gross misuse of our tax dollars that will leave us with a less functional building than the existing structure we already have.”

No matter where you stand on the High School project, you owe it to yourself to read Mr. Taylor’s letter. This project is important and, no matter how it turns out, will change our community. We ought to consider every piece of evidence about it, and Mr. Taylor’s letter offers a lot of evidence to consider.

Read more:

• Dirk A. Taylor’s letter to the School Board (printed with permission)
• School Board Director Josephine Posti’s blog post on Building C

Update 2010-05-28 15:58: Fixed typo: letter is four pages, not six.

School Board’s 10.5-Percent Tax Increase Earns Another “Lancing”

Today, Mt. Lebanon got “lanced” again by the Tribune-Review:

Lance: To Mt. Lebanon. Its school board approved a staggering 10.5 percent increase in taxes this week. That's to pay for a poorly executed high school renovation project and to cover teacher pensions. And, apparently, there's a little something in there for a new contract with teachers, now being negotiated. The school tax bill on a $200,000 home will soar to more than $5,300 a year. And that great sucking you're soon to hear won't be the straw at the bottom of an empty cold coffee.

Over on his blog, School Board Director James Fraasch comments on the situation:

I can't say I disagree with the lances. It's unfortunate that for years this Board has known the day would come when taxes would skyrocket up in order to pay for the high school. Since the first day I sat down on this Board, I asked how we were planning to pay for it. The answer became so clear on Monday night. We decided to increase taxes to pay for 100% of the cost of the first set of bonds for the project.

Mr. Fraasch’s post is worth reading. He shows that the true problem isn’t the tax increase so much as the culture that created it, a culture that threatens to make Mt. Lebanon uncompetitive.

Making people pay more for what they can get elsewhere is not the recipe for community growth. It’s the recipe for decline.

Mt. Lebanon School Taxes To Increase

Mt. Lebanon residents can expect to see a 10.5 percent increase in the school tax rate after the school board passed a $79.36 million budget Monday night.

The 2010-11 budget's tax rate of 26.63 mills is an increase of 2.52 mills over the current year's spending. Of the 2.52 mills, 2.16 mills are to cover the $69 million bond issue for the planned $113.3 million high school renovation, and 0.37 mills are to cover increased pension fund responsibilities. The base budget went down 0.01 mills.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10145/1060601-100.stm

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_682782.html

School Board Approves 10.5% Tax Hike and Creates Task Force to Reduce Future Costs

Tonight, the school board voted 6-2 to approve a final budget of $79.4 million for the 2010–2011 school year. The budget raises school real-estate taxes to 26.63 mills, an increase of 10.5 percent. Voting for the budget were Directors Birks, Cappucci, Ostergaard, Posti, Remely, and Rose. Voting against were Directors Fraasch and Stipanovich.

Those supporting the budget said it represented many hard decisions, all carefully considered. They emphasized that the district held the line on normal operating costs: the large increase, they offered, was the result of unavoidable pension costs and debt service on the $75-million bond for the high-school project.

Those opposing the budget argued that it was wrong for the board to tax its way out of a spending problem. They pointed out that this year’s cost increases were foreseeable, and yet the board did not adequately prepare for those increases in previous years. They also suggested that the economy has forced the community to tighten its belt, so why shouldn’t the school district tighten its belt, too? Why should the school district, they argued, be able to offload its financial problems when everybody else must make ends meet the hard way?

After this discussion, the vote was taken. The budget passed. Nobody seemed to feel good about it.

On a hopeful note, the board voted unanimously on a different motion, one to approve the formation of a “task force” to reduce operating costs. To make meaningful reductions, the logic goes, the board needs more time than the traditional budgeting process provides; the task force solves this problem by looking into the budget on an ongoing basis. When next year’s budget comes due, the board (one hopes) will finally have the options it needs to make those “hard decisions” we keep hearing about.

In the meantime, this task force represents the acid test for those school-board directors who talk about controlling costs but don’t do much cost-controlling. If they are serious about their commitment, they will give the task force what it needs to be effective – and then let it do its job.

The next few school board meetings are where the task force will be defined. They will determine whether the task force is real or not.

Let’s see what happens.

Mt. Lebanon Man Settles St. Patrick's Police Taser Lawsuit

Pittsburgh City Council president Doug Shields says council will likely approve paying $155,000 to a man who claims he was wrongly Tasered for criticizing a city officer after getting a ticket for not using his turn signal.

53-year-old Daniel Hackett III, of Mount Lebanon, sued claiming he yelled at the officer on March 15, 2008 during the city's St. Patrick's Day celebration.

Read more: www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/23619938/detail.html

Mt. Lebanon Girls' Basketball Team Receives National Honor

One would think after consecutive seasons with WPIAL and PIAA Class AAAA championships, head coach Dori Oldaker and the Mt. Lebanon girls' basketball team would be done with honors and awards. But even in mid May, one more found its way to Cochran Road.

The Lady Blue Devils were presented with the National Guard National Ranking trophy Friday, one of 10 schools honored on the MaxPreps Tour of Champions.

Read more: www.thepittsburghchannel.com/high-school-playbook/23561193/detail.html

Obituary: Robert Gaetano

As a current Mt. Lebanon firefighter, I wanted to share the news of Bob's passing on this blog. He protected and served the people of Mt. Lebanon for 55 years as both a career and volunteer firefighter and platoon chief.

Many residents also had the pleasure of meeting Bob and receiving his assistance at Rollier's Hardware where he worked after his retirement from the department.

Post-Gazette obituary: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10143/1060203-122.stm

Tribube-Review obituary: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/obituaries/s_682501.html

Photo courtesy of Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

RAD Cuts Crippling Library, Mt. Lebanon Officials Say

Commissioners in Mt. Lebanon plan to advise the board of Allegheny County's Regional Asset District that a second year of reductions in RAD allocations to member libraries might further affect Mt. Lebanon's ability to continue some of its popular programs in 2011.

Manager Steve Feller said Mt. Lebanon faces another $65,000-$70,000 in library cuts for 2011. "We are one of the most widely used libraries in the county, our local support is substantial, but we are being penalized," he said.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_680592.html

Hitting The Right Note: Five Local Schools Excel In Music

Sitting in the hallway at Mt. Lebanon High School, Julian Pearlman, 18, concentrated on hitting each note of Vivaldi's "Concerto for Four Violins" perfectly. A violinist since third grade, Pearlman counts himself lucky to enjoy making music at his school.

"It's a really good thing because, for a lot of kids, it's sports or nothing, and if you can introduce music to kids, it can open a lot of doors," said Pearlman, a senior at Mt. Lebanon.

Mt. Lebanon recently was honored by the NAMM Foundation, the charitable arm of the International Music Products Association, as one of its "Best Communities for Music Education." Also making the 11th annual list were North Allegheny, Quaker Valley and Trinity Area school districts, as well as Propel East Charter School in Turtle Creek.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_681785.html

Mt. Lebanon Board Considers Committee To Study Increasing Budget Worries

Citing concerns over future debt, school board members in Mt. Lebanon said Monday they will consider creating a committee to review budgetary issues looming in the next three years.

The board is poised to approve a nearly $80 million budget next week, which will include a 10 percent school property tax increase. Costs for the $113 million high school renovation and projected shortfalls in the Pennsylvania State Employee Retirement System (PSERS) fund are driving the increase, officials said. Mt. Lebanon has about $75 million available for the high school renovation.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_681918.html

Mt. Lebanon Students Stage A Smooth, Slick, Skilled 'Millie'

Mt. Lebanon is about as good as it gets for high school musicals.

This is my 20th year writing about these infectious springtime rituals for the Post-Gazette. Although I've limited myself to four or five each year (you can have too much of a good thing), my total now comes to 91 musicals at 59 different high schools, mostly in Allegheny County.

So I have grounds for saying, based on just one visit to Mt. Lebanon, that its "Thoroughly Modern Millie" ranks with the best I've seen at Woodland Hills, North Allegheny, Gateway and CAPA, to cite some other strong programs off the top of my head.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10133/1057685-55.stm

Fire Breaks Out In Mt. Lebanon House Basement

Firefighters said a smoke detector may have saved lives in Mt. Lebanon when a house fire broke out early Friday morning.

Two people were woken by the detector in their home on Catalpa Place before 2:30 a.m. The fire caused minimal damage and was limited to the basement, firefighters said.

Both people in the home were taken to a hospital as a precaution.

Read more: www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/23554198/detail.html

Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_mbyWZKjBI

Firefighter Makes Valiant Effort

On Mother's Day morning, Dan Miller was driving with his wife through Ohio, 10 minutes west of Steubenville, when they saw a plume of black smoke rising beyond the road.

Mr. Miller, a Mt. Lebanon commissioner and a volunteer for the municipality's fire department, pulled off Route 151 to investigate. He found flames shooting out of a two-story wooden house. A woman was screaming that her baby was still inside.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10133/1057748-55.stm

Read more: Commissioner Miller's posting regarding the fire

Mt. Lebanon's Galleria Mall Theater To Close June 17

The Carmike theater in the Galleria mall in Mt. Lebanon will close in mid-June, 21 years almost to the day after opening with legitimate boasts of being "the crown jewel of cinemas in the Tri-State."

The theater, which welcomed its first paying customers on June 16, 1989, will go dark June 17. No word yet on what will occupy its sprawling space on the upper level.

Read more: www.postgazette.com/pg/10132/1057762-60.stm

Romance Novelist Has Love For Mt. Lebanon

When she's not traveling through time, posing seductively for 17th century artist Peter Lely or juggling two love interests, Mt. Lebanon native Campbell Stratford takes the 44U home to her Washington Road loft.

The heroine of romance novelist Gwyn Cready's third novel, "Flirting with Forever," is an art historian at the Carnegie Museum of Art, who discovers a time portal that sends her back to 1600s London. There, she meets Mr. Lely, portrait artist for the royal court, and an adventure -- involving time travel, the afterlife, nude portraits and Aldo Coffee -- ensues.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10133/1057646-55.stm

Lebo Resident Serves As Chairperson Of Race For The Cure

Mt. Lebanon resident Chris Needles recently served as the chairwoman for the 18th Annual Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure held in Schenley Park on Mother's Day. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette put together a video where Chris is interviewed about the race and her involvement in it.

Video: http://www.bit.ly/bXOHXF

Police Seek Parole Violator In Mount Lebanon

Mount Lebanon police are searching for a suspected parole violator near the high school. According to police, they are searching in the area near the intersection of Baywood and Florida Avenues.

Police are currently setting up a perimeter in the area, but the high school is not under lockdown.

Read more: www.kdka.com/local/mount.lebanon.suspect.2.1687846.html

Lebanon Shops Foodland Is Closing

I know that this store is technically in Castle Shannon, but since it has been used by Mt. Lebanon residents for over 32 years, I thought it would be appropriate to mention their closing here. The cashier I spoke with said that they were not told why the store was closing. Has anyone heard anything?

Mt. Lebanon’s New Superintendent Dr. Timothy Steinhauer Outlines Plan For Change

Dr. Timothy Steinhauer has only been on the job as superintendent of Mt. Lebanon School District for a few months, but he’s already implementing plans to improve student achievement.

Mt. Lebanon School District ranked third on this year’s list of school districts in western Pennsylvania.

Read more: www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2010/05/03/daily48.html

What Happened To The Mt. Lebanon Community Theater?

We received the following email regarding the existence of the Mt. Lebanon Community Theater. If you know anything about it, please share it with us in the comments:

"I'm a Mt. Lebanon resident with a question that needs answered, and I'm hoping Blog Lebo can help. I came across this newspaper article from 1933 (http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19330430&id=PSQbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a0sEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1747,3343422) about The Mt. Lebanon Community Theater being incorporated. I can't seem to find any additional information about what happened between then and now. I'd love to know the history of any "community theater movement" (past and present) in Mt. Lebanon. We're such a talented lot -- performers, writers, technicians -- that I'm really surprised we don't have a thriving community theater. Would you mind posting this email to the blog or putting out a similar call for any information that is floating around out there?"

Mt. Lebanon School District Receives Frick Award

The Frick Art and Historical Center announces that the Mt. Lebanon School District is the recipient of the 2010 Roy A. Hunt Foundation Award for Commitment to Education in the Arts and Humanities.

The award is given annually to an educator who has demonstrated a commitment to participating in the Frick's education programs, and who has successfully integrated the arts into the students' learning experience.

For the first time, the award is being given to an entire school district for demonstrating its strong commitment to the arts and humanities.

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/05-05-2010-ML-Frick-Art-award

Residents Discuss Concerns At Mt. Lebanon Manager's Coffee

From proposing a fourth tennis bubble to neighbors who refuse to comply with ordinances regarding garbage to concerns about a proposed new high school with a $113 million cap, residents of Mt. Lebanon take a special interest in their community.

And that's encouraging to Steve Feller, municipal manager.

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/04-28-2010-Mt--Lebo-community-meeting

A Newsmaker You Should Know: She's On Mission To Lower Cost Of Mt. Lebanon School Project

At a January school board meeting, a Mt. Lebanon resident stood up and described his struggle with unemployment over the past year and a half. He was one of the dozens of residents who have spoken at public meetings, before and since then, about the high school renovation project.

One resident, Jim Martin, said if taxes went up significantly, he could not afford to remain in Mt. Lebanon. As he spoke, a friend, Charlotte Stephenson, was sitting in the auditorium, listening. She was there because she was also worried about the costs, although she knew the financial burden would not force her family to move out of the municipality.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10126/1055835-55.stm

Fundamental Changes In The Municipality?

At the April 26th Commission meeting, the Commission approved a new solicitor for our town by a 4-1 vote. The firm of Buchanan Ingersoll now replaces Eckert Seamans - which I think has been our solicitor for decades. They also replaced our special labor counsel at the April 12th meeting. I don't recall the Commission ever bidding these items out before. Anyone know what happened?

I also heard rumors that the Commission was taking steps to consolidate the Parking Authority - and sure enough this item appeared on the April 26th discussion agenda. I was wondering if anyone attended the meeting and could enlighten me/us about what was talked about.