Iovino's A Dish Of Pride, Joy For Chef-Owner

Owning a restaurant is like having another child, according to Jeff Iovino of the award-winning Iovino's Cafe in Mt. Lebanon.

There's the initial excitement and pride, and then comes the hard work. On the Friday night of the major blizzard in February, Iovino says he shoveled the sidewalk every half-hour until closing.

"I easily put in 80 hours a week and then some," says Iovino, 37, who opened the upscale cafe with his wife, Carol, in 2006. "You can't turn it off. But we knew what we were getting into. We had both been in the business a long time. There's a lot of pressure to be the best and keep the menu creative."

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_696941.html

P-G: Protest peaceful at Mt. Lebanon meeting

The Post-Gazette has expanded its coverage of yesterday’s protest:

Mt. Lebanon residents who gathered Saturday morning both inside and outside their municipal center on Washington Road could not agree on why they were there.

Inside the building, Commissioner Matthew Kluck sponsored a town hall meeting for about 80 invited guests. Outside, about 50 other people picketed.

While the town hall meeting's announced topic was "Perspectives on Living in and Governing a Highly Taxed Community," many of those gathered on the sidewalk said they feared its real agenda was an attempt by Mr. Kluck and his allies to delay or reduce the scope of a $113 million plan to renovate Mt. Lebanon Senior High School. The plan has been the topic of extensive debate in the community for months.

Here’s what I’d like to know. What causes fifty people to show up and protest something on grounds that turn out to be almost entirely wrong? What made the protesters think the meeting was a ploy to derail the high-school project?

Read the full article:

• Protest peaceful at Mt. Lebanon meeting (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The “Kendrick Plan” for Restructuring the School District

Within the Blog-Lebo conversation about the new teachers’ contract, reader John Kendrick did something bold: He offered a plan to restructure the school district.

The plan is certain to be controversial. Doing away with school real-estate taxes for seniors. Merging the elementary schools. Cutting the school staff by half. Each of these changes, if proposed by itself, would raise the ire of some politically powerful group within our community. Mr. Kendrick’s plan proposes them all.

You may view such changes as welcome or foolish, but either way you must recognize that some kind of change is inevitable. Our current school system is unsustainable; its costs are growing faster than our ability to pay for them.

Sooner or later, our elected representatives are going to have to start making some of those “hard decisions” they keep putting off. And those hard decisions will require sacrifices.

What will those sacrifices look like? Who will be asked to make them? Those are the questions our community must struggle with in the coming years.

And it’s in that struggle that plans like Mr. Kendrick’s are helpful. They provide something concrete, something to love or hate, something to help us consider what sacrifices we are willing to make – or not.

So I offer Mr. Kendrick’s plan to you without judgment or endorsement: as something to think about and talk about.

Please don’t bash Mr. Kendrick if you find fault with his plan. Instead, offer real criticism, real alternatives. If we are to prosper as a community, we must be able to discuss difficult subjects honestly and without name-calling. We must be able to come together as a community to make those hard decisions.

And now, as presented in Mr. Kendrick’s earlier comment:


The “Kendrick Plan”

If you examine the last three budgets:

• The distribution of expenses and revenue are stable over the last three year period, so we can extrapolate one year forward with reasonable accuracy.
• Staff salaries and fringe benefits account for approximately 75% of the annual school district expenditures. The three year average for salaries is approximately $41MM and the three year average for Earned Income tax is approximately $14MM.
• The Real Estate Tax accounts for approximately 67% of the annual school district revenue. The three year average expenditure for The Real Estate Tax is approximately $50MM.
• The Earned Income Tax accounts for approximately 8% of the annual school district revenue. The three year average expenditure for The Real Estate Tax is approximately $6MM.

If we assume that 2/3 of the real estate tax revenue is lost by exempting any Mt. Lebanon residential real estate owner over the age of 65, then the real estate tax revenue would be approximately $16.5MM after the tax relief is enacted, or a loss of $33.5MM.

If we target a 50% staff reduction, then the salaries and benefits following the enactment of my proposal would total approximately $20.5MM and $7MM respectively, for a savings of $27.5MM.

If we increase the earned income tax to cover the $6MM difference, then the earned income tax rate would approximately double as the tax incidence shifts to a younger demographic.

The staff reductions would come from school consolidation and the elimination of programs:

• My vision is to have a single elementary school, a single Junior High School, and a single High School.
• I would close all of the existing elementary schools and use either the Mellon School or the Jefferson School as “The Elementary School.”
• I would use either the Mellon or the Jefferson School as “The Junior High School.”
• The High School would remain where it is.
• I would sell any school that is not being used under my plan and use the proceeds from the sale to finance any changes that may be needed to the Mellon or Jefferson schools and then I’d use any remaining amounts to reduce the district’s long-term debt.
• The program reductions would be determined by beginning with state mandated educational requirements and incrementally adding programs as the budget or private contributions allow, but always within the guiding principle of achieving the financial goals that I outlined above.
• I would employ service delivery using professional providers like Blackboard. The classroom presentations would be digitized and available “on-demand.” These presentations could be shared or sold to other districts, and other districts could also contribute or sell their presentations into a collective pool that would be available to all Pennsylvania school students. This option would add additional academic programs at a lower cost per program.
• It is my belief that the quality of a digitized classroom presentation exceeds the quality of a traditional lecture, in part because:
• The lecturer is better prepared knowing that they are being recorded;
• The students can freely rewind the material and listen to the content when they have either missed the message or don’t understand what is being communicated.

I do not have a specific list of programs that would be eliminated, but a program like the athletic program that is unable to provide the district with funding through private contribution, particularly when they have failed to fulfill their prior pledge, would be a candidate.

The Town-Hall Meeting (Updated 3)

Updated 2010-08-28 15:57: linked to the P-G’s coverage of the protest.
Updated 2010-08-28 16:04: linked to moderator Anthony Moretti’s post on the meeting.
Updated 2010-08-28 16:34: linked to LeboCitizen.com’s audio recording.


Protesters gather outside of the municipal building


Panel members (left to right) James Fraasch, Matt Kluck, Eleanor Carpenter, and Frank Gamrat. (Moderator Anthony Moretti not shown.)

From 9:30 to 11:00 AM on Saturday, 28 August, 2010, a group of about 80 people filled the Mt. Lebanon municipal chambers for an invitation-only meeting styled after a town hall. The topic: the Mt. Lebanon economy and taxes.

Protesters were gathered outside, apparently under the impression that the meeting was some ploy to stop the high-school project. (The project was mentioned only briefly during the meeting and, even then, was described as mostly a done deal.)

Inside, a panel of four was presented to the community as having insight into different aspects of Mt. Lebanon’s economy. The panel members were James Fraasch (school-board director), Matt Kluck (municipal commissioner), Eleanor Carpenter (real-estate agent), and Frank Gamrat (economist and senior research associate for the Allegheny Institue). All panel members said they were offering their opinions and not acting in any official capacity. Anthony Moretti moderated the discussion, presenting questions from the audience and keeping the conversation moving.

The meeting was recorded and, I understand, will be viewable online early next week. (You can listen to it right now, thanks to the audio recording at LeboCitizens.com.)

If you want to know what happened at the meeting – or what all the fuss was about – I encourage you to watch the recording. My guess is that you will find it both informative and uncontroversial.

In any case, Matt Kluck, who expressed surprise at the large turnout, said he wants to hold at least one more of the town halls. Next time, he said, it would be in a venue large enough to hold everybody who wants to attend.

Read more:

• Mt. Lebanon residents protest commissioner's meeting (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Open or closed? (Anthony Moretti’s blog)

Two Accused Of Operating Mobile Meth Lab In Mt. Lebanon

A man and a woman charged with driving a mobile meth lab through Mt. Lebanon will have a preliminary hearing next month, authorities said.

Scott Hudson, 38, and Shannon Goodall, 34, are charged with operating a methamphetamine lab, possession with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphenalia, criminal conspiracy and reckless endangerment.

Mt. Lebanon police Lt. Aaron Lauth said the two were apprehended during a routine traffic stop the afternoon of August 15 outside the Virginia Manor Shops off Cochran Road, when police discovered the equipment and ingredients for making methamphetamine in the back of their Jeep Wrangler.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_696691.html

ML Board Member Sets Record Straight

NOTE: The following letter to the editor appeared in this week's The Almanac

In my role as a member of the Mt. Lebanon Board of School Directors, I would like to clarify some points in Mr. Taylor's recent letter to the editor concerning the Mt. Lebanon School District high school renovation.

Mr. Taylor is correct in listing the deduct alternatives presented to the school board at its Aug. 9 discussion meeting. As an engineer, Mr. Taylor should be well aware that preparation of bid alternatives is an industry best practice and remains typical for large construction projects like Mt. Lebanon's.

This project has undergone intense scrutiny through the years and many options and variables have and continue to be reviewed. As a result, many design and material changes have been incorporated into the project with the intent to reduce costs.

Other alternatives, such as relocating the tennis courts or removing a gym frequently used by community members, are more difficult to assess. A well-rounded board member recognizes that there are citizens to whom these items are important just as there are those who don't care about tennis courts or gyms and would prefer to simply reduce the cost. It is a balancing act to provide for our students while accommodating community needs, both fiscally and in the high demand for our high school to serve as a form of community center. The question to ask is if the board would jeopardize the remainder of the project for any of these items?

Mr. Taylor's assertion that the deduct alternatives were developed to "cheapen the bids" conflicts with his ongoing criticism that the cost is too high. Deduct alternatives are created to give the school board flexibility to reduce costs if needed when the bids come in without jeopardizing the project as a whole.

Dozens of people who work on this project daily tell me that the current and near future bid environment is competitive and Mt. Lebanon could see significantly lower bids than the budgeted estimate of $113.2 million. It is my hope that the project will get underway as soon as possible to take advantage of this helpful bidding environment.

Readers should also note that, while Mr. Taylor asserts there is no budget, the project cost is indeed budgeted and, by law, no more than $113.2 million can be spent on this project. Act 34 documents set this limit on cost and, by law once again, referendum would have only been necessary if the cost was millions of dollars more.

Mr. Taylor is incorrect in stating that our taxes will increase another 35 percent if the project continues as designed. At most, our taxes may increase by just over 4 percent for the remainder of the project and only at that level if indeed we are not able to realize any savings from the current projected cost.

As a board member, I listened to experts in their respective fields and all community dialogue, knowing that no one man or woman had all the answers on design or cost. Mr. Taylor is no exception. It has been a long six-year odyssey to address the needs of this aging facility and many people have assisted in the decision-making process. The renovation is sorely needed and costly, but I think it will be worth it in the end. We will have an energy-efficient and 21st century education building of which we can all be proud, extending our community legacy of educational excellence.

Sue Rose
Vice President
Mt. Lebanon Board of School Directors

Baptist Homes Marks New Beginning

The Baptist Homes organization is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, while the society's newest venture, Providence Point is celebrating its first. The Baptist Homes Society is looking to the future.

"We're looking forward to getting ourselves positioned for the next 100 years," said Alvin Allison, executive director of Baptist Homes Society's Providence Point.

The Baptist Homes Society is a not-for-profit charitable organization that serves adults of all faiths who require assistance because of age, illness or disability.

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/08-25-2010-Baptist-Homes-picnic

Playground Ready For Mt. Lebanon Students

As the school year is about to swing into action, Foster Elementary School in Mt. Lebanon will have a new disability friendly playground for students and the community.

Ironically, installation for the playground began on the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. "Most of it was installed in five days, but it took three years to get to those five days," said Principal Patrick McClintock-Comeaux.

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/08-18-2010-ML-playground

Letter: Getting the facts straight about tomorrow's town hall

Recently on Blog-Lebo, we posted about a town-hall meeting scheduled for Saturday, 28 August, 2010 (tomorrow). We also posted about Kristen Linfante's letter questioning that meeting. Now Charlotte Stephenson, one of the meeting's organizers, writes in to rebut some claims being made about the meeting in an ongoing email campaign. —Tom


Getting the facts straight about tomorrow's town hall

To all folks who are participating in the circulation of the following e-mail, please do the right thing and circulate a correction. In what follows, I present quotations from the original e-mail followed by my corrections in italics. —Charlotte Stephenson

Hello friends,

I'm not sure if you are aware of what is going on in our community, but contrary to popular belief, there are many road blocks being put up to prevent our school renovation from moving forward.

The roadblocks are of the school district’s own doing since the project design does not comply with our municipal law.

This is a critical time for our community. Those in favor of the high school renovation project need to pull together to show their support before it is too late. We cannot afford to let another ten years go by while our school continues to fall apart and our neighbors continue to move south. Tomorrow there is a "town hall" meeting scheduled at the municipal building. I put town hall in quotes because this meeting has been offered as an invitation only event to those apparently opposed to the current plan.

This meeting is not about the high school project and the invitees are not against the current high school project. In fact, some attendees are proponents of the current project. Anyone can have a meeting and invite whomever they want, unless they violate Sunshine Law and that is not happening here.

Please see this week's Almanac editorial for details.
http://www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/08-25-2010-letter-Mt--Lebanon-Linfante

Please read the Post-Gazette article rather than the suggested opinion piece.

A group of concerned residents of Mt. Lebanon are joining together to get the message out that we are not going to tolerate backhanded strategies to promote propaganda in our community.

This is a private meeting intended to provide a forum for discussion about our local economy.

If you are in favor of moving forward with the school renovation project, please gather at the municipal building tomorrow at 9 AM. Even if you are not sure where you stand on the renovation project, please help us get the message across that public meetings,

This is a private, not public, meeting.

with public officials,

Most are not public officials and those who are, are not officially representing their correlating agencies.

held in a closed door venue

True, the meeting room does indeed have a door.

will not be tolerated in this community.

Please refer to our first amendment right to assemble and discuss issues which are of importance to us. The right to freedom of association is recognized as a human right, a political freedom, and a civil liberty. I would hope this right is not only tolerated, but supported!

We need as many people, of all ages, to rally in support of this cause. Please help us get the word out to as many neighbors and friends as possible!

If you are going to encourage a protest, give people the facts so they can decide if protesting our first amendment rights is really what they want to protest against. The rumor mill is in full gear and participants may end up feeling embarrassed for raising a fuss about something that does not exist.

The meeting is scheduled for 9:30 but we are meeting at 9:00 to make sure that we go over proper conduct for our gathering. Bring signs saying, "Save our School" or "Dig Now" or "Whose town is it?" or "Don't be Fooled, Build our School". Kids are encouraged to come.

Please, teach your children well and do not encourage them to be manipulated by uninformed adults and fictional causes.

Charlotte Stephenson
Mt. Lebanon

Mt. Lebanon Could Take Over Parking Authority

Seeking to save every dollar possible, Mt. Lebanon officials are considering whether to absorb the municipality's independent parking authority that has managed the town's parking lots, garages and meters for more than 50 years.

Mt. Lebanon commissioners on Monday night weighed assuming control of the authority's seven full-time employees and moving their operations into the Municipal Building, which Finance Director Marcia Taylor said represents about $520,000 a year in wages and $148,000 a year in benefits before state aid.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_696607.html

Final Outdoor Movie This Weekend

The Denis Theatre Foundation will show the final movie of their its free outdoor series, Last Saturday Cinema, at 9 p.m. Saturday. , August 28.

"The Heart of the Game" is a documentary about the Seattle Roughriders, a girls' basketball team. The film will be shown at Parse Pavilion, a covered outdoor venue behind the closed theater.

The Mt. Lebanon girls' basketball team will attend. A discussion will be held afterward at Uptown Coffee, 723 Washington Road. The Foundation is trying to raise money to purchase and reopen the Denis as an independent theater.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10238/1082889-55.stm

$578M > $113M

Regardless of how you feel about our high school renovation project, we are nowhere near this -- the most expensive public school ever.

Signal At Mt. Lebanon Crosswalk To Be Researched

A public hearing on consideration to eliminate the mid-block crosswalk in front of Washington Elementary School on Washington Road lasted late into the night Monday.

Eventually, commissioners decided unanimously to redeploy a crossing guard to the neighboring intersection of Lebanon Avenue and Washington Road to guide pedestrians during school crossing times. The outcome came after much debate, comments from residents and input from safety and traffic officials and two failed motions

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10238/1082700-55.stm

Mt. Lebanon Leader Plans Invitation-Only Talk

Mt. Lebanon commissioner Matthew Kluck is organizing an invitation-only "town hall meeting" that will take place Saturday morning in the commission chambers of the municipal building.

The meeting, titled "Perspectives on Living in and Governing a Highly Taxed Community" and scheduled for 9:30 to 11 a.m., will include a panel discussion about local economy issues, according to an e-mail from Mr. Kluck sent to the Mt. Lebanon commission and Municipal Manager Stephen Feller.

The Post-Gazette obtained e-mails sent from Mr. Kluck about the town hall event through a Right to Know request.

"I'm not doing this in official capacity," Mr. Kluck said Monday. "I'm doing this as an individual who want to provide a forum for people."

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10238/1082703-55.stm

Town Hall Meeting Questioned

NOTE: The following letter to the editor appeared in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

I am writing about a private "town hall meeting" that Mt. Lebanon Commissioner Matt Kluck has scheduled at the municipal building on Saturday. Since when are town hall meetings private? The exclusive invitation describes "a panel discussion relative to our current economic situation." It says: "Our goal is to make important information available to the general public inspiring attendees to accept a call to action."

If the intent is to "make information available to the general public," why isn't the general public invited? I was not invited. Why? Is it my political views? My support of the high school renovation?

Is Mr. Kluck's intent to make the meeting appear to be promoted by the municipality? It also will be videotaped and available via the Internet. Rumors say it might appear on our local TV channel. What might a viewer surmise if he sees Mr. Kluck in the commissioners' chambers speaking to a roomful of people? They would likely interpret this staged setting as a real town hall meeting!

KRISTEN LINFANTE
Mt. Lebanon

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10238/1082701-55.stm

Police Seek State OK To Use Radar To Stop Speeding

The issue has been around longer than many state lawmakers and state troopers have been alive: Should municipal police in Pennsylvania be allowed to use radar devices to stop speeding motorists?

Yes, Mt. Lebanon Police Chief Coleman McDonough and several other local police officials told a Senate committee last week.

As a retired state police lieutenant colonel, Chief McDonough has seen things from both sides. Since 1961, state police are the only officers in Pennsylvania allowed to use radar to catch speeders.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10235/1081970-147.stm

Updated 2: School District Signs 5-Year Contract with Teachers’ Union

Updated 2010-08-25 23:09: added link to announcement from school district.
Updated 2010-08-26 09:20: added link to the P-G's coverage.
Updated 2010-08-26 11:46: added link to school-board director James Fraasch's coverage.
Updated 2010-08-26 18:51: added link to the Trib's coverage.

School-board director Jo Posti is reporting on her blog that the school district has signed a 5-year contract with the teachers' union:

Tonight, the Board voted unanimously to approve a contract the MLEA ratified earlier this evening by its membership...

Teachers will work an additional 15 minutes per day and the school year will be extended to 184 days with teachers' total work years being extended from 194.5 to 197.5 work days...

Compensation will provide an average 4.15% salary increase with the first year's average being 3.57% which would not require any change to the budget we've already approved. This increase includes step increases, something to keep in mind when evaluating competitor districts' contracts, some of which are being reported in the news by salary increase only. This percentage includes both raises and step movement through the salary scale, with an average raise of $3,005 per year including step movement. We anticipate an average 1.44% annual savings due to the efficiencies detailed in the new contract, netting an overall average salary increase per year for all costs at 2.71%.

I'm sure we'll be hearing more about the new contract in the coming days. For now, however, see Mrs. Posti's blog and the school district's announcement for an overview of the terms.

Read more:

• Mt. Lebanon Signs Five Year Teachers' Contract (Center Court, the blog of school-board director Jo Posti)
• School Board Approves New Teacher Contract (Mt. Lebanon School District)
• Teachers, Mt. Lebanon schools reach agreement (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• New Teacher Contract Approved (School-board director James Fraasch)
• Mt. Lebanon teachers will pay more for insurance, work longer (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon High School renovation project waits on answers

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that the planning board withheld approval of the proposed high-school project again:

Mt. Lebanon planners again postponed approval of the $113.3 million high school renovation Tuesday night, adding another month to refine the project.

Not yet satisfied with all the details of traffic studies, crosswalks and parking, the municipal planning board gave school officials more time to go over their plans for the final product, which would involve two years of renovations, demolitions and additions to the high school.

For the details, see the article:

• Mt. Lebanon High School renovation project waits on answers (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

What Path Do We Take Now?

The title of this posting is actually from an article on the web site of Dave Brumfield, our 4th Ward Commissioner. In his latest posting, he discusses the previous efficiency study performed by The Matrix Group, as well as the more recent review of municipal services (and future strategic planning) done by Tischler Bise.

It is always good to learn more about how our elected officials feel regarding the issues facing our community. I suggest you take the time to read it and then feel free to comment on his posting here. Unfortunately, there isn't any mechanism to reply to the posting on his site.

Read more: www.davebrumfield.com

Mt. Lebanon Star Still Striving For Ultimate Goal

Considering how far he has come, it's hard to believe that Zach Batteer scored only one goal his freshman year at Mt. Lebanon.

Since that time, he has attained almost every individual accolade.

In 2009, he scored the game-winning goal in double overtime against Upper St. Clair in the WPIAL Class AAA boys soccer championship game. He was the only boys soccer player in the WPIAL to be named a national All-American. He made a verbal commitment to Stanford in February, and he enters his senior season ranked by ESPNU as the No. 7 player in the country and the top forward in the nation.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/s_695980.html

Dan Miller: Irresponsible Debt and the Public Credit Card

On his blog, Commissioner Dan Miller writes about a topic that's hot in Mt. Lebanon these days: looming public expenses and how to pay for them. He writes, "If we continue borrowing money to pay for reconstructing our streets (like we did in 2009), we could run up public debt by $18 to $36 million in principle alone over the next 20 years. To say nothing of the interest payments. Just to take care of our streets."

To help our municipality kick the habit of borrowing for predictable expenses, Commissioner Miller proposed a pay-as-you-go ordinance for street reconstruction:

Mt. Lebanon has a longstanding policy of implementing an annual street reconstruction program with a goal of rebuilding approximately one mile of our paved streets every year. This program has largely been funded over the last decade by the issuing of debt in the form of Municipal bonds that are payable over twenty years and accrue interest. While it is integral to the Municipality to have an annual street reconstruction program, it is also integral to the taxpayers that such annual, reoccurring expenses be appropriately lodged in its general fund accounting so that the true cost of government is more accountable and transparent to our residents.

This ordinance was introduced at the last Commission meeting. It is scheduled for a public hearing and possible vote on Monday, 23 August, 2010. If you have something to say about the proposed ordinance, be at Monday's meeting.

Commissioner Miller's entire post is informative; do read it: Irresponsible Debt and the Public Credit Card. (One interesting tangential statistic caught my eye: the total per capita cost for all municipal services in 2009 was $690 – about $58 a month.)

What do you think? Is annual street reconstruction something that ought to be anticipated in the budget, or is it okay to pay for it with borrowed money?

Strategic-Plan Survey: Preliminary Results

Commissioner Dan Miller writes on his blog about some early results from the survey undertaken as part of the municipality's strategic-planning process. A few highlights:

• When told they had to lower spending somewhere in the budget, surveyed residents chose to cut spending on civic activities, then zoning enforcement, forestry, parking, and public information. The number one response, however, was that no services should be cut, even if it means raising taxes and fees.
• When asked what services should receive more funding, residents chose the library first, then recreation facilities, street maintenance, parks, and planning for the future. The number two response: nothing should get more funding.
• Most surveyed residents said that services in Mt. Lebanon were good; the next most-popular response was that services were great. Only 0.7% said services were poor or inadequate.
• In describing Mt. Lebanon as a place to live, 48% of surveyed residents said it was excellent; 43% said good; 0.4% said poor.

For the full highlights, see Dan Miller's blog: Strategic Plan Preliminary Survey Results.

Mt. Lebanon, Bethel Park Schools To Pay 12 More Than $100,000

The Mt. Lebanon and Bethel Park school boards recently approved 2010-11 salaries for administrators and other groups.

In Mt. Lebanon, the average salary increase for administrators was 3 percent. Seven administrators earn salaries over $100,000, with Assistant Superintendent Deborah Allen the highest paid at $130,806. The board has not yet voted on the superintendent's salary

Read more: www.postgazette.com/pg/10231/1081030-55.stm

Vote Looms Over Future Of Metered Parking Spaces

More business owners are speaking out against the possible loss of metered parking spaces in front of their properties.

Mount Lebanon council will soon vote whether to remove six metered spaces along West Liberty Avenue between Peermont Avenue and 3273 West Liberty Avenue.

The businesses in the affected area are a part of Dormont, while the road is part of Mount Lebanon.

Read more: www.wpxi.com/news/24653814/detail.html

Meet The Fastest Growing Company Ever

NOTE: Andrew Mason is a former Mt. Lebanon resident and graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School. Thanks to Elaine for letting us know about this article.

Andrew Mason figured out how to inject hysteria into the process of bargain hunting on the Web. The result is an overnight success story called Groupon.

At least Mark Zuckerberg wrote a few lines of computer code at Harvard before he left to launch Facebook. Now Andrew Mason, a relaxed and lanky 29-year-old music major from Northwestern, has managed to build the fastest-growing company in Web history.

Read more: www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/0830/entrepreneurs-groupon-facebook-twitter-next-web-phenom.html

School District Changes Graduation Requirements To Require PSSA Proficiency

As discussed earlier (and again) on Blog-Lebo, the school board has discussed changing the district's graduation requirements to place more emphasis on the PSSA exams. This change was recommended by the district's superintendent, Dr. Timothy Steinhauer, who said it would help motivate students to take the tests more seriously.

Last night, in a 6-2 vote, the school board adopted the change. On her blog, school-board director Jo Posti writes about it:

Last night, the Board passed a resolution to [revise] graduation requirements to include proficiency on the eleventh grade PSSAs with a 6-2 vote (Cappucci and Birks against, Fraasch absent)... This change adds a requirement that our competitor districts already require, provides remediation to students who require additional support in mastering subjects, and allows for a variety of methods to fulfill that remediation requirement should it be necessary. It will also, in my opinion, provide better motivation for students to demonstrate their capabilities to the best of their ability on a state-mandated test that is used to fulfill NCLB requirements for proficiency.

As I've written earlier, I think this change was inevitable. As long as other school districts work to maximize their test scores, our district will be forced to do likewise to remain competitive.

Read more:

• Revised Graduation Requirements (Center Court, Jo Posti's blog)
• Mt. Lebanon adds test to graduation requirements (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Mt. Lebanon makes passage of state test graduation requirement (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Updated 2010-08-23 09:25: added link to Tribune-Review coverage. —Tom

MLFD Still Accepting Applications For Citizens Fire Academy

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to be a firefighter, now is your chance to find out! The Mt. Lebanon Fire Department will be holding its latest Citizens Fire Academy this fall. Please visit their web site to learn more about the program and to sign up.

Read more: www.mtlfd.org/index.php?page=citizens-fire-academy

Mt. Lebanon's 'Mr. Science' Shared Skills With Students, Church

Gene Shaffer's favorite expression "things went swimmingly" also best expressed the accomplishments of a man who never hesitated to take on a new challenge.

Mr. Shaffer was "Mr. Science" on WQED-TV, a role that coincided with his starting up a monthly school district newsletter, which later became Mt. Lebanon Magazine.

Eugene "Gene" Holmes Shaffer Jr. of Mt. Lebanon, died on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010, in St. Clair Hospital, Mt. Lebanon. He was 84.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_694723.html

Obituary: Stephen C. Walther, Former MLFD Chief

Former Mt. Lebanon Fire Department Chief Stephen C. Walther passed away on Wednesday, August 11, 2010. His obituary, which highlights his 57 year career in the fire service, can be viewed here.

Picture courtesy of Michael Rooney.

At A Mt. Lebanon Hospice, A Carefully Designed Garden And Therapy dog Bring Solace To Patients

Gardeners already know that there are few more peaceful places than a garden. Dog owners know the calm that can be found in the touch of a soft ear and fuzzy body.

Rafael Sciullo, president and CEO of Family Hospice and Palliative Care, knows both things firsthand, and used those ideas when re-working the grounds around the Center for Compassionate Care. The former orphanage tucked in the tranquil community of Mt. Lebanon is now a place people can come for the last stage of their life's journey.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10226/1079895-47.stm

Beach, Climbing Wall In Plans For Mt. Lebanon Pool

Mt. Lebanon is considering $49.1 million worth of improvements over the next five years, including some to make the township's swimming pool more fun.

Next year, it would spend nearly $4.4 million to renovate the swim center; $3.2 million on sanitary sewer upgrades; $1.8 million to reconstruct 1 mile of streets; and more than $1 million for turf and lighting at Wildcat and Middle fields.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_694239.html

Police Probe Mt. Lebanon Attempted Burglary

Police are looking for two men after an attempted burglary in Mount Lebanon.

Officials say the first suspect entered a home in the 800-block of Florida Avenue by prying open the door.

The man ran into the homeowner on the stairs and ran away when she started yelling at him.

Read more: www.kdka.com/local/Mount.Lebanon.burglary.2.1857307.html

School Board Discusses, Again, Changing the Graduation Requirements to Boost Test Scores

Recently on Blog-Lebo, we had a lively discussion about a proposed change to the school district's graduation requirements. The change would require students to score "proficient" or better on the state-mandated PSSA exams to graduate.

The proposal was discussed further at this Monday's school-board meeting, where it was presented as offering remediation to students who were having trouble with the tests.

Some, including school-board director Mary Birks, saw the proposal in a different light, however: as a means to boost the school district's declining rankings by putting more pressure on students. The Post-Gazette:

School director Mary D. Birks spoke strongly against the proposal, calling it "reactive in nature" and designed to boost the school district's placement in the Pittsburgh Business Times rankings.

It's a tricky issue. School-board director Jo Posti writes on her blog about the subtleties of the proposal and Monday's discussion:

Some may look at this change as a response to Mt. Lebanon's rankings among other high-performing districts in the area. In a way, it is. If we're being compared to other districts by the Pittsburgh Business Times and others on the basis of PSSA scores, we obviously want our students to approach the tests with the same level of attention that they approach final exams or SATs. Final exams and SATs are tests that many students feel a more direct impact from, though. There's currently no incentive to perform well on the PSSAs. As a student, your grade isn't impacted, your college career isn't affected and the PSSAs taken during eleventh grade are one of a multitude of stress-inducers during a milestone year.

My understanding is that there are two groups of students who do poorly on the tests: those who are genuinely struggling and those who are doing well but blow off the tests because the tests don't affect college prospects. This proposed change is designed to motivate that second group to take the tests seriously.

In effect, then, this change will require the second group of students to work harder for a benefit that mostly goes to the school district itself. Is that fair?

Again, it's not so simple. While the test may not affect the students' prospects directly, it may do so indirectly. The school's reputation probably does carry over to the students. Enhancing that reputation, then, benefits the students – all students, not just those in that second group.

Also, and this is something school-board director Dale Ostergaard pointed out on Monday, adopting this change will eliminate a source of confounding and make our scores more directly comparable to those of other districts. As a result, we may be better able to isolate and improve weak areas in our educational programs.

In any case, I don't see how the school district can avoid adopting the change. As long as other schools do things to boost their scores (and they do), we will be forced to do likewise to remain competitive.

This change in graduation requirements is up for vote at the regular meeting of the school board on Monday, 16 August, 2010.

Read more:

• Mt. Lebanon considers remediation for test-takers (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• PSSAs as a Graduation Requirement (School Board Director Jo Posti)

To Beat The Heat, Ice Is Nice

To watch those trying to escape this summer's heat enter the perpetually 50-degree ice center at the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Center is like seeing desert travelers find an oasis.

For the center's facilities manager, however, such chilling out is just another day at the office.

"We have a refrigeration system that maintains ice and the indoor temperature and a separate air-conditioning unit for the community center," Robert D. Hlebinsky said.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10224/1079345-55.stm

Intergenerational Games Saturday In Mt. Lebanon

Mt. Lebanon Village's Intergenerational Games are set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Mt. Lebanon Park and Tennis Center.

The village is a nonprofit established in 2009 for residents ages 50 and older to have the practical means and confidence to enjoy life and stay in their own homes. Game day is a time to meet and greet neighbors and aims to partner those older than 50 with someone younger. Activities will include a Chase Your Elders one-mile fun/walk. A warmup begins at 8:45 a.m. at the school entrance on Horsman Drive.

Registration fee is $15; family, up to 6 members, $40. Details: 412-343-4054.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10224/1079574-55.stm

Judge Orders Identities Of Commenters Be Revealed

People have asked Tom and I (and Mike before us) why we are so strict regarding our commenting policy. Articles like this help to prove why we must continue to enforce this rule.

Anonymous bloggers beware. You may not be as anonymous as you think.

Forward Township Supervisor Thomas DeRosa has won a court victory in the action that he filed in November to uncover the identities of people who posted comments on an online bulletin board that he said defamed him.

On Wednesday, the ACLU, which had intervened in the case, turned over the Internet Protocol addresses of six individuals who made specific posts that Mr. DeRosa mentioned in his court filings.

Read more: www.postgazette.com/pg/10224/1079435-96.stm

Mt. Lebanon To Consider Cheaper Options For High School

Mt. Lebanon school directors will consider cheaper options should the construction bids to renovate Mt. Lebanon High School come in over the projected $113 million.

An update on the high school's renovation was provided to the board on Aug. 9 by Kathy Stoughton of the architectural firm Celli-Flynn Brennan (CFB). Also on hand were representatives John Teramino and Dana Damon of the schools' construction managing firm, PJ Dick.

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/08-11-2010-ML-architect-update

Vehicle Crashes Into Mt. Lebo Lawn, Sends 1 To Hospital

A woman was rushed to the hospital after her car crashed into a front lawn in Mount Lebanon.

The crash happened on Gilkeson Road at Painters Run Road at about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. Police said the driver took out the home's retaining wall.

Read more: www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/24589304/detail.html

Autism Center and Aspire Pediatric Therapy Are Moving

We received the following email today:

The Autism Center of Pittsburgh and Aspire Pediatric Therapy will be moving as of November 1, 2010 from our Mt. Lebanon location.

Our new location will be at: The Banksville Business Center -- 2893 Banksville Rd. in Dormont!

We will continue to offer all of our services at this location with better amenities and plenty of parking!

Sincerely,
Cindy Waeltermann
Director, Autism Center of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Basking In The Latest Filmmaking Boom

Stargazers no longer have to travel far to glimpse the likes of Taylor Lautner and Katherine Heigl.

Try Mt. Lebanon, the North Side, Braddock, Ambridge, Vandergrift or Monroeville. Three movies filming in Western Pennsylvania -- "Abduction," "One for the Money" and "I am Number Four" -- are shooting in those locations and more, and experts say their presence represents another boom in Pittsburgh's film industry.

Filming offered a diversion for people who live near Osage Road in Mt. Lebanon, where filming of Lautner's "Abduction" has taken place, said Susan Morgans, spokeswoman for the municipality. The filming has not brought any measurable economic benefits, she said.

"There's more of a nice (public relations) value, and it's fun for our residents," Morgans said.

Customers at Scoops on Beverly in Mt. Lebanon discussed their search for the teen heartthrob Lautner, said the ice cream shop's owner, Mike Collins.

"I don't know if it increased business, but people were talking about it," Collins said.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_694042.html

Former Mt. Lebanon Standout Believes He Has Found Home With Bruins

Mt. Lebanon's Matt Bartkowski was drafted by an NHL team two years ago, but it wasn't until this spring that he truly felt wanted by one.

Bartkowski, a defenseman, was acquired by the Boston Bruins in a deal with the Florida Panthers at the trade deadline in March. The Bruins immediately reached out to him, and Bartkowski ultimately signed with the organization and will make his pro debut at an NHL training camp this fall.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10217/1077622-139.stm

Mt. Lebanon's Turman Happy With Choice Of Robert Morris

Mt. Lebanon's Deion Turman was rewarded for his patience. Turman, a recent graduate who helped the Blue Devils win a WPIAL title, accepted a scholarship Tuesday to play basketball for Robert Morris.

"It's a program that has been on the rise for the last couple years," said Turman, who at 6-foot-9 could play center or power forward for the Colonials. "It's a place I think I can be successful both on and off the court."

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_693521.html

Former Mt. Lebanon Firefighter's Case Ends With Error

State prosecutors dropped their case Wednesday against a former Mt. Lebanon firefighter accused of starting a blaze near an apartment building.

Gene Peck, 22, of Mt. Lebanon was charged with setting garbage cans on fire April 29, 2009, outside an apartment building on Overlook Drive.

Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning tossed out Peck's confession in July because police had failed to advise him of his Miranda rights before questioning him.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_693520.html

Mt. Lebanon Library Concert Series Celebrates 10 Years

A library and a concert series would appear to be an odd combination.

For 10 years, however, Judy Sutton and the Mt. Lebanon Public Library have perfected the unlikely relationship and turned the library's "Concerts in the Courtyard" series into a community event.

The program first began when Sutton, who works at the library, wanted to create awareness about the building's courtyard.

"We have a lovely courtyard space," Sutton said. "The friends of the library have worked very hard creating a beautiful courtyard space and I thought it would be a good idea to have a summer concert series out there."

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/07-28-2010-Summer-Concert-Series

Libraries Reduce Lending Time To Save Money

Library budget deficits have impacted just about every aspect of operations and now the cuts are reducing the number of weeks a book is on loan.

At the Peters Township Public Library, the regular three-week lending time was cut to two weeks, as of July 22, for bestsellers and books with a long waiting list.

At the Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Director Cynthia K. Richey said the library could potentially see another $100,000 loss in funding in 2011. She's holding her breath after a similar loss in 2010.

"We've already made cuts, cuts for 2010 like we're closed on Sundays, eliminated two part-time reference positions and scaled back on the collection purchases, frozen wages and salaries and eliminated a couple of benefits the staff had," Richey said. "And reduced hours overall for staff. We already did that, and now we're preparing to cut again and are looking at how to continue to provide services with another $100,000 loss and that's about a 10 percent of our operating budget."

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/08-04-2010-library-cuts

St. Clair Hospital Opens Observation Unit

St. Clair Memorial Hospital opened the doors this week to its new Observation Unit, an extension to its Emergency Department.

The unit's purpose is to provide testing to determine more quickly whether the patient should be admitted or be sent home, said David Kish, director of Emergency Services at the Mt. Lebanon hospital.

Mr. Kish said patients who needed observation previously were scattered throughout the hospital, wherever there was an available bed. Now, such patients will be taken directly to the Observation Unit.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10217/1077709-55.stm

Letter: Senate Bill Would Require “Super Majority” Vote to Raise School Property Taxes

In this letter to the editors of Blog-Lebo, Sue Dixon writes about a Pennsylvania Senate bill that would require school boards to make a two-thirds majority vote before raising property taxes. —Tom


Senate Bill Would Require “Super Majority” Vote to Raise School Property Taxes

Dear Editors,

I spoke to Senator Rafferty's office today and they said this bill was sent from the Education Committee to the Appropriations committee on June 29th, 2010. Since legislators are on recess until September 20th at 1:00 p.m., nothing is happening with this bill until they return. I have found that legislators are very easy to work with and you can make changes in how your government is run through legislation. If this bill doesn't move forward before the end of November it will be unable to move forward because this will be the end of the legislation cycle for this year.

Senator Rafferty's office said that a few school board members (Senator Rafferty’s office did not say which school district the school board members were from and they could be from anywhere in the state) have contacted them saying this bill would hold their budgets hostage and they wouldn’t be able to pass budgets.

Everyone in this state should be contacting their legislator and the Senators on the Appropriations Committee to share their opinions regarding Senate Bill 553 moving forward. I have provided the Press Release, the Bill in its entirety, and the contact information for all of the Senators on the Appropriations Committee.

Sue Dixon
Mt. Lebanon

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For Immediate Release on June 8, 2010

Senate Education Committee Approves Rafferty Measure (Senate Bill 553) Requiring Super Majority Vote to Raise School Property Taxes

The Senate Education Committee today approved legislation sponsored by Sen. John Rafferty (R-Montgomery) that would require a "super majority" vote for school boards to raise taxes.

Senate Bill 553 would amend the Public School Code to require all millage property tax increases to be approved by a two-thirds majority vote by the members elected to the board of school directors.

"Taxpayers are rightfully concerned that property taxes continue to increase, as does school spending," Rafferty said. "Many tax increases are being passed by a single vote. I believe there should be a compelling need and strong support by the board before property taxes go up."

Rafferty said his legislation would provide greater taxpayer protections and ensure that school boards of directors first seek to control spending before raising taxes.

"Taxpayers have repeatedly told us that they want a stronger say in taxing decisions," he said. "My bill will provide an added protection against tax increases because it will raise the bar when it comes to voting for an increase."

"This is an important move to rein in property tax increase and control spending," Rafferty added.

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The exact wording of this bill follows:

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL No. 553
Session of 2009

INTRODUCED BY RAFFERTY, FERLO, BROWNE, WASHINGTON, EARLL, WAUGH, WONDERLING AND BOSCOLA, MARCH 5, 2009

REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MARCH 5, 2009 - REREFERRED TO THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, JUNE 29 2010

AN ACT

Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An act relating to the public school system, including certain provisions applicable as well to private and parochial schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the laws relating thereto," in school finances, providing for millage rate increase. The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a section to read:

Section 602.1. Millage Rate Increase.--The millage rate of tax in effect in each school district on the effective date of this section shall not be increased in any succeeding year unless approved by a two-thirds majority vote by members elected to the board of school directors.

Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

Officers
Corman, Jake , Chair
Tomlinson, Robert M., Vice Chair
Costa, Jay , Minority Chair
Stack, Michael J., Minority Vice Chair
Pileggi, Dominic, ex-officio
Mellow, Robert J., ex-officio
Scarnati, Joseph B., III, ex-officio

Majority
Argall, David G.
Baker, Lisa
Browne, Patrick M.
Brubaker, Mike
Gordner, John R.
Greenleaf, Stewart J.
Pippy, John
Rafferty, John C., Jr.
Smucker, Lloyd K.
Vance, Patricia H.
Waugh, Michael L.
White, Mary Jo

Minority
Boscola, Lisa M.
Farnese, Jr., Lawrence M.
Logan, Sean
Musto, Raphael J.
Stout, J. Barry
Tartaglione, Christine M.
Wozniak, John N.

Letter: School District Website Reflects Poorly on the District and the Community

In this letter to the editors of Blog-Lebo, Elaine Gillen, who runs the website lebocitizens.com, argues that our school district is neglecting its online presence, for all to see. —Tom

School District Website Reflects Poorly on the District and the Community

For several months now, I have been asking the School District to update its website. At a June 14, 2010 school board meeting, I pointed out the deficiencies on the sadly neglected School District’s Balanced Scorecard, the District’s five-year strategic plan. It has yet to be updated.

Starting with Dr. Timothy Steinhauer’s “Welcome to the Superintendent’s Website,” which is embarrassingly labeled “Welcome to Superintendent John Allison's Web Pages,” Dr. Steinhauer encourages us to take a look at the website. The goal, we are told, “is to provide visitors with useful, up-to-date information about our District.” He further suggests to visit his blog and read his latest board report. That would be December 2009.

The School Board President’s reports are a little more up to date. The last report posted had been February 15, 2010 – until I had requested an update. Now there is one from July 19, 2010.

Hang on folks, because it gets better. On the District’s home page, there have been numerous spelling errors. The latest one prompted an enlightening email exchange. When I first received Dr. Steinhauer’s response (click the “email exchange” link in the previous sentence to read it), I thought it was odd that he used the word, “Monitor.” I am being encouraged to visit it in his welcome letter, but when I check for information, I am monitoring it?

My second thought was how the District does not have spell check built in their website software. Shouldn’t we have software with spell check? Then it dawned on me. The School District doesn’t need spell check since they have taught generations of children how to spell. Yet, we get an explanation as to why there are spelling errors from time to time. As one resident said at a recent school board meeting, “I don’t want an explanation” as to why it is happening.

The School District website is available for the world to see. What an embarrassment to our community. It is a reflection of who we are. From time to time, it contains spelling errors and is in desperate need of updating. Why are we getting excuses? Why must we lower our expectations of the School District? We get out-of-date websites, lower test scores, plans that don’t meet zoning requirements, and higher taxes. And explanations.

Elaine Gillen
Mt. Lebanon

Where The Sidewalk Ends

No, this isn't a post about the Shel Silverstein book. This is about something that I've noticed around town when I've been taking long walks. The sidewalks in some neighborhoods just stop and then start up again a few houses away. The one in the picture in this post is on Lebanon Hills Drive.

Anyone have any idea why some of our sidewalks skip a few yards?

Mt. Lebanon And Baldwin Residents Have 'Had It Up To Here' With Floods

Some Mt. Lebanon and Baldwin Township homeowners are losing patience over sewage and storm water flooding after heavy storms, which is costing them thousands to repair when their homeowners' insurance doesn't cover the bill.

On July 13, all seven homes on Queensboro Avenue in Baldwin flooded.

"My brand new Nissan in the garage was totaled. The basement was completely flooded," Tracy DeSocio said. She told Mt. Lebanon commissioners Monday night the problem worsened after the township approved a senior independent living complex in her neighborhood.

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_692406.html