A crowd of more than 70 people, with about 50 more protesting outside, met in the Mt. Lebanon commissioners' chambers on Aug. 28 to participate in a meeting about "Perspectives on Living in and Governing a Highly Taxed Community."If you weren't at the meeting and haven't yet listened to an audio recording of it (or don't have 90 minutes to listen to it), read this article because it goes on to summarize what happened at the meeting.
Organized by Mt. Lebanon Commissioner Matt Kluck as a way to learn more about what issues were important to community residents, the invitation-only event had protesters concerned that the real agenda of the meeting was to delay or reduce the scope of the planned $113 million renovations of Mt. Lebanon High School.
Read the full article:
- Invitation only Town Hall event draws protests (The Almanac)
I don't think people are identifying the root of the problem here. It all blew up when Dr. Timothy Steinhauer told the School Board that they were not permitted to attend the meeting. They were invited and then uninvited after his statement was issued. Last time I checked, the superintendent works for the School Board, who in turn, are supposed to represent us, not the other way around. And you all know where I stand with the Administration when you read my plan under the "Kendrick Plan." I guess you all know where I stand with the School Board majority too.
ReplyDeleteElaine Gillen
Just to be clear, my plan is NOT the "Kendrick Plan." It was posted under the "Kendrick Plan" letter to the editor. My plan included:
ReplyDelete1. Administrators should take a pay cut. They are not being held accountable at every turn.
Elaine Gillen
I don't know this to be true, so I am guessing, but I would imagine that the Superintendent told the School Board not to participate for the same reason that the municipal manager told the rest of the Commissioners not to participate -- if they did participate, then either the meeting had to be properly advertised with sufficient public notice, and open to the public, or it became a Sunshine Act violation because you had a quorum of public officials acting in at least a seemingly public capacity.
ReplyDeleteJust my opinion.
Ann McDougall
Ms. McDougall,
ReplyDeleteIt's a little different with the board of school directors.
It would take an additional four (4) school directors to make a quorum.
Only two (2) more municipal commissioners would have made a quorum.
Ann -- I'm not sure that you understand this, but neither Stephen Feller nor Dr. Steinhauer can tell or instruct members of the school board or commission on what to do. Each gentleman works for the board/commission -- not the other way around.
ReplyDeleteJoe,
ReplyDeleteYou're entirely correct, but it's apparent you haven't attended a school board meeting lately.
It's a subject for another thread sooner or later.
Joe: I'm not sure you understand: Steve and the superintendent do not want to violate the law, and their job is to make sure others do not. To be certain, the commissioners and board members can decide to not listen to what they have been advised, but then there would be years of litigation and additional costs as a result. Who would want to do this? Are you saying you would? I don't understand your reaction to my statement.
ReplyDeleteAnn McDougall
Ms. McDougall,
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, Steve and the superintendent did not pass the bar exam.
Philip J. Weis and Thomas P. Peterson did, and their job is to make sure their respective boards follow the law.
Joe understands this.
Ann M:
ReplyDeleteSince the school board and the administration were invited and informed of the limited seating available, why didn't they graciously suggest the HS auditorium?
One of the arguments for the new HS renovation is to open it to more community use.
I'd say this past and any future proposed "town halls" meet the definition of community use.
Dean Spahr
Ed Kubit was invited to sit on the panel and the other directors were invited to sit in the audience. I don’t see how that would have violated any sunshine law. If one board director has a party and invites their peers to attend, is that a violation of sunshine law? I don’t think so because in either case the directors would not be conducting business on behalf of the school district.
ReplyDelete– Charlotte Stephenson
Ann -- I understand very well how the commission and school boards operate. As David Huston stated, we have solicitors to advise board members -- not the superintendent and not the municipal manager.
ReplyDelete