A Right To Know was filed on March 16, 2015 asking for "All emails, text messages and written communication between any Mt. Lebanon employee and any employee of Wildlife Specialists for the period between February 15 - March 11, 2015 regarding the deer management program currently being conducted in Mt. Lebanon."
The RTK was partially granted and partially denied and sent in two files. Steve Feller's cover letter includes an explanation.
Highlights from the redacted Right To Know file include:
- Wildlife Specialists mapped out 1,000' buffers from school buildings instead of measuring from property line of schools. Only one school needed to be adjusted. This bait site was the one vandalized. Page 18.
- "This new issue about the school SAFE act is all empty because the act states that all "unauthorized" individuals may not possess a fire arm within a school safe zone. If you are licensed by the state or the local authority to do so then you are authorized. Why is this not clearly obvious to the commissioners and Police Department? Otherwise, the police would not be allowed to come near a school." - W.S.
- Per John Bendel's suggestion, Steve Feller was feeding Merlin Benner questions that were going to be asked at the Discussion Session. Page 19.
- Page 21. Concordia was upset with Brian Benner concerning use of their property. Concordia did not grant permission to cull the deer on their property.
- Page 25. Feller notified W.S. that the sites previously chosen at Markham, the golf course, and McNeilly are all within the 1,000' buffer.
- Page 28. A female lawyer warned W.S. if they did not call PA One Call by 11 AM that day, that she would call and report them. Merlin suggested that they make the call. This woman spoke with our police chief who did not understand that bullets are considered explosives.
- Page 30. Merlin Benner threatens a resident with harassment.
- Merlin tells Coleman that they will comply and limit work on site to the two approved by the PA Game Commission. See letter from the Game Commission. Page 33.
- W.S. blamed Kelly Fraasch for sharing Kip's information on page 38. W.S. said that Kip and his wife were very worried about their safety and for the business.
- Page 39. More "harassment" from a Mt. Lebanon resident toward Kip.
- Page 41. Kip had been identified in one of the "activist blogs."
- Amendments to the application begin on page 54 to include adding more men to the permit, allowing semi-automatic rifles, and use of a Scott Township property owned by Mt. Lebanon (Twin Hills).
- Page 61. Since McNeilly is off the table, W.S. wants to use Williamsburg and Main Park. W.S. also tells Feller that they have written permission from Concordia.
- Page 65. Facebook announcement of the February 28 protest on Connor Road.
- Brian Benner says that hopefully all shooting will be under the cover of darkness. Page 6.
- A fourth name was not on the amendment request. Game Commission said that a new request must be submitted with all four names listed. Page 9.
- Coleman reports to Benner about debating with a citizen on page 16. See photo here. Baiting begins. Benner heard that one of his co-workers saw a feeder photo in an article and was concerned that they were trespassing. He realized that the photo could have been taken from a distance. What a squirrelly bunch!
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- Page 17. No feeders at Twin Hills.
- Page 27. McNeilly was doused with urine. How do they know?
- Pages 30 - 45. PA One Call reports.
- Gene wanted to know how or why information was disclosed about shooting. Aaron Lauth told him that Merlin Benner shared it with a Trib reporter. Page 46. Squirrelly!
- Page 47. First Church of Christ did not want their lot used for parking or access for deer killing. W.S. had called the police on members of the public who tried to tell them that they did not have permission to be there!
- Deer were captured and killed without incident. They were pleased that there was no protester interference. Page 48.
- Wildlife Specialists wanted to use cross-bows at McNeilly, Bird, and the Golf Course since it would not violate the 1,000' federal school law. Thankfully, Steve Feller said thanks, but no thanks. Page 50.
- Page 51. More on PA One Call.
- Page 55. Coordinates of "Trapping Sites."
- The Health Department called and had not approved any wild game processors for food banks. Page 64.
- Page 65. Request to use lawful firearms for big game was denied.
Another RTK is due on or before May 5. Now that my heart is racing again and am all fired up remembering all the unrest the deer killing had caused, I want to remind everyone that the municipality is bringing in Sandy Baker this weekend, to share her recommendations for non-lethal methods of deer management.