Auditor's Report Uncovers Problems at the School District

Update: The performance audit can be found on the Auditor General's site: Mt. Lebanon School District Performance Audit Report.

The local news media are reporting on the Pennsylvania Auditor General's recent audit of the Mt. Lebanon School District. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

[Jack] Wagner, [Pennsylvania Auditor General], found the district failed to have an adequate policy to address board members who do not file financial disclosure forms from approximately August 2004 to June 2006; failed to update its agreement with Mt. Lebanon Police Department dating to 1996; and failed to implement a policy or procedure to quickly identify contracted bus drivers who are either charged with or convicted of criminal offenses.

A Post-Gazette article focuses on a single issue from the audit report:

Former Mt. Lebanon school director Mark Hart failed to file a statement of financial interests for the 2005 and 2006 calendar years, constituting a violation of the Ethics Act, according to a June 2010 performance audit report of the school district released by the auditor general's office.

Read more:

• Report: Mt. Lebanon School District falls short in policy, procedure (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
• Former Mt. Lebanon school director cited in audit (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

County DA Claims Campaign Form Filings 'Administrative' Issue

A spokesman from Allegheny County District Attorney's office said Mt. Lebanon School Board President Mark Hart was included in a list of elected officials identified by the Allegheny County Elections Board as having incomplete files regarding their 2005 campaigns.

"Yes, we got the letter, but often these are administrative issues and we generally don't prosecute them," said Mike Manko from District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr.'s office. "We haven't had time to look at the letter or investigate it."

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/03-12-ML-hart-article-B