Trib: Mt. Lebanon weighs surplus spending

Mt. Lebanon commissioners are considering how to spend an $829,000 surplus from last year's budget, just as representatives of sports groups have asked for upgrades to playing fields.

Sports Advisory Board members on Monday outlined for commissioners improvements that the collection of 13 youth and adult sports and recreation groups requested.

Read the full article:

• www.triblive.com/neighborhoods/alleghenyneighborhoods/alleghenyneighborhoodsmore/4255881-74/sports-board-fields
(Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon votes to extend contract

Mt. Lebanon Commissioners voted, 4-1, during a regular meeting on Aug. 27 to extend the three-way joint maintenance agreement between the municipality, the school district and the Youth Sports Alliance of Mt. Lebanon. Commissioner Matt Kluck voted against the agreement.

The original contract expired on June 30th of this year, and the extension is for a six-month period.

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/08-29-2012-Lebo-commissioners (The Almanac)

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon selects junior commissioners

Mt. Lebanon Commission has selected Mt. Lebanon High School students Maddy Scott and Mark Klemencic as junior commissioners for this school year.

Scott, a junior with an unweighted GPA of 4.7, will serve for the fall semester. The Markham Drive resident is a student choreographer with the school dance company, a member of the high school forensics team, a cellist in the high school orchestra and an active member of the history club and student council. She also admits to enjoying watching C-SPAN and is fascinated by the inner workings of government.

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/alm/story10/08-08-2012-ML-jr--commish- (The Almanac)

The Almanac: ML residents oppose turfing fields

Mt. Lebanon is considering an upgrade to the municipality’s athletic fields, but the idea does not please some Mt. Lebanon residents.

At the commissioners meeting July 10, residents spoke against plans to lay artificial turf on two connecting fields to Dixon Field called Wildcat and Middle fields. The fields are directly next to each other and across the parking lot from Dixon Field. According to commissioner Kristen Linfante, the turfed fields combined would make for a large single, multi-purpose field that could accommodate multiple sports at any given time. The fields, used by the Mt. Lebanon Baseball Association and the Mt. Lebanon Girls Softball Association, currently have grass.

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/07-19-2012-Ml-fields (The Almanac)

Patch: The Fresh Market Could Be Coming To Mt. Lebanon

The Fresh Market could soon be coming to the South Hills.

The gourmet supermarket chain is seeking approval from Mt. Lebanon commissioners to demolish the Roth Carpet building at the corner of Washington and Connor roads and build the new grocery store.

Read the full article:

• chartiersvalley.patch.com/articles/the-fresh-market-could-be-coming-to-mt-lebanon (Chartiers Valley Patch)

Trib: Deer culling program weighed in Mt. Lebanon

Torn between tales of disease-carrying deer turning roads into obstacle courses and residents concerned about expert shooters possibly being allowed to fire into private property at night with high-powered, silenced rifles, the Mt. Lebanon commission is weighing whether to resurrect a deer-culling program like those used in Upper St. Clair, Bethel Park and Fox Chapel.

The commission is considering a ban on deliberately feeding deer and will host a town hall meeting in the coming weeks to discuss reinstating some form of population control for herds of deer that live in the municipality's parks and backyards.

Read the full article:

• www.triblive.com/news/1889581-74/deer-lebanon-commission-sharpshooters-clair-culling-meeting-program-upper-kelley (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon overlooked $800,000 worth of parking tickets

The now-defunct Mt. Lebanon Parking Authority failed to collect about $800,000 in unpaid parking tickets over 15 years, but municipal officials say they are more concerned with collecting at least some of the money than understanding why it slipped through the cracks.

"That was sort of a shock to us," said Mt. Lebanon Commission President David Brumfield, a former board member of the parking authority. "Why these things (occurred) -- hasn't been our focus. After we've dealt with the fines, we may try to go back and figure out why this happened.

Read the full article:

• www.triblive.com/news/1864441-74/parking-tickets-authority-lebanon-brumfield-department-ticket-unpaid-800000-charge (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Advertisements coming to school, municipal fields in Mt. Lebanon

A regulation passed Tuesday night in Mt. Lebanon will allow advertising at the municipality's athletic fields and school stadiums.

Over the past month, residents have turned out at meetings to discuss the poor state of neighborhood parks and fields and how the municipality is going to pay for improvements. Many of them agree that selling ad space is a way to fund those projects without raising taxes.

Dave Franklin, a Mt. Lebanon resident supporting the regulation and a board member on various athletic associations in the municipality, started the blog "Lebo Fields" last month to keep the discussion going after the meetings.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/advertisements-coming-to-school-municipal-fields-in-mt-lebanon-635300 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon divided on sign ordinance

When Mt. Lebanon Commission President David Brumfield introduced the idea of corporate advertising signs being permitted and regulated in new areas of the municipality, commissioners hoped it would be a source of revenue for Mt. Lebanon.

But the Mt. Lebanon Planning Board has concerns about the ordinance, and on March 27, the planning board voted against recommending adoption of the proposed ordinance.

At the commissioners April 23 meeting, a public hearing was held that allowed members of the planning board and residents to voice their opinions about the ordinance.

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/04-25-2012-ML-signs (The Almanac)

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon seeks public input on rec needs

Mt. Lebanon residents are encouraged to share their ideas about the community’s recreation needs—including suggestions regarding maintenance, improvements and additions to parks and recreation facilities—at a special public meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 19, in the Commission Chamber of the Municipal Building, 710 Washington Road.

The commission is seeking input from people of all ages that will help them meet community needs, prioritize projects and allocate available funds appropriately. Speakers will be asked to keep their remarks to no longer than 5 minutes.

The meeting will be taped and broadcast for one week following the meeting according to this schedule: Saturday-Tuesday, 10 a.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, 7 p.m., and Friday, 3 p.m.

Residents who are unable to attend the meeting but would like to share their concerns and ideas with elected officials may e-mail comments to commission@mtlebanon.org.

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/04-11-2012-ML-special-meeting (The Almanac)

Trib: Hearings to decide on Mt. Lebanon spending surplus

Mt. Lebanon commission will hold public meetings in the next two weeks to discuss spending up to $1.38 million of this year's budget surplus and to discuss the municipality's parks and recreation needs.

Mt. Lebanon keeps about 10 percent of its annual revenues in reserve, not assigning it to pay for any projects. When revenues at the end of the year go above that 10 percent threshold, a law enacted late last year requires a public hearing for residents and the commissioners to discuss whether to spend the excess, and if so, how to do it.

Read the full article:

• www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_790860.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon commissioner had history of helping community

Edward Daly was a two-term Mt. Lebanon commissioner in the 1980s and '90s who was committed to improving the quality of life for the people he represented.

As a member of the board of the Medical Rescue of Mt. Lebanon, Mr. Daly was able to apply his knack for numbers to help coordinate funding for the organization's mission of providing non-emergency medical transportation between homes and medical facilities.

Read the full article:

• www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_784452.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Obituary: Edward J. Daly, Jr, Former Mt. Lebanon Commissioner

Edward J. Daly, a former 5th Ward Commissioner, passed away on Tuesday, February 28. His obituary, which highlights his many community and church activities as a longtime Mt. Lebanon resident, can be viewed here.

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon officials salute founding families

The Feb. 6 Mt. Lebanon commissioners meeting took on a celebratory feel as commissioners, state officials and residents marked the municipality's centennial anniversary inside the Mt. Lebanon municipal building.

The municipality was founded on Feb. 6, 1912, after residents living in the area wanted to separate themselves from Upper St. Clair and Scott Township.

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/alm/story10/02-08-2012-ML-centennial-meeting (The Almanac)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon commission names liaison

To maintain a direct line of communication between governing bodies, Mt. Lebanon municipal leaders have appointed one of their own as school board liaison and will soon name two representatives to follow.

New Commissioner Kristen Linfante will serve as the liaison to the school district and will be responsible for staying informed on its actions, including attending meetings whenever possible.

"I personally think it's something that should have happened a long, long time ago," she said.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/pg/12026/1205979-55-0.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: New Mt. Lebanon budget includes tax increase

Mt. Lebanon commissioners approved a $33.2 million operating budget Tuesday that increases the real estate tax rate.

The commission approved raising the rate by 0.67 mill, to a total of 5.43 mills. As the budget stands now, property owners will pay $543 next year for a home valued at $100,000, up from $476 in 2011.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/pg/11356/1198462-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Commissioner Miller Updates Us On The Budget

5th Ward Commissioner Dan Miller's latest blog posting gives us an update on the 2012 budget hearing:

Read the full article:

• www.danmillerward5.com/2012-budget-hearing-update

Trib: Mt. Lebanon Board rethinks deer culling program

The days of deer peacefully grazing in Mt. Lebanon may end next year.

In discussions of the budget for 2012, the Mt. Lebanon Board of Commissioners has penciled in about $66,000 for deer: $16,000 for a study of their numbers and density in the municipality, and $50,000 for a culling -- or professional hunting -- program.

A similar program was conducted from 2007 to 2008, ending amid residents' concerns over sharpshooters from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services hunting the deer with night-vision equipment and high-powered rifles. The commissioners and residents resurrected the issue this month during the budget-making process.

Read the full article:

• www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_768805.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon again at odds over deer population

The economics and efficacy of deer culling have once again divided Mt. Lebanon residents.

Some residents have told commissioners that something must be done because deer remain a menace on roads and in their backyards. Still others say that dropping $66,000 for a density study and subsequent culling would be an insult during the bad economy.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/pg/11321/1190406-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Lebo Election Results

From the Allegheny County Department of Elections web site:

School Director MT LEBANON
(Vote For  5)

James Edmund Cannon (REP) .  .  .  .  .     3,974   11.42
Scott D. Goldman (REP/DEM).  .  .  .  .     5,365   15.42
Ed Kubit (REP/DEM)  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     5,627   16.18
Elaine L. Cappucci (REP/DEM) .  .  .  .     6,236   17.93
Lawrence Mark Lebowitz (REP/DEM).  .  .     6,028   17.33
William L. Cooper (DEM).  .  .  .  .  .     4,636   13.33
WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     2,922    8.40

Commissioner MT LEBANON WARD 1
(Vote For  1)

Thomas Michael Brown (REP).  .  .  .  .       614   32.30
John Bendel (DEM).  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,278   67.23
WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .         9     .47

Commissioner MT LEBANON WARD 3
(Vote For  1)

Joseph J. DeIuliis (REP)  .  .  .  .  .       823   43.36
Kristen Linfante (DEM) .  .  .  .  .  .     1,063   56.01
WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        12     .63

Commissioner MT LEBANON WARD 5
(Vote For  1)

William L. Hoon (REP)  .  .  .  .  .  .       670   41.74
Kelly Fraasch (DEM) .  .  .  .  .  .  .       930   57.94
WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .         5     .31